Document:

Document

 Exhibit 10.1

October 29, 2020
Dan Jedda
Seattle, WA

Re:    Offer of Employment 

Dear Dan:

On behalf of Stitch Fix, Inc. (the “Company”), I am pleased to offer you employment at the Company on the terms set forth in this offer letter agreement (the “Agreement”).  As discussed, the terms of this Agreement govern with respect to your employment, effective as of the date it is signed by you.
1.Employment by the Company.
(a)Position.  You will serve as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.  During the term of your employment with the Company, you will devote your best efforts and substantially all of your business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies.
(b)Duties and Location.  You will perform those duties and responsibilities as are customary for the position of Chief Financial Officer and as may be directed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, to whom you will report.  Although your primary office location will be at your home in the Seattle, WA area, you agree to spend at least two (2) weeks per calendar month at the Company’s offices in San Francisco, CA.  We don’t expect you to report to the Company’s San Francisco offices until an “Office Return,” which shall mean the earlier of (i) June 30, 2021 or (ii) such time as the Company changes its current COVID-19 work-from-home posture and requires members of its management team to report to it offices.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require you to perform your duties at places other than your primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel.  The Company may modify your job title and duties as it deems necessary and appropriate in light of the Company’s needs and interests from time to time.
(c)Start Date.  We plan to publicly announce that you will be joining us as our new Chief Financial Officer on  December 7, 2020.  We anticipate that your start date will be January 18, 2021. 
2.Base Salary and Employee Benefits
(a)Salary.  You will receive for services to be rendered hereunder base salary paid at the rate of $500,000 per year, less standard payroll deductions and tax withholdings.  Your base salary will be paid on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle.  As an exempt salaried employee, you will be required to work the Company’s normal business hours, and such additional time as appropriate for your work assignments and position, and you will not be entitled to overtime compensation.

(b)Bonus.  You will be eligible to participate in the Company’s executive bonus program, as such program may be in effect from time to time and subject to the bonus program terms as determined by 

the Company’s Compensation Committee.  The target bonus opportunity for your role under our 2021 fiscal year bonus plan is 50% of your base salary. 
(c)Signing Bonus.  The Company will pay you a one-time signing bonus of $250,000 (the “Signing Bonus”) in accordance with the following terms.  The Signing Bonus will be paid on the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date following your start date and, as it is considered taxable earnings, the Signing Bonus will be subject to applicable payroll deductions and tax withholdings.   If you voluntarily terminate your employment with the Company without Good Reason (as defined below) prior to the second anniversary of your start date, you agree to reimburse the Company for a pro-rata portion of the Signing Bonus.  You further agree to execute any documents that may be reasonably required by the Company at a later date to affect any such reimbursement.
(d)Benefits.  As a regular full-time employee, you will to be eligible to participate in the Company’s standard employee benefits offered to executive level employees, as in effect from time to time and subject to plan terms and generally applicable Company policies.  Details about these benefit plans will be provided, upon request.
3.Expenses.  The Company will reimburse you for reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred by you in furtherance or in connection with the performance of your duties hereunder, in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as in effect from time to time.  In addition, following an Office Return, if you choose to relocate your primary place of work to our San Francisco headquarters, we will support your relocation in accordance with our customary practices.  If you do not choose to relocate, we will provide you with up to $6,500.00 per month for you to be present at our San Francisco headquarters, which amounts may be taxable and subject to withholding.  
4.Equity Compensation.  Following your start date, the Company will recommend to its Compensation Committee that the Company grant you two equity awards, the details of which are provided below.  The number of Class A Common Stock shares subject to the awards will be determined in accordance with the Company’s equity grant practices by the Compensation Committee (or its delegate) in its sole discretion.  The exercise price per share of option grants will be equal to the closing price quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on the date the options are granted.  The awards will be made in accordance with and subject to the Company’s applicable Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and related documents, including the award grant notices that you will be required to sign.  Vesting in the awards is subject to your continued service with the Company through each vesting date, as described in the applicable award agreement, and no right to any equity is earned or accrued until such time that vesting occurs, nor does the grant confer any right to continued vesting or employment.
(a)The first award will be valued at $6,500,000 with fifty percent (50%) of that value granted as a stock option (“Option-1”) and fifty (50%) of that value granted as restricted stock units (“RSU-1”).  Six thirty-sixths (6/36ths) of the shares subject to Option-1 shall vest upon completion of six-months of employment at the Company and the remaining shares subject to Option-1 shall vest in equal monthly installments over the next thirty (30) months.  RSU-1 shall vest as to two twelfths (2/12ths) of the shares subject to RSU-1 on the Company’s first quarterly restricted stock unit vesting date that is at least six months following your employment start date.  1/12thth of the RSU-1 shares shall vest on each of the Company’s next ten (10) quarterly restricted stock unit vesting dates.  
(b)The second award will be valued at $3,250,000 with fifty percent (50%) of that value granted as a stock option ( “Option-2”) and fifty (50%) of that value granted as restricted stock units (“RSU-2”).    1/36th of the shares subject to Option-2 shall vest upon the 13 month anniversary of your employment start date and the remaining shares subject to Option-2 shall vest in equal monthly installments over the next thirty-five (35) months.  RSU-2 shall vest as to 1/12th of the shares subject to RSU-2 on the Company’s first quarterly restricted stock unit vesting date that is at least one year following your 

employment start date.  1/12th of the RSU-2 shares shall vest on each of the Company’s next eleven (11) quarterly restricted stock unit vesting dates.

5.Compliance with Confidentiality Agreement and Company Policies.  As a condition of our employment, you agree to the Company’s At-Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement (the “Confidentiality Agreement”).  In addition, you are required to abide by the Company’s policies and procedures, as modified from time to time within the Company’s discretion (including without limitation, acknowledging in writing that you have read and will comply with any applicable Company Employee Handbook); provided, however, that in the event the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

6.Protection of Third Party Information.  In your work for the Company, you will be expected not to make any unauthorized use or disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information, including trade secrets, of any former employer or other third party to whom you have contractual obligations to protect such information.  Rather, you will be expected to use only that information which is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to your own, which is common knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is otherwise provided or developed by the Company.  You represent that you are able to perform your job duties within these guidelines, and you are not in unauthorized possession of any unpublished documents, materials, electronically-recorded information, or other property belonging to any former employer or other third party to whom you have a contractual obligation to protect such property.  In addition, you represent and warrant that your employment by the Company will not conflict with any prior employment or consulting agreement or other agreement with any third party, that you will perform your duties to the Company without violating any such agreement(s), and that you have disclosed to the Company in writing any contract you have signed that may restrict your activities on behalf of the Company.
7.At-Will Employment Relationship.  You should be aware that your employment with the Company is for no specified period and constitutes at-will employment.  As a result, you are free to resign at any time, for any reason or for no reason.  Similarly, the Company is free to conclude its employment relationship with you at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice.  The at will employment relationship between you and the Company may not be changed, except by a specific written agreement signed by the CEO of the Company.  We request that, in the event of resignation, you give the Company at least two (2) weeks’ notice.   
8.Severance.  You will be eligible for the following severance benefits (the “Severance Benefits”), each as described and pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth below.
(a)Termination without Cause/Resignation for Good Reason Not in Connection with a Change in Control.  If the Company terminates your employment without Cause (as defined below) (other than as a result of your death or disability) or you resign for Good Reason (as defined below) (either such termination referred to as a “Qualifying Termination”) and the Company is not in a Change in Control Period (as defined in Section 8(b)), and provided such termination or resignation constitutes a Separation from Service (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “Separation from Service”), then subject to Sections 10 (“Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits”) and 11 (“Return of Property”) below and your continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including without limitation Section 5 (“Compliance with Confidentiality Agreement and Company Policies”) above), the Company will provide you with the following as your sole severance benefits:

1)     Cash Severance.  The Company will pay you, as cash severance, six (6) months of your base salary in effect as of your Separation from Service date, less standard payroll deductions and tax withholdings.  Subject to Section 14, the Company may pay this severance amount in either a lump sum payment or in installments in the form of continuation of your base salary payments.  The Company will notify you of its election within ten (10) business days following the Qualifying Termination.  Should the Company elect to pay you in a lump sum, such payment will be made on the Company’s first regular payroll date that is more than sixty (60) days following your Separation from Service date.  Should the Company elect to pay you in installments, such installments will be paid on the Company’s ordinary payroll dates, commencing on the Company’s first regular payroll date that is more than sixty (60) days following your Separation from Service date, and shall be for any accrued base salary for the sixty (60)-day period plus the period from the sixtieth (60th) day until the regular payroll date, if applicable, and all salary continuation payments thereafter, if any, shall be made on the Company’s regular payroll dates.
2)     COBRA Severance.  As an additional Severance Benefit, the Company will continue to pay the cost of your health care coverage in effect at the time of your Separation from Service, either under the Company’s regular health plan (if permitted), or by paying your COBRA premiums (the “COBRA Severance”), for a maximum of six (6) months.  The Company's obligation to pay the COBRA Severance on your behalf will cease if you obtain health care coverage from another source (e.g., a new employer or spouse’s benefit plan), unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law.  You must notify the Company within two (2) weeks if you obtain coverage from a new source.  This payment of COBRA Severance by the Company would not expand or extend the maximum period of COBRA coverage to which you would otherwise be entitled under applicable law.  Notwithstanding the above, if the Company determines in its sole discretion that it cannot provide the foregoing COBRA Severance without potentially violating applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company shall in lieu thereof provide to you a taxable monthly payment in an amount equal to the monthly COBRA premium that you would be required to pay to continue your group health coverage in effect on the date of your termination (which amount shall be based on the premium for the first month of COBRA coverage), which payments shall be made on the last day of each month regardless of whether you elect COBRA continuation coverage and shall end on the earlier of (x) the date upon which you obtain other coverage or (y) the last day of the sixth (6th) calendar month following your Separation from Service date.

3)     Accelerated Vesting.  If, during the twelve (12) months after an Office Return, the Company requires you to relocate your primary office location to San Francisco, then Good Reason to resign shall exist.  In such a case, if you wish to resign for Good Reason, you must provide notice to the Company within ten (10) days of the Company’s instruction to relocate.  If the Company fails to cure in accordance with Section 11 below and you resign, then, as an additional Severance Benefit, the Company shall accelerate the vesting of any equity awards then held by you that would have vested if you had remained employed by the Company for an additional six (6) months and such awards shall be deemed immediately vested (and, as applicable, exercisable) as of the date of your Separation from Service.  

(b)Termination without Cause/Resignation for Good Reason in Connection with a Change in Control.  In the event of a Qualifying Termination that occurs during the period beginning one month prior to a Change in Control and ending twelve (12) months following the closing of such Change in Control (such period, the “Change in Control Period”), provided such Qualifying Termination constitutes a Separation from Service, then subject to Sections 10 (“Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits”) and 11 (“Return of Property”) below and your continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement (including without limitation Section 5 (“Compliance with Confidentiality Agreement and Company Policies”) above), then the Company will provide you with the following as your sole severance benefits:
1)     Cash Severance.  The Company will pay you, as cash severance, twelve (12) months of your base salary in effect as of your Separation from Service date, less standard payroll 

deductions and tax withholdings.  Subject to Section 14, the Company may pay this severance amount in either a lump sum payment or in installments in the form of continuation of your base salary payments.  The Company will notify you of its election within ten (10) business days following the Qualifying Termination.  Should the Company elect to pay you in a lump sum, such payment will be made on the Company’s first regular payroll date that is more than sixty (60) days following your Separation from Service date.  Should the Company elect to pay you in installments, such installments will be paid on the Company’s ordinary payroll dates, commencing on the Company’s first regular payroll date that is more than sixty (60) days following your Separation from Service date, and shall be for any accrued base salary for the sixty (60)-day period plus the period from the sixtieth (60th) day until the regular payroll date, if applicable, and all salary continuation payments thereafter, if any, shall be made on the Company’s regular payroll dates.
2)     COBRA Severance.  As an additional Severance Benefit, the Company will provide you COBRA Severance for a maximum of twelve (12) months.  The Company's obligation to pay the COBRA Severance on your behalf will cease if you obtain health care coverage from another source (e.g., a new employer or spouse’s benefit plan), unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law.  You must notify the Company within two (2) weeks if you obtain coverage from a new source.  This payment of COBRA Severance by the Company would not expand or extend the maximum period of COBRA coverage to which you would otherwise be entitled under applicable law.  Notwithstanding the above, if the Company determines in its sole discretion that it cannot provide the foregoing COBRA Severance without potentially violating applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company shall in lieu thereof provide to you a taxable monthly payment in an amount equal to the monthly COBRA premium that you would be required to pay to continue your group health coverage in effect on the date of your termination (which amount shall be based on the premium for the first month of COBRA coverage), which payments shall be made on the last day of each month regardless of whether you elect COBRA continuation coverage and shall end on the earlier of (x) the date upon which you obtain other coverage or (y) the last day of the  twelfth (12th)  calendar month following your Separation from Service date.

3)     Accelerated Vesting.  As an additional Severance Benefit, the Company shall accelerate the vesting of any equity awards then held by you such that one hundred percent (100%) of such awards shall be deemed immediately vested (and, as applicable, exercisable) as of your Separation from Service date, except to the extent that the equity award grant documentation relating to an equity award contains an explicit provision to the contrary.

9.Resignation Without Good Reason; Termination for Cause; Death or Disability.  If, at any time, you resign your employment without Good Reason, or the Company terminates your employment for Cause, or if either party terminates your employment as a result of your death or disability, you will receive your base salary accrued through your last day of employment, as well as any unused vacation (if applicable) accrued through your last day of employment.  Under these circumstances, you will not be entitled to any other form of compensation from the Company, including any Severance Benefits, other than any rights to which you are entitled under the Company’s benefit programs.  In addition, under no circumstance will you receive the Severance Benefits under both Sections 8(a) and 8(b) above.
10.Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits.  Prior to and as a condition to your receipt of any of the Severance Benefits described above, you shall execute and deliver to the Company an effective release of claims in favor of and in a form acceptable to the Company (the “Release”) within the timeframe set forth therein, but not later than forty-five (45) days following your Separation from Service date, and allow the Release to become effective according to its terms (by not invoking any legal right to revoke it) within any applicable time period set forth therein (such latest permitted effective date, the “Release Deadline”).
11.Return of Company Property.  Upon the termination of your employment for any reason, as a precondition to your receipt of the Severance Benefits (if applicable), within five (5) days after your 

Separation from Service Date (or earlier if requested by the Company), you will return to the Company all Company documents (and all copies thereof) and other Company property within your possession, custody or control, including, but not limited to, Company files, notes, financial and operational information, customer lists and contact information, product and services information, research and development information, drawings, records, plans, forecasts, reports, payroll information, spreadsheets, studies, analyses, compilations of data, proposals, agreements, sales and marketing information, personnel information, specifications, code, software, databases, computer-recorded information, tangible property and equipment (including, but not limited to, computers, facsimile machines, mobile telephones, tablets, handheld devices, and servers), credit cards, entry cards, identification badges and keys, and any materials of any kind which contain or embody any proprietary or confidential information of the Company, and all reproductions thereof in whole or in part and in any medium.  You further agree that you will make a diligent search to locate any such documents, property and information and return them to the Company within the timeframe provided above.  In addition, if you have used any personally-owned computer, server, or e-mail system to receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any confidential or proprietary data, materials or information of the Company, then within five (5) days after your Separation from Service date you must provide the Company with a computer-useable copy of such information and permanently delete and expunge such confidential or proprietary information from those systems without retaining any reproductions (in whole or in part); and you agree to provide the Company access to your system, as requested, to verify that the necessary copying and deletion is done.  If requested, you shall deliver to the Company a signed statement certifying compliance with this section prior to the receipt of the Severance Benefits.
12.Outside Activities.  During your employment by the Company, except on behalf of the Company, you will not directly or indirectly serve as an officer, director, stockholder, employee, partner, proprietor, investor, joint venturer, associate, representative or consultant of any other person, corporation, firm, partnership or other entity whatsoever known by you to compete with the Company (or is planning or preparing to compete with the Company), anywhere in the world, in any line of business engaged in (or planned to be engaged in) by the Company; provided, however, that you may purchase or otherwise acquire up to (but not more than) one percent (1%) of any class of securities of any enterprise (but without participating in the activities of such enterprise) if such securities are listed on any national or regional securities exchange.
13.Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” for termination will mean your:  (a) conviction (including a guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere) of any felony; (b) commission or attempted commission of or participation in a fraud or act of dishonesty or misrepresentation against the Company; (c) willful and continued failure to follow the lawful directions of the Board or the officers of the Company to whom you report, and failure to cure such failure within a reasonable time after receiving written notice from the Company of the claimed failure; (d) deliberate harm or injury, or attempt to deliberately harm or injure, the Company; (e) willful misconduct that materially discredits or harms the Company or its reputation; (f) material violation or breach of any written and fully executed contract or agreement between you and the Company, including without limitation, material breach of your Confidentiality Agreement, or of any Company policy, or of any statutory duty you owe to the Company; (g) gross negligence or willful misconduct; (h) failure to cooperate with any investigation as requested by the Board or officers of the Company to whom you report or (i) unauthorized use of confidential information that causes material harm to the Company.  The determination that a termination is for Cause shall be made by the Company in its sole discretion.
For purposes of this Agreement, you shall have “Good Reason” for resigning from employment with the Company if any of the following actions are taken by the Company without your prior written consent:  (a) a material reduction in your base salary or target annual bonus (unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s similarly situated employees); (b) a material reduction in 

your duties (including responsibilities and/or authorities), provided, however, that a change in job position (including a change in title or change resulting from a Change in Control transaction) shall not be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself unless your new duties are materially reduced from the prior duties; or (c) relocation of your principal place of employment to a place that increases your one-way commute by more than thirty-five (35) miles as compared to your then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation.  In order to resign for Good Reason, you must provide written notice to the Company’s Chief Legal Officer within 90 days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for your resignation, allow the Company at least 30 days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, and if such event is not reasonably cured within such period, you must resign from all positions you then hold with the Company not later than 30 days after the expiration of the cure period.
For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Stitch Fix, Inc. 2017 Incentive Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.  
14.Compliance with Section 409A.  It is intended that the Severance Benefits set forth in this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”) (Section 409A, together with any state law of similar effect, “Section 409A”) provided under Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9).  For purposes of Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulations 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), your right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if the Company (or, if applicable, the successor entity thereto) determines that any of the Severance Benefits constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A and you are, on the date of your Separation from Service, a “specified employee” of the Company or any successor entity thereto, as such term is defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code (a “Specified Employee”), then, solely to the extent necessary to avoid the incurrence of adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A, the timing of such Severance Benefits shall be delayed until the earliest of:  (i) the date that is six (6) months and one (1) day after your Separation from Service date, (ii) the date of your death, or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation.  Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments or benefits deferred pursuant to this section shall be paid in a lump sum or provided in full by the Company (or the successor entity thereto, as applicable), and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred.  If any of the Severance Benefits are not covered by one or more exemptions from the application of Section 409A and the Release could become effective in the calendar year following the calendar year in which you have a Separation from Service, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline.  The Severance Benefits are intended to qualify for an exemption from application of Section 409A or comply with its requirements to the extent necessary to avoid adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein shall be interpreted accordingly.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, to the extent required to comply with Section 409A, a termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A.  With respect to reimbursements or in-kind benefits provided to you hereunder (or otherwise) that are not exempt from Section 409A, the following rules shall apply: (i) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits provided, during any one of your taxable years shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefit to be provided in any other taxable year, (ii) in the case of any reimbursements of eligible expenses, reimbursement shall be made on or before the last day of your taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense was incurred, (iii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another 

benefit.  If the Company’s ability to choose between a lump sum severance payment or a series of severance payments could subject you to adverse taxation under Section 409A, then such severance payments shall be paid in installments in the case of payments under Section 8(a)(1), and in a lump sum in the case of payments under Section 8(b)(1); provided, however, that if this difference in default treatment would subject you to adverse taxation under Section 409A, then such severance payments shall be made in a lump sum in the case of payments under Section 8(a)(1) or 8(b)(1).
15.Section 280G; Parachute Payments.
(a)If any payment or benefit you will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a “280G Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a “Payment”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount.  The “Reduced Amount” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i.e., the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in your receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax.  If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “Reduction Method”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for you.  If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “Pro Rata Reduction Method”).
(b)Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (a) above to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows:  (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for you as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e.g., being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.
(c)Unless you and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction shall perform the foregoing calculations.  If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the change in control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section 15 (“Section 280G; Parachute Payments”).  The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder.  The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to you and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which your right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by you or the Company) or such other time as requested by you or the Company.
(d)If you receive a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section 15(a) and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, you agree to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of 

the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section 15(a)) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax.  For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section 15(a), you shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.
16.Dispute Resolution.  Section 9 of the Confidentiality Agreement (Arbitration; Legal and Equitable Remedies) shall apply to the terms of this letter and any disputes that may arise in connection with your employment with the Company.
17.Miscellaneous.  This Agreement, together with your Confidentiality Agreement, forms the complete and exclusive statement of your employment agreement with the Company.  It supersedes any other agreements or promises made to you by anyone, whether oral or written.  Changes in your employment terms, other than those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s or Board’s discretion in this Agreement, require a written modification approved by the Company and signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company.  This Agreement will bind the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of both you and the Company, and inure to the benefit of both you and the Company, their heirs, successors and assigns.  If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, this determination shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement and the provision in question shall be modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable law.  This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to conflicts of law principles.  Any ambiguity in this Agreement shall not be construed against either party as the drafter.  Any waiver of a breach of this Agreement, or rights hereunder, shall be in writing and shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any successive breach or rights hereunder.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts which shall be deemed to be part of one original, and facsimile and electronic image copies of signatures shall be equivalent to original signatures. 
18.Conditional Offer.  This offer of employment is conditioned upon the following: 
(a)The Company reserves the right to conduct background investigations, drug screens, and/or reference checks on all of its potential employees.  If we do conduct a background check using an outside agency, you will be provided a disclosure and authorization form and a notice of your rights, as applicable. This job offer is contingent upon our receipt of satisfactory results from such a background investigation, drug screen, and/or reference check, if any.
(b)For purposes of federal immigration law compliance, you will be required to provide to the Company appropriate evidence of your identity and eligibility for employment in the United States.  Such documentation must be provided to us within three (3) business days of your date of hire, or our employment relationship with you may be terminated. 
(c)You will be required to sign an acknowledgment that you have read and will comply with the Company’s Code of Conduct.  As a Company employee, you will be required to abide by all Company policies and directives. 
(d)You are required to sign and comply with an At-Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment and Arbitration Agreement, a copy of which will be included with your new hire paperwork.  Please note that we must receive your signed agreement within the first three business days of employment.

Please sign and date this Agreement and return it to me on or before 5pm Pacific time on October 30, 2020 if you wish to accept employment at the Company under the terms described above.  This offer will expire if I do not receive this signed letter by that date.  I would be happy to discuss any questions that you may have about these terms.
We are delighted to be making this offer and the Company looks forward to your favorable reply and to a productive and enjoyable work relationship.
Sincerely,

/s/ Katrina Lake                    
Katrina Lake, CEO

Reviewed, Understood, and Accepted:

/s/ Dan Jedda                        October 29, 2020            
Dan Jedda                         DateExhibit

Exhibit 4.2

Description of Aspen Technology, Inc. Capital Stock

The following information constitutes the “Description of Securities” required by Item 202(a) of Regulation S-K.  References herein to “we,” “our,” “us,” or "our company” refer to Aspen Technology, Inc., a Delaware corporation.  The following information summarizes the material terms of our common and preferred stock, as well as relevant provisions of our charter, which includes certificates of designations relating to each series of our preferred stock, and bylaws and the Delaware General Corporation Law.  For a complete description of the terms of our common and preferred stock, please refer to our charter and bylaws.  While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any shares of common or preferred stock that we may offer in the future, we will describe the particular terms of any series of these securities in more detail in the applicable prospectus relating to the offering of these securities.  The terms of any common or preferred stock that we offer pursuant to a prospectus may differ from the terms described below, and any such additional or different terms will be set forth in that prospectus.

Our authorized capital stock consists of 220,000,000 shares.  These shares consist of 210,00,000 shares of common stock, $0.10 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.10 par value per share, of which 3,636 shares have been designated as Series D redeemable convertible preferred stock.
 
Common Stock
 
Voting.  Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters to be voted upon by stockholders for each share held on the record date for such vote.

Dividends.  Subject to any preference rights of holders of preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends, when, as and if declared by the board of directors, out of funds legally available for dividends.

Liquidation.  Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all of our assets available for distribution to stockholders in proportion to the amount of common stock they own.  The amount available for common stockholders is calculated after our payment of liabilities.  Holders of preferred stock will receive their preferential share of our assets before the holders of common stock receive any assets.

Other Rights.  Holders of common stock have no right to:

		
	•
	convert the common stock into any other security,

		
	•
	have the common stock redeemed or

		
	•
	purchase additional shares of common stock to maintain their proportionate ownership interest.

 
The common stock does not have any cumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of a majority of the shares can elect all the directors to be elected by common stockholders and that the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any of those directors.  All outstanding shares of common stock are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.  The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we have designated and issued or may designate and issue in the future.
 
Preferred Stock
 
Our charter authorizes the board of directors to issue, without any further action by the stockholders, preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences and rights of the shares of each series and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including voting rights, dividend rights, conversion rights, liquidation preferences, redemption privileges and sinking fund terms.  The rights, preferences and restrictions of the preferred stock of each series are or will be fixed by the certificate of designations relating to that series.  Any or all of the rights of a series of preferred stock may be greater than the rights of the common stock.  In addition, a series of preferred stock may have other rights, including economic rights senior to our common stock, so that the issuance of such preferred stock would adversely affect the market value of our common stock.  The issuance of preferred stock may also have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company without any action by the stockholders.

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Our charter authorizes two series of Series D preferred:  Series D-1 convertible preferred stock and Series D-2 preferred, which we collectively refer to as the Series D preferred. All of the previously authorized and outstanding shares of Series D preferred were surrendered for conversion into common stock and, upon such conversion, (a) all rights with respect to such shares of Series D preferred ceased and terminated and (b) all of such shares of Series D preferred were retired and canceled and could not be reissued. We may, without the need for action by any stockholders, take such appropriate action as may be necessary to eliminate the authorized number of shares of Series D preferred and thereby return such number of shares to the status of additional shares of authorized undesignated preferred stock.

Certain Effects of Authorized but Unissued Stock
 
We have granted our board of directors the authority to issue preferred stock and to determine its rights and preferences in order to eliminate delays associated with a stockholder vote on specific issuances.  The issuance of preferred stock, while providing desirable flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from acquiring, a majority of our outstanding voting stock.
 
Certain Provisions of Our Charter and By-Laws
 
We must comply with Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, an anti-takeover law.  In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the date the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.  Generally, a “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales and other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder.  Generally, an “interested stockholder” includes a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years did own, 15% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock.  The existence of this provision generally will have an anti-takeover effect for a transaction not approved in advance by the board of directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

Our charter provides for the division of the board of directors into three classes as nearly equal in size as possible with staggered three-year terms.  In addition, our charter provides that directors may be removed only for cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds of the shares of capital stock of the corporation entitled to vote.  Under our charter, any vacancy on the board of directors, however occurring, including a vacancy resulting from an enlargement of the board, may only be filled by vote of a majority of the directors then in office.  The classification of the board and the limitations on the removal of directors and filling of vacancies could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from acquiring, control of us.

Our charter also provides that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders at any annual meeting or special meeting of stockholders may only be taken if it is properly brought before such meeting and may not be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting.  Our charter further provides that special meetings of the stockholders may only be called by our chairman of the board of directors, our chief executive officer or, if none, our president, or by the board of directors.  Under our bylaws, in order for any matter to be considered properly brought before a meeting, a stockholder must comply with certain requirements regarding advance notice to us.  The foregoing provisions could have the effect of delaying until the next stockholders’ meeting stockholder actions that are favored by the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities.  These provisions may also discourage another person from making a tender offer for our common stock, because such person, even if it acquired a majority of our outstanding voting securities, would be able to take action as a stockholder (such as electing new directors or approving a merger) only at a duly called stockholders’ meeting, and not by written consent.

The Delaware General Corporation Law provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation’s charter or by-laws, unless a corporation’s charter or bylaws, as the case may be, requires a greater percentage.  Our charter and bylaws require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of all the shares of our capital stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote to amend or repeal any of the provisions described in the prior two paragraphs.

Our charter contains certain provisions permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law relating to the liability of directors.  The provisions eliminate a director’s liability for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty, except in certain circumstances involving wrongful acts, such as the breach of a director’s duty of loyalty or acts or omissions that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law.  Further, our charter contains provisions to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.
 

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Transfer Agent and Registrar
 
The transfer agent and registrar for the common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
 
NASDAQ Global Select Market Listing
 
The common stock has been approved for trading and quotation on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “AZPN.”

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