Exhibit 99(a)
DIRECTOR INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Director Indemnification
Agreement, dated as of August 10, 2005 (this “
Agreement ”), is made by and between GTECH
Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “
Company ”), and ________________ (“
Indemnitee ”).
A. Section 141
of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that the business
and affairs of a corporation shall be managed by or under the
direction of its board of directors.
B. By
virtue of the managerial prerogatives vested in the directors of a
Delaware corporation, directors act as fiduciaries of the
corporation and its stockholders.
C. Thus,
it is critically important to the Company and its stockholders that
the Company be able to attract and retain the most capable persons
reasonably available to serve as directors of the
Company.
D. In
recognition of the need for corporations to be able to induce
capable and responsible persons to accept positions as directors,
Delaware law authorizes (and in some instances requires)
corporations to indemnify their directors, and further authorizes
corporations to purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of
their directors.
E. The
Delaware courts have recognized that indemnification by a
corporation serves the dual policies of (1) allowing directors to
resist unjustified lawsuits, secure in the knowledge that, if
vindicated, the corporation will bear the expense of litigation and
(2) encouraging capable women and men to serve as corporate
directors, secure in the knowledge that the corporation will absorb
the costs of defending their honesty and integrity.
F. The
number of lawsuits challenging the judgment and actions of
directors of Delaware corporations, the costs of defending those
lawsuits, and the threat to directors’ personal assets have
all materially increased in recent years, chilling the willingness
of capable women and men to undertake the responsibilities imposed
on corporate directors.
G. Recent
federal legislation and rules adopted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission and the national securities exchanges have
imposed additional disclosure and corporate governance obligations
on directors of public companies and have exposed such directors to
new and substantially broadened civil liabilities.
H. These
legislative and regulatory initiatives have also exposed directors
of public companies to a significantly greater risk of criminal
proceedings, with attendant defense costs and potential criminal
fines and penalties.
I.
Under
Delaware law, a director’s right to be reimbursed for the
costs of defense of criminal actions, whether such claims are
asserted under state or federal law, does not depend upon the
merits of the claims asserted against the director and is separate
and distinct from any right to indemnification the director may be
able to establish, and indemnification of the director against
criminal fines and penalties is permitted if the director satisfies
the applicable standard of conduct.
J.
Indemnitee is a director of the
Company and his/her willingness to serve in such capacity is
predicated, in substantial part, upon the Company’s
willingness to indemnify him/her in accordance with the principles
reflected above, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the
state of Delaware, and upon the other undertakings set forth in
this Agreement.
K.
Therefore, in recognition of the
need to provide Indemnitee with substantial protection against
personal liability, in order to procure Indemnitee’s
continued service as a director of the Company and to enhance
Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in an effective
manner, and in order to provide such protection pursuant to express
contract rights (intended to be enforceable irrespective of, among
other things, any amendment to the Company’s certificate of
incorporation or bylaws (collectively, the “
Constituent Documents ”), any change in the
composition of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “
Board ”) or any change-in-control or business
combination transaction relating to the Company), the Company
wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and
the advancement of Expenses (as defined in Section 1(i)) to
Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement and for the continued
coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’
and officers’ liability insurance policies.
L.
In light of the considerations
referred to in the preceding recitals, it is the Company’s
intention and desire that the provisions of this Agreement be
construed liberally, subject to their express terms, to maximize
the protections to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby
agree as follows:
1.
Certain Definitions.
In addition to terms defined
elsewhere herein, the following terms have the following meanings
when used in this Agreement with initial capital
letters:
(a)
“Agreement”
has the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
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(b)
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“Board” has the meaning set forth in Recital K to this
Agreement.
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(c)
“Change in
Control” means
the occurrence after the date of this Agreement of any of the
following events:
(i)
the acquisition by any individual,
entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or
14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”
) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the combined
voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company;
provided , however , that:
(A)
for purposes of this
Section 1(c)(i), the following acquisitions shall not
constitute a Change in Control: (1) any acquisition of Voting
Stock of the Company directly from the Company that is approved by
a majority of the Incumbent Directors, (2) any acquisition of
Voting Stock of the Company by the Company or any Subsidiary,
(3) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by
the Company or any Subsidiary, and (4) any acquisition of Voting
Stock of the Company by any Person pursuant to a Business
Combination that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of
Section 1(c)(iii) below;
(B)
if any Person acquires beneficial
ownership of 20% or more of the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company as a result of a
transaction described in clause (A)(1) of Section 1(c)(i) and
such Person thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of any
additional shares of Voting Stock of the Company representing 1% or
more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, other
than in an acquisition directly from the Company that is approved
by a majority of the Incumbent Directors or other than as a result
of a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by
the Company in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated
equally, such subsequent acquisition shall be deemed to constitute
a Change in Control;
(C)
a Change in Control shall not be
deemed to have occurred if a Person acquires beneficial ownership
of 20% or more of the Voting Stock of the Company as a result of a
reduction in the number of shares of Voting Stock of the Company
outstanding unless and until such Person thereafter becomes the
beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock of the
Company representing 1% or more of the then-outstanding Voting
Stock of the Company, other than in an acquisition directly from
the Company that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent
Directors or other than as a result of a stock dividend, stock
split or similar transaction effected by the Company in which all
holders of Voting Stock are treated equally; and
(D)
if at least a majority of the
Incumbent Directors determines in good faith that a Person has
acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the Voting Stock of
the Company inadvertently, and that such Person has divested as
promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares so that such
Person beneficially owns less than 20% of the Voting Stock of the
Company, then no Change in Control shall have occurred as a result
of such Person’s acquisition; or
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(ii)
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a majority of the Directors are not Incumbent
Directors; or
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(iii)
the consummation of a
reorganization, merger or consolidation, or sale or other
disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company or the acquisition of assets of another corporation, or
other transaction (each, a “Business
Combination” ), unless, in each case, immediately
following such Business Combination (A) all or substantially
all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners
of Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to such Business
Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60%
of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of
Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination
(including an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the
Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets
either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no
Person (other than the Company, such entity resulting from such
Business Combination, or any employee benefit plan (or related
trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or
such entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially
owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of the combined voting
power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity
resulting from such Business Combination, and (C) at least a
majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the entity
resulting from such Business Combination were Incumbent Directors
at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the
action of the Board providing for such Business Combination;
or
(iv)
approval by the stockholders of the
Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company,
except pursuant to a Business Combination that complies with
clauses (A), (B) and (C) of Section 1(c)(iii).
(v)
For purposes of this
Section 1(c) and as used elsewhere in this Agreement, the
following terms shall have the following meanings:
(A)
“ Exchange Act
” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(B)
“Incumbent
Directors” means the individuals who, as of the date
hereof, are Directors of the Company and any individual becoming a
Director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, nomination
for election by the Company’s stockholders, or appointment,
was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the then Incumbent
Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy
statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee
for director, without objection by any other Director to such
nomination); provided , however , that an individual
shall not be an Incumbent Director if such individual’s
election or appointment to the Board occurs as a result of an
actual or threatened election contest (as described in
Rule 14a-12(c) of the Exchange Act) with respect to the
election or removal of Directors or other actual or threatened
solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person
other than the Board.
(C)
“Subsidiary”
means an entity in which the Company
directly or indirectly beneficially owns at least a majority of the
outstanding Voting Stock.
(D)
“Voting
Stock” means
securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors
(or similar governing bodies).
(d)
“ Claim
” means
(i) any threatened, asserted, pending or completed claim,
demand, action, suit or proceeding (whether formal or informal),
including any third-party action, class action, derivative action,
counterclaim or cross-claim, whether civil, criminal, appellate,
administrative, arbitrative, legislative, investigative or other,
and whether made pursuant to federal, state, foreign or other law;
and (ii) any threatened, pending or completed inquiry or
investigation, whether made, instituted or conducted by the Company
or any other person, including any federal, state, foreign or other
governmental entity, that Indemnitee determines might lead to the
institution of any such claim, demand, action, suit or
proceeding.
(e)
“Company”
has the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph of this Agreement, subject to the provisions
of Section 15.
(f)
“Constituent
Documents” has
the meaning set forth in Recital K to this Agreement.
(g)
“Controlled
Affiliate” means any entity, whether or not for profit,
that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company. For
purposes of this definition, “control” means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management or policies of an entity, whether
through the ownership of voting securities, through other voting
rights, by contract or otherwise; provided that direct or
indirect beneficial ownership of capital stock or other interests
in an entity entitling the holder to cast 20% or more of the total
number of votes generally entitled to be cast in the election of
directors (or persons performing comparable functions) of such
entity shall be deemed to constitute control for purposes of this
definition.
(h)
“ Disinterested
Director ” means a director of the Company who is not
and was not a party to the Claim in respect of which
indemnification is sought by Indemnitee or any similar
Claim.
(i)
“ Expenses
” means all costs
and expenses paid or payable in connection with investigating,
defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on
appeal), or preparing to investigate, defend, be a witness in or
participate in (including on appeal), any Claim, including
attorneys’ and experts’ fees and expenses, travel,
duplicating, binding, telephone, postage and courier expenses,
court costs, retainers and advisors’ fees.
(j)
“ Indemnifiable
Claim ” means
any Claim based upon, arising out of or resulting from (i) any
actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in
his or her capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of
the Company or as a director, officer, employee, member, manager,
trustee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability
company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity, whether
or not for profit, as to which Indemnitee is or was serving at the
request (whether formal or informal) of the Company as a director,
officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent, (ii) any
actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in
respect of any business, transaction, communication, filing,
disclosure or other activity of the Company or any other entity
referred to in clause (i) of this sentence, or
(iii) Indemnitee’s status as a current or former
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a current
or former director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or
agent of the Company or any other entity referred to in
clause (i) of
this sentence or any actual, alleged
or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in connection with
any obligation or restriction imposed upon Indemnitee by reason of
such status. In addition to any service at the actual request of
the Company, for purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be
deemed to be serving or to have served at the request of the
Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee
or agent of another entity if Indemnitee is or was serving as a
director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of
such entity and (i) such entity is or at the time of such
service was a Controlled Affiliate, (ii) such entity is or at
the time of such service was an employee benefit plan (or related
trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or a Controlled
Affiliate, or (iii) the Company or a Controlled Affiliate
directly or indirectly caused or authorized Indemnitee to be
nominated, elected, appointed, designated, employed, engaged or
selected to serve in such capacity.
(k)
“ Indemnifiable
Losses” means
any and all Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from
any Indemnifiable Claim.
(l)
“Indemnitee”
has the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
(m)
“ Independent
Counsel ” means a law firm, or a member of a law
firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither
presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to
represent: (i) the Company (or any Subsidiary) or Indemnitee
(or any member of Indemnitee’s immediate family) in any
matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other named
(or, as to a threatened matter, reasonably likely to be named)
party to the Indemnifiable Claim giving rise to a claim for
indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term
“Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who,
under the applicable standards of professional conduct then
prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing
either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine
Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement unless such conflict
is effectively waived.
(n)
“ Losses ”
means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities,
judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or other) and
amounts paid in settlement, including all interest, taxes,
assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or
in respect of any of the foregoing.
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(o)
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“Notification Date”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 7(c).
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(p)
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“Other Indemnity
Provisions ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 10.
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(q)
“Standard of Conduct
Determination” has the meaning set forth in
Section 7(b).
2.
Indemnification
Obligation. Subject to
Section 7, the Company shall indemnify, defend and hold
harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted or required by
the laws of the State of Delaware in effect on the date hereof or
as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase
the scope of such permitted indemnification, against any and all
Indemnifiable Claims and Indemnifiable Losses; provided ,
however , that, except as provided in Sections 4 and
20, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification pursuant to
this Agreement in connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee
against the Company or any director or officer of the Company
unless the Company has joined in or consented to the initiation of
such Claim.
3.
Advancement of
Expenses. Indemnitee
shall have the right to advancement by the Company prior to the
final disposition of any Indemnifiable Claim of any and all
Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any
Indemnifiable Claim paid or incurred by Indemnitee or which
Indemnitee determines are reasonably likely to be paid or incurred
by Indemnitee. Indemnitee’s right to such advancement is not
subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct. Without
limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within five
business days after any written request by Indemnitee, the Company
shall, in accordance with such written request (but without
duplication), (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee,
(b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay
such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses;
provided that Indemnitee shall repay within 90 days, without
interest any amounts actually advanced to Indemnitee that, at the
final disposition of the Indemnifiable Claim to which the advance
related, were in excess of amounts paid or payable by Indemnitee in
respect of Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from
such Indemnifiable Claim. In connection with any such payment,
advancement or reimbursement, Indemnitee shall execute and deliver
to the Company an undertaking, which need not be secured and shall
be accepted without reference to Indemnitee’s ability to
repay the Expenses, by or on behalf of the Indemnitee, to repay any
amounts paid, advanced or reimbursed by the Company in respect of
Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any
Indemnifiable Claim in respect of which it shall have been
determined, following the final disposition of such Indemnifiable
Claim and in accordance with Section 7, that Indemnitee is not
entitled to indemnification hereunder.
4.
Indemnification for Additional
Expenses. Without
limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, the Company
shall indemnify and hold harmless Indem