Document:

Exhibit
10.30

 

FORM OF

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

PURSUANT TO THE

BLUE RIDGE HOLDING CORP. 2005 EMPLOYEE STOCK
UNIT PLAN

 

THIS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated and effective as of                              
(the “Effective Date”), among Blue Ridge Paper Products Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), Blue Ridge Holding Corp., a Delaware
corporation (“Parent”), and                             
(“Employee”).  Capitalized terms
used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Plan.

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Parent (the “Parent Board”)
has adopted the Blue Ridge Holding Corp. 2005 Employee Stock Unit Plan (the “Plan”);

 

WHEREAS, the Parent Board has authorized the Board of Directors of the
Company (the “Board”) or a committee thereof to grant restricted stock
units (the “Restricted Stock Units”) in respect of shares of the common
stock of Parent (the “Common Stock”), par value $0.01 per share, to
employees of the Company under the Plan;

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to grant to Employee the Restricted Stock
Units specified below, upon the achievement of certain service criteria, on the
terms and conditions, and subject to the restrictions, set forth herein and
contained in the Plan;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in connection with the mutual covenants hereinafter set
forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree
as follows:

 

1.                                       Grant
of Restricted Stock Units.  The
Committee hereby grants to Employee Restricted Stock Units in respect of                      
shares of Common Stock subject to satisfaction of the Service Condition (as
defined in Section 4(a)).

 

2.                                       Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement:

 

(a)                                  “Cause”
shall have the meaning set forth in Employee’s employment agreement with the
Company, or, in the absence of such an agreement containing such term (or a
term of like import), shall mean (i) the willful or negligent failure or
refusal by Employee to perform Employee’s employment duties with the Company;
provided that the Company shall provide Employee with at least 15 days’ prior
written notice of such failure or refusal and an opportunity to cure the same;
(ii) the commission by Employee of any material act of dishonesty or breach of
trust in connection with the performance of Employee’s employment duties with
the Company; (iii) Employee’s being convicted of, or pleading guilty or no
contest to, any felony or any lesser crime having as its predicate element
fraud, dishonesty or misappropriation; or (iv) a termination due to breach of
Employee’s obligations under Section 8 of this Agreement, in each case, as
determined in good faith by the Board.

 

 

(b)                                 “Change
of Control” shall mean the occurrence of one or more of the following
events:  (i) any direct or indirect sale,
lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger
or consolidation), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of
all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any person, other than
a transaction in which the transferee is controlled by one or more Permitted
Holders (as hereinafter defined); (ii) the Company consolidates or merges with
or into any Person, other than a transaction in which the surviving person is
controlled by one or more Permitted Holders or any such transaction where the
voting stock of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction
is converted or exchanged for voting stock of the surviving person constituting
a majority of the outstanding shares of such voting stock of such surviving
person and one or more Permitted Holders have the right to elect a majority of
the board of directors of such surviving person; (iii) the approval by the
holders of capital stock of the Company of any plan or proposal for the
liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or (iv) the Permitted Holders, or
any one or more of them, cease for any reason to be the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, in the aggregate of at least a majority of the total
voting power of the voting stock of the Company (or if the voting stock of the
Company is wholly owned by a parent holding company, the voting stock of such
parent holding company).  For purposes of
this Agreement, “Permitted Holders” shall mean and include each of the
Blue Ridge Paper Products Employee Stock Ownership Plan, KPS Investors. LLC,
KPS Special Situations Fund, L.P., KPS Supplemental Fund, L.P. and their
respective affiliates.

 

(c)                                  “Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

(d)                                 “Disability”
shall mean Employee’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness that results
in Employee’s inability to perform his duties to the Company for 200 or more
days in any 240 consecutive day period.

 

(e)                                  “Fair
Market Value” shall be a value determined in good faith by the Board in its
sole discretion.

 

(f)                                    “Good
Reason” shall have the meaning set forth in Employee’s employment agreement
with the Company, or, in the absence of such an agreement containing such term
(or a term of like import), shall mean the Company, without Employee’s consent,
assigns to Employee duties inconsistent with Employee’s position, title,
authority or duties that results in a substantial diminution of such position,
title, authority or duties, provided that Employee shall provide the Company
with at least 15 days’ prior written notice of such diminution and the Company
shall not have remedied such diminution within 15 days of receipt of such
notice.

 

(g)                                 “Restricted
Period” with respect to a Restricted Stock Unit shall mean the period prior
to the satisfaction of the Service Condition with respect to such Restricted
Stock Unit.

 

(h)                                 “Restricted
Stock” shall mean any shares of stock delivered to Employee pursuant to Section 6
upon settlement of a Restricted Stock Unit.

 

2

 

(i)                                     “Shareholder”
shall have the meaning set forth in the Stockholders’ Agreement (as defined in Section 3(b)).

 

3.                                       Non-Transferability.

 

(a)                                  Employee
may not sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber or dispose of any
Restricted Stock Unit and the Restricted Stock Units shall not be transferable,
whether voluntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, including, but not by
way of limitation, by execution, levy, garnishment, attachment, pledge,
bankruptcy or in any other manner, and no such Restricted Stock Units shall be
subject to any obligation or liability of Employee other than to Parent or the
Company pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Restricted
Stock shall not be transferred except in accordance with this Agreement and the
Stockholders’ Agreement, dated as of May 14, 1999, between Parent and the
Stockholders listed therein, as amended, modified and supplemented from time to
time (the “Stockholders’ Agreement”), including Section 3.2(b)
thereof, as if Employee were a Shareholder.

 

4.                                       Service
Condition and Lapse of Restricted Period.

 

(a)                                  The
Restricted Period shall lapse with respect to one hundred percent (100%) of the
Restricted Stock Units on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date, provided
that Employee remains continuously employed by the Company during the period
commencing on the Effective Date and ending on such anniversary (the “Service
Condition”).

 

(b)                                 In
the event Employee’s employment with the Company is terminated by the Company
for Cause or by Employee without Good Reason, any Restricted Stock Unit
remaining subject to the Restricted Period will immediately be forfeited.

 

(c)                                  In
the event Employee’s employment with the Company is terminated by reason of
death or Disability, by the Company without Cause, by Employee for Good Reason,
or for any other reason not described in Section 4(b), any Restricted
Stock Unit remaining subject to the Restricted Period will vest ratably on a
daily basis for service through the date of employment termination.

 

(d)                                 In
the event of a Change of Control of the Company, any Restricted Stock Unit
remaining subject to the Restricted Period will vest in full simultaneously
therewith.

 

5.                                       No
Rights as a Shareholder.  Prior to
receipt of the underlying shares represented by Restricted Stock Units, Employee shall have no rights of a
stockholder, including, without limitation, voting rights, with respect to any
Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder.

 

3

 

6.                                       Delivery
of Shares.

 

(a)                                  Stock
certificates evidencing the number of shares of Restricted Stock in respect of
Restricted Stock Units as to which the Restricted Period has lapsed in
accordance with Section 4 shall be delivered to Employee by Parent
promptly on the earliest to occur of: (i) the termination of Employee’s
employment with the Company (to the extent provided in Section 4); (ii)
the 180th day after an initial public offering of the Common Stock; (iii) the
date on which any right or obligation to sell shares of Restricted Stock
becomes effective hereunder or under the Stockholders’ Agreement as if Employee
were a Shareholder; and (iv) the five year anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however, that if any such date
is not a business day, the next business day shall be substituted for such
date.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, any stock certificate
delivered to Employee hereunder or to any other person or party at the
direction of Employee, shall be subject to all of the agreements, terms,
limitations and conditions set forth in the Stockholders’ Agreement as if
Employee were a Shareholder.  Any such
certificates so delivered to Employee hereunder shall bear the following legend
reflecting the applicability of the Stockholders’ Agreement to the shares
represented by such certificate.

 

THIS CERTIFICATE IS SUBJECT TO, AND IS
TRANSFERRABLE ONLY UPON COMPLIANCE WITH, THE PROVISIONS OF THE RESTRICTED STOCK
UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT AND THE STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT AMONG THE COMPANY AND ITS
STOCKHOLDERS.  A COPY OF THE ABOVE REFERENCED
AGREEMENTS ARE ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF THE COMPANY.

 

In addition,
stock certificates evidencing Restricted Stock that are delivered hereunder
shall bear restrictive legends in substantially the following form and such
other restrictive legends as are required or advisable under the provisions of
any applicable laws or are provided for in any other agreement to which
Employee is a party:

 

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS STOCK
CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED, AND SHALL NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO (I) AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT OR (II) AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SAID ACT.

 

7.                                       Purchase
of Restricted Stock.

 

(a)                                  Following
any Termination.  At any time or from
time to time following the date that is six months after the termination of
Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason other than death or
Disability, Parent shall have the right (but not the obligation) to purchase
all or any portion of Employee’s Restricted

 

4

 

Stock from Employee for an amount equal to the number of shares of such
Restricted Stock multiplied by the Fair Market Value of each such share of
Restricted Stock with respect to the date of such purchase.

 

(b)                                 Death
and Disability.  Upon a termination
of Employee’s employment with the Company as a result of the death or
Disability of Employee, Employee (or, if applicable, his estate or the person
then acting on Employee’s behalf), Parent shall be obligated to purchase
Employee’s Restricted Stock for an amount equal to the number of shares of such
Restricted Stock multiplied by the Fair Market Value of each such share with
respect to the date of such purchase. 
Following a termination by reason of death or Disability, Parent’s
repurchase obligation with respect to any portion of the Restricted Stock shall
be executed within 75 days after the date that is six months after the date on
which stock certificates representing such shares of Restricted Stock are
delivered to Employee.

 

(c)                                  Fifth
Anniversary of Date of Grant. 
Following the fifth anniversary of the Award, Parent shall be obligated
to purchase any shares of Restricted Stock in respect of Restricted Stock
Units, stock certificates for which Employee has then held for a period of not
less than six months.  The purchase price
of such Restricted Stock will be the Fair Market Value of such Restricted Stock
as of the date Parent executes its purchase obligation, which shall be within
75 days after the later of (x) the fifth anniversary of the date of grant and
(y) the six-month anniversary of delivery of the stock certificates to
Employee.

 

(d)                                 Cancellation
of Obligation.  Parent shall have no
obligation to purchase Restricted Stock under this Agreement at any time that
the Common Stock is (i) publicly traded, (ii) registered pursuant to
the Securities Act and (iii) transferable by Employee, subject to normal
securities law restrictions applicable to trading of registered securities by
an employee officer of an issuer or reasonable restrictions imposed on such
transfers by an underwriter of such stock.

 

(e)                                  Any
obligation of the Company to purchase Restricted Stock under this Agreement
with respect to the Restricted Stock will be necessarily subject to those
conditions imposed by Parent and the Company’s financing documents or other
contract to which Parent or the Company is a party or by applicable law.

 

8.                                       Restrictive
Covenants.  As a prerequisite to (x)
receipt of this Award, (y) the delivery of shares under this Agreement, or (z)
the repurchase of Restricted Stock, Employee agrees, if so requested by the
Committee, to certify in writing that he or she has not engaged in any of the
actions or omissions described in subsection (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) of
this Section 8.  Except if the
Committee otherwise determines, the Award shall immediately be forfeited in the
event that a provision of this Section 8 is violated.  The restrictions contained in this Section 8
shall be in addition to, rather than in lieu of, any other restrictions that
may apply to Employee under other agreements or arrangements.

 

5

 

(a)                                  During
the term of Employee’s employment and during the Restrictive Period, as defined
below, Employee will not, absent prior written consent from the Company,
directly or indirectly, engage in a Competitive Business Activity in the United
States.  The term “Competitive
Business Activity” shall mean:

 

(i)                                     engaging
in or managing or directing persons engaging in the manufacture, sale or
distribution of liquid packaging board, including gable top cartons and/or
uncoated freesheet paper for envelopes, and/or any other product that the
Company or any “affiliate” (as defined below) manufactures, sells or distributes
(“Competing Business”), whether independently or as an employee, agent,
consultant, advisor, independent contractor, proprietor, partner, officer,
director or otherwise;

 

(ii)                                  acquiring
or having an ownership interest in an entity that derives more than 10% of its
gross revenue from any Competing Business, except for ownership of 1% or less
of any entity whose securities are freely tradable on an established market; or

 

(iii)                               participating
in the financing, operation, management or control of any firm, partnership,
corporation, entity or business described in subparagraph (ii) immediately
above.

 

As used herein, the term “Restrictive Period” shall mean the
period beginning upon a termination of Employee’s employment with the Company
and ending on the date that is (i) in the event that Employee’s employment is
terminated for Cause or without Good Reason, the second anniversary of such
termination or (ii) in the event that Employee’s employment is terminated for
any other reason, the first anniversary of such termination; provided, however,
that the Restrictive Period shall expire upon a termination of employment in
anticipation of, or within one year after, a Change of Control.

 

(b)                                 Non-Solicitation.  During the term of Employee’s employment and
during the Restrictive Period, Employee will not, either for Employee’s benefit
or for the benefit of any other person or entity, directly or indirectly,
solicit any contractor or employee of the Company or its affiliates to
terminate his or her employment or other relationship with the Company or its
affiliates.

 

(c)                                  Non-Disclosure
of Confidential Information.      By signing this Agreement,
Employee recognizes that his or her services as an employee of the Company are
unique services, and that by reason of Employee’s employment Employee will have
access to and acquire proprietary and other confidential information and trade
secrets concerning operations, future plans and methods of doing business of
the Company, its affiliates and their respective clients.  Accordingly, Employee hereby covenants that
Employee will not at any time during his or her employment by the Company or
any time thereafter reveal or divulge to any person, firm, corporation or other
business entity or use for Employee’s own personal or business purposes or for
the personal or business purposes of any other person (other than the Company)
any trade secrets or confidential information or knowledge relating to the
business or businesses of the Company, its affiliates or their respective
clients, including, without limiting the

 

6

 

generality of the foregoing, any information or knowledge pertaining to
products, formulae or processes, and developments or improvements with respect
thereto, inventions, discoveries, trademarks, patents, designs, sketches,
manufacturing, packaging, merchandising, advertising, distribution and sales
methods, sales and profits figures, budgeting materials, customer lists and
relationships between the Company and any of its customers, suppliers, ultimate
consumers or affiliates (collectively, “Confidential Information”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential
Information shall not include information that (i) was, or becomes through no
breach of Employee’s obligations hereunder, generally known to the public; or
(ii) becomes known to Employee from sources other than the Company under
circumstances not involving any breach of an agreement to which any such source
is a party.  As used in this Section 8,
the term “affiliate” means Parent and each corporation or other business
entity at any time directly or indirectly controlled by Parent, its successors
or assigns.  As used in this Agreement,
the term “client” means any person, firm or corporation to which goods,
services or intellectual property are actively being supplied by the Company or
an affiliate for compensation at the time Employee learns of such person’s,
firm’s or corporation’s Confidential Information, or with which the Company or
an affiliate is at such time actively soliciting a business relationship to
engage in such activities.  Employee
acknowledge that any materials or documents relating to the Company’s
Confidential Information, in existence or developed in the future, including
all copies thereof, are proprietary to the Company and shall, following the
termination of Employee’s employment, regardless of the circumstances thereof
or reasons therefor, remain the Company’s sole and exclusive property and that
Employee shall immediately return all such materials and documents including
any copies thereof to the Company upon any termination of Employee’s employment
or upon any prior request.

 

(d)                                 Customer
and Supplier Solicitation.     During Employee’s employment
and during the Restrictive Period, Employee shall not divert, or attempt to
divert any person, business or entity from doing business with the Company, nor
will Employee attempt to induce any person, business or entity to cease being a
customer of or supplier to the Company.

 

(e)                                  Non-Disparagement.                                  Employee
will not, during Employee’s employment with the Company or at any time
thereafter, publicly disparage Parent, the Company, their respective affiliates
and shareholders or any of their officers, directors, employees or agents,
other than in connection with disclosures required by applicable law,
regulation or order of court or governmental agency.

 

9.                                       Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                                  Notices.  All notices or other communications required
or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally or
by reputable commercial messenger service, telecopied or sent by certified,
registered or express mail, postage prepaid. 
Any such notice shall be deemed given when so delivered personally or by
such messenger service or so telecopied (provided receipt of such telecopy is
confirmed) or, if sent by certified, registered or express mail, five days
after the date of deposit in the United States mail, as follows:

 

7

 

(i)                                     if
to Parent or the Company, at the Company’s then corporate headquarters, to the
attention of the Company’s President;

 

(ii)                                  if
to Employee, at Employee’s then current address as reflected in the personnel
records of the Company:

 

Any party may,
by notice given in accordance with this Section 9(a), designate another
address or person for receipt of notices hereunder.

 

(b)                                 Arbitration.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, any disputes hereunder relating to this Agreement
shall be settled exclusively by arbitration conducted in accordance with the
Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.  The place of the arbitration shall be
Charlotte, North Carolina.  All costs and
fees associated with any arbitration conducted pursuant to this Section 9(b)
shall be borne equally by the parties thereto, provided that each party shall
be responsible for his or its own attorney’s fees.

 

(c)                                  Non-Disclosure.  Employee shall not disclose any of the terms
and conditions of this Agreement except for disclosure (i) required by order of
a court or other body having jurisdiction over such matter, (ii) as required by
applicable law, or (iii) with the written consent of the Company.  Upon any violation of this Section 9(c)
by Employee, (x) any Restricted Stock Unit awarded herein shall be immediately
forfeited.

 

10.                                 Binding
Effect.  This Agreement shall be
binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators and successors and assigns of
the parties hereto.

 

11.                                 Governing
Law.  This Agreement shall be
governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the
State of North Carolina without reference to principles of conflict of laws.

 

12.                                 Headings.  Headings used herein are for convenience of
reference only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be
deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

13.                                 Severability.  To the extent any portion of any provision of
this Agreement is held to be invalid, void or unenforceable by a court of
competent jurisdiction, such court shall substitute a valid, enforceable
provision that preserves, to the maximum lawful extent, the terms and intent of
this Agreement.

 

14.                                 Withholding.  Upon the delivery of any stock certificates
evidencing shares of Restricted Stock to Employee pursuant to Section 6,
Employee may satisfy the amount of any income tax withholding required by law
(and Parent shall timely remit such amount to the relevant taxing authorities)
by one of the following methods or by a combination of such methods:  (a) tendering a cash payment to Parent;
(b) delivering to the Company previously acquired shares of Restricted
Stock (subject to certain holding period requirements) or having Parent
withhold stock certificates for shares of Restricted Stock otherwise then
deliverable to Employee having an aggregate fair market value (determined in
good faith by the Board) equal to the amount of such 

 

8

 

withholding obligation; or (c) such other method as may be approved by
the Committee.  The satisfaction of such
withholding obligation shall be a condition precedent to the delivery to
Employee of stock certificates in accordance with Section 6.

 

15.                                 Adjustment
to Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units.  If there shall be any change in the
outstanding shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock by reason of any stock
split, stock dividend, merger, consolidation, combination or exchange of shares
for other securities, recapitalization or similar corporate change, then the
number of Restricted Stock Units or shares of Restricted Stock, as the case may
be, referred to herein, shall be adjusted by the Parent Board to the extent it
deems necessary to give effect to such change.

 

16.                                 Third-Party
Beneficiary.  There are no
beneficiaries to this Agreement other than the signatories hereto.

 

17.                                 Section 409A
of the Code.  It is the Company’s
intention that this Agreement shall comply with Section 409A of the Code
and the Company reserves the right to amend this Agreement to the extent it
deems reasonably necessary to so comply. 
The foregoing statement is not a guarantee of tax treatment.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

9

 

18.                                 Inconsistent
Agreement.  To the extent that any
provision of this Agreement is inconsistent with the Plan, the terms of the
Plan shall govern.  To the extent that
any provision of this Agreement or the Plan is inconsistent with the
Stockholders’ Agreement, the terms of the Stockholders’ Agreement shall govern
as if Employee were a Shareholder.

 

EXECUTED on the day and year first written above.

 

	
   

  	
  BLUE RIDGE
  PAPER PRODUCTS INC.

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  By:

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  Name:

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  Title:

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  BLUE RIDGE
  HOLDING CORP.

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  By:

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  Name:

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  Title:

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  EMPLOYEE

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  [Name]

  	
   

  
					

 

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Exhibit 10.4    
    

 
 

Variation of terms of employment    
    

THIS
DEED is made on 26 November 2004 between the following parties: 

Telewest Communications Group Limited a company incorporated In England and Wales (company number 2514287) whose registered office is at Export House,
Cawsey Way, Woking, Surrey GU21 6QX (the "Employer"); and 

Stephen Sands Cook of Rossburn Farmhouse, Rossburn Lane, Blair Drummond FK9 4AH (the "Employee") 

WHEREAS:

	(A)
	The
Employee is employed by the Employer, a company in the Telewest Group (as defined in the Schedule to this Deed) pursuant to a written contract of employment between the Employer
and the Employee (which may have been amended by subsequent amending or varying documents) (the "Employment Contract").

	(B)
	The
Company and the Employee wish to vary the terms of the Employment Contract on the terms set out in this Deed. 

IT IS AGREED as follows: 

	1.
	The
provisions of this Deed shall from the date hereof form part of the terms and conditions of the Employee's employment by the Employer, and to the extent that any provision of this
Deed is inconsistent with the Employment Contract, the Employment Contract is hereby varied.

	2.
	With
effect from the date of execution of this Deed:

	2.1
	the
covenants contained in the attached Schedule shall form part of the Employee's Contract of Employment;

	2.2
	any
other provisions contained in the Employee's Contract of Employment (including any provision contained in a document amending or varying such Contract of Employment) which
restrict (or purport to restrict) the Employee's ability after the termination of his or her employment to:

	2.2.1
	work
for or with enterprises competing with the business of the Telewest Group or any part of it;

	2.2.2
	solicit
or canvass the custom of any existing or potential customer of the Telewest Group or any part of it;

	2.2.3
	solicit
or entice away from their employment with the Telewest Group any employee of the Telewest Group 

shall
insofar as they impose (or purport to impose) such restrictions cease to be of any effect. 

	3.
	Nothing
in this Deed shall affect any other term of the Contract of Employment (including without limitation any provisions relating to confidentiality, fidelity, or exclusivity of
service) and for the avoidance of doubt, save as varied by Clause 2 hereof, the Contract of Employment shall continue in full force and effect.

	4.
	This
Deed shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and the English courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction. 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Deed has been executed by the parties hereto and is intended to be and is hereby delivered as a deed on the date first above
written. 

	 
	 	 
	 

	EXECUTED as a DEED by

TELEWEST COMMUNICATIONS GROUP LIMITED
 acting by	 	)

)

)

)	

 
 Director
	

and	
 	

 	

 

 
 Secretary

	 
	 	 
	 

	EXECUTED as a DEED by:	 	WITNESSED by:
	

 
 Signature of the Employee	 	

 
 Signature of Witness
	 	 	

 
 Name of Witness

2

 
 
 

Schedule    
    

	1.
	Protection of Telewest's business interests

	1.1
	You
acknowledge that following termination of your employment you will be in a position to compete unfairly with the Telewest Group as a result of the confidential information, trade
secrets and knowledge about the business, operations, customers, suppliers and employees of the Telewest Group you acquired or will acquire and through the connections that you have developed and will
develop at the expense of the Telewest Group. You agree to enter into the restrictions in this Clause 1 for the purpose of protecting the Telewest Group's legitimate business interests and in
particular the confidential information, goodwill and the stable trained workforce of the Telewest Group.

	1.2
	You
shall not during the Restricted Period without the prior written consent of Telewest (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) work for or with any Competing Business in the
United Kingdom. 

In
this Clause 1.2, to "work for or with" means to set up, carry on, be employed in, provide services to, be associated with, or be engaged or
interested in (whether as a director, employee, principal, agent or otherwise), provided that nothing in this Clause 1.2 shall restrict you from owning up to 3% of the listed shares of any
public company whose shares are quoted on any recognised stock exchange. 

	1.3
	You
shall not during the Restricted Period without the prior written consent of Telewest (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld):

	1.3.1
	solicit
or entice away, or attempt to entice away from the Telewest Group any Restricted Employee (as defined below);

	1.3.2
	employ,
offer to employ or enter into partnership with any Restricted Employee 

in
connection with or on behalf of any Competing Business. 

	1.4
	In
this Clause 1, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings: 

"Restricted Period" means a period of twelve months after the termination of your employment at Telewest. Where you are placed on garden leave during
the notice period, the period actually spent on garden leave shall be set off against the Restricted Period to reduce it accordingly: 

	(a)
	for
the purposes of clause 1.2 above provided you do not have any dealings with any Competing Business during the period spent on gardening leave which would be prohibited by
clause 1.2 above during the Restricted Period; and

	(b)
	for
the purposes of clauses 1.3.1 and 1.3.2 where you are not in contact with Restricted Employees during the period spent on garden leave; 

"Restricted Business" means any part of the business of the Telewest Group which: 

	(a)
	was
carried on at any time during the six months immediately prior to the date of termination of your employment; or

	(b)
	is
to your knowledge to be carried out at any time during the six months immediately following the date of termination of your employment; 

and
which you were materially concerned with or had management responsibility for (or had substantial confidential information regarding) at any time during the period of 12 months immediately
prior to the date of termination of your employment; 

3

 

"Competing Business" means any business which is (or is intended to be) competitive with the Restricted Business; 

"Restricted Employee" means anyone who was a senior employee of the Telewest Group at the date of termination of your employment and who you managed
(directly or indirectly) or otherwise worked with on a regular basis at any time during the 12 months preceding the termination of your employment. For these purposes a
"senior employee" means an employee of the Telewest Group who (i) was of Telewest management grade 3 or higher (or the equivalent under
any grading structure in place at the date of the termination of your employment); and/or (ii) was working in any research, technical, IT, financial, marketing or sales function or other
managerial role. For the avoidance of doubt. anyone who was employed solely in an administrative, clerical, manual or secretarial capacity shall not be considered to be a senior employee; 

"Telewest" means Telewest Communications Group Limited (a company registered in England with registered number 02514287); 

"Telewest Group" means Telewest, Telewest Communications Networks Limited (a company registered in England with registered number 03071086) and all
subsidiaries of Telewest Communications Networks Limited (where "subsidiaries" has the meaning attributed to it in section 736 of the Companies Act 1985); 

"person" means an individual, corporation, limited or unlimited liability company, general or limited partnership, trust, unincorporated association,
joint venture, joint-stock company, government, governmental authority or agency or any other legal entity. 

	1.5
	The
restrictions contained in this Clause 1 are considered by the parties to be reasonable in all the circumstances. Each sub clause constitutes an entirely separate and
independent restriction and the duration, extent and application of each of the restrictions are no greater than is necessary for the protection of the interests of the Company and any Telewest Group
company. 

4

QuickLinks

Exhibit 10.4

Variation of terms of employment

Schedule

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