Company: TMCWW
Filing Date: 2025-07-08
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-066460
Chunk: 68

Company: TMC the metals Co Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-07-08
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 68
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) and shall not be assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process. Any attempted transfer, assignment, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition of any Stock Right or of any rights granted thereunder contrary to the provisions of this Plan, or the levy of any attachment or similar process upon a Stock Right, shall be null and void.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

14.

EFFECT ON OPTIONS OF CESSATION OF SERVICE OTHER THAN FOR CAUSE OR DEATH OR DISABILITY.

Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Option Agreement in the event of a cessation of service (whether as an Employee, director or Consultant) with the Company or an Affiliate before the Participant has exercised an Option, the following rules apply:

(a) A Participant who ceases to be an Employee, director or Consultant of the Company or of an Affiliate (for any reason other than for Cause, Disability, or death for which events there are special rules in Paragraphs 15, 16, and 17, respectively), may exercise any Option granted to such Participant to the extent that the Option is exercisable on the Termination Date, but only within such term as the Administrator has designated in a Participant’s Option Agreement. Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, any Option, or portion thereof, that is not exercisable on the Termination Date will automatically terminate and become void on the Termination Date.

(b) The provisions of this Paragraph, and not the provisions of Paragraph 16 or 17, shall apply to a Participant who subsequently becomes Disabled or dies after their Termination Date; provided, however, in the case of a Participant’s Disability or death within three months after the Termination Date, the Participant or the Participant’s Survivors may exercise the Option within one year after the Termination Date, but in no event after the date of expiration of the term of the Option.

(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if subsequent to a Participant’s Termination Date, but prior to the exercise of an Option, the Administrator determines that, prior to the Participant’s Termination Date, the Participant engaged in conduct which would constitute Cause, then any Option which the Participant has not exercised at such time will automatically terminate and become void.

(d) A Participant to whom an Option has been granted under the Plan who is absent from the Company or an Affiliate because of temporary disability (any disability other than