Document:

WWW.EXFILE.COM, INC. -- 888-775-4789 -- ZAP -- EXHIBIT 10.8 TO FORM 8-K

 

	
Exhibit 10.8
	
Indemnification Agreement dated August 6, 2009

 

ZAP

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

This Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of August 6, 2009 and is between ZAP, a California corporation (the “Company”), and Priscilla Lu (“Indemnitee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A.           Indemnitee’s service to the Company substantially benefits the Company.

 

B.           Individuals are reluctant to serve as directors or officers of corporations or in certain other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or indemnification against the risks of claims and actions against them arising out of such service.

 

C.           Indemnitee does not regard the protection currently provided by applicable law, the Company’s governing documents and any insurance as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as a director or officer without additional
protection.

 

D.           In order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to contractually obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, Indemnitee as permitted by applicable law.

 

E.           This Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws, and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and this Agreement shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor shall this
Agreement be deemed to limit, diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.

 

The parties therefore agree as follows:

 

1.   Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed
action or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) (other than an action by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or other agent of the Company or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Company, and, in the case of any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The termination
of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that (i) Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Company or (ii) Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

 

2.   Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened,
pending or completed action by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of 

 

 

 

the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or other agent of the Company or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of such action if Indemnitee acted in good faith, in a manner Indemnitee believed to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, except that no indemnification shall be made (i) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company in the performance of Indemnitee’s duty to the Company and its shareholders unless and only to the extent that the court in
which such Proceeding is or was pending shall determine upon application that, in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for expenses and then only to the extent that the court shall determine, (ii) of amounts paid in settling or otherwise disposing of a pending action without court approval or (iii) of expenses incurred in defending a pending action which is settled or otherwise disposed of without court approval.

 

3.   Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. To the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits in defense of any Proceeding referred
to in Section 1 or 2 or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith.

 

4.   Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. To the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his or her position as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, a witness
in any action, suit or proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he or she shall be indemnified to the extent permitted by applicable law against all costs and expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.

 

5.   Additional Indemnification Rights. Subject to Section 7 and any other provision of this Agreement that prohibits, limits or conditions indemnification
by the Company, the Company agrees to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law for any acts, omissions or transactions while acting in the capacity of, or that are otherwise related to the fact that Indemnitee was or is serving as, a director, officer, employee or other agent of the Company or, to the extent Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, such
other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. In the event of any change, after the date of this Agreement, in any applicable law, statute or rule that expands the right of a California corporation to indemnify a director, officer or other corporate agent beyond that currently permitted under this Agreement, the applicable changes shall be, ipso facto, within the purview of Indemnitee’s rights and Company’s obligations
under this Agreement, subject to the restrictions expressly set forth herein or therein. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule that narrows the right of a California corporation to indemnify a directors, officer or other corporate agent, such changes, to the extent required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall have the effect on this Agreement and the parties’ rights and obligations hereunder as is required by such law, statute or rule.

 

6.   Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the expenses, judgments, fines, settlements or
other amounts actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such expenses, judgments, fines, settlements or other amounts to which Indemnitee is entitled.

 

7.   Exceptions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any Proceeding (or
any part of any Proceeding):

 

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(a)   for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid;

 

(b)   initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Company’s board
of directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law, (iii) required to be made under Section 10(e) or (iv) otherwise required by applicable law;

 

(c)   for any acts or omissions or transactions from which a director may not be relieved of liability as set forth in the exception to Section 204(a)(10) of the California General Corporation Law or as to circumstances in which indemnity
is expressly prohibited by Section 317 of the California General Corporation Law;

 

(d)   for an accounting or disgorgement of profits pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if Indemnitee is held liable
therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);

 

(e)   for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if Indemnitee is held liable therefor
(including pursuant to any settlement arrangements); or

 

(f)   if otherwise prohibited by applicable law.

 

8.   Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall
advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, all expenses incurred by Indemnitee in defending any Proceeding referenced in Section 1 or 2 prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding (but not amounts actually paid in settlement of any such Proceeding) upon receipt of a written request therefor. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free and made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay such advances. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts advanced if it shall be determined
ultimately that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized hereby or by Section 317 of the California General Corporation Law. The advances to be made hereunder shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than 30 days, after the receipt by the Company of a written statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such expenses but, in the case of invoices
in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditure made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice). This Section 8 shall not apply to any claim for which indemnity is not permitted under this Agreement or applicable law, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 7(d) or 7(e) prior to a determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.

 

9.   Procedures for Notification and Defense of a Claim.

 

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(a)   Notice. Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of
any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of expenses as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include, in reasonable detail, a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding. The failure by Indemnitee to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise, and any
delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights, except to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.

 

(b)   Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a Proceeding pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company
has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of the Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall thereafter take all commercially-reasonable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.

 

(c)   Selection of Counsel. The Company shall be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense. Indemnitee
agrees to consult with the Company and to consider in good faith the advisability and appropriateness of joint representation in the event that either the Company or other indemnitees in addition to Indemnitee require representation in connection with any Proceeding.

 

(d)   Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and cooperation in connection with the
Proceeding as may be reasonably appropriate.

 

(e)   Right to Settle Proceedings. The Company shall not settle any Proceeding (or any part thereof) without Indemnitee’s
prior written consent.

 

10.   Procedures upon Application for Indemnification.

 

(a)   Notice. To obtain indemnification, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith
such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and as is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of the Proceeding. The Company shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the board of directors that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. Any delay in providing the request will not relieve the Company from its obligations under
this Agreement, except to the extent such failure is prejudicial.

 

(b)   Determination. Following a written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a), 
determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by (i) a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who are not parties to the Proceeding; (ii) if such a quorum of directors is not obtainable, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion; (iii) approval by the shareholders in accordance with Section 153 of the California General Corporation Law, with the shares owned by Indemnitee not being
entitled to vote thereon; or (iv) the court in which the proceeding is or was pending upon application made by the corporation or the agent or the attorney or other person rendering services in connection with the defense, whether or not the application by the agent, attorney or other person is opposed by the Company. If it is determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within 30 days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person,
persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information that is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and that 

 

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is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

 

(c)   Disputes. Subject to Section 10(f), if (i) a determination is made that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification
under this Agreement, (ii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to this Agreement within 90 days after the later of the receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification or the final disposition of the Proceeding, (iii) payment of indemnification pursuant to this Agreement is not made (A) within 30 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or (B) with respect to indemnification pursuant to Sections 3
4 or 10(e) of this Agreement, within 30 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (iv) advancement of expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 8 or 10(e) of this Agreement, or (v) the Company or any other person or entity takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to
Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration with respect to his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of expenses, to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s
right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(d)   Presumptions. Neither (i) the failure of the Company, its board of directors, any committee or subgroup of the
board of directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders to have made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor (ii) an actual determination by the Company, its board of directors, any committee or subgroup of the board of directors, independent legal counsel or shareholders that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption
that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to Section 10(c) shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any
judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to Section 10(c)  the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses, as the case may be.

 

(e)   Expenses Incurred to Enforce this Agreement. To the extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement to the extent Indemnitee is successful in such action, and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than 30 days, after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance such expenses to Indemnitee, subject to the provisions of Section 8.

 

(f)   Timing of Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary,
no determination as to entitlement to indemnification shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.

 

11.   Primary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges that Indemnitee has certain rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by Cathaya Funds
and affiliates thereof (collectively, 

 

 

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the “Secondary Indemnitors”). The Company agrees that, as between the Company and the Secondary Indemnitors, the Company is primarily responsible for amounts required to be indemnified or advanced under the Company’s articles of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement and any
obligation of the Secondary Indemnitors to provide indemnification or advancement for the same amounts is secondary to those Company obligations. The Company waives any right of contribution or subrogation against the Secondary Indemnitors with respect to the liabilities for which the Company is primarily responsible under this Section 11. In the event of any payment by the Secondary Indemnitors of amounts otherwise required to be indemnified or advanced by the Company under the Company’s articles
of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement, the Secondary Indemnitors shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement of expenses under the Company’s articles of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement or, to the extent such subrogation is unavailable and contribution is found to be the applicable remedy, shall have a right of contribution with respect to the amounts paid. The Secondary Indemnitors are express third-party
beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 11.

 

12.   Mutual Acknowledgement. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying
its directors, officers and other corporate agents under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the future to undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.

 

13.   Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee, the Company, in lieu of
indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amounts incurred by Indemnitee, whether for expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines or amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events and transactions
giving rise to such Proceeding, and (ii) the relative fault of Indemnitee and the Company (and its other directors, officers, employees and agents) in connection with such events and transactions.

 

14.   Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall
execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

15.   No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided
hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment for such amounts under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

 

16.   Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance. To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors,
trustees, general partners, managing members, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries of the Company or any other enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies to the same extent as the most favorably-insured persons under such policy or policies in a comparable position.

 

17.   Duration. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of (i) ten years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director or officer
of the Company or as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, serving at 

 

 

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the request of the Company, as applicable; or (ii) one year after the final termination of any Proceeding, including any appeal, then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10(e) of this Agreement relating
thereto.

 

18.   Services to the Company. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any other corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or enterprise) and Indemnitee. Indemnitee specifically acknowledges that any employment with the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or enterprise) is at will, and Indemnitee may be discharged at any time for any reason, with or without cause, with or without notice, except as may be otherwise expressly provided in any executed, written employment contract between Indemnitee and the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any other corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or enterprise), any existing formal severance policies adopted by the Company’s board of directors or, with respect to service as a director or officer of the Company, the Company’s articles of incorporation or bylaws or the California General Corporation Law. No such document shall be subject to any oral modification thereof.

 

19.   Enforcement. The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to
serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company.

 

20.   Nonexclusivity. The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of expenses provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee
may be entitled under the Company’s articles of incorporation, its bylaws, any agreement, any vote of shareholders or disinterested directors, the California General Corporation Law or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.

 

21.   Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in violation of applicable law. The Company’s
inability, pursuant to court order or other applicable law, to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (ii) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (iii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section
of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.

 

22.   Effectiveness of the Agreement. To the extent that the indemnification permitted under the terms of certain provisions of this Agreement exceeds the scope of the indemnification
specifically provided for in the California General Corporation Law, such provisions shall not be effective unless and until the Company’s articles of incorporation duly authorize such additional rights of indemnification. In all other respects, the balance of this Agreement shall be effective as of the date set forth in the introductory sentence of this Agreement and may apply to acts or omissions of Indemnitee that occurred prior to such date if Indemnitee was a director, officer, employee or other agent
of the Company, or was serving at the request of the Company 

 

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as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, at the time such act or omission occurred.

 

23.   Construction of Certain Phrases.

 

(a)   For purposes of this Agreement, references to the “Company” shall also include, in addition to the resulting or surviving corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

(b)   For purposes of this Agreement, references to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines”
shall include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries.

 

24.   Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns, including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation
or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by written agreement, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the
Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

 

25.   Notice. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, sent by facsimile
or electronic mail or otherwise delivered by hand, messenger or courier service addressed:

 

(a)   if to Indemnitee, to Indemnitee’s address, facsimile number or electronic mail address as shown on the signature page of this Agreement or in the Company’s records, as may be updated in accordance with the provisions hereof;
or

 

(b)   if to the Company, to the attention of the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer of the Company at 501 4th Street, Santa Rosa, California 95401
or at such other current address as the Company shall have furnished to Indemnitee.

 

Each such notice or other communication shall for all purposes of this Agreement be treated as effective or having been given (i) if delivered by hand, messenger or courier service, when delivered (or if sent via a nationally-recognized overnight courier service, freight prepaid,
specifying next-business-day delivery, one business day after deposit with the courier), or (ii) if sent via mail, at the earlier of its receipt or five days after the same has been deposited in a regularly-maintained receptacle for the deposit of the United States mail, addressed and mailed as aforesaid, or (iii) if sent via facsimile, upon confirmation of facsimile transfer or, if sent via electronic
mail, upon confirmation of delivery.

 

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26.   Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California as applied to contracts between California
residents entered into and to be performed entirely within California.

 

27.   Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of California for all purposes in connection
with any action or proceeding that arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action or proceeding instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of the State of California.

 

28.   Amendment and Waiver. No amendment, modification, termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing, signed by both parties hereto. No amendment,
alteration or repeal of this Agreement shall adversely affect any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in an indemnified capacity prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall constitute or be deemed a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

29.   Integration and Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and applicable law.

 

30.   Captions. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction
thereof.

 

31.   Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by facsimile signature
and in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.

 

(signature page follows)

 

 

 

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The parties are signing this Indemnification Agreement as of the date stated in the introductory sentence.

 

 

	 	
ZAP

 

By:   /s/ Steven Schneider

 

Name:   Steven Schneider

Title:   Chief Executive Officer

Address:  501 4th Street

                  Santa Rosa, CA 95401 

 

 

 

 

Agreed to and accepted:

INDEMNITEE

PRISCILLA LU

/s/ Priscilla Lu

(signature)

 

(Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement)WWW.EXFILE.COM, INC. -- 888-775-4789 -- ZAP -- EXHIBIT 10.9 TO FORM 8-K

	
Exhibit 10.9
	
Amendment to Prior Employment Agreement dated August 6, 2009

 

 

 

ZAP

 

AMENDMENT TO PRIOR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

 

This amendment (the “Amendment”) is made by and between Steven Schneider (the “Executive”) and ZAP, a California corporation (the “Company”
and together with the Executive hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Parties”) on August 6, 2009.

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, the Parties previously entered into employment agreements or arrangements in writing, verbally or otherwise, including but not limited to that certain employment agreement, dated October 1, 2003, as amended or extended by the Company in writing, verbally or otherwise,
including but not limited to any amendment or extension dated March 30, 2007 (all such agreements collectively referred to herein as the “Agreements”);

 

WHEREAS, according to the terms of the Agreements, the Executive is be entitled to receive compensation, including salary, bonuses, stock, stock options, warrants or other equity compensation, termination benefits, severance or any other compensation or benefits (together, “Compensation”);

 

WHEREAS, the Parties intend this Amendment to terminate and supersede any and all Agreements, including but not limited to any agreements or arrangements regarding Compensation, and for any and all Agreements to have no further force and effect;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, Executive and the Company agree that any and all prior agreements or arrangements between the Executive and the Company, including the Agreement, are hereby amended as follows:

 

1.   All Agreements between Executive and the Company are hereby terminated and shall have no further force and effect, and all such Agreements are hereby superseded and replaced by this Amendment.  The foregoing notwithstanding,
any options, option agreements, warrants, stock purchase agreements and other equity securities granted or outstanding on the date of this Amendment shall not be amended by this Amendment.

 

2.   The Executive and the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors shall negotiate in good faith to determine the terms of a new employment agreement between the Company and Executive (the “New
Employment Agreement”), which agreement shall be approved by a majority of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and a majority of the Board of Directors, which majority shall include the Designee of Cathaya Capital, L.P. (as defined in that certain Voting Agreement between the Company and Cathaya Capital, L.P. dated August 6, 2009).

 

3.   Unless otherwise provided in the New Employment Agreement, on an annual basis prior to the commencement of each fiscal year (the “Next Fiscal Year”),
the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors shall review the performance and Compensation of the Executive in the then current fiscal year and shall make a unanimous recommendation to the Board of Directors regarding Compensation for the Next Fiscal Year.  The Compensation for the Next Fiscal Year shall then be approved by a majority of the Board of 

 

 

 

 

Directors, which majority shall include all members of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

 

4.   This Amendment constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement between the Parties with regard to the subjects hereof, including but not limited to Executive’s Compensation in the current and any future fiscal
years, and supersedes any and all prior agreements, including the Agreements,  regarding the subjects hereof.

 

5.   This Amendment and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, their respective successors, assigns, and legal representatives.

 

6.   This Amendment will be governed by the laws of the State of California (with the exception of its conflict of laws provisions).

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

 

- 2 -

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties has executed this Amendment, in the case of the Company by its duly authorized officer, as of the day and year set forth above.

 

 

	COMPANY 	
ZAP

 

By:  /s/ William Hartman

 

Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

 

Date:   August 6, 2009

 

 

	EXECUTIVE 	
/s/ Steven Schneider

Steven Schneider

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                

[Signature Page to Amendment to Prior Employment Agreements]

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