Exhibit 10.1


 


May 19, 2016


 


CF Corporation


1701 Village Center Circle


Las Vegas, Nevada 89134


 


Re: Initial Public Offering


 


Ladies and Gentlemen:


 


This
letter (this “Letter Agreement”) is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement
(the “Underwriting Agreement”) entered into by and among CF Corporation, a Cayman Islands exempted company
(the “Company”), Citigroup
Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, as representatives
(the “Representatives”) of the several underwriters (the “Underwriters”), relating
to an underwritten initial public offering (the “Public Offering”), of 60,000,000 of the
Company’s units (including up to 9,000,000 Units that may be purchased to cover over-allotments, if any, the “Units”),
each comprised of one of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”),
and one-half of one redeemable warrant (each, a “Warrant”). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder thereof
to purchase one Ordinary Share at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. The Units shall be sold in the Public Offering
pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 and prospectus (the “Prospectus”) filed by the Company
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the Company intends
to apply to have the Units listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph
1 hereof.


 


In order to induce
the Company and the Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, CF Capital Growth, LLC (the “Sponsor”)
and each of the undersigned (each, a “Founder” and collectively, the “Founders”)
hereby agree with the Company as follows:


 


1. Definitions.
As used herein, (i) “Business Combination” shall mean a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share
purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses; (ii) “Capital
Shares” shall mean, collectively, the Ordinary Shares and the Founder Shares; (iii) “Founder Shares”
shall mean the 15,000,000 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, outstanding prior to the consummation
of the Public Offering; (iv) “Private Placement Warrants ” shall mean the Warrants to purchase Ordinary
Shares that will be acquired by the Sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $14,000,000 (or $15,800,000 if the Underwriters’
over-allotment is exercised), or $1.00 per Warrant, in a private placement that shall occur simultaneously with the consummation
of the Public Offering; (v) “Public Shareholders” shall mean the holders of securities issued in the
Public Offering; (vi) “Trust Account” shall mean the trust fund into which a portion of the net proceeds
of the Public Offering shall be deposited; (vii) “Transfer” shall mean the (a) sale of, offer to sell,
contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose
of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease
of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement
that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such
transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention
to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b); and (viii) “Charter” shall mean the Company’s
Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, as the same may be amended from time to time.


 


2. Representations
and Warranties.


 


(a) The Sponsor and each
Founder have full right and power, without violating any agreement to which he or it is bound (including, without limitation, any
non-competition or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or former employer), to enter into this Letter Agreement, as applicable,
to serve as a director on the Board, as applicable, and each Founder hereby consents to being named in the Prospectus, road show
and any other materials as an officer and/or director of the Company, as appropriate.


 


(b) Each Founder’s
biographical information furnished to the Company (including any such information included in the Prospectus) is true and accurate
in all respects and does not omit any material information with respect to such


 




     


     


    

 


Founder’s background. The Founder’s
questionnaire furnished to the Company is true and accurate in all respects. Each Founder represents and warrants that: such Founder
is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist
or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any jurisdiction; such Founder has never been convicted
of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (i) involving fraud, (ii) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another
person, or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and such Founder is not currently a defendant in any such criminal
proceeding; and neither such Founder nor the Sponsor has ever been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities
exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked.


 


3. Business Combination
Vote. The Sponsor and Founders agree that if the Company seeks shareholder approval of a proposed initial Business Combination,
then in connection with such proposed initial Business Combination, it or he, as applicable, shall vote all Founder Shares and
any Ordinary Shares acquired by it or him, as applicable, in the Public Offering or the secondary public market in favor of such
proposed initial Business Combination and not redeem any Ordinary Shares owned by it or him, as applicable, in connection with
such shareholder approval.


 


4. Failure to Consummate
a Business Combination; Trust Account Waiver.


 


(a) The Sponsor and Founders
hereby agree that in the event that the Company fails to consummate its initial Business Combination within the time period set
forth in the Charter, the Sponsor and each Founder shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations
except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, redeem
100% of the Ordinary Shares sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering (the “Offering Shares”),
at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned
on the trust account (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses and net of taxes payable), divided by the number
of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders
(including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following
such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Board, dissolve and liquidate, subject
in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors
and in all cases subject to the other requirements of applicable law. The Sponsor and Founders agree not to propose any amendment
to the Charter that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem the Offering Shares if the
Company does not complete a Business Combination within the required time period set forth in the Charter unless the Company provides
its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Ordinary Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share
price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the trust
account and not previously released to the Company, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares.


 


(b) Each of the Founders
and Sponsor acknowledges that they have no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account
or any other asset of the Company as a result of any liquidation of the Company with respect to the Founder Shares. The Sponsor
and each of the Founders hereby further waives, with respect to any Ordinary Shares and Founder Shares held by it or him, as applicable,
any redemption rights it or he may have in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation,
any such rights available in the context of a shareholder vote to approve such Business Combination or a shareholder vote to approve
an amendment to the Charter that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Ordinary
Shares if the Company has not consummated an initial Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Charter or in
the context of a tender offer made by the Company to purchase Ordinary Shares (although the Sponsor and the Founders shall be entitled
to redemption and liquidation rights with respect to any Ordinary Shares (other than the Founder Shares) they hold if the Company
fails to consummate a Business Combination within the required time period set forth in the Charter).


 


5. Lock-up; Transfer
Restrictions.


 


(a) The Founders (other
than Chinh E. Chu and William P. Foley, II) agree that they shall not Transfer any Founder Shares (the “Founder Shares
Lock-up”) until the earlier of (A) one year after the completion of an initial Business Combination and (B) the date
following the completion of a Business Combination on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other
similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares
for cash, securities or other property (the “Founder Shares Lock-up Period”). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if, subsequent to a Business Combination, the closing price of the Ordinary Shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted
for share splits, share capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading
day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, the Founder Shares shall be released from the Founder
Shares Lock-up.


 




     


     


    

 


(b) The Sponsor, Chinh
E. Chu and William P. Foley, II agree that they shall not, and the Sponsor shall cause the Sponsor’s affiliates and permitted
transferees not to, Transfer (the “Sponsor Lock-Up”) any Founder Shares or Ordinary Shares into which
such Founder Shares are convertible (the “Sponsor Shares”) until the earlier of (A) with respect to 50%
of the Sponsor Shares, one year after the completion of an initial Business Combination, (B) with respect to the remaining 50%
of the Sponsor Shares, two years after the completion of an initial Business Combination, and (C) with respect to 100% of the Sponsor
Shares, the date following the completion of an initial Business Combination on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger,
share exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange
their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property (the “Sponsor Lock-up Period”).


 


(c) The Sponsor and Founders
agree that they shall not effectuate any Transfer of Private Placement Warrants or Ordinary Shares underlying such warrants, until
30 days after the completion of a Business Combination.


 


(d) Notwithstanding the
provisions set forth in paragraphs 5(a), (b) and (c), Transfers of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Warrants and Ordinary
Shares underlying the Private Placement Warrants are permitted (a) to the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliates
or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors, any members of the Sponsor or their affiliates, or any affiliates
of the Sponsor (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust,
the beneficiary of which is a member of one of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable
organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d)
in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made at or prior
to the consummation of a Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares or warrants were originally
purchased; (f) by virtue of the Sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of the Sponsor; (g) in the
event of the Company’s liquidation prior to the completion of a Business Combination; or (h) in the event of completion of
a liquidation, merger, share exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s shareholders having
the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the completion of a Business Combination;
provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (f) these permitted transferees must enter into a written
agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions.


 


(e) During the period
commencing on the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 180 days after such date, the Sponsor and the Founders
shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, Transfer any Units, Ordinary Shares, Warrants or any securities
convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares owned by it or him, as applicable. The Sponsor and the Founders
acknowledge and agree that, prior to the effective date of any release or waiver of the restrictions set forth in this paragraph
5, the Company shall announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business
days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted shall only be effective two business days
after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if the release or waiver is effected
solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described
in this Letter Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.


 


6. Remedies.
The Sponsor and each of the Founders hereby agree and acknowledge that (i) each of the Underwriters and the Company would be irreparably
injured in the event of a breach by the Sponsor or such Founder of its or his obligations, as applicable under paragraphs 3, 4,
5, 7 and 14, (ii) monetary damages may not be an adequate remedy for such breach and (iii) the non-breaching party shall be entitled
to injunctive relief, in addition to any other remedy that such party may have in law or in equity, in the event of such breach.


  


7. Payments by the
Company. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Sponsor, nor any affiliate of the Sponsor, nor any director or
officer of the Company, shall receive from the Company any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect
of any repayment of a loan or other compensation prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate the
consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is).


 


8. Entire Agreement.
This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter
hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral,
to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby. This Letter Agreement
may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any particular provision, except
by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.


 


9. Assignment.
No party hereto may assign either this Letter Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior
written consent of the other parties. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and
shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Letter


 




     


     


    

 


Agreement shall be binding on the Sponsor,
each of the Founders and each of their respective successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns.


 


10. Governing Law.
This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without
giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction.
The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in any way to, this
Letter Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of New York City, in the State of New York, and irrevocably submit
to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive and (ii) waive any objection to such exclusive
jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.


 


11. Notices.
Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Letter Agreement shall be
in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested),
by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.


 


12. Director and
Officer Liability Insurance. The Company will maintain an insurance policy or policies providing directors’ and officers’
liability insurance, and the Founders shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the
maximum extent of the coverage available for any of the Company’s directors or officers.


 


13. Termination.
This Letter Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the Sponsor Lock-up Period and (ii) the liquidation
of the Company; provided, however, that this Letter Agreement shall earlier terminate in the event that the Public
Offering is not consummated and closed by July 31, 2016.


  


14. Indemnification.
In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Account, the Sponsor (the “Indemnitor”) agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited
to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether
pending or threatened, or any claim whatsoever) to which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by (i) any third
party for services rendered or products sold to the Company or (ii) a prospective target business with which the Company has entered
into an acquisition agreement (a “Target”); provided, however, that such indemnification
of the Company by the Indemnitor shall apply only to the extent necessary to ensure that such claims by a third party for services
rendered (other than the Company’s independent public accountants) or products sold to the Company or a Target do not reduce
the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per share of the Offering Shares and (ii) the actual
amount per share of the Offering Shares held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, in each
case less taxes payable, if less than $10.00 per share of the Offering Shares due to reductions in value of the trust assets and
such indemnification shall not apply to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access
to the Trust Account (whether or not such agreement is enforceable) nor shall it apply to any claims under the Company’s
indemnity of the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
In the event that any such executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against such third party, the Indemnitor shall not be
responsible for any liability as a result of any such third party claims. The Indemnitor shall have the right to defend against
any such claim with counsel of its choice reasonably satisfactory to the Company if, within 15 days following written receipt of
notice of the claim to the Indemnitor, the Indemnitor notifies the Company in writing that it shall undertake such defense.


 


15. Involvement
in Future Blank Check Companies. Each Founder agrees not to participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director
of, any other blank check company (excluding existing affiliations), until the Company has entered into a definitive agreement
with respect to a Business Combination or the Company has failed to complete a Business Combination within the time period set
forth in the Charter.


 


[Signature Page Follows]


 




     


     


    

 


	 	Sincerely,
	 	 
	 	CF CAPITAL GROWTH, LLC
	 	 
	 	
        By: CC Capital Management, LLC, its member

	 	 
	 	By:	/s/ Chinh E. Chu
	 	Name: Chinh E. Chu
	 	Title: Sole Member
	 	 
	 	/s/ Chinh E. Chu
	 	Chinh E. Chu
	 	 
	 	/s/ William P. Foley, II
	 	William P. Foley, II
	 	 
	 	/s/ James A. Quella
	 	James A. Quella
	 	 
	 	/s/ Douglas B. Newton
	 	Douglas B. Newton
	 	 
	 	/s/ David Ducommun
	 	David Ducommun
	 	 
	 	/s/ Richard N. Massey
	 	Richard N. Massey


 


	Acknowledged and Agreed:	 
	 	 
	CF CORPORATION	 
	 	 
	By:	/s/ Douglas Newton 	 
	 	Name: Douglas Newton	 
	 	Title: Chief Financial Officer	 


 





[Signature Page to Letter Agreement]