EX-1.1 2 tm214804d12_ex1-1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1

Exhibit 1.1

 

 ] Shares

 

HEAR.COM N.V.

 

COMMON SHARES, NOMINAL VALUE €0.01 PER SHARE

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

 ], 2021

 

 

 

 ], 2021

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

c/oMorgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036

 

c/oJ.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10179

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

hear.com N.V., a public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), an aggregate of [  ] common shares (the “Firm Shares”), nominal value €0.01 per share, in the capital of the Company.

 

Auris Luxembourg III S.à r.l., a private limited liability company (société à responsabilité limitée) organized under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with its registered office at 26A, Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and registered with the RCS under number B186964 (the “Selling Shareholder”), also proposes to sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [  ] common shares (the “Additional Shares”), nominal value €0.01 per share, in the capital of the Company if and to the extent that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such common shares granted to the Underwriters in Section ‎3 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The common shares, nominal value €0.01 per share, in the capital of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the issuance and sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Shares.” The Company and the Selling Shareholder are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Sellers.”

 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-[  ]), including a preliminary prospectus, relating to the Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional Common Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.

 

 

 

For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “preliminary prospectus” shall mean each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted information pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof.

 

Morgan Stanley has agreed to reserve a portion of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to the Company’s directors, officers, employees and business associates and other parties related to the Company (collectively, “Participants”), as set forth in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading “Underwriters” (the “Directed Share Program”). The Shares to be sold by Morgan Stanley and its affiliates pursuant to the Directed Share Program, at the direction of the Company, are referred to hereinafter as the “Directed Shares”. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participant by the end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

1.          Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)                     The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act are pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

 

(b)                    (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, when such amendments or supplements become effective, and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at their respective dates, complied and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the dates of the applicable amendments or supplements, and at the Closing Date, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus, at its date, does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date, the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (iv) each broadly available road show, if any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (v) the Prospectus, at its date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the dates of the applicable amendments or supplements, and at the Closing Date, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph (b) do not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance and in conformity with the information provided by the Underwriters described in Section 11(c) below.

 

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(c)            The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to the Representatives before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the Representatives’ prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

 

(d)            The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a Dutch public limited liability company (naamloze vennootschap) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and, if applicable, is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(e)           Except as described in, or expressly contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus,      each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated, organized or formed, is validly existing as a corporation or other business entity in good standing (if applicable) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, has the corporate or other business entity power and authority to own or lease its property and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing (if applicable) in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

 

(f)            This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(g)           The authorized, issued and outstanding share capital of the Company conforms as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(h)           The Common Shares (including the shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder, if any) outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

(i)            The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights other than any such rights described in, or expressly contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(j)            The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not (i) contravene (a) any provision of the deed of incorporation or the articles of association of the Company, (b) any provision of applicable law, (c) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (d) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except, in the case of clauses (i)(b) through (i)(d) above, for any such contravention that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and (ii) require any consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except (y) such as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and under securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or (z) such as have been obtained or made.

 

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(k)           There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(l)            There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

 

(m)           Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(n)           The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(o)           During the past three years, the Company and its subsidiaries have possessed all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits, accreditations and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities (each, a “Governmental Authority”) that are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, except where failure to possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits, accreditations and other authorizations, would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any revocation of any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit, accreditation or authorization during the past three years, which license, sub-license, certificate, permit, accreditation or authorization would have, either singly or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(p)            Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries are, and during the past three years have been, in compliance with all Health Care Laws applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries, except where noncompliance with such Health Care Laws would not have, either singly or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” shall mean: (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Section 301 et seq.); (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), the criminal false statements law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286, 287, 1347 and 1349 and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the Stark Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1395nn), the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7a), the exclusion law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7); (iii) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) any laws concerning the corporate practice of audiology; and (iv) the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof, each as amended from time to time.

 

(q)           None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, investigation or arbitration (“Action”) from any court or arbitrator or Governmental Authority during the past three years alleging that any hearing aid, operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws, other than any such Action described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and any Action that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party to any corporate integrity agreements, deferred or non-prosecution agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees or settlement orders with or imposed by any Governmental Authority. Additionally, none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Company or any of their respective officers or directors, have been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any government health care program or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

 

(r)            None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of suspensions, offsets, overpayments or recoupments of any third-party payor program (“Program”) during the past three years, other than notices that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. During the past three years, there has been no Action pending or received or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries which relates to a violation of any requirement pertaining to any Program which could result in the imposition of penalties, termination or the exclusion by the Company or any of its subsidiaries from participation in any Program, except for such Actions as would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(s)            During the past three years, the Company and each of subsidiaries have not received any written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or any other written notice from any Governmental Authority alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any applicable Health Care Law other than notices or letters that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(t)            Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(u)            Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(v)            There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except for such contracts, agreements, understandings or rights as have been validly waived.

 

(w)            (i) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any controlled affiliate, any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment, giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any government official (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) (“Government Official”) in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws; (ii) the Company and each of its subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

 

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(x)            The operations of the Company and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and each of its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(y)            (i) None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any controlled affiliate or any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or controlled affiliates, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:

 

(A)            the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or

 

(B)             located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

 

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(ii)            The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

(A)            to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with Sanctions; or

 

(B)            in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

(iii)            For the past five years, the Company and each of its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions in violation of Sanctions.

 

(iv)           The representation and warranty in this clause (t) shall apply only and if to the extent that the acceptance or receiving of its benefit, or the making of this representation and warranty and compliance with it, as the case may be, does not result in a violation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2271/96 of November 22, 1996, Section 7 of the German Foreign Trade Ordinance (§ 7 Aussenwirtschaftsverordnung) or any applicable anti-boycott laws or regulations.

 

(z)            Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding share capital, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its share capital other than ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material change in the share capital, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (except, in each case under this clause (iii), as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus).

 

(aa)      The Company and each of its subsidiaries have, where applicable, good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property, do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries and which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries.

 

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(bb)      Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or as would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole: (i) the Company and its subsidiaries own or have a right to use all patents, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) used in or reasonably necessary to the conduct of their businesses; (ii) the registered Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and its subsidiaries are subsisting, and to the Company’s knowledge, valid and enforceable, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any such Intellectual Property Rights; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice alleging any infringement, misappropriation or other violation of Intellectual Property Rights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, no third party is infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating, has, in the past three years, infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (v) to the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or has, in the past three years, infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated, the Intellectual Property Rights of a third party; and (vi) the Company and its subsidiaries use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the confidentiality of information intended to be maintained as a trade secret.

 

(cc)      Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or the violation of which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole: (i) the Company and its subsidiaries use and have used any and all software and other materials distributed under a “free,” “open source,” or similar licensing model (including but not limited to the MIT License, Apache License, GNU General Public License, GNU Lesser General Public License and GNU Affero General Public License) (“Open Source Software”) in compliance with all license terms applicable to such Open Source Software; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries uses or distributes or has used or distributed any Open Source Software in any manner that requires or has required (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries to permit reverse engineering of any material proprietary software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any material proprietary software code or other technology owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to be (1) disclosed or distributed in source code form, (2) licensed for the purpose of making derivative works or (3) redistributed at no charge.

 

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(dd)      Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole: (i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries have complied with and are presently in compliance with its internal and posted privacy policies, contractual obligations, applicable federal, state, local, and foreign laws (including, without limitation, the California Consumer Privacy Act, and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation), statutes, judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or other governmental or regulatory authority and any other legal obligations (including, without limitation, binding industry standards, e.g., the payment card industry standards), in each case, relating to the collection, use, transfer, storage, protection, disposal and disclosure by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of personal, personally identifiable or other regulated data (“Data Security Obligations”, and such data, “Data”); (ii) the Company has not received any written notification of or complaint regarding material non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation; and (iii) there is no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened alleging non-compliance with any Data Security Obligation.

 

(ee)       Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole: (i) the Company and each of its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable efforts to implement technical and organizational measures necessary to protect the information technology systems and Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses, (ii) without limiting the foregoing, the Company and its subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish and maintain commercially reasonable information technology, information security, cyber security, and data protection controls, policies and procedures intended to protect against and prevent breach, destruction, loss, unauthorized distribution, use, access, disablement, misappropriation or modification, or other compromise or misuse of or relating to any information technology system or Data used in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses (“Breach”), and (iii) there has been no such Breach, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any such Breach, except as has been resolved without material liability or duty to notify any person.

 

(ff)        Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, no material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that, in each case, could, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(gg)      Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a reasonable cost.

 

(hh)      Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the Company and each of its subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit.

 

(ii)            The financial statements included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly the combined financial position of the companies included in these financial statements as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with international financial reporting standards, as issued by the International Accounting Standard Board (“IFRS”), applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except for any normal year-end adjustments in the quarterly combined financial statements. The other financial information included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the companies included in these financial statements and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate and such data is consistent with the sources from which they are derived, in each case in all material respects.

 

(jj)         RSM US LLP, who has reviewed certain combined financial statements of audibene GmbH and its subsidiaries, hear.com LLC (United States), Soundrise Hearing Solutions Private Limited (India) and Hear.com Korea Limited (South Korea), and delivered a report with respect to the audited combined financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

 

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(kk)       Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) to the knowledge of the Company and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

(ll)         Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any Common Shares during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified share option plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

(mm)    The Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus comply, and any amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program.

 

(nn)      No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered.

 

(oo)        The Company has not offered, or caused Morgan Stanley or any Morgan Stanley Entity as defined in Section ‎12 to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.

 

(pp)     The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all material federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed by each of them through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof and have paid all material taxes required to be paid by each of them, other than taxes that are being contested in good faith and for which, if applicable, appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with IFRS (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, singly or in the aggregate, has had (nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any written notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which could reasonably be expected to have) a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

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(qq)      From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

 

(rr)       The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication with any person other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are reasonably believed to be accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) or Rule 163B of the Securities Act.

 

(ss)      As of the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, none of (i) the Time of Sale Prospectus, (ii) any free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, and (iii) any individual Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, at their respective dates and at the Closing Date, as applicable, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph (pp) do not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the information provided by the Underwriters described in Section 11(c) below.

 

(tt)        Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, no stamp, documentary, issue, registration, transfer or other similar taxes or duties (“Stamp Taxes”) are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters in the Netherlands or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (A) the execution, delivery or consummation of this Agreement, (B) the creation, allotment and issuance of the Shares , (C) the sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters or (D) the resale and delivery of the shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein.

 

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(uu)        The Company believes that it was not a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes for its most recent taxable year and it does not expect to be a PFIC for its current taxable year or in the foreseeable future.

 

(vv)        The Company is a “foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

 

(ww)       Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of its or their properties or assets has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution or otherwise) under the laws of the Netherlands. The irrevocable and unconditional waiver and agreement of the Company contained in Section 15(a) not to plead or claim any such immunity in any legal action, suit or proceeding based on this Agreement is valid and binding under the laws of the Netherlands.

 

(xx)          The choice of law of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid choice of law under the laws of the Netherlands and will be recognized by the courts of the Netherlands. The Company has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 15(a) has, to the extent permitted by law, legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of the Specified Courts (as defined in Section 15(a)), and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 15(b), has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any of the Specified Courts.

 

(yy)         Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) no authorization, approval or consent of any government authority or agency of the Netherlands is required to effect dividend payments or distributions in respect of the Shares and payments on the Shares may be paid by the Company to the holders thereof (whether or not resident in the Netherlands) in Euro and (ii) any such dividends and other distributions made to holders of the Shares who are not resident in the Netherlands will not be subject to income, withholding or other taxes under the laws of the Netherlands (or any political subdivision, authority or agency therein).

 

2.            Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)            This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.

 

(b)            The execution and delivery by the Selling Shareholder of, and the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under, this Agreement will not (i) contravene (a) any provision of the articles of association of the Selling Shareholder, (b) any provision of applicable law, (c) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Selling Shareholder, or (d) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Selling Shareholder, except, in the case of clauses (i)(b) through (i)(d) above, for any such contravention that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Selling Shareholder, and (ii) require any consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body, agency or court is required for the performance by the Selling Shareholder of its obligations under this Agreement, except (y) such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or (z) such as have been obtained or made.

 

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(c)            The Selling Shareholder will have, on each Option Closing Date, valid title to the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder free and clear of all security interests, claims, liens, equities or other encumbrances and the legal right and power, and all authorization and approval required by law, to enter into this Agreement, and to sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder or a security entitlement in respect of such Shares.

 

(d)            [Reserved].

 

(e)            Upon payment for the Shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, delivery of such Shares, as directed by the Underwriters, to Cede & Co. (“Cede”) or such other nominee as may be designated by the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), registration of such Shares in the name of Cede or such other nominee and the crediting of such Shares on the books of DTC to securities accounts of the Underwriters (assuming that neither DTC nor any such Underwriter has notice of any adverse claim (within the meaning of Section 8-105 of the New York Uniform Commercial Code (the “UCC”)) to such Shares), (A) DTC shall be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares within the meaning of Section 8-303 of the UCC, (B) under Section 8-501 of the UCC, the Underwriters will acquire a valid security entitlement in respect of such Shares and (C) no action based on any “adverse claim”, within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC, to such Shares may be asserted against the Underwriters with respect to such security entitlement; for purposes of this representation, the Selling Shareholder may assume that when such payment, delivery and crediting occur, (x) such Shares will have been registered in the name of Cede or another nominee designated by DTC, in each case on the Company’s shareholders’ register in accordance with applicable law, (y) DTC will be registered as a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the UCC and (z) appropriate entries to the accounts of the several Underwriters on the records of DTC will have been made pursuant to the UCC.

 

(f)            The Selling Shareholder has delivered to the Representatives an executed lock-up agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-up Agreement”).

 

(g)            [Reserved].

 

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(h)            (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, when such amendments or supplements become effective, and at each Option Closing Date, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at their respective dates, complied and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the dates of the applicable amendments or supplements, and at each Option Closing Date, will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus, at its date, does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and at the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iv) the Prospectus, at its date, does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the dates of the applicable amendments or supplements, and at each Option Closing Date, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph (h) do not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance and in conformity with the information provided by the Underwriters described in Section 11(c) below and except further that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph (h) shall only apply to any untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to the Selling Shareholder furnished to the Company in writing by such Selling Shareholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Selling Shareholder consists of (A) the legal name and address of the Selling Shareholder and the other information about such Selling Shareholder set forth in the footnote relating to such Selling Shareholder under the caption “Principal and Selling Shareholders” and (B) the number of Shares beneficially owned by the Selling Shareholder before and after the offering (excluding percentages) that appears in the table (and corresponding footnotes) under the caption “Principal and Selling Shareholders” (collectively, the “Selling Shareholder Information”).

 

(i)            (i) None of the Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries (other than the Company), or, to the knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, any controlled affiliate (other than the Company) or any director, officer, employee, agent or representative of the Selling Shareholder or any of its controlled affiliates (other than the Company), is a Person that is, or is owned or controlled by one or more Persons that are:

 

(A)            the subject of any Sanctions, or

 

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(B)            located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria).

 

(ii)            The Selling Shareholder will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering it receives, if any, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

(A)            to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with Sanctions; or

 

(B)            in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

(iii)            For the past five years, the Selling Shareholder has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions in violation of Sanctions.

 

(iv)            The representations and warranties in the preceding clauses of this clause (i) shall apply only and if to the extent that the acceptance or receiving of its benefit, or the making of this representation and warranty and compliance with it, as the case may be, does not result in a violation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2271/96 of November 22, 1996, Section 7 of the German Foreign Trade Ordinance (§ 7 Aussenwirtschaftsverordnung) or any applicable anti-boycott laws or regulations.

 

(v)            (a) None of the Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, any director, officer, employee, agent, representative or controlled affiliate thereof has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment giving or receipt of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any Government Official in order to influence official action, or to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws, (b) the Selling Shareholder and each of its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and (c) at each Option Closing Date, neither the Selling Shareholder nor any of its subsidiaries will use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of any applicable anti-corruption laws.

 

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(vi)            The operations of the Selling Shareholder and each of its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Selling Shareholder or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Selling Shareholder, threatened.

 

(j)            Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, no Stamp Taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters in the Netherlands or to any taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (A) the sale and delivery of the Shares by the Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters or (B) the resale and delivery of such Shares by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein.

 

(k)            [Reserved].

 

(l)            The Selling Shareholder has the power to submit, and pursuant to Section 15(a) has, to the extent permitted by law, legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the jurisdiction of the Specified Courts (as defined in Section 15(a)), and has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 15(c), has legally, validly and effectively designated, appointed and empowered an agent for service of process in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Agreement in any of the Specified Courts.

 

3.      Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at $[  ] a share (the “Purchase Price”) the number of Firm Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the number of Firm Shares to be sold by the Company as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

 

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On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Selling Shareholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [ n ] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. The Representatives may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least two business days (or one business day if such purchase date is the Closing Date) after the written notice is given (unless otherwise waived by the Selling Shareholder and the Company) and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

 

4.    Terms of Public Offering. The Sellers are advised by the Representatives that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in the Representative’s judgment is advisable. The Sellers are further advised by the Representatives that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $[ n ] a share (the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by the Representatives at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[ n ] a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[ n ] a share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

 

5.    Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold by the Company shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on [ n ], 2021, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than [ n ], 2021, as shall be designated in writing by the Representative. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

 

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Selling Shareholder in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section ‎3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than [ n ], 2021, as shall be designated in writing by the Representative.

 

The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to the Representatives on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. The Purchase Price payable by the Underwriters shall be reduced by any transfer taxes paid by, or on behalf of, the Underwriters in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid.

 

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6.    Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than [ n ] (New York City time) on the date hereof.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

 

(a)            Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:

 

(i)         no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission;

 

(ii)        no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any debt securities, convertible securities or preferred shares issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); and

 

(iii)       there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the financial condition or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus that, singly or in the aggregate is material and adverse and that makes it, in the Representative’s judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(b)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Sections 6(a)(i) and 6(a)(ii) above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

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The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened and shall deliver such certificate in his or her capacity as such officer and not his or her personal capacity.

 

(c)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(d)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, U.S. counsel for the Selling Shareholder, dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(e)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Stibbe N.V., Dutch counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(f)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Stibbe Avocats, Luxembourg counsel for the Selling Shareholder, dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(g)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

With respect to the negative assurance letters to be delivered pursuant to Sections ‎6(c) and 6(g) above, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Latham & Watkins LLP may state that their opinions and beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified. With respect to Section 6(c) above, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may rely upon an opinion or opinions of counsel for the Selling Shareholder and, with respect to factual matters and to the extent such counsel deems appropriate, upon the representations of the Selling Shareholder contained herein and in other documents and instruments.

 

The opinions of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Stibbe N.V. and Stibbe Avocats described in Sections ‎6(c), 6(d), 6(e) and 6(f) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company or the Selling Shareholder, as the case may be.

 

(h)            The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, letters dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from RSM US LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the letters delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

 

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(i)             The Lock-up Agreements between the Representatives and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

 

(j)             The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Representatives on the applicable Option Closing Date of the following if such Option Closing Date is different than the Closing Date:

 

(i)         a certificate, dated the Option Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, confirming that the certificate delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section ‎6(b) hereof remains true and correct as of such Option Closing Date;

 

(ii)        an opinion and negative assurance letter of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(c) hereof;

 

(iii)       an opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, U.S. counsel for the Selling Shareholder, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(d) hereof;

 

(iv)       an opinion of Stibbe N.V., Dutch counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(e) hereof;

 

(v)        an opinion of Stibbe Avocats, Luxembourg counsel for the Selling Shareholder, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(f) hereof;

 

(vi)       an opinion and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Option Closing Date, relating to the Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 6(g) hereof;

 

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(vii)     letter dated the Option Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from RSM US LLP, independent public accountants, substantially in the same form and substance as the letters furnished to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 6(h) hereof; provided that the letters delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than two business days prior to such Option Closing Date; and

 

(viii)    such other documents as the Representatives may reasonably request with respect to the valid existence of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares.

 

7.    Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)            To furnish, if requested, to the Representatives, without charge, one signed copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to the Representatives in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section ‎7(e) or 7(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(b)            Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to the Representatives a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably objects, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

(c)            To furnish to the Representatives a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object.

 

(d)            Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

 

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(e)            If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Time of Sale Prospectus is delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

(f)             If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Representatives will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

(g)            If required by applicable law, to endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request.

 

(h)            To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(i)             To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.

 

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(j)             The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) completion of the Restricted Period referred to in Section ‎3.

 

(k)            If at any time following the distribution of any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

(l)             The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify and hold the Underwriters harmless against, any Stamp Taxes imposed by any taxing jurisdiction (together with any related documented costs, fines, penalty or interest) in connection with (i) the execution, delivery or enforcement of this Agreement, (ii) the creation, allotment and issuance of the Shares or (iii) the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by it to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters; provided that the Underwriters shall furnish to the Company and the Selling Shareholder, as applicable, appropriate tax invoices, which satisfy the relevant requirements for constituting valid value added tax invoices.

 

(m)           All sums payable by the Company under this Agreement shall be paid free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for or on account of any present or future taxes or similar duties, unless the deduction or withholding is required by law, in which case the Company shall pay such additional amounts as will result in the receipt by each Underwriter of the full amount that would have been received had no deduction or withholding been made; provided, however, that no such additional amounts shall be paid in respect of any taxes or duties that would not have been imposed but for (i) a present or former connection of such Underwriter with the relevant taxing jurisdiction other than the mere entering into of this Agreement, performing its obligations or enforcing its rights hereunder or receipt of payments hereunder or (ii) the failure of such Underwriter to comply with any certification, identification or other reporting requirement which is required by a statute, treaty, regulation or administrative practice of the relevant taxing jurisdiction as a precondition to exemption from all or part of such taxes or duties and which such Underwriter is legally entitled to comply with.

 

(n)            All sums payable to an Underwriter shall be considered exclusive of any value added or similar taxes. Where the Company is obliged to pay value added or similar tax on any amount payable hereunder to an Underwriter, the Company shall in addition to the sum payable hereunder pay an amount equal to any applicable value added or similar tax; provided that the Underwriters shall furnish to the Company appropriate tax invoices, which satisfy the relevant requirements for constituting valid value added tax invoices.

 

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The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) publicly file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares.

 

The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) the issuance by the Company of Common Shares upon the exercise of an option, warrant, equity award or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof as described in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, (C) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a shareholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Common Shares, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Shares during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Shares may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, (D) any filing by the Company of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to a shares-based compensation plan of the Company and its subsidiaries, inducement award or employee share purchase plan that is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus or any assumed employee benefit plan contemplated by clause (F) below, (E) any common shares issued upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities of the Company outstanding as of the date of this Agreement and disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and (F) up to 5.0% of the total number of outstanding shares of the Company’s securities immediately following the issuance of the Shares, issued by the Company in connection with mergers, acquisitions or commercial or strategic transactions (including, without limitation, entry into joint ventures, marketing or distribution agreements or collaboration agreements or acquisitions of technology, assets or intellectual property licenses) and (G) any confidential submission with the Commission or FINRA of any registration statement under the Securities Act; provided that, in the case of clauses (B), (D) and (E), the Company shall cause each recipient that is a member of the Company’s board of directors, executive officer of the Company or a beneficial holder of 10.0% of the fully diluted share capital of the Company to execute a Lock-Up Agreement for the Restricted Period; provided further that, in the case of clause (F), the Company shall cause each recipient to execute a lockup agreement for the Restricted Period in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

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If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions on the transfer of Shares set forth in a Lock-up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver in the form of Exhibit B hereto at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

8.    Covenants of the Sellers. Each Seller, severally and not jointly, covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)            Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9 or an IRS Form W-8, as appropriate (and in each case demonstrating an exemption from U.S. backup withholding tax), together with all required attachments to such form.

 

(b)            Each Seller will deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), on the date of execution of this Agreement, a properly completed and executed Certification Regarding Beneficial Owners of Legal Entity Customers, together with copies of identifying documentation, and each Seller undertakes to provide such additional supporting documentation as each Underwriter may reasonably request in connection with the verification of the foregoing Certification.

 

(c)            All sums payable by the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement shall be paid free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for or on account of any present or future taxes or similar duties, unless the deduction or withholding is required by law, in which case the Selling Shareholder shall pay such additional amounts as will result in the receipt by each Underwriter of the full amount that would have been received had no deduction or withholding been made; provided, however, that no such additional amounts shall be paid in respect of any taxes or duties that would not have been imposed but for (i) a present or former connection of such Underwriter with the relevant taxing jurisdiction other than the mere entering into of this Agreement, performing its obligations or enforcing its rights hereunder or receipt of payments hereunder or (ii) the failure of such Underwriter to comply with any certification, identification or other reporting requirement which is required by a statute, treaty, regulation or administrative practice of the relevant taxing jurisdiction as a precondition to exemption from all or part of such taxes or duties and which such Underwriter is legally entitled to comply with.

 

(d)            All sums payable to an Underwriter shall be considered exclusive of any value added or similar taxes. Where the Selling Shareholder is obliged to pay value added or similar tax on any amount payable hereunder to an Underwriter, the Selling Shareholder shall in addition to the sum payable hereunder pay an amount equal to any applicable value added or similar tax; provided that the Underwriters shall furnish to the Selling Shareholder appropriate tax invoices, which satisfy the relevant requirements for constituting valid value added tax invoices.

 

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(e)            The Selling Shareholder shall pay, and shall indemnify and hold the Underwriters harmless against, any Stamp Taxes imposed by any taxing jurisdiction (together with any related documented costs, fines, penalty or interest) in connection with the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by it to the Underwriters or purchasers procured by the Underwriters; provided that the Underwriters shall furnish to the Company and the Selling Shareholder, as applicable, appropriate tax invoices, which satisfy the relevant requirements for constituting valid value added tax invoices.

 

9.    Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Company’s accountants and counsel for the Selling Shareholder in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any Stamp Taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA; provided, however, that the amounts payable by the Company for the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters pursuant to this clause (iv) and for the fees and expenses pursuant to clause (iii) shall not exceed $25,000 in the aggregate, (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Shares and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the NASDAQ Global Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and 50% of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show (it being understood that the Underwriters will pay the other 50% of the costs of chartering aircraft transportation in connection with any road show), (ix) the document production charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement, (x) all stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 11 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution”, Section 12 entitled “Directed Share Program Indemnification” and the last paragraph of Section 14 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their reasonable and documented costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make, and travel and lodging expenses incurred by them in connection with any road show, as applicable.

 

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10.  Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company that it has not and will not take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

 

11.  Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”), the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in paragraph (c) below.

 

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(b)            The Selling Shareholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) to the same extent as the liability set forth in Section 11(a) above, but only with respect to, in each case, losses, claims, damages and liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any Selling Shareholder Information. The liability of the Selling Shareholder under the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph and the contribution provision of this Section 11 shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Additional Shares sold by the Selling Shareholder under this Agreement less any underwriting discounts and commissions paid to the Underwriters, and shall be limited to any Selling Shareholder Information.

 

(c)            Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Shareholder, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any Company information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Testing-the-Waters Communication or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein , it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Time of Sale Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriters”, and the stabilization information contained in the eleventh paragraph under the caption “Underwriters”.

 

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(d)            In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c), such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 11 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 11. In case any such proceeding is instituted, the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, (iii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; or (iv) the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party. It is understood and agreed that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, (ii) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section and (iii) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Selling Shareholder and all persons, if any, who control the Selling Shareholder within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Representative. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. In the case of any such separate firm for the Selling Shareholder and such control persons of the Selling Shareholder, such firm shall be designated in writing by the authorized persons of the Selling Shareholder. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested that an indemnifying party reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

 

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(e)            To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 11(a), 11(b) or 11(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 11(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 11(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Shareholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Shareholder and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, by the Selling Shareholder or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 11 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint. The liability of the Selling Shareholder under the contribution agreement contained in this paragraph shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Additional Shares sold by such Selling Shareholder under this Agreement less any underwriting discounts and commissions paid to the Underwriters.

 

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(f)             The Company, the Selling Shareholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 11(e). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 11(e) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 11, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 11 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

(g)            The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 11 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Selling Shareholder contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or an affiliate of an Underwriter, by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholder or any person controlling the Selling Shareholder, or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

 

12.  Directed Share Program Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Morgan Stanley, each person, if any, who controls Morgan Stanley within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each affiliate of Morgan Stanley within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act (“Morgan Stanley Entities”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) (i) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program or arise out of, or are based upon, any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) that arise out of, or are based upon, the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of Morgan Stanley Entities.

 

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(b)            In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any Morgan Stanley Entity in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 12(a), the Morgan Stanley Entity seeking indemnity shall promptly notify the Company in writing; and the Company, upon request of the Morgan Stanley Entity, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Morgan Stanley Entity to represent the Morgan Stanley Entity and any others the Company may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Morgan Stanley Entity shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Morgan Stanley Entity unless (i) the Company shall have agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and the Morgan Stanley Entity and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. The Company shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Morgan Stanley Entities. Any such separate firm for the Morgan Stanley Entities shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Company agrees to indemnify the Morgan Stanley Entities from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time a Morgan Stanley Entity shall have requested the Company to reimburse it for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the Company agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by the Company of the aforesaid request and (ii) the Company shall not have reimbursed the Morgan Stanley Entity in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Morgan Stanley Entity is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Morgan Stanley Entity, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of the Morgan Stanley Entities from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

 

35 

 

 

(c)            To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 12(a) is unavailable to a Morgan Stanley Entity or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then the Company in lieu of indemnifying the Morgan Stanley Entity thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entity as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand from the offering of the Directed Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 12(c)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 12(c)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with any statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Directed Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Morgan Stanley Entities for the Directed Shares, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability is caused by an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Morgan Stanley Entities on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement or the omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Morgan Stanley Entities and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

(d)            The Company and the Morgan Stanley Entities agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 12 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Morgan Stanley Entities were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 12(c). The amount paid or payable by the Morgan Stanley Entities as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Morgan Stanley Entities in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 12, no Morgan Stanley Entity shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Directed Shares distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Morgan Stanley Entity has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 12 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

(e)            The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 12 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Morgan Stanley Entity or the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Directed Shares.

 

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13.  Termination. The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by the Representatives to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to or on the Closing Date or, in the case of the Additional Shares, any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Global Market, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance in the United States, Netherlands or other relevant jurisdiction shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the Representative’s judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (vi), makes it, in the Representative’s judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

 

14.  Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

 

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section ‎14 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

37 

 

 

 

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason any the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable and documented the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

 

15.            Submission to Jurisdiction; Appointment of Agent for Service. (a) The Company and the Selling Shareholder irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in The City of New York (the “Specified Courts”) over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court. To the extent that the Company and the Selling Shareholder have or hereafter may acquire any immunity (on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise) from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process with respect to itself or its property, the Company and the Selling Shareholder irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, such immunity in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding.

 

(b)            The Company hereby irrevocably appoints hear.com LLC, with offices at 396 Alhambra Circle, Suite 600, Coral Gables, Florida 33134 as its agent for service of process in any suit, action or proceeding described in clause (a) above and agrees that service of process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be made upon it at the office of such agent. The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. The Company represents and warrants that such agent has agreed to act as the Company’s agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect.

 

(c)            The Selling Shareholder hereby irrevocably appoints Sivantos, Inc., with offices at 11400 N. Jog Road, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418, Attention: Legal & Compliance Department, as its agent for service of process in any suit, action or proceeding described in clause (a) above and agrees that service of process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be made upon it at the office of such agent. The Selling Shareholder waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. The Selling Shareholder represents and warrants that such agent has agreed to act as the Selling Shareholder’s agent for service of process, and the Selling Shareholder agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect.

 

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16.            Judgment Currency. The Company agrees to indemnify each Underwriter, its directors, officers, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any loss incurred by such Underwriter as a result of any judgment or order being given or made for any amount due hereunder and such judgment or order being expressed and paid in a currency (the “judgment currency”) other than U.S. dollars and as a result of any variation as between (i) the rate of exchange at which the U.S. dollar amount is converted into the judgment currency for the purpose of such judgment or order, and (ii) the rate of exchange at which such indemnified person is able to purchase U.S. dollars with the amount of the judgment currency actually received by the indemnified person. The term “rate of exchange” shall include any premiums and costs of exchange payable in connection with the purchase of, or conversion into, the relevant currency.

 

17.            Reserved.

 

18.            Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Selling Shareholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

 

(b)            The Company and the Selling Shareholder acknowledge that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the Underwriters have acted at arm’s length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company, the Selling Shareholder or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company and the Selling Shareholder, and (iv) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person. The Company and the Selling Shareholder waive to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

(c)            The Selling Shareholder further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide the Selling Shareholder with certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation in connection with the offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to the Selling Shareholder to participate in the offering, enter into a “lock-up” agreement or sell any Shares at the Purchase Price, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.

 

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19.            Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. (a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United State.

 

(b)                   In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

For purposes of this Section a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

20.            Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement or any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.

 

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21.            Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

 

22.            Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

 

23.            Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to hear.com N.V., Amsterdamsestraatweg 421, 3551 CL Utrecht, the Netherlands, Attention: Alexandra Katthagen, with copies to William B. Brentani, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 2475 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, California 94304 and Nicholas J. Shaw, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9HU, England and if to the Selling Shareholder shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Auris Luxembourg IIIIII S.à r.l., 26A, Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg, Attention: Board of Managers, with copies to William B. Brentani, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 2475 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, California 94304 and Nicholas J. Shaw, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, CityPoint, One Ropemaker Street, London EC2Y 9HU, England.

 

24.            Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  HEAR.COM N.V.
   
   
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

41

 

 

  Auris Luxembourg III S.à r.l.
   
  By:  
    Authorized Representative

 

Accepted as of the date hereof

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

Acting severally on behalf of itself and the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

 

By: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC  
     
     
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
     

 

By: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC  
     
     
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

42

 

 

Schedule I

 

Underwriter

 

Number of Firm Shares
To Be Purchased

     

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

BofA Securities, Inc.

William Blair & Company, L.L.C

Truist Securities, Inc.

 

   
Total:  

 

II-1

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

Time of Sale Prospectus

 

1.Preliminary Prospectus issued [  ].

 

2. ].

 

III-1

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT]

 

[To be drafted under separate cover]

 

1

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF WAIVER OF LOCK-UP

 

_____________, 2021

 

[Name and Address of
Officer or Director
Requesting Waiver]

 

Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:

 

This letter is being delivered to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters (the “Underwriters”) in connection with the offering by hear.com N.V. (the “Company”) of _____ common shares, with a nominal value of €0.01 per share in the capital of the Company (the “Common Shares”), and the lock-up agreement dated ____, 2021 (the “Lock-up Agreement”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated ____, 20__, with respect to ____ Common Shares (the “Shares”).

 

The Representatives hereby agree to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Agreement, but only with respect to the Shares, effective _____, 2021; provided, however, that such [waiver] [release] is conditioned on the Company announcing the impending [waiver] [release] by press release through a major news service at least two business days before effectiveness of such [waiver] [release]. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

 

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

1

 

 

  Acting severally on behalf of itself and
the several Underwriters named in Schedule I
hereto
   
   
  Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
   
  By:  
    Name:
   

Title:

     
   
  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
   
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

cc: Company

 

2

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF PRESS RELEASE

 

[Name of Company]

[Date]

 

hear.com N.V. (the “Company”) announced today that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, the lead book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of _____ common shares is [waiving][releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to ____ common shares of the Company held by [certain executive officers or directors] [an executive officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver][release] will take effect on ____, 2021 , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

3