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STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

Shareholder Agreement

STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT | Document Parties: GENERAL MOTORS CO | 7176384 Canada Inc | NGMCO, Inc | Vehicle Acquisition Holdings LLC You are currently viewing:
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GENERAL MOTORS CO | 7176384 Canada Inc | NGMCO, Inc | Vehicle Acquisition Holdings LLC

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Title: STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT
Date: 7/16/2009

STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT, Parties: general motors co , 7176384 canada inc , ngmco  inc , vehicle acquisition holdings llc
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Exhibit 10.1

EXECUTION COPY

 

 

 

STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

by and among

General Motors Company,

United States Department of the Treasury,

7176384 Canada Inc.,

and

UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust

Dated as of July 10, 2009

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

  

 

  

Page

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1

  

Certain Defined Terms

  

1

Section 1.2

  

Terms Generally

  

6

ARTICLE II

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 2.1

  

Size of Initial Board

  

6

Section 2.2

  

Composition of Board

  

6

Section 2.3

  

Agreement to Nominate VEBA Nominee

  

7

Section 2.4

  

Agreement to Nominate Canada Nominee

  

8

ARTICLE III

CERTAIN COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS

Section 3.1

  

Initial Public Offering

  

8

Section 3.2

  

Reserved

  

8

Section 3.3

  

Transfer Restrictions

  

8

Section 3.4

  

Restrictions on Certain Corporate Actions

  

9

Section 3.5

  

Certificate Legends

  

9

ARTICLE IV

VOTING AGREEMENT

Section 4.1

  

Government Holder Participation to Establish Quorum

  

10

Section 4.2

  

Government Holder Agreement to Vote

  

10

Section 4.3

  

VEBA Agreement to Vote

  

11

Section 4.4

  

Irrevocable Proxy

  

11

Section 4.5

  

Inconsistent Voting Agreements

  

12

ARTICLE V

OTHER AGREEMENTS

Section 5.1

  

Tag-Along Rights

  

12

Section 5.2

  

Drag-Along Rights

  

13

Section 5.3

  

Preemptive Rights

  

15

Section 5.4

  

Information Rights

  

16

 

i


ARTICLE VI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 6.1

 

Notices

  

17

Section 6.2

 

Termination

  

18

Section 6.3

 

Authority

  

18

Section 6.4

 

No Third Party Beneficiaries

  

19

Section 6.5

 

No Personal Liability by the VEBA Signatory

  

19

Section 6.6

 

Cooperation

  

19

Section 6.7

 

Governing Law; Forum Selection

  

19

Section 6.8

 

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

  

19

Section 6.9

 

Assignment; Successors and Assigns

  

19

Section 6.10

 

After Acquired Securities

  

20

Section 6.11

 

Entire Agreement

  

20

Section 6.12

 

Severability

  

20

Section 6.13

 

Enforcement of this Agreement

  

20

Section 6.14

 

Amendment

  

20

Section 6.15

 

Headings

  

21

Section 6.16

 

Counterparts; Facsimiles

  

21

Section 6.17

 

UST

  

21

Section 6.18

 

Canada

  

21

Section 6.19

 

Time Periods

  

21

 

ii


STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT

This STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of July 10, 2009 by and among General Motors Company (formerly known as NGMCO, Inc.), a Delaware corporation and successor-in-interest to Vehicle Acquisition Holdings LLC (the “ Corporation ”), the United States Department of the Treasury (together with its Permitted Transferees, the “ UST ”), 7176384 Canada Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Canada (together with its Permitted Transferees, “ Canada ”), and the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, a voluntary employees’ beneficiary association (together with its Permitted Transferees, the “ VEBA ”).

WHEREAS, each of the Government Holders and the VEBA owns, as of the date hereof, that number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation (the “ Common Stock ”) and that number of shares of Series A preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation, set forth opposite such Holder’s name on Annex I hereto;

WHEREAS, the VEBA will also be issued, as of the date hereof, a warrant to acquire 15,151,515 shares of Common Stock (the “ Warrant ”); and

WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to enter into this Agreement to govern the rights and obligations of the parties with respect to certain matters relating to the Corporation and the Holders’ ownership and voting of the Common Stock.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the value, receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings set forth below or in the Sections set forth below:

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with such Person. For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of this Agreement, the UAW and its Affiliates shall be deemed to be Affiliates of the VEBA.

Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Beneficial Ownership ” or “ Beneficially Owned ” have the meanings given to such terms in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act.

Board ” means the board of directors of the Corporation.

Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which banks are required or authorized by Law to be closed in New York City, New York.


Canada ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Canada Director ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(ii) .

Canada Nominee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4 .

Canada Owned Shares ” means the shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by Canada as of the relevant time.

Change of Control ” means (A) any acquisition or purchase of capital stock of the Corporation, or of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation or (B) any merger, consolidation, business combination, recapitalization, reorganization or other extraordinary business transaction involving or otherwise relating to the Corporation, in each case, which would require the vote of the stockholders of the Corporation pursuant to the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.

Chief Executive Officer ” means the duly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

Common Stock ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Compelled Sale ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.

Compelled Sale Notice ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.

Consent ” means any consent, approval, authorization, waiver, grant, franchise, concession, agreement, license, exemption or other permit or order of, registration, declaration or filing with, or report or notice to, any Person.

Control ” means the direct or indirect power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, general partnership interests or management member interests, by contract or trust agreement, pursuant to a voting trust or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have the correlative meanings.

Corporation ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

Co-Sale Holders ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.

Co-Sale Notice ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.

Debtor ” means Motors Liquidation Company, a Delaware corporation formerly known as General Motors Corporation.

DGCL ” means the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time.

Drag-Along Buyer ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.

Electing Holder ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.

 

2


Equity Registration Rights Agreement ” means the Equity Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Corporation, the VEBA, UST, Canada and Debtor.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Executive Officer ” means any officer who (i) is subject to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or (ii) would be subject to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act if the Common Stock was registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

Fiscal Year ” means the fiscal year of the Corporation. Each Fiscal Year shall commence on the day immediately following the last day of the immediately preceding Fiscal Year.

GAAP ” means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America as in effect from time to time, consistently applied and maintained throughout the applicable periods both as to classification of items and amounts.

Government Holder ” means UST or Canada.

Governmental Approval ” means any Consent of, with or to any Governmental Authority, and includes any applicable waiting periods associated with any Governmental Approvals.

Governmental Authority ” means any United States or non-United States federal, provincial, state or local government or other political subdivision thereof, any entity, authority, agency or body exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of any such government or political subdivision, and any supranational organization of sovereign states exercising such functions for such sovereign states.

Governmental Order ” means any Order, stipulation, agreement, determination or award entered or issued by or with any Governmental Authority and binding on a Person.

Group ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.

Holder ” or “ Holders ” means, individually or collectively as the context may require, UST, Canada, and the VEBA.

Independent ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b).

Initial Shares ” means, with respect to any Holder, that number of shares of Common Stock, set forth opposite such Holder’s name on Annex I hereto.

IPO ” means the earlier to occur of (i) the initial public offering of the Common Stock, (whether such offering is primary or secondary) that is underwritten by a nationally recognized investment bank, pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act (other than a registration effected solely to implement an employee benefit plan or a transaction to which Rule 145 under the Securities Act is applicable, or a registration statement on Form S-4, Form S-8 or a successor to one of those forms) or

 

3


(ii) the later of (A) the date on which a Corporation registration statement filed under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act shall have been declared effective by the SEC or otherwise become effective under the Exchange Act and (B) the date of distribution of the shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by Debtor pursuant to its plan of reorganization.

IPO Date ” means the effective date of the registration statement relating to the IPO.

Joint Slate Procedure ” shall mean the following process by which the Government Holders select nominees for directors: In the event that UST intends to propose a slate of candidates for election (whether at an annual meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders, a special meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors of the Corporation or at any adjournment or postponement thereof), UST shall provide Canada with written notice of its intent to propose a competing slate of candidates, in the case of an annual meeting, not less than 150 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the date of the annual meeting held in the prior year (or no later than January 2, 2010 in the case of the Corporation’s initial annual meeting), and, in the case of a special meeting, not more than five days after notice of the meeting was first mailed to the Government Holders, in the case of a special meeting; provided that in either case UST shall use commercially reasonable efforts to give Canada as much advance notice of its intent to propose a competing slate of candidates as reasonably possible. Within ten Business Days, in the case of an annual meeting, and five days, in the case of a special meeting, of receiving UST’s written notice, Canada shall indicate in writing to UST whether or not Canada intends to participate in the slate. If Canada provides written notice of its intent to participate, such notice must include a list of Canada’s nominees. The number of nominees that Canada may select shall be determined based on Canada’s proportional ownership interest in shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by the Government Holders in the aggregate at the time of such nominee selection. If Canada provides timely written notice of its intent to participate (including a list of its nominees), each Government Holder agrees to vote “for” the joint slate of candidates nominated by the Government Holders. If Canada does not provide timely written notice of its intent to participate (including a list of its nominees) or notifies UST that it does not wish to participate, UST may propose a slate of candidates for election composed entirely of its own nominees, but Canada is under no obligation to vote “for” the candidates nominated by UST. Neither Government Holder shall propose a slate of candidates, or any individual candidate, for election other than in compliance with this Joint Slate Procedure.

Law ” means any and all applicable United States or non-United States federal, provincial, state or local laws, rules, regulations, directives, decrees, treaties, statutes, provisions of any constitution and principles (including principles of common law) of any Governmental Authority, as well as any applicable Governmental Order.

New UST Director ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(i).

Nominee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.

Non-Electing Holders ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.

 

4


Order ” means any writ, judgment, decree, injunction or similar order of any Governmental Authority, whether temporary, preliminary or permanent.

Owned Shares ” means UST Owned Shares, the Canada Owned Shares, and the VEBA Owned Shares, as applicable.

Permitted Transferees ” shall mean for each Holder, any Affiliate of such Holder.

Person ” means any individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, trust, unincorporated organization, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Preemptive Rights Period ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.

Preemptive Rights Shares ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.

Proxy ” or “ Proxies ” has the meaning given to such term in Rule 14a-1 of the Exchange Act.

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Selling Holder ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.

Sold Shares ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.

Transfer ” means, directly or indirectly, to sell, transfer, distribute, assign, pledge, hedge, encumber, hypothecate or similarly dispose of, or to enter into any contract, option or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, distribution, assignment, pledge, hedge, encumbrance, hypothecation or similar disposition with or without consideration, voluntarily or by operation of Law.

UAW ” means the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.

UST ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

UST Owned Shares ” means the shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by UST as of the relevant time.

UST Secured Credit Agreement ” means the Secured Credit Agreement, dated as of July 10, 2009, by and among the Corporation, as the borrower, the Guarantors (as defined therein), and The United States Department of the Treasury, as the lender.

VEBA ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

VEBA Nominee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.

 

5


VEBA Owned Shares ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3.

VEBA Secured Note Agreement ” means the Secured Note Agreement, dated as of July 10, 2009 by and among the Corporation, as the issuer, the Guarantors (as defined therein), and the VEBA, as the noteholder.

Voting Securities ” means securities of the Corporation, including the Common Stock, with the power to vote with respect to the election of directors of the Corporation generally and all securities convertible into or exchangeable for securities of the Corporation with the power to vote with respect to the election of directors of the Corporation generally.

Warrant ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

Section 1.2 Terms Generally. The definitions in Section 1.1 shall apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation,” unless the context expressly provides otherwise. All references herein to Articles, Sections, paragraphs, subparagraphs or clauses shall be deemed references to Articles, Sections, paragraphs, subparagraphs or clauses of this Agreement, unless the context requires otherwise. Unless otherwise specified, the words “this Agreement,” “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not mean simply “if.” Unless expressly stated otherwise, any Law defined or referred to herein means such Law as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented, including by succession of comparable successor Laws and references to all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein.

ARTICLE II

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 2.1 Size of Initial Board. The Board shall initially consist of thirteen (13) directors. The number of directors may be changed only by vote of the Board in accordance with the charter, certificates of designations and bylaws of the Corporation.

Section 2.2 Composition of Board. (a) The initial members of the Board shall be constituted as follows:

(i) the Board agrees to nominate and the Holders agree to take all action to cause the election or appointment of ten (10) directors designated by UST, no more than five of whom shall have been directors of the Debtor, immediately prior to the date of this Agreement, provided that all directors who have not been directors of the Debtor, immediately prior to the date of this Agreement (such directors, the “ New UST Directors ”) shall be Independent, or if any New UST Director is not Independent, UST and Canada shall consult with each other in good faith prior to the election or appointment of such non-Independent New UST Director;

 

6


(ii) the Board agrees to nominate and the Holders agree to take all action to cause the election or appointment of one director designated by Canada (the “ Canada Director ”), which Canada Director shall be Independent, or if such Canada Director is not Independent, UST and Canada shall consult with each other in good faith prior to the election or appointment of such non-Independent Canada Director;

(iii) the Board agrees to nominate and the Holders agree to take all action to cause the election or appointment of one director designated by the VEBA with the prior written consent of the UAW (which director shall be Independent or, if not Independent, approved by UST, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld); and

(iv) the Board agrees to nominate and the Holders agree to take all action to cause the election or appointment of the Chief Executive Officer as a director of the Corporation.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Holders agree that at all times prior to termination of this Agreement, at least two-thirds of the directors of the Corporation shall be required to be determined by the Board to be independent of the Corporation within the meaning of Rule 303A.02 of New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual (or any successor provision) (“ Independent ”), whether or not any of the shares of Common Stock are then listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

(c) The nominees to stand for election at any time at which the Corporation’s stockholders shall have the right to, or shall, vote for or consent in writing to the election of directors of the Corporation (whether at an annual meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders, a special meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors of the Corporation or at any adjournment or postponement thereof) shall be nominated by the Board in accordance with the bylaws of the Corporation and Sections 2.3 and 2.4 hereof.

Section 2.3 Agreement to Nominate VEBA Nominee . So long as the VEBA holds at least 50% of its Initial Shares, at any time at which the Corporation’s stockholders shall have the right to, or shall, vote for or consent in writing to the election of directors of the Corporation (whether at an annual meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders, a special meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors of the Corporation or at any adjournment or postponement thereof), then, and in each such event, the VEBA shall have the right to designate one nominee, which designation shall be subject to the prior written consent of the UAW and if the designated nominee is not Independent, to the prior written consent of UST, which consent of UST shall not be unreasonably withheld (the “ VEBA Nominee ”), to serve as a director.

(a) From and after the date hereof to and including the IPO Date, the Board agrees to nominate and the Holders agree to appoint such director.

(b) From and after the IPO Date, if the Board shall approve such nominee (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) the Board shall (i) nominate, the VEBA Nominee, to be elected a member of the Board and (ii) include the VEBA Nominee in any proxy statement and related materials used by the Corporation in respect of the election to which such nomination pertains.

 

7


In the event that the Board does not approve such nominee (or any subsequent nominee), the VEBA shall have the right to designate a replacement VEBA Nominee (and further replacement nominees for any subsequent nominees), which nominee shall be subject to the prior written consent of the UAW, who shall be subject to approval of the Board in accordance with this Section 2.3.

Section 2.4 Agreement to Nominate Canada Nominee . So long as Canada holds at least 50% of its Initial Shares, at any time at which the Corporation’s stockholders shall have the right to, or shall, vote for or consent in writing to the election of directors of the Corporation (whether at an annual meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders, a special meeting of the Corporation’s stockholders called for the purpose of electing directors of the Corporation or at each adjournment or postponement thereof), then, and in each such event, from and after the date hereof to and including the IPO Date, Canada shall have the right to designate one nominee, which nominee shall be Independent (the “ Canada Nominee ”) (or if such Canada Nominee is not Independent, UST and Canada shall consult with each other in good faith prior to the election or appointment of such non-Independent Canada Nominee), to serve as a director and the Board agrees to nominate and the Holders agree to appoint such director; provided, however, that the right of Canada to designate a Canada Nominee at any election pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall only apply in the event that if Canada were not to designate a Canada Nominee at such election, no member of the Board after such election would have been a Canada Nominee. In the event that the Board nominates a former Canada Nominee for re-election not pursuant to a designation by Canada with respect to such election, such former Canada Nominee shall not be considered a Canada Nominee for the purpose of determining Canada’s right to designate a nominee at such election.

ARTICLE III

CERTAIN COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS

Section 3.1 Initial Public Offering . The Government Holders shall use their reasonable best efforts to exercise their demand registration rights under the Equity Registration Rights Agreement and cause an IPO to occur within one year of the date of this Agreement, unless the Corporation is already taking steps and proceeding with reasonable diligence to effect an IPO.

Section 3.2 Reserved.

Section 3.3 Transfer Restrictions . Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 3.3 (which restrictions shall not apply with respect to sales made in an underwritten offering pursuant to a registration statement of the Corporation), the Holders shall have the right to Transfer all or any portion of their respective Owned Shares, subject to compliance with applicable law.

(a) Without the prior written consent of the Board, no Holder shall Transfer any shares of Common Stock or any options or warrants to acquire Common Stock, or any interest therein, to any one Person or Group if such Person or Group Beneficially Owns or would as a result of such Transfer Beneficially Own (to the knowledge of the Holder after reasonable inquiry) in excess of 10% of the Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Holder may Transfer any or all of its shares of Common Stock or any options or warrants to acquire Common Stock to any Permitted Transferee or pursuant to an exchange offer, a tender offer (or a request for invitation for tenders to the extent not prohibited pursuant to Section 3.3(b) ), merger or consolidation.

 

8


(b) Without the prior written consent of the Board, no Holder shall Transfer any shares of Common Stock or any options or warrants to acquire Common Stock to any automotive vehicle manufacturer or any Affiliate thereof; provided, however, that the VEBA, UST, Canada and their respective Permitted Transferees (which shall not include Chrysler Group LLC or any Affiliate thereof) shall not be regarded as Affiliates of Chrysler Group LLC for purposes of this provision.

(c) No Transfer of any shares of Common Stock or any options or warrants to acquire Commo


 
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