Document:

bmnm8k20120730x103.htm

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.3

 

LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

	
To:   FWAC Holdings Limited

 c/o FlatWorld Capital LLC

 220 East 42nd St., 29th Floor

 New York, NY 10017

Re: Proposed Merger Involving FlatWorld Acquisition Corp. and Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

 

	
1.    Acknowledgement. The undersigned acknowledges that FlatWorld Acquisition Corp. ("FlatWorld" or the “Company”), FTWA Orchid Merger Sub, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FlatWorld (“Merger Sub”), FWAC Holdings Limited (“FWAC Holdings”), Bimini Capital Management, Inc. (“Bimini Capital”), Orchid Island Capital, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bimini Capital ("Orchid Island"), and Bimini Advisors, LLC (“BA”) are intending to complete a proposed merger pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Merger Agreement"), dated July 26, 2012, among FlatWorld, FWAC Holdings, Orchid Island, Bimini Capital, Merger Sub and BA, pursuant to which the shares of Orchid Island securities held by the undersigned are to be converted into the right to receive, as consideration for such Orchid Island securities, Class A Preferred Shares of FlatWorld, no par value (the “Preferred Shares”) (such transaction, the “Merger”). In consideration of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration (the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the undersigned), with respect to the Preferred Shares issued or issuable to the undersigned (or to persons or entities with respect to which the undersigned would have beneficial ownership of such shares within the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission), whether pursuant to the Merger Agreement or otherwise (and the ordinary shares of FlatWorld, no par value (the “Ordinary Shares”), into which they are convertible), and any other securities of FlatWorld that is convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for the Preferred Shares or Ordinary Shares, the undersigned covenants and agrees with FWAC Holdings, as follows.

 

	
2.    Lock-Up. With respect to the Preferred Shares (and the Ordinary Shares into which they are convertible) issued to the undersigned as consideration in the Merger (the “Merger Consideration”), the undersigned shall not, except as described in this Paragraph 2 hereof, (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease 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 Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any of the Merger Consideration, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Preferred Shares, Ordinary Shares, other securities, cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii), until one year after the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement); provided, however, that the restrictions set forth in items (i) - (iii) above shall not apply at any time on or after January 1, 2013, if the holders of the Company’s Ordinary Shares fail to approve, at a duly convened meeting of the Company’s shareholders, the Reincorporation (as defined in the Merger Agreement) on or prior to January 1, 2013 (provided that Bimini Capital or any permitted Person to whom Bimini Capital transferred the Merger Consideration in compliance with this agreement, voted all of the Merger Consideration, on an as-converted basis, in favor of such Reincorporation). Notwithstanding any other terms herein, all of the Merger Consideration will be released from the restrictions set forth in this Paragraph 2, if, following consummation of the Merger, the Company engages in a subsequent liquidation.

The undersigned agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with FlatWorld’s transfer agent and registrar against, and authorizes FWAC Holdings to cause the transfer agent and registrar to decline, the transfer of relevant securities held by the undersigned except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may sell, contract to sell, dispose of, or otherwise transfer for value or otherwise, the Preferred Shares (or the Ordinary Shares into which they are convertible) (i) by gift, will or intestacy, (ii) by distribution to partners, members, shareholders, or beneficiaries of the undersigned, or (iii) to any wholly-owned direct or indirect subsidiary or subsidiaries of the undersigned; provided however, that in the case of a transfer pursuant to (i), (ii) or (iii) above, it shall be a condition to such transfer that the transferee execute an agreement

 

  

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stating that the transferee is receiving and holding the Preferred Shares (or the Ordinary Shares into which they are convertible) subject to the provisions of this Lock Up Agreement. Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in Paragraph 2 above, the undersigned shall not be restricted or prohibited by this Lock Up Agreement from converting any or all of its Preferred Shares into Ordinary Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Preferred Shares.

 

	
3.    Termination. This agreement may be terminated by mutual written consent of the parties hereto. This agreement shall be terminated upon the earlier of (i) the termination of the Merger Agreement, (ii) one calendar day following the date that is one year following the Effective Time, in accordance with its terms or (iii) January 1, 2013, if the holders of the Company’s Ordinary Shares fail to approve, at a duly convened meeting of the Company’s shareholders, the Reincorporation on or prior to January 1, 2013 (provided that Bimini Capital or any Permitted Person to whom Bimini Capital transferred the Merger Consideration in compliance with this agreement, voted all of the Merger Consideration, on an as-converted basis, in favor of such Reincorporation). The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable, and that all authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred shall survive death or incapacity of the undersigned and will be binding on the undersigned and the respective successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the undersigned.

 

	
4.    Authority. The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this agreement.

 

	
5.    Public Disclosure. The undersigned agrees not to make any public disclosure or announcement of or pertaining to this agreement, the Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby or hereby without the prior written consent of FWAC Holdings except as required by law.

 

	
6.    Damages. The undersigned recognizes and acknowledges that this agreement is an integral part of the Merger Agreement and that a breach by the undersigned of any covenants or other commitments contained in this agreement will cause FWAC Holdings to sustain injury for which it may not have an adequate remedy at law for money damages. Therefore, the undersigned agrees that in the event of any such breach, FWAC Holdings shall be entitled to the remedy of specific performance of such covenants or commitments and preliminary and permanent injunctive and other equitable relief in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity, and the undersigned agrees to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with the obtaining of any such injunctive or other equitable relief.

 

	
7.    Governing Law. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable therein (without regard to conflict of laws principles).

 

	
8.    Facsimile. FWAC Holdings and the undersigned shall be entitled to rely on delivery of a facsimile copy hereof which shall be legally effective to create a valid and binding agreement of the undersigned and FWAC Holdings in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

	
9.    Counterparts. This agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

	
10.    Entire Agreement. This agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties pertaining to the subject matter of this agreement.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

  

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                                  BIMINI CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

                                  By:________________________

                                  Name:

                                  Title:

_____________________________

Signature of Witness

 

Name of Witness (please print)

Address and fax number

Bimini Capital Management, Inc.

3305 Flamingo Drive

Vero Beach, Florida 32963

Fax No.: 772-231-2896

 

141,873

Number of FlatWorld Acquisition

Corp. Preferred Shares subject

to this Lock Up Agreement

 

  

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EXHIBIT 10.4

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the [ ]th day of [ ], 2012, by and between FlatWorld Acquisition Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company organized with limited liability (the “Company”), and FWAC Holdings Limited, a British Virgin Islands business company limited by shares (the “Initial Securityholder”). This Agreement amends and restates, in its entirety, that certain registration rights agreement between the Company and the Initial Securityholder dated as of December 9, 2010 (the “Original Registration Agreement”).

 

WHEREAS, on (a) July 9, 2010 the Initial Securityholder purchased 1,078,125 ordinary shares of the Company, no par value (the “Ordinary Shares”), representing all of the Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding at such time, (b) October 8, 2010, the Company effected a 0.933333 for 1 Ordinary Share combination, the result of which left the Initial Securityholder with 1,006,250 Ordinary Shares, (c) November 9, 2010, the Company effected a 0.5714286 for 1 Ordinary Share combination, the result of which left the Initial Securityholder with 575,000 Ordinary Shares, and (d) December 9, 2010, the Company effected a 1.100 for 1 Ordinary Share split, the result of which left the Initial Securityholder with 632,500 Ordinary Shares, representing all of the issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares prior to the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Initial Shares”); and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain letter agreement between the Initial Securityholder and the Company regarding the initial public offering of the Company, dated December 9, 2010, the Initial Securityholder subsequently forfeited 58,625 Ordinary Shares in connection with the partial exercise of the initial public offering underwriter’s over-allotment option, such that subsequent to such forfeiture, Initial Securityholder owned 573,875 Ordinary Shares of the Company; and

 

WHEREAS, the Initial Securityholder, pursuant to a Warrant Subscription Agreement with the Company, as amended, purchased 2,000,000 warrants in a private placement transaction occurring simultaneously with or prior to the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Insider Warrants”); and

 

WHEREAS, Orchid Island Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Orchid Island”), Bimini Capital Management, Inc., a Maryland corporation, Bimini Advisors, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company, the Company, FTWA Orchid Merger Sub LLC, a Maryland limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), and the Initial Securityholder, entered into the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of July 26, 2012 (the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, at the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), Orchid Island will merge with and into Merger Sub (the “Merger”), with Merger Sub continuing as the surviving entity in the Merger; and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, Initial Securityholder entered into the FWAC Holdings Share Repurchase Agreement dated July 26, 2012 between Initial Securityholder and the Company (the “FWAC

 

  

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Holdings Share Repurchase Agreement”) whereby the Company shall repurchase from Initial Securityholder all 573,875 Ordinary Shares held by Initial Securityholder for consideration consisting of (i) aggregate cash consideration of $1,154,281.00 and (ii) warrants to purchase 2,000,000 Ordinary Shares of FlatWorld at an exercise price of $9.25 (the “New Sponsor Warrants”).

 

WHEREAS, at the Closing of the Share Purchase (both terms having been defined in the FWAC Holdings Share Repurchase Agreement), the Company shall issue the New Sponsor Warrants to the Initial Securityholder; and

 

WHEREAS, Initial Securityholder and the Company desire to enter into this Agreement to provide the Initial Securityholder with certain rights relating to the registration of the Initial Shares, the registration of the Insider Warrants and the registration of the New Sponsor Warrants.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.   DEFINITIONS. The following capitalized terms used herein have the following meanings:

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor agency.

 

“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.

 

“Register,” “Registered” and “Registration” mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such registration statement becoming effective.

 

“Registrable Securities” means (i) the Initial Shares, (ii) the Insider Warrants (and underlying Ordinary Shares), (iii) the New Sponsor Warrants (and underlying Ordinary Shares) and (iv) any other equity security of the Company issued or issuable with respect to any such Initial Shares, Insider Warrants, New Sponsor Warrants or Ordinary Shares by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, amalgamation, consolidation or reorganization. As to any particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (b) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for them not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of them shall not require registration under

 

 

  

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the Securities Act; (c) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; or (d) the entire amount of the Registrable Securities held by any holder may be sold in a single sale, in the opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company without any limitation as to volume or manner of sale pursuant to Rule 144 (or any successor rule or regulation) under the Securities Act.

 

“Registration Statement” means a registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission in compliance with the Securities Act for a public offering and sale of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities (other than a registration statement on Form F-4, F-8, S-4 or S-8, or their successors, or any registration statement covering only securities proposed to be issued in exchange for securities or assets of another entity).

 

“Release Date” means the date on which the Initial Shares or Insider Warrants, as the case may be, are released from their respective lockup restrictions.

 

“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.

 

“Underwriter” means a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an underwritten offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.

 

 

2.   REGISTRATION RIGHTS.

 

 

2.1   Demand Registration.

 

 

    2.1.1 Request for Registration. At any time and from time to time on or after the Release Date with respect to (i) the Insider Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the Insider Warrants), (ii) the Insider Shares and (iii) New Sponsor Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the New Sponsor Warrants), the holders of a majority-in-interest of the (a) Insider Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the Insider Warrants) (b) Insider Shares and (c) the New Sponsor Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the New Sponsor Warrants), as a class, may each make a written demand for registration under the Securities Act of all or part of such Registrable Securities (a “Demand Registration”). Any demand for a Demand Registration shall specify the type and number of such Registrable Securities proposed to be sold and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. The Company will then notify all holders of Registrable Securities of the demand, and each holder of Registrable Securities who wishes to include all or a portion of such holder’s Registrable Securities in the Demand Registration (each such holder including shares of Registrable Securities in such registration, a “Demanding Holder”) shall notify the Company of the number and type of Registrable Securities for which registration is requested within fifteen (15) calendar days of the receipt by the holder of such notice from the Company. Upon any such request, the Demanding Holders shall be entitled to have their Registrable Securities included in the Demand Registration, subject to Section 2.1.4 and the provisos set forth in Section 3.1.1. The Company shall

 

 

  

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not be obligated to effect more than an aggregate of three (3) Demand Registrations with respect to (a) the Insider Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the Insider Warrants), (b) the Insider Shares or (c) the New Sponsor Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the New Sponsor Warrants), or any combination of (a), (b) or (c), under this Section 2.1.1.

 

 

    2.1.2   Effective Registration. A registration will not count as a Demand Registration until the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Demand Registration has been declared effective and the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto; provided, however, that if, after such Registration Statement has been declared effective, the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Demand Registration is interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission or any other governmental agency or court, the Registration Statement with respect to such Demand Registration will be deemed not to have been declared effective, unless and until, (i) such stop order or injunction is removed, rescinded or otherwise terminated, and (ii) a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders thereafter elect to continue the offering; provided, further, that the Company shall not be obligated to file a second or third Registration Statement, as the case may be, until a Registration Statement that has been filed is counted as a Demand Registration or is terminated.

 

 

    2.1.3   Underwritten Offering. If a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders so elect and such holders so advise the Company as part of their written demand for a Demand Registration, the offering of such Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of an underwritten offering. In such event, the right of any holder to include its Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided herein. All Demanding Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter or Underwriters selected for such underwriting by a majority-in-interest of the holders initiating the Demand Registration.

 

 

    2.1.4   Reduction of Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters for a Demand Registration that is to be an underwritten offering advises the Company and the Demanding Holders in writing that the dollar amount or number of shares of Registrable Securities which the Demanding Holders desire to sell, taken together with all other Ordinary Shares or other securities which the Company desires to sell and the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by other shareholders of the Company who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of shares that can be sold in such offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of shares, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Shares”), then the Company shall include in such registration: (i) first, the Registrable Securities as to which Demand Registration has been requested by the Demanding Holders (pro rata in accordance with the number of shares held by

 

 

  

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each such Person, regardless of the number of shares that each such Person has requested be included in such registration (such proportion is referred to herein as “Pro Rata”)) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares. For the purposes of clarity, if the Demanding Holders hold a combination of Insider Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the Insider Warrants), Insider Shares and/or New Sponsor Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the New Sponsor Warrants), then such term “Registrable Securities” shall, for the sole purpose of this Section 2.1.4, refer only to either (a) the Insider Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the Insider Warrants), (b) the Insider Shares or (c) the New Sponsor Warrants (or Ordinary Shares underlying the New Sponsor Warrants), as applicable, based solely upon the respective majority-in-interest seeking such Demand Registration in accordance with Section 2.1.1; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the Ordinary Shares or other securities that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), the Ordinary Shares or other securities for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual arrangements with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares.

 

 

    2.1.5   Withdrawal. If a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders disapprove of the terms of any underwriting or are not entitled to include all of their Registrable Securities in any offering, such majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders may elect to withdraw from such offering by giving written notice to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters of their request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Demand Registration. If the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders withdraws from a proposed offering relating to a Demand Registration, all Demanding Holders shall be withdrawn from such offering and such registration shall not count as a Demand Registration provided for in Section 2.1.1.

 

 

2.2   Piggy-Back Registration.

 

 

    2.2.1   Piggy-Back Rights. If at any time on or after the Release Date, the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, equity securities, by the Company for its own account or for shareholders of the Company for their account (or by the Company and by shareholders of the Company including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2.1), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) for an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s existing shareholders, (iii) filed in connection with a business combination transaction in which the Company’s securities are issued to the security holders of the other party to the transaction or (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall: (x) give written notice of such proposed filing to the holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but in no event less than twenty (20) days before the first anticipated filing date of the Registration Statement with the Commission, which notice shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such

 

 

  

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 offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, of the offering, and (y) offer to the holders of Registrable Securities in such notice the opportunity to register the sale of such number of shares of Registrable Securities as such holders may request in writing within ten (10) days following receipt of such notice (a “Piggy-Back Registration”). The Company shall use its best efforts to cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such registration and shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of a proposed underwritten offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested to be included in a Piggy-Back Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All holders of Registrable Securities proposing to distribute their securities through a Piggy-Back Registration that involves an Underwriter or Underwriters shall enter into an underwriting agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Underwriter or Underwriters selected for such Piggy-Back Registration.

 

 

    2.2.2   Reduction of Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters for a Piggy-Back Registration that is to be an underwritten offering advises the Company and the holders of Registrable Securities in writing that the dollar amount or number of Ordinary Shares which the Company desires to sell, taken together with Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which registration has been demanded pursuant to written contractual arrangements with persons other than the holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested under this Section 2.2, and the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which registration has been requested pursuant to the written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other shareholders of the Company, exceeds the Maximum Number of Shares, then the Company shall include in any such registration:

 

    (a)   If the registration is undertaken for the Company’s account: (i) first, the Ordinary Shares or other securities that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), collectively, the Ordinary Shares or other securities, if any, comprised of Registrable Securities and the Ordinary Shares or other securities for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual piggy-back registration rights with such persons, Pro Rata, and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares;

 

 

    (b)   If the registration is a “demand” registration undertaken at the demand of persons other than the holders of Registrable Securities, (i) first, the Ordinary Shares or other securities for the account of the demanding persons that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), the Ordinary Shares or other securities that the Company desires to sell that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares; (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Shares has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), collectively, the Ordinary Shares

 

 

  

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 or other securities comprised of Registrable Securities and the Ordinary Shares or other securities for the account of other persons that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to written contractual piggy-back arrangements with such persons, Pro Rata, that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Shares.

 

 

    2.2.3   Withdrawal. Any holder of Registrable Securities may elect to withdraw such holder’s request for inclusion of Registrable Securities in any Piggy-Back Registration by giving written notice to the Company of such request to withdraw prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Company (whether on its own determination or as the result of a withdrawal by persons making a demand pursuant to written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding any such withdrawal, the Company shall pay all expenses incurred by the holders of Registrable Securities in connection with such Piggy-Back Registration as provided in Section 3.3.

 

 

    2.2.4   Registrations on Form S-3 or F-3. The holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities may at any time and from time to time, request in writing that the Company register the resale of any or all of such Registrable Securities on Form S-3, Form F-3 or any similar short-form registration which may be available at such time (“Form S-3/F-3”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect such request through an underwritten offering. Upon receipt of such written request, the Company will promptly give written notice of the proposed registration to all other holders of Registrable Securities, and, as soon as practicable thereafter, effect the registration of all or such portion of such holder’s or holders’ Registrable Securities as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities or other securities of the Company, if any, of any other holder or holders joining in such request as are specified in a written request given within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such written notice from the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such registration pursuant to this Section 2.2: (i) if Form S-3/F-3 is not available for such offering; or (ii) if the holders of the Registrable Securities, together with the holders of any other securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such registration, propose to sell Registrable Securities and such other securities (if any) at any aggregate price to the public of less than $500,000. Registrations effected pursuant to this Section 2.2 shall not be counted as Demand Registrations effected pursuant to Section 2.1.

 

 

3.   REGISTRATION PROCEDURES.

 

 

3.1   Filings; Information. Whenever the Company is required to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2, the Company shall use its best efforts to effect the registration and sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof as expeditiously as practicable, and in connection with any such request:

 

 

    3.1.1   Filing Registration Statement. The Company shall use its best efforts to, as expeditiously as possible after receipt of a request for a Demand

 

 

 

  

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Registration pursuant to Section 2.1, prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement on any form for which the Company then qualifies or which counsel for the Company shall deem appropriate and which form shall be available for the sale of all Registrable Securities to be registered thereunder in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof, and shall use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and use its best efforts to keep it effective for the period required by Section 3.1.3; provided, however, that the Company shall have the right to defer any Demand Registration for up to thirty (30) days, and any Piggy-Back Registration for such period as may be applicable to deferment of any demand registration to which such Piggy-Back Registration relates, in each case if the Company shall furnish to the holders a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company stating that, in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, it would be materially detrimental to the Company and its shareholders for such Registration Statement to be effected at such time; provided further, that the Company may only exercise this “judgment rejection” once in any 365-day period in respect of a Demand Registration made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

 

    3.1.2   Copies. The Company shall, prior to filing a Registration Statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration, and such holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary prospectus), and such other documents as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration or legal counsel for any such holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such holders.

 

 

    3.1.3   Amendments and Supplements. The Company shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements to such Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until all Registrable Securities and other securities covered by such Registration Statement have been disposed of in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or such securities have been withdrawn.

 

 

    3.1.4   Notification. After the filing of a Registration Statement, the Company shall promptly, and in no event more than two (2) business days after such filing, notify the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement of such filing, and shall further notify such holders promptly and confirm such advice in writing in all events within two (2) business days of the occurrence of any of the following: (i) when such Registration Statement becomes effective; (ii) when any post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement becomes effective; (iii) the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order (and the Company shall take all actions required to prevent the entry of such stop order or to remove it if entered); and (iv) any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to such

 

 

  

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 Registration Statement or any prospectus relating thereto or for additional information or of the occurrence of an event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of the securities covered by such Registration Statement, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and promptly make available to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement any such supplement or amendment; except that before filing with the Commission a Registration Statement or prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, including documents incorporated by reference, the Company shall furnish to the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement and to the legal counsel for any such holders, copies of all such documents proposed to be filed sufficiently in advance of filing to provide such holders and legal counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review such documents and comment thereon, and the Company shall not file any Registration Statement or prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, including documents incorporated by reference, to which such holders or their legal counsel shall object.

 

 

    3.1.5   State Securities Laws Compliance. The Company shall use its best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this paragraph or subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction.

 

 

    3.1.6   Agreements for Disposition. The Company shall enter into customary agreements (including, if applicable, an underwriting agreement on terms and conditions reasonable to the Company in its sole discretion) and take such other actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities. The representations, warranties and covenants of the Company in any underwriting agreement which are made to or for the benefit of any Underwriters, to the extent applicable, shall also be made to and for the benefit of the holders of Registrable Securities included in such registration statement. No holder of Registrable Securities included in such registration statement shall be required to make any representations or warranties in the underwriting agreement except, if applicable, with respect to such holder’s organization, good standing, authority, title to Registrable Securities, lack of conflict of such sale with such holder’s material agreements and organizational documents, and with respect to written information relating to such holder that such holder has furnished in writing expressly for inclusion in such Registration Statement.

 

 

  

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     3.1.7   Cooperation. The principal executive officer of the Company, the principal financial officer of the Company, the principal accounting officer of the Company and all other officers and members of the management of the Company shall cooperate fully in any offering of Registrable Securities hereunder, which cooperation shall include, without limitation, the preparation of the Registration Statement with respect to such offering and all other offering materials and related documents, and participation in meetings with Underwriters, attorneys, accountants and potential investors.

 

    3.1.8   Records. The Company shall make available for inspection by the holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such registration statement and any attorney, accountant or other professional retained by any holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement or any Underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any of them in connection with such Registration Statement.

 

    3.1.9   Opinions and Comfort Letters. The Company shall furnish to each holder of Registrable Securities included in any Registration Statement a signed counterpart, addressed to such holder, of (i) any opinion of counsel to the Company delivered to any Underwriter and (ii) any comfort letter from the Company’s independent public accountants delivered to any Underwriter. In the event no legal opinion is delivered to any Underwriter, the Company shall furnish to each holder of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, at any time that such holder elects to use a prospectus, an opinion of counsel to the Company to the effect that the Registration Statement containing such prospectus has been declared effective and that no stop order is in effect.

 

    3.1.10   Earnings Statement. The Company shall comply, in all material respects, with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and the Securities Act, and make available to its shareholders, as soon as practicable, an earnings statement covering a period of twelve (12) months, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder.

 

    3.1.11   Listing. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities included in any registration to be listed on such exchanges or otherwise designated for trading in the same manner as similar securities issued by the Company are then listed or designated or, if no such similar securities are then listed or designated, in a manner satisfactory to the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such registration.

 

    3.1.12   FINRA. The Company shall cooperate with each Holder participating in the offering and each underwriter, if any, and their respective legal counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA.

 

 

 

  

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3.2   Obligation to Suspend Distribution. Upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3.1.4(iv), or, in the case of a resale registration on Form S-3/F-3 pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof, upon any suspension by the Company, pursuant to a written insider trading compliance program adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors, of the ability of all “insiders” covered by such program to transact in the Company’s securities because of the existence of material non-public information, each holder of Registrable Securities included in any registration shall immediately discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities until such holder receives the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3.1.4(iv) or the restriction on the ability of “insiders” to transact in the Company’s securities is removed, as applicable, and, if so directed by the Company, each such holder will deliver to the Company all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such holder’s possession, of the most recent prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of receipt of such notice.

 

 

3.3   Registration Expenses. The Company shall bear all costs and expenses incurred in connection with any Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.1, any Piggy-Back Registration pursuant to Section 2.2, and any registration on Form S-3/F-3 effected pursuant to Section 2.2, and all expenses incurred in performing or complying with its other obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the Registration Statement becomes effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees; (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or “blue sky” laws (including fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities); (iii) printing expenses; (iv) the Company’s internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees); (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities as required by Section 3.1.11; (vi) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fees; (vii) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and fees and expenses for independent certified public accountants retained by the Company (including the expenses or costs associated with the delivery of any opinions or comfort letters requested pursuant to Section 3.1.9); (viii) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of any special experts retained by the Company in connection with such registration and (ix) the fees and expenses of one legal counsel selected by the holders of a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities included in such registration. The Company shall have no obligation to pay any underwriting discounts or selling commissions attributable to the Registrable Securities being sold by the holders thereof, which underwriting discounts or selling commissions shall be borne by such holders. Additionally, in an underwritten offering, all selling shareholders and the Company shall bear the expenses of the Underwriter pro rata in proportion to the respective amount of shares each is selling in such offering.

 

 

3.4   Information. The holders of Registrable Securities shall provide such information as may reasonably be requested by the Company, or the managing Underwriter, if any, in connection with the preparation of any Registration Statement, including amendments and supplements thereto, in order to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act pursuant to Section 2 and in connection

 

 

  

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 with the Company’s obligation to comply with Federal and applicable state securities laws.

 

 

4.   INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.

 

 

4.1   Indemnification by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Initial Securityholder and each other holder of Registrable Securities, and each of their respective officers, employees, affiliates, directors, partners, members, attorneys and agents, and each person, if any, who controls the Initial Securityholder and each other holder of Registrable Securities (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) (each, an “Investor Indemnified Party”), from and against any expenses, losses, judgments, claims, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement (or allegedly untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement, or arising out of or based upon any omission (or alleged omission) to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or any violation by the Company of the Securities Act or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and relating to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration; and the Company shall promptly reimburse the Investor Indemnified Party for any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred by such Investor Indemnified Party in connection with investigating and defending any such expense, loss, judgment, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such expense, loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus, or summary prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company, in writing, by such selling holder expressly for use therein. The Company also shall indemnify any Underwriter of the Registrable Securities, their officers, affiliates, directors, partners, members and agents and each person who controls such Underwriter on substantially the same basis as that of the indemnification provided above in this Section 4.1.

 

 

4.2   Indemnification by Holders of Registrable Securities. Each selling holder of Registrable Securities will, in the event that any registration is being effected under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement of any Registrable Securities held by such selling holder, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and officers and each Underwriter (if any), and each other selling holder and each other person, if any, who controls another selling holder or such Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, against any expenses, losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities, whether joint or several, insofar as such expenses, losses, claims, judgments, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement under which the sale of such Registrable Securities was registered

 

 

  

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 under the Securities Act, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or the alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not misleading, if the statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such selling holder expressly for use therein, and shall promptly reimburse the Company, its directors and officers, and each other selling holder or controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in connection with investigation or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. Each selling holder’s indemnification obligations hereunder shall be several and not joint and shall be limited to the amount of any net proceeds actually received by such selling holder.

 

 

4.3   Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. Promptly after receipt by any person of any notice of any loss, claim, damage or liability or any action in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 4.1 or 4.2, such person (the “Indemnified Party”) shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any other person for indemnification hereunder, notify such other person (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing of the loss, claim, judgment, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the failure by the Indemnified Party to notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party from any liability which the Indemnifying Party may have to such Indemnified Party hereunder, except and solely to the extent the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such failure. If the Indemnified Party is seeking indemnification with respect to any claim or action brought against the Indemnified Party, then the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in such claim or action, and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with all other Indemnifying Parties, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Party. After notice from the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party of its election to assume control of the defense of such claim or action, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable to the Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that in any action in which both the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party are named as defendants, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (but no more than one such separate counsel) to represent the Indemnified Party and its controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Indemnified Party against the Indemnifying Party, with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by such Indemnifying Party if, based upon the written opinion of counsel of such Indemnified Party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, consent to entry of judgment or effect any settlement of any claim or pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which the Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such judgment or settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim or proceeding.

 

  

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4.4   Contribution.

 

    4.4.1   If the indemnification provided for in the foregoing Sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 is unavailable to any Indemnified Party in respect of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to herein, then each such Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnified Parties and the Indemnifying Parties in connection with the actions or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of any Indemnified Party and any Indemnifying Party 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 such Indemnified Party or such Indemnifying Party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

    4.4.2   The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding Section 4.4.1.

 

    4.4.3   The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of any loss, claim, damage, liability or action referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, the reasonable and documented legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.4, no holder of Registrable Securities shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the dollar amount of the net proceeds (after payment of any underwriting fees, discounts, commissions or taxes) actually received by such holder from the sale of Registrable Securities which gave rise to such contribution obligation. 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.

 

4.5   Limitations on Indemnification.

 

 

    4.5.1   In the event that a selling holder of Registrable Securities (the “Indemnifying Holder”) is obligated to pay an amount to the Company pursuant to Section 4.2 (the “Indemnification Amount”), during a year that the Company qualifies as a “real estate investment trust” under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code (a “REIT”), the Indemnifying Holder or its affiliates, as applicable, shall pay to the Company, from the Indemnification Amount deposited into escrow in accordance with Section 4.5.2, an amount equal to the lesser of (I) the Indemnification Amount and (II) the sum of (x) the maximum amount that can be paid to the Company without causing the Company to fail to meet the requirements of Sections 856(c)(2) and (3) of the Code determined as if the payment of such amount did not constitute income described in

 

 

  

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 Sections 856(c)(2) or 856(c)(3) of the Code (“Qualifying Income”), as determined by the Company independent certified public accountants, plus (y) in the event the Company receives either (1) a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service described in Section 4.5.3 or (2) an opinion from the Company’s outside counsel as described in Section 4.5.3, an amount equal to the Indemnification Amount, less the amount payable under clause (x) above.

 

    4.5.2   To secure the Indemnifying Holder’s obligation to pay these amounts, the Indemnifying Holder shall deposit into escrow an amount in cash equal to the Indemnification Amount with an escrow agent selected by the Indemnifying Holder and on such customary terms (subject to Section 4.5.3) as shall be mutually acceptable to each of the Company, the Indemnifying Holder and the escrow agent. The payment or deposit into escrow of the Indemnification Amount, pursuant to this Section 4.5, shall be made at the time that the payment of the Indemnification Amount would otherwise be due without regard to this Section 4.5.

 

    4.5.3   The escrow agreement for the escrow described in Section 4.5.2 shall provide that the Indemnification Amount in escrow or any portion thereof shall not be released to the Company unless the escrow agent receives any one or combination of the following:

 

    (a)   a letter from the Company’s independent certified public accountants indicating the maximum amount that can be paid by the escrow agent to the Company without causing the Company to fail to meet the requirements of Sections 856(c)(2) and (3) of the Code determined as if the payment of such amount did not constitute Qualifying Income or a subsequent letter from the Company’s accountants revising or updating that amount (whether to correct an error or to reflect the passage of time or otherwise), in which case the escrow agent shall release such amount or, in the case of a revised or updated letter, such additional amount to the Company, or

 

    (b)   a letter from the Company’s counsel indicating that the Company received a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service holding that the receipt by the Company of the Indemnification Amount would either constitute Qualifying Income or would be excluded from gross income within the meaning of Sections 856(c)(2) and (3) of the Code (or alternatively, the Company’s outside counsel has rendered a legal opinion to the effect that the receipt by the Company of the Indemnification Amount would either constitute Qualifying Income or would be excluded from gross income within the meaning of Sections 856(c)(2) and (3) of the Code), in which case the escrow agent shall release the remainder of the Indemnification Amount to the Company. The escrow agreement shall also provide that any portion of the Indemnification Amount held in escrow for five (5) years shall be released by the escrow agent to the Indemnifying Holder.

 

    4.5.4   The Indemnifying Holder agrees to amend this Section 4.5 at the reasonable request of the Company in order to (x) maximize the portion of the Indemnification Amount that may be distributed to the Company hereunder without causing the Company to fail to meet the requirements of Sections 856(c)(2) and (3) of the

 

 

  

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 Code, (y) improve the Company’s chances of securing a favorable ruling described in Section 4.5.3 or (z) assist the Company in obtaining a favorable legal opinion from its outside counsel as described in Section 4.5.3.

 

5.   UNDERWRITING AND DISTRIBUTION.

 

5.1   Rule 144. The Company covenants that it shall file any reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and shall take such further action as the holders of Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such holders to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rules may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission.

 

6.   VOTING OBLIGATIONS.

 

6.1   Reincorporation. The Initial Securityholder, as additional consideration for the rights and privileges provided herein, hereby agrees that if the Initial Securityholder exercises its rights under any of the New Sponsor Warrants or Insider Warrants and acquires the underlying Ordinary Shares prior to the reincorporation (via a merger or otherwise) of the Company as a corporation incorporated under the laws of Maryland (the “Reincorporation”), then the Initial Securityholder shall vote the Ordinary Shares acquired upon the exercise of the applicable New Sponsor Warrants and/or Insider Warrants as well as any other Ordinary Shares then owned by the Initial Shareholder in favor of the Reincorporation and in favor of the Company’s election of REIT status at a duly convened meeting of the Company’s shareholders.

 

6.2   Board of Directors.

 

The Initial Securityholder also hereby agrees that for a period of three (3) years after the date hereof, the Initial Securityholder shall vote any and all Ordinary Shares it holds at the time of the applicable vote in favor of any and all nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company that are nominated by the then existing Board of Directors of the Company and/or by Bimini Capital Management, Inc.

 

7.   MISCELLANEOUS.

 

7.1   Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part. This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the holders of Registrable Securities hereunder may be freely assigned or delegated by such holder of Registrable Securities in conjunction with and to the extent of any transfer of Registrable Securities by any such holder. This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Initial Securityholder or holder of Registrable Securities or of any assignee of the Initial Securityholder or holder of Registrable Securities. This Agreement is not intended to confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not party hereto other than as expressly set forth in Section 4 and this Section 7.1.

 

 

 

  

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7.2   Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals or other communications (collectively, “Notices”) required or permitted to be given hereunder or which are given with respect to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be personally served, delivered by reputable air courier service with charges prepaid, or transmitted by hand delivery, telegram, telex, electronic mail or facsimile, addressed as set forth below, or to such other address as such party shall have specified most recently by written notice. Notice shall be deemed given on the date of service or transmission if personally served or transmitted by telegram, telex, facsimile or electronic mail; provided, that if such service or transmission is not on a business day or is after normal business hours, then such notice shall be deemed given on the next business day. Notice otherwise sent as provided herein shall be deemed given on the next business day following timely delivery of such notice to a reputable air courier service with an order for next-day delivery.

 

To the Company:

 

FlatWorld Acquisition Corp.

305 Flamingo Drive

Vero Beach, Florida 32963

Attn: Robert Cauley

 

with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Hunton & Williams LLP

Riverfront Plaza, East Tower

951 East Byrd Street

Richmond, VA 23219

Attn: Daniel M. LeBey

 

To the Initial Securityholder, to:

 

FWAC Holdings Limited

c/o FlatWorld Capital LLC

220 East 42nd St., 29th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Attn: Jeffrey Valenty, President

 

with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP

150 East 42nd Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Attn: Douglas S. Ellenoff, Esq.

 

 

7.3   Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties

 

 

 

  

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hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible that is valid and enforceable.

 

 

7.4   Counterparts.

 

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

 

7.5   Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including all agreements entered into pursuant hereto and all certificates and instruments delivered pursuant hereto and thereto) constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, understandings, negotiations and discussions between the parties, whether oral or written.

 

7.6   Modifications and Amendments. No amendment, modification or termination of this Agreement shall be binding upon any party unless executed in writing by such party.

 

7.7   Titles and Headings. Titles and headings of sections of this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this Agreement.

 

7.8   Waivers and Extensions. Any party to this Agreement may waive any right, breach or default which such party has the right to waive, provided that such waiver will not be effective against the waiving party unless it is in writing, is signed by such party, and specifically refers to this Agreement. Waivers may be made in advance or after the right waived has arisen or the breach or default waived has occurred. Any waiver may be conditional. No waiver of any breach of any agreement or provision herein contained shall be deemed a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach thereof nor shall such waiver be deemed a waiver of any other agreement or provision herein contained. No waiver or extension of time for performance of any obligations or acts shall be deemed a waiver or extension of the time for performance of any other obligations or acts.

 

7.9   Remedies Cumulative. In the event that the Company fails to observe or perform any covenant or agreement to be observed or performed under this Agreement, the Initial Securityholder or any other holder of Registrable Securities may proceed to protect and enforce its rights by suit in equity or action at law, whether for specific performance of any term contained in this Agreement or for an injunction against the breach of any such term or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Agreement or to enforce any other legal or equitable right, or to take any one or more of such actions, without being required to post a bond. None of the rights, powers or remedies conferred under this Agreement shall be mutually exclusive, and each such right, power or remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to any other right, power or remedy, whether conferred by this Agreement or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise.

 

 

  

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 7.10   Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the British Virgin Islands, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The parties hereby: (i) agree that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the British Virgin Islands, (ii) irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive and (iii) waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.

 

7.11   Waiver of Trial by Jury. Each party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives the right to a trial by jury in any action, suit, counterclaim or other proceeding (whether based on contract, tort or otherwise) arising out of, connected with or relating to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby, or the actions of the Initial Securityholder in the negotiation, administration, performance or enforcement hereof.

 

7.12   Mutual Drafting. This Agreement is the joint product of the Initial Securityholder and the Company and each provision hereof has been subject to the mutual consultation, negotiation and agreement of such parties and shall not be construed for or against any party hereto.

 

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

 

 

  

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    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Registration Rights Agreement to be executed and delivered by their duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

 

 

                FLATWORLD ACQUISITION CORP.

 

 

           By:   __________________________________

                Name: Jeffrey A. Valenty

                Title: President

 

 

                INITIAL SECURITYHOLDER

 

                FWAC HOLDINGS LIMITED

 

 

           By:   __________________________________

                Name: Raj K. Gupta

                Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

  

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