Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement



 Exhibit 10.9 

APOLLO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FINANCE, INC. 

2009 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN 

FORM OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT 

THIS AGREEMENT is made by and between Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and
                     (the “Grantee”), dated as of the      day of
            , 20    . 
 WHEREAS,
the Company maintains the Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) (capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto by the Plan); 

WHEREAS, in accordance with the Plan, the Company may from time to time issue awards of Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) (also
generally known and referred to under the Plan as Phantom Shares) to individuals and persons who provide services to, among others, the Company and the Manager; 

WHEREAS, the Grantee[, as an employee of the Manager,] is an Eligible Person under the terms of the Plan; and 

WHEREAS, in accordance with the Plan, the Committee has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders
to grant RSUs to the Grantee subject to the terms and conditions set forth below. 
 NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS
FOLLOWS: 
  

	 	1.	Grant of RSUs. 

 The
Company hereby grants the Grantee [            ] RSUs. The RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and are also subject to the provisions of the Plan. The
Plan is hereby incorporated herein by reference as though set forth herein in its entirety. To the extent such terms or conditions in this Agreement conflict with any provision of the Plan, the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan shall
govern. Where the context permits, references to the Company shall include any successor to the Company. 
  

	 	2.	Restrictions. 

 The RSUs
awarded pursuant to this Agreement and the Plan shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Paragraph 2. 
  

	 	(a)	Subject to clauses (b), (c) and (d) below, the RSUs granted hereunder shall vest, solely to the extent the Grantee has not had a Termination of Service[, in
equal installments on the first business day of each fiscal quarter for the next [            ] quarters beginning on
[            ], with the final vesting date to occur on [            ]]. 


 

	 	(b)	Subject to clauses (c) and (d) below, in the event of the Manager’s Termination of Service by the Company for Cause (as defined in the management
agreement dated September 23, 2009 by and between the Company, ACREFI Operating, LLC, and the Manager), or a voluntary Termination of Service by the Manager prior to
[            ], then all RSUs shall thereupon, and with no further action, be forfeited by the Grantee. 









	 	(c)	Subject to clause (d) below, upon the Grantee’s Termination of Service for any reason, all unvested RSUs shall thereupon, and with no further action, be
forfeited by the Grantee, and neither the Grantee nor any of his or her successors, heirs, assigns, or personal representatives shall thereafter have any further rights or interests in such RSUs. 


 

	 	(d)	Termination of Service as an employee shall not be treated as a termination of employment for purposes of this Paragraph 2 if the Grantee continues without interruption
to serve thereafter as an officer or director of the Company, or in such other capacity as determined by the Committee (or if no Committee is appointed, the Board), and the termination of such successor service shall be treated as the applicable
termination. 

  

	 	3.	Voting and Other Rights. 


The Grantee shall have no rights of a shareholder (including the right to distributions or dividends), and will not be treated as an owner
of Shares for tax purposes, except with respect to Shares that have been issued. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a DER is hereby granted to the Grantee, consisting of the right to receive, with respect to each RSU, cash in an amount equal to the cash
dividend distributions paid in the ordinary course on a Share to the Company’s common stockholders, as set forth below. All DERs (if any) payable on an RSU, whether or not then vested, during the Company’s fiscal year shall be accumulated
and paid to the Grantee within the first 30 days of the next succeeding fiscal year. Under no circumstances shall the Grantee be entitled to receive both (i) a distribution and a DER with respect to a vested RSU (or its associated Share) or
(ii) a distribution and a DER with respect to an unvested RSU. 
  

	 	4.	Settlement. 

 Each vested
and outstanding RSU shall be settled in one Share of Common Stock of the Company on [            ] (either by delivering one or more certificates for such Share or by entering such
Share in book-entry form, as determined by the Company in its discretion). Such issuance shall constitute payment of the RSUs. References herein to issuances to the Grantee shall include issuances to any beneficial owner or other person to whom (or
to which) the Shares are issued. The Company’s obligation to issue Shares or otherwise make any payment with respect to vested RSUs is subject to the condition precedent that the Grantee or other person entitled under the Plan to receive any
Shares with respect to the vested RSUs deliver to the Company any representations or other documents or assurances required pursuant to Paragraph 5(l) and the Company may meet any obligation to issue Shares by having one or more of its
Subsidiaries or affiliates issue the Shares. The Grantee shall have no further rights with respect to any RSUs that are paid or that terminate pursuant to Paragraphs 2(b) and (c). For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent the terms of this Paragraph
4 conflict with any terms of the Plan relating to the settlement of RSU, the terms of this Paragraph 4 shall govern. 
  

	 	5.	Miscellaneous. 

  

	 	(a)	The value of an RSU may decrease depending upon the Fair Market Value of a Share from time to time. Neither the Company, the Committee, the Manager, nor any other party
associated with the Plan, shall be held liable for any decrease in the value of the RSUs. If the value of such RSUs decrease, there will be a decrease in the underlying value of what is distributed to the Grantee under the Plan and this Agreement.


  

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	 	(b)	Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided. With respect to this Agreement, (i) the RSUs are bookkeeping entries,
(ii) the obligations of the Company under the Plan are unsecured and constitute a commitment by the Company to make benefit payments in the future, (iii) to the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company
under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured creditor of the Company, (iv) all payments under the Plan (including distributions of Shares) shall be paid from the general funds of the Company in the
manner specified in Paragraph 5(f) and (v) no special or separate fund shall be established or other segregation of assets made to assure such payments (except that the Company may in its discretion establish a bookkeeping reserve to meet its
obligations under the Plan). The RSUs shall be used solely as a device for the determination of the payment to eventually be made to the Grantee if the RSUs vest pursuant to Paragraph 2. The award of RSUs is intended to be an arrangement that is
unfunded for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. 

  

	 	(c)	 Governing Law; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial. The Plan and all awards granted under the Plan shall be governed by, interpreted under, and
construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws, and not the laws pertaining to conflicts or choices of laws, of the State of Delaware applicable to agreements made and to be performed wholly within the State of Delaware. With respect to
any suit, action or proceeding (“Proceeding”) arising out of or relating to this Award Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably (a) submits to the exclusive personal and legal
jurisdiction of (i) the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or (ii) in the event that such court lacks jurisdiction to hear the claim, the state courts of New York located in the borough of Manhattan, New
York City (the “Selected Courts”), and waives any objection to venue being laid in the Selected Courts whether based on the grounds of forum non conveniens or otherwise and hereby agrees not to commence any such Proceeding other
than before one of the Selected Courts; provided, however, that a party may commence any Proceeding in a court other than a Selected Court solely for the purpose of enforcing an order or judgment issued by one of the Selected Courts;
(b) consents to service of process in any Proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, or by recognized international express carrier or delivery service, to the Company and the Participant at
their respective addresses consistent with Section 22 of the Plan; provided, however, that nothing herein shall affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by law; and (c) except to the extent
prohibited by law, agrees to be solely responsible for his or its own legal costs. Unless otherwise specifically provided by explicit reference to the jury waiver provision in this Paragraph 5 in a written agreement executed by the Company and the
Grantee, each Grantee, TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW THAT CANNOT BE WAIVED, WAIVES, AND COVENANTS THAT THE GRANTEE WILL NOT ASSERT (WHETHER AS PLAINTIFF, DEFENDANT OR OTHERWISE) ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION ARISING IN
WHOLE OR IN PART UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE PLAN OR ANY AWARD AGREEMENT, WHETHER AT THE EFFECTIVE DATE OR THEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, AND AGREES THAT ANY OF THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES
OR 


  

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THE GRANTEE MAY FILE A COPY OF THIS PARAGRAPH WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE KNOWING, VOLUNTARY AND BARGAINED-FOR AGREEMENT AMONG THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, ON THE ONE HAND, AND
THE GRANTEE, ON THE OTHER HAND, IRREVOCABLY TO WAIVE ITS RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING WHATSOEVER BETWEEN THEM RELATING TO THE PLAN OR ANY AWARD AGREEMENT, AND THAT ANY SUCH PROCEEDING WILL INSTEAD BE TRIED IN A COURT OF COMPETENT
JURISDICTION BY A JUDGE SITTING WITHOUT A JURY. 


  

	 	(d)	The Committee may construe and interpret this Agreement and establish, amend and revoke such rules, regulations and procedures for the administration of this Agreement
as it deems appropriate. In this connection, the Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission, or reconcile any inconsistency in this Agreement or in any related agreements, in the manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or
expedient to make the Plan fully effective. All decisions and determinations by the Committee in the exercise of this power shall be final and binding upon the Company and the Grantee. 


 

	 	(e)	All notices hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Company or the Committee, shall be delivered to the Board or mailed to its principal office, addressed to the
attention of the Board; and if to the Grantee, shall be delivered personally, sent by facsimile transmission or mailed to the Grantee at the address appearing in the records of the Company. Such addresses may be changed at any time by written notice
to the other party given in accordance with this Paragraph 5(e). 

  

	 	(f)	The grant made hereby is made to the Manager in consideration of services rendered thereby, and is in turn made by the Manager in consideration of the services rendered
by the Grantee (as further set forth in that certain letter agreement between the Company and the Manager dated [             ], 20    ). For
purposes of the provisions in Paragraphs 2(a) through 2(d) above relating to employment with the Company (and the termination thereof), and also for purposes of any references in the Plan to an employment agreement, “Company,” as the
context so requires, shall include Manager and its affiliates to the extent that the Grantee is a provider of services to such entities. 

  

	 	(g)	The failure of the Grantee or the Company to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the Plan, or to assert any right the Grantee or the
Company, respectively, may have under this Agreement or the Plan, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement or the Plan. 


 

	 	(h)	The Company or the Manager shall be entitled to withhold from any payments or deemed payments any amount of tax withholding it determines to be required by law.


  

	 	(i)	Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, to the extent that the Board determines that the Plan or the RSU is subject to Section 409A
of the Code and fails to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the Board reserves the right (without any obligation to do so or to indemnify the Grantee for failure to do so), without the consent of the Grantee, to amend or
terminate the Plan and this Agreement and/or amend, restructure, terminate or replace the RSU in order to cause the RSU to either not be subject to Section 409A of the Code or to comply with the applicable provisions of such section.


  

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	 	(j)	The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon the Grantee and upon the Grantee’s heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, transferees,
assignees and successors in interest and upon the Company and its successors and assignees, subject to the terms of the Plan. 

  

	 	(k)	Unless otherwise permitted in the sole discretion of the Committee, (i) neither this Agreement nor any rights granted herein shall be assignable by the Grantee,
and (ii) no purported sale, assignment, mortgage, hypothecation, transfer, pledge, encumbrance, gift, transfer in trust (voting or other) or other disposition of, or creation of a security interest in or lien on, any RSUs or Shares by any
holder thereof in violation of the provisions of this Agreement or the Plan will be valid, and the Company will not transfer any of said RSUs or Shares on its books nor will any Shares be entitled to vote, nor will any distributions be paid thereon,
unless and until there has been full compliance with said provisions to the satisfaction of the Company. The foregoing restrictions are in addition to and not in lieu of any other remedies, legal or equitable, available to enforce said provisions.


  

	 	(l)	The Grantee hereby agrees to perform all acts, and to execute and deliver any documents, that may be reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement,
including but not limited to all acts and documents related to compliance with securities, tax and other applicable laws and regulations. If the Grantee is married, the Grantee shall return the Exhibit A, executed by the Grantee’s spouse,
along with this Agreement. 

  

	 	(m)	The Grantee hereby represents and agrees that the Participant is not acquiring the RSUs or the Shares with a view to distribution thereof. 


 

	 	(n)	Nothing in this Agreement shall confer on the Grantee any right to continue in the employ or other service of the Company or its Subsidiaries or interfere in any way
with the right of the Company or its Subsidiaries and its stockholders to terminate the Grantee’s employment or other service at any time. Employment or service for only a portion of the vesting period, even if a substantial portion, will not
entitle the Grantee to any proportionate vesting or avoid or mitigate a termination of rights and benefits upon or following a Termination of Service as provided in this Agreement or under the Plan. 


 

	 	(o)	This Agreement and the Plan contain the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or
oral, with respect thereto. 

  

	 	(p)	This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, including via facsimile, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall
be deemed to be one and the same instrument. 

  

	 	(q)	Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or clause (i) above, no amendment or modification hereof shall be valid unless it shall be in writing and signed by all
parties hereto. 

  

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 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Grantee have executed this Agreement as of the day
and year first above written. 
  

			
	 APOLLO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

FINANCE, INC.

		
	By:	 	  

	Name:	 	
	Title:	 	


 The undersigned hereby accepts and agrees to all of the terms and provisions of this
Agreement, including its Exhibit. 
  

	
	  

	
	[GRANTEE]


  

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 EXHIBIT A 

Consent of Spouse 

In consideration of the execution of the foregoing Agreement by Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc., I,
                                , the spouse of the Grantee therein named, do
hereby join with my spouse in executing the foregoing Agreement and do hereby agree to be bound by all of the terms and provisions thereof and of the Plan. 

 

	
	Date:             , 20    
	
	  

	Signature of Spouse
	
	  

	Print Name


  

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