Exhibit 19.1
SURF AIR MOBILITY INC. INSIDER TRADING POLICY
(as of October 9, 2023)
Surf Air Mobility Inc. (the “Company”) and all directors, officers and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries, if any, are subject to federal and state “insider trading” laws with respect to transactions involving Company securities. These laws prohibit (a) trading in (as defined in Section 4 below) Company securities on the basis of Material Nonpublic Information (as defined in Section 3 below), and (b) disclosing Material Nonpublic Information to others who might trade on the basis of that information. As further described in Section 9 below, anyone violating these laws is subject to personal liability and could face criminal penalties. Under certain circumstances, companies and their controlling persons could also be subject to liability if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent insider trading by company personnel.
The Company has adopted this policy to promote compliance with federal and state insider trading laws and to protect the Company and its directors, officers and employees (including employees and officers of any subsidiaries of the Company) from the serious liabilities and penalties that can result from trading in Company securities in violation of these laws. You, however, are responsible for ensuring that you do not violate federal or state insider trading laws or this policy.
This policy applies to (a) all directors, officers and employees of the Company or its subsidiaries, if any, and (b) any other persons, such as contractors or consultants, whom the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, as the compliance officer for the Company (the “Compliance Officer”), has designated as subject to this policy because such other persons have access to Material Nonpublic Information concerning the Company or its subsidiaries, if any. The restrictions in this policy also apply to each such person’s spouse; any parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, sibling or in-law or other family members; other members of such person’s household; any corporation, partnership or other entity that is controlled or managed by such person; and any trust for which such person is the trustee or has a beneficial pecuniary interest (each, a “Related Party”). Directors, officers, employees and other persons designated as subject to this policy are responsible for ensuring compliance by their Related Parties. All persons identified in this paragraph are hereinafter referred to in this policy as “insiders.” This policy only provides guidelines and the directors, officers, employees and other persons designated as subject to this policy are still ultimately responsible for ensuring that they and their respective Related Parties do not violate insider trading laws or this policy.
Trading in Company securities “on the basis of” Material Nonpublic Information about the Company or Company securities is prohibited. The term “on the basis of” is generally determined to be met where the person trading in securities was aware of or possessed the Material Nonpublic Information at the time of the transaction. For purposes of determining whether information is “Material Nonpublic Information,” the following provisions apply:
Exhibit 19.1
not possible to define all categories of material information, the following list illustrates various items that could be regarded as material:
Because trading that receives scrutiny will be evaluated after the fact with the benefit of hindsight, questions concerning the materiality of particular information should be resolved in favor of materiality, and trading should be avoided.
2
Exhibit 19.1
In addition to restrictions set forth elsewhere in this policy, all insiders who are aware of Material Nonpublic Information are prohibited from (a) trading in Company securities, except as expressly permitted by this policy, (b) recommending that any person trade in Company securities,
(c) disclosing Material Nonpublic Information to any person, including any Related Party, or (d) assisting anyone engaged in the above activities. The Company strongly discourages all insiders from giving trading advice concerning the Company or its securities to third parties even when the insiders do not possess Material Nonpublic Information about the Company or its securities. All inquiries from outsiders regarding Material Nonpublic Information about the Company or its securities must be forwarded to the Compliance Officer.
In addition, insiders who, in the course of their employment with the Company or its subsidiaries, if any, learn of material nonpublic information about another company with which the Company or its subsidiaries, if any, does business may not (a) trade in that company’s securities until the information becomes public or is no longer material, or (b) disclose such information to any other person or recommend that any person trade in that company’s securities.
For purposes of this policy, “trade in” or “trading in” securities includes:
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “trading in” securities for the purposes of this Policy does not include: (a) the vesting of equity- based awards, (b) the reacquisition or withholding of Company securities by the Company to satisfy a tax withholding obligation upon the vesting of equity-based awards, (c) the crediting of dividend equivalents by the Company on outstanding equity awards in accordance with the terms of the applicable award agreement, (d) the payment by the Company of vested equity awards and (e)
3
Exhibit 19.1
the acquisition of securities upon the exercise of stock options where the exercise price and applicable tax withholding amounts are paid in cash or if there is a “net exercise.” A “net exercise” is the use of the shares underlying a stock option to pay the exercise price and/or tax withholding obligation.
In addition, trading in Company securities pursuant to a Trading Plan (as such term is defined in Section 7 below), is not subject to the trading prohibitions contained in this policy, provided that the Trading Plan has been approved and adopted in accordance with Section 7 below.
To the extent the Company establishes a dividend reinvestment and/or stock purchase plan (a “DRIP”), this policy shall not apply to “purchases” of such DRIP resulting from reinvestment of dividends paid on the Company’s securities under a standing election. However, this policy shall apply in connection with (i) the initial election to participate in any such DRIP or any election to modify the level of participation under such DRIP, (ii) voluntary purchases of the Company’s securities resulting from additional contributions to such DRIP, and (iii) the sale of any of the Company’s securities purchased under such DRIP.
The Company’s announcement of its annual or quarterly financial results almost always has the potential to have a material effect on the market for the Company’s securities. Therefore, to avoid the appearance that an insider traded while aware of Material Nonpublic Information, this policy prohibits each person identified by the Compliance Officer as a “Designated Insider” on Exhibit A and each Related Party of such Designated Insider, from trading in Company securities beginning at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (the “Close of Business”) on the day that is two weeks prior to the end of the fiscal quarter, or such other period as may be set by the Board of Directors, and ending on the Close of Business at the end of the first full trading day after the date the Company publicly announces its annual or quarterly earnings (each, a “Quarterly Blackout Period”). The existence or non-existence of a blackout period does not alter the general prohibitions against trading based on Material Nonpublic Information, which are applicable at all times.
In addition, the Company requires each Designated Insider who desires to trade in Company securities other than during a Quarterly Blackout Period or any Special Blackout Period (as defined below) to obtain written clearance of the proposed transaction from the Compliance Officer or any other person designated by him or her prior to initiating such transaction. Requests for pre-clearance should be submitted to the Compliance Officer at least three business days in advance of the proposed transaction and the person requesting pre-clearance must certify to the Compliance Officer or his or her designee in writing that such person is not in possession of Material Nonpublic Information concerning the Company or its securities. The Designated Insider must complete the proposed trade within two business days after the approval is granted. The Compliance Officer, or his or her designee, is under no obligation to approve a trade submitted for pre- clearance, and may determine not to permit a trade. If a Designated Insider seeks pre-clearance and permission to engage in the trade is denied, then such Designated Insider should refrain from initiating any trade in Company securities and should not inform any other person of such denial. Notwithstanding the foregoing, transactions in Company securities pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan are not subject to the pre-clearance requirements of this paragraph; provided that the Rule 10b5-1 trading plan has been pre-approved as described below in Section 7.
From time to time, due to material developments known to the Company that have not been disclosed publicly, the Company may impose a special blackout period (each, a “Special Blackout Period”) in addition to the Quarterly Blackout Period. During any Special Blackout Period, Designated Insiders, and
4
Exhibit 19.1
any other insiders designated by the Board of Directors, and their respective Related Parties will not be permitted to trade in Company securities. No insider may disclose to any other person that a Special Blackout Period has been designated. For the avoidance of doubt, the trading restrictions imposed under Quarterly Blackout Periods and Special Blackout Periods includes any outstanding “stop-loss” or “limit” orders requested prior to such periods that have not been fulfilled prior to the beginning of such periods, unless such orders are otherwise expressly excepted by this policy.
Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act provides an affirmative defense from insider trading liability under the federal securities laws for trading plans that meet certain requirements of such rule (each, a “Trading Plan”). An insider that has adopted a Trading Plan in compliance with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act can engage in transactions over an extended period of time, even during a Quarterly Blackout Period or Special Blackout Period, as long as the insider is not aware of Material Nonpublic Information at the time the insider entered into the Trading Plan and has acted in good faith with respect to the plan.
Insiders may trade in Company securities pursuant to a Trading Plan, provided that the Trading Plan has been approved in advance by the Compliance Officer of the Company (or any other person designated by him or her) prior to the individual’s entry into the Trading Plan. In the event that the Compliance Officer of the Company desires to trade in Company securities pursuant to a Trading Plan, pre-approval of such plan by the Chief Executive Officer is required. While the Company’s Compliance Officer (or Chief Executive Officer, in the case of a Trading Plan proposed to be adopted by the Compliance Officer) has absolute discretion whether to approve a proposed Trading Plan, the Trading Plan must comply with the following minimum requirements:
5
Exhibit 19.1
The following additional restrictions apply to any trading in Company securities by insiders:
6
Exhibit 19.1
This policy continues to apply to the insider’s transactions in Company securities even after an insider has terminated employment with the Company. If you are in possession of Material Nonpublic Information when your employment terminates, you may not trade in Company securities until that information has become public or is no longer material.
Any violation of this policy by a director, officer or employee may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or of other relationships with the Company, whether or not the insider’s failure to comply results in a violation of law.
In addition, individuals may be subject to civil and criminal penalties for insider trading violations. The federal government may also seek an injunction, bring administrative proceedings and/or commence criminal prosecutions, potentially resulting in fines (up to $5 million per violation), imprisonment (up to twenty years per violation) or both. Civil penalties may be sought by the government for up to three times the profits made (or three times the losses avoided).
Under certain circumstances, the Company may also be subject to civil fines equal to the greater of three times the profit made (or loss avoided) or $1 million, and criminal fines up to $25 million.
7
Exhibit 19.1
Please contact the Compliance Officer with any questions or other inquiries regarding any of the provisions or procedures of this policy or the public or nonpublic status of Company information.
8
Exhibit 19.1
Exhibit A
Designated Insiders
The following insiders of the Company are considered Designated Insiders for purposes of this policy:
9
Exhibit 19.1
Surf Air Mobility Inc. Insider Trading Policy Acknowledgment Form
I have received and read this Insider Trading Policy (the “Policy”) of Surf Air Mobility Inc. (the
“Company”), and I understand its contents. I agree to comply fully with the Policy. I understand that violations of insider trading laws may subject me to severe civil and/or criminal liabilities or penalties, and that violation of the terms of the Policy may subject me to discipline by the Company up to and including immediate termination of employment.
Instructions: Carefully read the Policy and sign this Acknowledgement Form. A signed copy of this Acknowledgment Form will be retained in your personnel file. You may retain a copy of your signed Acknowledgement Form along with the Policy for your records.
(Signature) |
(Print Name) |
(Title) |
(Date) |