Exhibit 99.1
Termination/amicable
settlement agreement
(“vaststellingsovereenkomst”)
Between:
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1.
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ModusLink
Tilburg B.V. (hereinafter “the Company”), a
limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the
Netherlands, with its statutory seat at Tilburg and offices at
Tijvoortsebaan 5 (5051 HJ) at Goirle, the Netherlands, here legally
represented by its director Mr Thomas Oberdorf, the Delaware
company CMGI, Inc. and ModusLink Corporation and ModusLink
Corporation’s direct and indirect subsidiaries (hereinafter,
together with CMGI, collectively: the ModusLink Group ),
here legally represented by Mr. Thomas Oberdorf;
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and
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2.
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Rudolph
Joseph Westerbos ,
(hereinafter “Employee”) born on April 2, 1964
residing at Omval no. 39 (1096 AA) at Amsterdam, the
Netherlands;
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whereas:
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a.
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One or more of
the companies of the ModusLink Group (as defined below) and
Employee entered into an employment agreement for an indefinite
period effective June 1, 1994. Additional employment
agreements were executed 9 October 1995, February 1,
2000, February 7, 2002, and June 6, 2002 and
succeeded by the employment agreement effective from
January 1, 2003 as laid down in the letters to Employee of
July 9, 2002 and December 4, 2002 and a written
employment agreement with the Company’s predecessor
(SalesLink) Logistical Processing B.V. dated and signed on
December 10, 2002 (collectively hereinafter “the
Employment Agreement”);
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b.
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Employee’s current position is President
of Europe Operations of the below defined ModusLink
Group;
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c.
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in his capacity
as President of Europe Operations of ModusLink Group, the Employee
is statutory director of the Company, as well as a number of other
companies of the ModusLink Group;
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d.
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the parties
specifically acknowledge that no employment agreement has been
entered into between the Employee and any of the companies referred
to under paragraph c. above, nor between the Employee and any other
company affiliated in any way with the ModusLink Group, other than
stated above in a;
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e.
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the ModusLink
Group is planning to combine the management over the regions Asia
and Europe, which will result in the redundancy of the
Employee;
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f.
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the parties
realize that it is necessary to bring the Employment Agreement to a
conclusion;
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g.
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the Company,
the ModusLink Group and Employee wish to settle disputes and
prevent further disputes with respect to (the termination of)
Employee’s Employment Agreement and wish to lay down the
terms and conditions of their agreement;
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Have agreed as follows:
Article 1 Dissolution, mutual
consent and resignation
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1.1
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The Company
shall apply to the District Court at Amsterdam for the Employment
Agreement to be dissolved on basis of neutral grounds, with effect
from March 1, 2006. The formal and neutral reason for
dissolution is the combining of the management over the regions
Asia and Europe, which will result in the redundancy of the
Employee. The Employee shall submit a statement of defense to the
above-mentioned court, which will confirm the reason for the
dissolution, but which will only formally and neutrally oppose the
request for purposes of the ensuing unemployment and loss of
income.
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1.2
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The draft
dissolution request and defense statement will be exchanged between
the parties for their prior approval. Once such prior approval has
been given by the parties, the documents will be submitted to the
court.
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1.3
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The
accompanying letters to the District Court at Amsterdam will also
first be exchanged between the parties for their prior approval,
and will only be actually submitted to the court following mutual
consent between the parties. Such accompanying letters will in any
event state that the parties do not require a verbal hearing and
that the request submitted by the Company does not contravene any
ban on termination as referred to in articles 647, 648, 670 and
670a of Book 7 of the Dutch Civil Code.
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1.4
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The Employee
shall submit the statement of defense within one business day after
submission of the dissolution request. The parties shall submit the
dissolution request and statement of defense to the District Court
at Amsterdam no later than December 20, 2005.
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1.5
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Other than the
Employment Agreement with the Company, and members of the ModusLink
Group there is no employment agreement between the Employee and any
other company in any way affiliated with the ModusLink Group. This
is specifically declared and acknowledged by the Employee. If and
insofar as there may be deemed to be an employment agreement
between the Employee with any other company of the ModusLink Group
(in particular, but not limited to those companies mentioned on the
schedule “Rudolph Joseph Westerbos: Positions w/in ModusLink
Group”, Enclosure 1 ), such employment agreement is
hereby dissolved by mutual consent effective March 1,
2005.
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1.6
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The Employee shall voluntarily
resign his positions as (statutory) director and/or officer of any
of the companies of the ModusLink Group effective immediately, or
as soon thereafter as is practically possible but no later than
December 31, 2005, in accordance with the draft letters of
resignation attached hereto for the two Dutch B.V.’s (
Enclosure 2 )
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(or as amended as appropriate to
make them legally valid and binding). Such letters are to be
submitted within 5 business days of the signing of this agreement
to Mr. Thomas Oberdorf, director of the Company and the
Employee and the ModusLink Group shall do all that is necessary to
effectuate such resignations.
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Article 2 Termination
compensation
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2.1
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With respect to
a dissolution of his Employment Agreement, Company will pay the
Employee a compensation of € 400,000 (four hundred
thousand euros) gross for the resulting possible future loss of
income and pension of a termination effective March 1, 2006,
and as a supplement to any social security benefits or lower wage
earned elsewhere. The compensation will be paid before the end of
the Employment Agreement.
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2.2
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The Employee
will provide the Company with information on how he wishes to
receive the compensation one month before the end of his Employment
Agreement. The way of payment must be acceptable to the Company
from a legal point of view and must not lead to additional costs
(including, but not limited to any taxes other than US Federal
taxes) for the Company. In particular, but without limitation, it
must not lead to any liability of the Company for any tax
liabilities pursuant to Article 32aa Wage Tax Act. In the event
that the Employee does not succeed in providing timely evidence
(i.e. a ruling of the tax authority plus any other appropriate
documentation, if needed) of the legal permissibility and/or of the
absence of extra costs to the Company, the Company shall proceed
with the payment of the compensation while withholding any
applicable Dutch (wage) taxes and/or social security contributions
(if any), as they shall be fully for account of and borne by the
Employee.
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2.3
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The federal
taxes due in the United States of America with respect to the
termination compensation of € 400,000 gross shall be for
account of the Employee but borne and paid by the Company to the
appropriate US authorities. Any penalties charged due to late or
insufficient payment of such federal taxes (not caused by the
Employee) shall be borne by the Company.
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2.4
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The State taxes
due, if any, in the United States of America with respect to the
termination compensation of € 400,000 gross shall be for
account of and borne by the Employee and paid in time by the
Employee to the appropriate US authorities.
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2.5
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The Employee
hereby indemnifies and shall hold harmless the Company and all
other companies of the ModusLink Group from (i) any claims
from the Dutch authorities with respect to the termination
compensation of € 400,000 gross or the tax payment by
the Company under Article 2.3 and (ii) any claims for any US
State taxes on the termination compensation € 400,000
gross or the tax payment by the Company under Article 2.3, and
shall pay to the Company (or at its option: any other company of
the ModusLink Group) a full compensation for any claims
paid.
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2.6
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Changes in (tax
or other) legislation or social security benefits in the future
will not affect the compensation agreed upon in this
agreement.
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Article 3 Salary and
benefits
The Employee’s usual monthly salary and
benefits shall be paid monthly until the end of his Employment
Agreement and so the Employee shall be entitled to
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a.
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a salary amount
of € 20,124.80 gross per month (including 8% holiday
allowance), this amount to be divided in a (reduced) gross salary
and tax free compensation for extraterritorial expenses as
appropriate and permitted by the 30%-ruling of the
Employee
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b.
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the
Company’s gross contribution to the medical insurance premium
of 100% of the premium for himself and 50% for his spouse all for a
class III level insurance) up to and including December 31,
2005. Over the period January 1, 2006 thru February 28,
2006, the Company will only exclusively pay the statutory mandatory
gross contribution pursuant to the new Dutch Health Insurance
Act;
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c.
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the
Company’s gross contribution (100%) to the accidental
death insurance premium;
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d.
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the
Company’s gross contribution (50%) to the premiums for
the WAO Gap insurance and WAO supplemental coverage insurance of
€ 190.67 per month and € 14.54 per
month (to the extent still payable to the insurance
company);
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e.
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the
Company’s gross contribution equal to 50% of the pension
insurance premiums (see Article 8 of this agreement);
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f.
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use of the
mobile phone and laptop computer and fax/printer;
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Further, all usual deductions from
Employee’s salary and benefits shall be made as usual
(including a pension contribution of € 1,322.39 per
month, contributions to the Disability Insurance premiums of
€ 190.67 per month and € 14.54 per
month) and any contributions to his health insurance (as per
January 1, 2006: the mandatory contributions pursuant to the
new Dutch Health Insurance Act).
Article 4 Holiday
allowance
The Employee is entitled to a holiday allowance
of 8% gross per year. This is included in his monthly salary and so
per the end of the Employment Agreement, no 8% holiday allowance is
due.
Article 5 Vacation days and
exemption from work
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5.1
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The Employee
shall be exempted from work for the Company and the ModusLink Group
effective Wednesday December 14, 2005 until the end of the
Employment agreement (while remaining entitled to salary and
benefits as provided for in Article 3 of this
agreement).
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5.2
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The Employee is
entitled to 25 paid vacation days per year. Before the end of his
Employment Agreement, the Employee shall be paid for 24 outstanding
vacation days, i.e. a gross amount of 24/21.75 x the gross daily
wage (which is € 20,124.80 gross: 21.75 or any other
amount as may appropriate under the 30% tax ruling).
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Article 6 CMGI, Inc. FY 2006
Executive Management Incentive Plan
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6.1
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The Employee
has participated in the CMGI, Inc. FY 2006 Executive Management
Incentive Plan (hereinafter: “the 2006 EMIP Plan
”). At the end of the Employment Agreement, the Employee
shall not be entitled to any incentive payments over the fiscal
year 2006 (August 1, 2005 to July 1, 2006) following the end
of the fiscal year 2006 as he will not be an active executive on
the date the actual payments under the 2006 EMIP Plan shall be made
(Article 9 2006 EMIP Plan).
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6.2
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The Employee
shall not be entitled to any bonus, gratuity, commission or
incentive or any similar payment under any other Company or
ModusLink Group plan, individual agreement or otherwise.
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Article 7 Stock
options
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7.1
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According to
the Employment Agreement and in accordance with the CMGI, Inc. 2000
Stock Incentive Plan, 2002 Non-Officer Employee Stock Incentive
Plan and 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (hereinafter together: the
Plan ), the Employee has been granted Stock Options and
Restricted Stock as described in the attached schedule (
enclosure 3 ).
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7.2
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In accordance
with and subject to the provisions of the Plan, the related
Restricted Stock Agreement and the related Non-Statutory Stock
Option Terms and Conditions, at the end of the Employment
Agreement;
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a.
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the non-vested
options may not be exercised, will not further vest and will expire
on termination of the Employment Agreement;
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b.
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the vested, not
exercised options may be exercised during a 30 days period
immediately after termination of the Employment Agreement, but only
until the Expiration Date and only to the extent the options were
exercisable on the last day of the Employment Agreement. The
vested, not
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