Global Business Travel Group (NYSE: GBTG) board backs $9.50 cash merger
Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (GBTG) has entered into a merger agreement with Gaia Purchaser, Inc. and its wholly owned merger subsidiary providing that, if approved by stockholders, each outstanding share of Class A common stock will be converted into $9.50 in cash. The Company Board and a Special Committee, after receiving a fairness opinion from Rothschild & Co, recommend that stockholders vote to adopt the Merger Agreement. The proxy solicits votes at a virtual special meeting; the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory clearances, the stockholder vote and other closing conditions.
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Insights
Board-backed cash merger at $9.50 per share, subject to approvals.
The Merger Agreement provides for a cash-out of outstanding Class A common stock at $9.50 per share and contemplates delisting and deregistration of the Company’s shares at Closing. The Company Board and a Special Committee unanimously recommended the transaction and obtained a written fairness opinion from Rothschild & Co.
Completion is conditioned on shareholder approval, HSR and foreign antitrust/foreign investment clearances, CSA approvals and other customary conditions. The proxy describes termination fees and superior-proposal procedures that may affect deal certainty.
Financing package sized to fund $9.50 cash consideration and related fees.
Long Lake committed up to $3,139,000,000 in equity and KED committed up to $1.25B of preferred equity; debt commitments include a $1.5B term loan, a $250M revolver and a $1.0B bridge facility. The proxy states the Merger is not subject to a financing condition.
Closings depend on customary debt-documentation conditions and regulatory approvals; termination-fee mechanics are disclosed ($200M Company fee; $270M Parent fee), which investors may consider when assessing deal risk.
Key Figures
Key Terms
Voting Agreements regulatory
Appraisal Rights legal
FOCI Mitigation Plan regulatory
HSR Act regulatory
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Filed by the Registrant | ☒ | ||
Filed by a party other than the Registrant | ☐ | ||
☒ | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
☐ | Definitive Proxy Statement |
☐ | Definitive Additional Materials |
☐ | Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12 |
GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL GROUP, INC. |
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) |
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) |
☐ | No fee required |
☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials |
☒ | Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11 |
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Very truly yours, | |||
Paul Abbott Chief Executive Officer | |||
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1. | To consider and vote on a proposal to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 2, 2026 (as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Gaia Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Gaia Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation and as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (the “Merger”) (the “Merger Proposal”); |
2. | To consider and vote on a proposal to approve, on an advisory, non-binding basis, the specified compensation that will or may be paid or may become payable to the Company’s named executive officers in connection with the Merger (the “Advisory Compensation Proposal”); and |
3. | To consider and vote on a proposal to adjourn the Special Meeting to a later date or dates, from time to time, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies for the Merger Proposal if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to approve the Merger Proposal (the “Adjournment Proposal”). |
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By order of the Board of Directors, | |||
Eric J. Bock | |||
Chief Legal Officer, Global Head of M&A and Compliance and Corporate Secretary | |||
[•], 2026 | |||
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SUMMARY | 1 | ||
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING AND THE MERGER | 13 | ||
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | 20 | ||
THE PARTIES | 23 | ||
THE SPECIAL MEETING | 24 | ||
PROPOSAL 1: ADOPTION OF THE MERGER AGREEMENT | 30 | ||
PROPOSAL 2: APPROVAL OF THE ADVISORY COMPENSATION PROPOSAL | 31 | ||
PROPOSAL 3: ADJOURNMENT PROPOSAL | 32 | ||
THE MERGER | 33 | ||
THE MERGER AGREEMENT | 81 | ||
MARKET INFORMATION AND DIVIDENDS | 105 | ||
VOTING AGREEMENTS | 106 | ||
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT | 109 | ||
APPRAISAL RIGHTS | 111 | ||
HOUSEHOLDING | 118 | ||
FUTURE STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS | 119 | ||
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | 120 | ||
MISCELLANEOUS | 121 | ||
ANNEX A | MERGER AGREEMENT | ||
ANNEX B | OPINION OF ROTHSCHILD & CO US INC. | ||
ANNEX C | FORM OF VOTING AGREEMENT | ||
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• | the Company’s executive officers and directors hold equity-based awards that will be afforded the treatment described under the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger Agreement — Treatment of Company Equity Awards in the Merger”; |
• | the Company’s executive officers are eligible to receive severance payments and benefits under their respective employment agreements and severance agreements, as applicable, with the Company if they experience a qualifying termination of employment in connection with the closing of the Merger; |
• | certain of the Company’s executive officers are eligible to receive a retention award, as described in more detail in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Treatment of the Company’s Equity Awards — Retention Awards with the Company”; |
• | the Company’s directors and executive officers are entitled to continued indemnification and insurance coverage following the Merger under the Merger Agreement. See the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger Agreement — Indemnification of Directors and Officers and Insurance”; |
• | certain of the Company’s executive officers participate in the Company’s ESPP that will be afforded the treatment described under the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Treatment of the Company’s Equity Awards — Treatment of the Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan”; and |
• | as authorized by the Special Committee, QIA and Expedia, each of which have the right to nominate directors to serve on the Company Board, have had, and are expected to continue to have, discussions with Parent with respect to a potential rollover and/or new investment in the Parent and/or Gaia Purchaser Parent, LLC (“Holdco”) following the Closing. As of the date of the filing of this proxy statement, Parent and QIA are in advanced discussions with respect to a rollover of a portion of QIA’s equity in the Company that may result in QIA holding less than 10% of the Company’s stock with no board seats (one non-voting board observer seat) and standard minority economic protections commensurate with the level of such investment, which discussions may continue after the date of the filing of this proxy statement. As of the date of the filing of this proxy statement, Expedia has not reached any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to any such potential investment; however, preliminary conversations have assumed an equity stake and minority economic protections not greater than those offered to QIA. There can be no certainty that the potential rollovers and/or investments will occur, that the parties will reach any agreement, or when any such agreement may occur, and any potential agreement could be on more or less favorable terms, or in an amount that is greater or less, than those described above. |
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• | the Requisite Stockholder Approval (as defined herein) shall have been obtained; |
• | the waiting periods applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement under the HSR Act, shall have expired or otherwise been terminated, and the approvals, clearances or expirations of waiting periods under certain other antitrust laws, foreign investment laws and other applicable laws shall have occurred or been obtained (as applicable); |
• | no law, order, judgment, decree, injunction or ruling (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) of any governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have been enacted, entered or promulgated and be continuing in effect, in each case that prohibits, enjoins or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the Merger; and |
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• | the CSA Approval shall have been obtained in accordance with the Merger Agreement. |
• | subject to certain materiality and other qualifiers, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the other party; |
• | the other party having complied in all material respects with the covenants and agreements required to be performed and complied by such party under the Merger Agreement at or prior to the Closing; |
• | the receipt of a customary closing certificate executed on behalf of the respective party by an authorized officer of such party certifying certain conditions have been satisfied; and |
• | in the case of Parent’s and Merger Sub’s obligations, the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined herein). |
• | by mutual written agreement of the Company and Parent; |
• | if any order or judgment prohibiting the Merger has become final and non-appealable, or any law prohibiting the Merger has been enacted, entered or enforced; |
• | if the Effective Time has not occurred by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on November 2, 2026, subject to extension to February 2, 2027, if the requisite regulatory approvals are not previously obtained (as extended, if applicable, the “Termination Date”); |
• | if the Requisite Stockholder Approval (as defined herein) is not obtained at a meeting of the Company stockholders (or any adjournment or postponement thereof) at which a vote is taken on the Merger (i.e., through the approval of the Merger Proposal at the Special Meeting); and |
• | if the other party breaches its representations, warranties or covenants in a manner that would cause the conditions to the closing of the Transactions to not be satisfied and fails to cure such breach within the applicable cure period. |
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• | the Merger Proposal; |
• | a proposal to approve, on an advisory, non-binding basis, the specified compensation that will or may be paid or may become payable to the Company’s named executive officers in connection with the Merger (the “Advisory Compensation Proposal”); and |
• | a proposal to adjourn the Special Meeting to a later date or dates, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies for the Merger Proposal if there are insufficient votes at the time of the Special Meeting to approve the Merger Proposal (the “Adjournment Proposal”). |
Proposals | Required Vote | Effect of Broker Non-Votes | Effect of Abstentions | |||||||||
1. | Merger Proposal | Majority vote of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock entitled to vote | Against | Against | ||||||||
2. | Advisory Compensation Proposal | Majority of votes cast | None | None | ||||||||
3. | Adjournment Proposal | Majority of votes cast | None | None | ||||||||
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• | uncertainties associated with the proposed Merger, including the failure to receive the Requisite Stockholder Approval (including through the Special Meeting) or consummate the Merger in a timely manner or at all; |
• | the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement, including circumstances requiring us to pay a termination fee pursuant to the Merger Agreement; |
• | failure to satisfy the conditions precedent to consummate the Merger, including the adoption of the Merger Agreement by the affirmative vote (in person or by proxy) of the Company stockholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock (the “Requisite Stockholder Approval”) and obtaining required regulatory approvals; |
• | the risk that restrictions on the operation of our business during the pendency of the Merger may impact our ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions or undertake certain actions we might otherwise have taken; |
• | changes to projected financial information or our ability to achieve our anticipated growth rate and execute on industry opportunities; |
• | our ability to maintain our existing relationships with clients and suppliers and to compete with existing and new competitors; |
• | various conflicts of interest that could arise among us, affiliates and investors; |
• | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors; |
• | factors relating to our business, operations and financial performance, including market conditions and global and economic factors beyond our control; |
• | the impact of geopolitical conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, the conflicts in the Middle East, tensions between China and Taiwan and military operations in Venezuela, as well as related changes in base interest rates, inflation and significant market volatility on our business, the travel industry, travel trends and the global economy generally; |
• | the sufficiency of our cash, cash equivalents and investments to meet our liquidity needs; |
• | the effect of a prolonged or substantial decrease in global travel on the global travel industry; |
• | political, social and macroeconomic conditions (including the widespread adoption of teleconference and virtual meeting technologies which could reduce the number of in-person business meetings and demand for travel and our services); |
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• | the effect of legal, tax and regulatory changes; |
• | the impact of any future acquisitions including the integration of any acquisition; |
• | the decisions of market data providers, indices and individual investors; |
• | costs related to, or the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of our merger with CWT Holdings, LLC (“CWT”); |
• | risks related to the business of CWT or unexpected liabilities that arise in connection with the integration of CWT into our business, including our ability to apply our procedures regarding internal controls over financial reporting to CWT; |
• | the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company in connection with our merger with CWT or the proposed Merger; |
• | the ability to complete the proposed Merger on the anticipated terms and timing, or at all, including obtaining required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other conditions to the completion of the proposed Merger; |
• | the risk that disruptions from the proposed Merger (such as the ability of certain customers of the Company to terminate or amend contracts upon a change of control, or to withhold consent to such change of control) will harm the Company’s business, including current plans and operations, during the pendency, and following the completion of, the proposed Merger; |
• | the diversion of management’s time and attention from ordinary course business operations to completion of the proposed Merger; |
• | potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed Merger; |
• | contractual provisions that may impact the Company’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions during the pendency, and/or following the completion of, the proposed Merger; |
• | the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the proposed Merger, including in circumstances requiring the Company to pay a termination fee to Parent; |
• | our ability to service our debt obligations and to fund our operations and capital expenditures; |
• | the impact of our substantial indebtedness; |
• | the difficulty, cost, and time required to implement our strategy, and the fact that we may not realize the anticipated benefits therefrom fully or at all; |
• | regulations, consumer concerns and other challenges regarding privacy, digital services, data protection, cybersecurity, and the use of artificial intelligence; |
• | a breach of our information security measures; |
• | legislative or regulatory requirements; |
• | the impact of strategic transactions that we have pursued in the past and may, if we do not consummate the Merger, pursue in the future; |
• | third-party claims or actions against us or our suppliers; |
• | volatility of our stock price; |
• | the impacts on our stock price as a result of future sales of Company Common Stock if we remain a public company, or the perception thereof, and dilution resulting from additional capital raised through the sale of Company Common Stock or other equity-linked instruments; |
• | our ability to continue to comply with the applicable listing standards of the NYSE if the Merger is not consummated and we remain a public company; |
• | the restrictions contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness limiting our flexibility in operating our business; |
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• | the effect of credit ratings downgrades; |
• | continued scrutiny and changing expectations from government regulators, municipalities, investors, lenders, customers, activists, and other stakeholders; and |
• | other factors set forth in our SEC filings. |
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• | the Merger Proposal; |
• | the Advisory Compensation Proposal; and |
• | the Adjournment Proposal. |
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• | By Internet. If you have Internet access, you may submit your proxy by going to www.proxyvote.com and following the instructions on how to complete an electronic proxy card. You will need the control number included on your proxy card in order to authorize a proxy to vote by Internet. Internet voting is available until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on [•], 2026. |
• | By Telephone. If you have access to a touch-tone telephone, you may submit your proxy by calling the telephone number specified on your proxy card and by following the recorded instructions. You will need the control number included on your proxy card in order to authorize a proxy to vote by telephone. Telephone voting is available until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on [•], 2026. |
• | By Mail. You may authorize a proxy to vote by mail by requesting a proxy card from us, indicating your vote by completing, signing and dating the proxy card where indicated on the proxy card and by mailing or otherwise returning the proxy card in the envelope that will be provided to you therewith. You should sign your name exactly as it appears on the proxy card. If you are signing in a representative capacity (for example, as guardian, executor, trustee, custodian, attorney or officer of a corporation), please indicate your name and title or capacity. |
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• | Stockholders of record: If your shares of Company Common Stock were registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, in order to participate in the Special Meeting, you will need your 16-digit control number included on the proxy card previously distributed to you. If you are a holder of record, you may vote electronically during the Special Meeting by following the instructions available on www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GBTG2026SM. |
• | Stockholders holding shares in “street” name: If your shares of Company Common Stock are beneficially held in “street name” through a brokerage firm, bank, trust or other similar organization and you do not have a 16-digit control number, in order to participate in the Special Meeting, you must first obtain a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee reflecting the number of shares of Company Common Stock you held as of the record date, your name and email address. If you beneficially hold your Company Common Stock in “street name,” you must obtain the appropriate documents from your broker, bank, trustee, or nominee, giving you the right to vote the shares at the Special Meeting. |
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• | The fact that the Merger Consideration is all cash at $9.50 per share, which provides certainty of value and liquidity to the Company stockholders, while eliminating the effect of long-term business, market and execution risk to the Company stockholders as compared to continuing to operate the Company as a standalone public company. In assessing the certainty of value, the Special Committee considered that the Merger Consideration is not subject to market fluctuations or post-closing adjustments. |
• | The belief of the Special Committee, after a comprehensive review of the Company’s current and historical financial condition, results of operations, prospects, business strategy, competitive position and industry and regulatory considerations, including the potential impact of these factors on the trading price of Company Common Stock, that the Merger Consideration is more favorable to the Company stockholders than the potential value that might have resulted from other alternatives available to the Company, including remaining a standalone public company. In this regard, the Special Committee considered, among other things, the limited liquidity in the market for the Company Common Stock as a result of the highly concentrated stockholder base; that other potential transactions to help improve such limited liquidity, including one or more secondary offerings, even if acceptable to the Company’s largest stockholders, would have required significant resources of the Company and were not guaranteed to improve the limited liquidity; the sensitivity of corporate travel demand to macroeconomic conditions and geopolitical developments, including ongoing instability in the Middle East and elevated oil and jet fuel prices; the compression of software-as-a-service valuations in the public markets; the risk of competitive disruption from emerging technologies and new market entrants, including artificial intelligence; business plan execution risks and investment requirements associated with ongoing transformation initiatives, including the development, integration and deployment of technology and artificial intelligence enabled tools and the Company’s ability to successfully adopt emerging technologies; the Company’s historical and projected financial performance as set out in the Management Projections (as further discussed and set forth in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Certain Unaudited Prospective Financial Information”), including (a) challenges that may arise as a result of supplier concentration and (b) prospects for organic revenue growth and opportunities arising from the Company’s strategic alliances and potential cost savings from operational transformation and integration of CWT; and the Company’s leverage profile and related refinancing and deleveraging needs. |
• | The attractive value of the Merger Consideration relative to recent and historical trading prices for Company Common Stock, including that the Merger Consideration represents: (a) a premium of approximately 67.9% to the 3-month volume-weighted average price as of May 1, 2026; (b) a premium of approximately 65.1% to the 1-month volume-weighted average price as of May 1, 2026; (c) a premium of approximately 60.2% to the closing price of Company Common Stock of $5.93 on May 1, 2026, the last full trading day prior to the execution of the Merger Agreement; and (d) a premium of approximately 29.8% to the closing price of Company Common Stock of $7.32 on November 24, 2025, the last full trading day prior to Bloomberg’s publication reporting that the Company was exploring a potential sale (as further described in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Background of the Merger”). The Special Committee viewed these premiums as meaningful in light of the Company’s recent trading history, the Company’s limited public float and related overhang, the impact of published media reports on the trading price of Company Common Stock, broader valuation headwinds and the macroeconomic backdrop. |
• | The costs and burdens associated with being a public company and the demands on management’s attention and resources in the current operating environment. |
• | The thorough and deliberate process overseen by the Special Committee in evaluating the Merger and potential alternatives. At the direction of the Special Committee, the Company’s financial advisor contacted |
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• | The price discovery and negotiation dynamic with Parent that resulted in a final price of $9.50 per share, reflecting meaningful price improvement over the course of negotiations. Parent’s initial non-binding indication of interest, submitted on March 24, 2026, proposed a purchase price of $7.75 to $8.25 per share, which was subsequently increased ultimately to a final $9.50 per share in the non-binding indication of interest received by the Special Committee on April 30, 2026. The Special Committee considered that these improvements reflected constructive, arm’s-length negotiation on value and terms, including with respect to termination-related fees, interim operating covenants, regulatory-related provisions and timing considerations associated with Parent’s financing process. The Special Committee believed that the final price of $9.50 per share represented the highest price that Parent was willing to pay and the most favorable terms reasonably obtainable under the circumstances. |
• | The financing commitments and related features supporting closing certainty, including the fact that the Merger is not subject to a financing condition. Parent has obtained committed equity, preferred equity and debt financing to fund the Merger Consideration and other amounts payable at closing, and the Merger Agreement contains cooperation covenants to facilitate timely closing. The Special Committee further considered that Long Lake provided a limited guarantee in favor of the Company guaranteeing specified Parent payment obligations, including, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, the Parent Termination Fee and certain enforcement-related and reimbursement obligations, which the Special Committee viewed as enhancing the likelihood of closing. |
• | The terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, which were the product of extensive arm’s-length negotiations between the parties. In particular, the Special Committee considered that the Merger Agreement: (a) permits the Company Board (or the Special Committee) to change its recommendation or terminate the Merger Agreement to enter into a Superior Proposal, in each case subject to compliance with matching rights and other procedures and payment of the applicable termination fee of $200 million, which the Special Committee viewed as reasonable; (b) provides for a limited set of closing conditions that are customary for transactions of this type, including the receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval, specified regulatory clearances and security clearances from cognizant security agencies and (c) provides the Company with operating flexibility prior to closing subject to customary interim covenants. |
• | The financial analysis reviewed by Rothschild & Co with the Special Committee and the opinion of Rothschild & Co rendered to the Special Committee on May 1, 2026 that, as of such date and based upon and subject to the various qualifications, limitations and assumptions set forth therein, the Merger Consideration payable to the holders of shares of Company Common Stock in the Merger pursuant to the Merger Agreement, was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders. Such opinion is more fully described under the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Opinion of Rothschild & Co US Inc.” below. The full text of Rothschild & Co’s written opinion has been included as Annex B to this proxy statement and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. |
• | The likelihood and expected timing of obtaining required regulatory approvals and clearances in the United States and other jurisdictions, including expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other specified approvals, non-actions or expirations of waiting periods under applicable foreign investment and security laws, and the parties’ respective efforts covenants to obtain such approvals. |
• | The Merger Agreement permits the Company, under certain circumstances, to furnish information to and participate or engage in discussions or negotiations with any third party if such third party has made to the Company a bona fide, written Acquisition Proposal that did not result from a breach of the non-solicitation provisions of the Merger Agreement, and permits the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) to (a) effect a Company Board Recommendation Change (as defined herein) with respect to a Superior Proposal or (b) cause the Company to terminate the Merger Agreement in order to enter into an |
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• | The support for the transaction reflected in voting and support agreements entered into concurrently with signing by significant stockholders of the Company, including American Express International, Inc., BR Investors Juweel, L.P., EG Corporate Travel Holdings LLC and QIA Retail Holding, LLC, which together represented approximately 69% of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock as of April 30, 2026. Although such agreements are subject to their terms and do not by themselves assure stockholder approval of the Merger, the Special Committee viewed this support by the largest stockholders of the Company as favorable to transaction execution. |
• | The fact that the Merger is subject to the approval of the Company stockholders and that the Company stockholders who do not vote in favor of the adoption of the Merger Agreement and who follow certain prescribed procedures are entitled to dissent from the Merger and demand payment of the “fair value” of their Company Common Stock, as and to the extent provided by Section 262 of the DGCL. For more information, please see the section of this proxy statement titled “Appraisal Rights.” |
• | The expectation that, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions to closing, the Merger could be completed within a timeframe that the Special Committee considered reasonable in light of the regulatory and stockholder approval requirements, including the Merger Agreement’s outside date of November 2, 2026, subject to an automatic extension to February 2, 2027, under specified regulatory conditions. |
• | The Special Committee, since its formation on October 3, 2025, has consisted solely of independent and disinterested directors that are not affiliated with, and are independent of, any of the potential counterparties to a potential strategic transaction and were otherwise disinterested and independent with respect to a potential strategic transaction, other than as discussed in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Interests of the Company’s Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger.” |
• | The Special Committee was delegated the full power and authority of the Company Board to negotiate (or oversee the negotiation of) the Merger Agreement, determine the advisability of the transactions contemplated thereby and to reject the proposed transaction, to recommend to the Company Board what action should be taken with respect to the transactions and to select and engage its own independent legal and financial advisors for such purposes. |
• | The Company Board was not permitted to authorize, approve or proceed with a potential strategic transaction without the prior approval, or recommendation for approval, of the Special Committee. |
• | The numerous meetings held by the Special Committee (with its legal and financial advisors present) to discuss and evaluate, among other things, the process for exploring a potential strategic transaction and the proposals from Parent, and the Special Committee’s active oversight of the negotiation process. The Special Committee was actively engaged in this process on a regular basis and was provided with full access to the Company’s management team and its advisors in connection with the evaluation process. |
• | The Special Committee selected and engaged its own independent legal and financial advisors and received the advice of such advisors throughout its review, evaluation and negotiation of the Merger Agreement. |
• | The recognition by the Special Committee that it had no obligation to recommend to the Company Board the approval of the Merger or any other transaction and had the authority to reject any proposals made. |
• | The fact that the Company will no longer exist as an independent, publicly traded company that is listed on the NYSE and that the Company stockholders will not participate in any future earnings or potential growth |
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• | The potential diversion of management focus and resources from operational matters and other strategic opportunities while working to consummate the Merger and the potential negative effect of the pendency of the transaction on the Company’s business relationships, including with employees, customers, suppliers and partners, such as the possible loss of key personnel or counterparties delaying or deferring decisions during the pendency of the transaction. |
• | The restrictions placed on the conduct of the Company’s business prior to the closing pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, including restrictions that could adversely affect the Company’s ability to take advantage of business opportunities that may arise pending consummation of the Merger and that, absent the Merger Agreement, the Company might have pursued, even though the Merger Agreement permits the Company to operate in the ordinary course and includes certain customary exceptions and consent standards. For more information, please see the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger Agreement — Conduct of Business by the Company Prior to Consummation of the Merger.” |
• | The absence of a post-signing “go shop” period under the Merger Agreement and the resulting prohibition on soliciting other acquisition proposals following signing, subject to the ability to respond to unsolicited proposals that could reasonably be expected to lead to a Superior Proposal and, prior to stockholder adoption, to change the recommendation or terminate the Merger Agreement to accept a Superior Proposal upon payment of the applicable termination fee. |
• | The requirement, under certain circumstances specified in the Merger Agreement, that the Company pay Parent a Company Termination Fee of $200,000,000, including if the Merger Agreement is terminated to enter into a Superior Proposal, or following a recommendation change, or, in certain circumstances, if an alternative transaction is entered into or consummated within a specified period following termination, which fee could discourage competing bids. |
• | The risk that, if Parent fails to complete the Merger or otherwise breaches the Merger Agreement in certain circumstances, the Company’s monetary remedies may be limited to the $270,000,000 Parent Termination Fee payable by Parent, specified enforcement costs and certain reimbursement and indemnification obligations, which may be inadequate to compensate the Company for the damage caused, and the circumstances in which specific performance or other equitable relief would be available are limited by the terms of the Merger Agreement, including that the Company may not both obtain a grant of specific performance resulting in the Closing and receive the Parent Termination Fee and that the Company’s right to enforce specific performance of Parent’s obligation to consummate the Merger is conditioned upon, among other things, the Debt Financing having been funded or being available to be funded at the Closing. |
• | The risk that the Financing contemplated by the Equity Commitment Letters and Debt Commitment Letter will not be obtained, resulting in Parent and Merger Sub not having sufficient funds to complete the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. |
• | The fact that regulatory clearances, approvals and consents are (or may be) required to complete the Merger in the United States and in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions, which presents a risk that the closing may be delayed or that such clearances, approvals and consents may not be obtained at all, as well as the risk that mitigation or other remedies could be required that could adversely affect Parent’s or the Company’s business or delay closing. |
• | The risk that, even with financing commitments and the limited guarantee, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement could be delayed or fail to close due to financing or market disruptions or failure to satisfy conditions to funding, and that the Parent Termination Fee and related obligations may be the Company’s sole and exclusive monetary remedy in certain circumstances. |
• | The risk that the Merger may not be completed despite the parties’ efforts or that completion of the Merger may be delayed, even if the requisite approval is obtained from the Company stockholders, including the possibility that conditions to the parties’ obligations to complete the Merger may not be satisfied and the potential resulting disruptions to the Company’s business. |
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• | The potential for litigation or regulatory scrutiny in connection with the Merger and the risk that any such litigation or scrutiny could delay, prevent or otherwise adversely affect the consummation of the Merger or result in costs or burdens whether or not the Merger is completed. |
• | The significant costs involved in connection with entering into the Merger Agreement and completing the Merger, some of which are payable regardless of whether the Merger is completed, including the costs of financing cooperation, regulatory filings and integration planning. |
• | The other risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. |
• | The fact that an all-cash transaction would be taxable to the Company stockholders that are U.S. Holders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For more information, please see the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.” |
• | The fact that the Company’s directors and officers may have interests in the Merger that may be different from, or in addition to, those of the Company stockholders generally, as described in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Interests of the Company’s Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger.” |
• | The Special Committee’s analysis (as to both substantive and procedural aspects of the Merger), conclusions and unanimous (a) determination that the Merger Agreement, the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, are fair to, advisable and in the best interests of the Company and the Company stockholders, and (b) recommendation that the Company Board (i) approve and declare advisable the Merger Agreement, the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and (ii) recommend adoption of the Merger Agreement to the Company stockholders. |
• | The procedural fairness of the Merger, including that (a) it was negotiated by the Special Committee consisting solely of independent and disinterested directors that are not affiliated with, and are independent of, any of the potential counterparties to a potential strategic transaction and were otherwise disinterested and independent with respect to a potential strategic transaction, other than as discussed in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger — Interests of the Company’s Directors and Executive Officers in the Merger”; (b) the Special Committee was delegated the full power and authority of the Company Board to negotiate (or oversee the negotiation of) the Merger Agreement, determine the advisability of the transactions contemplated thereby and to reject the proposed transaction, to recommend to the Company Board what |
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• | The other material factors and countervailing factors considered by the Special Committee and listed above. |
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• | reviewed a draft of the Merger Agreement dated April 30, 2026; |
• | reviewed certain publicly available business and financial information that Rothschild & Co deemed to be generally relevant concerning the Company and the industry in which it operates, including certain publicly available research analyst reports and the reported price and historical trading activity for the Company Common Stock; |
• | compared the proposed financial terms of the Merger with the publicly available financial terms of certain transactions involving companies Rothschild & Co deemed generally relevant and the consideration received in such transactions; |
• | compared the financial and operating performance of the Company with publicly available information concerning certain other public companies Rothschild & Co deemed generally relevant, including data related to public market trading levels and implied trading multiples; |
• | reviewed certain internal financial and operating information with respect to the business, operations and prospects of the Company, including certain financial forecasts relating to the Company prepared by the management of the Company (the “Forecasts”); and |
• | performed such other financial studies and analyses and considered such other information as Rothschild & Co deemed appropriate for the purposes of its opinion. |
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• | Airbnb, Inc. |
• | Amadeus IT Group, S.A. |
• | Booking Holdings Inc. |
• | eDreams ODIGEO SA |
• | Expedia Group, Inc. |
• | Flight Centre Travel Group Limited |
• | Navan, Inc. |
• | Sabre Corporation |
• | Tripadvisor, Inc. |
Financial Metric | EV / CY 2026E Adj. EBITDA (less CapSW) | ||
25th percentile | 8.5x | ||
Mean | 10.5x | ||
Median | 10.4x | ||
75th percentile | 12.0x | ||
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Financial Metric | Selected Multiple Range | Implied Per Share Equity Value | Merger Consideration | ||||||
EV / 2026E Adj. EBITDA (less CapSW) | 9.0x – 12.0x | $6.25 – $9.00 | $9.50 | ||||||
Date Announced | Target | Acquiror | ||||
December 2024 | Despegar.com, Corp. | Prosus N.V. | ||||
March 2024 | CWT Holdings, LLC | Global Business Travel Group, Inc. | ||||
December 2021 | Helloworld Corporate (Helloworld Travel Limited) | Corporate Travel Management Limited | ||||
May 2021 | Egencia (Expedia Group, Inc.) | Global Business Travel Group, Inc | ||||
September 2020 | Travel & Transport, Inc. | Corporate Travel Management Limited | ||||
December 2018 | Travelport Worldwide Limited | Siris Capital Group, LLC / Evergreen Coast Capital Corp. | ||||
August 2018 | TravelClick | Amadeus IT Group, S.A. | ||||
February 2018 | Hogg Robinson Group plc | Global Business Travel Group, Inc. | ||||
August 2017 | JacTravel Group (Holdings) Ltd. | Webjet Limited | ||||
June 2017 | Etraveli Holding AB | CVC Capital Partners | ||||
April 2016 | Hotelbeds Group (TUI AG) | Cinven / Canada Pension Plan Investment Board | ||||
February 2015 | Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. | Expedia, Inc. | ||||
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Financial Metric | Selected Multiple Range | Implied Per Share Equity Value | Merger Consideration | ||||||
LTM Adj. EBITDA (less CapSW) | 10.0x – 12.0x | $6.00 - $7.50 | $9.50 | ||||||
Financial Metric | Selected Discount Rate Range | Implied Per Share Equity Value | Merger Consideration | ||||||
Unlevered Free Cash Flows | 11.0% - 13.0% | $6.50 - $10.00 | $9.50 | ||||||
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• | the premia paid in selected precedent transactions, involving public company targets announced between April 2021 and April 2026 with implied EVs between $2 billion and $10 billion, excluding target businesses in financial services, real estate, energy and power, noting that the 25th and 75th percentiles of premia paid in these selected transactions relative to the target company’s (a) closing price one day prior to announcement of the transaction ranged from 18.4% to 40.4%; and (b) closing price 30 days prior to announcement of the transaction ranged from 25.7% to 56.2%. When applied to the closing price of $5.86 per share of Company Common Stock on the last trading day prior to the delivery of Rothschild & Co’s opinion, the resulting range of implied prices, based on the 25th and 75th percentiles of premia paid relative to the closing price 30 days prior to announcement, and rounded to the nearest $0.25, was $7.25 to $9.25 per share, as compared to the Merger Consideration of $9.50 per share; |
• | based on information Rothschild & Co obtained from FactSet and from seven (7) Wall Street equity research reports, selected equity analyst per share target prices for Company Common Stock as of April 30, 2026 (excluding equity research reports published prior to the Company’s earnings release on March 9, 2026), noting that the range of these target prices was $6.50 to $11.40; and |
• | historical closing prices of Company Common Stock, noting, for reference purposes only, that the closing price of shares ranged from $4.97 to $8.34 per share in the 52-week period preceding April 30, 2026. |
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• | Anticipated incremental benefits from the strategic alliance announced with SAP Concur aligned to minimums set forth in the agreement without further risk adjustment; and |
• | Implementing projected impact from select M&A pipeline opportunities. |
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Fiscal Year Ending December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||
($ in millions) | 2026E | 2027E | 2028E | 2029E | 2030E | |||||||||||||
Total Revenue | $3,240 | $3,328 | $3,422 | $3,519 | $3,612 | |||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA(1) | $630 | $749 | $886 | $984 | $1,051 | |||||||||||||
Unlevered Free Cash Flow(2) | $132 | $291 | $421 | $531 | $595 | |||||||||||||
(1) | Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as net income (loss) before interest income, interest expense, gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt, benefit from (provision for) income taxes and depreciation and amortization and as further adjusted to exclude costs that management believes are non-core to the underlying business of the Company, consisting of restructuring, exit and related charges, integration costs, costs related to mergers and acquisitions, non-cash equity-based compensation and related employer taxes, long-term incentive plan costs, certain corporate costs, fair value movements on earnout derivative liabilities, gain (loss) on remeasurement of previously held equity investment, foreign currency gains (losses) and non-service components of net periodic pension benefit (cost). |
(2) | As set forth in these tables, unlevered free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as Adjusted EBIT, less taxes after utilization of available net operating losses (“NOLs”), plus depreciation and amortization, less cash used for additions to property and equipment, less pension expense and less changes in net working capital. |
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Fiscal Year Ending December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||
($ in millions) | 2026E | 2027E | 2028E | 2029E | 2030E | |||||||||||||
Total Revenue | $3,240 | $3,317 | $3,372 | $3,429 | $3,509 | |||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA(1) | $630 | $738 | $835 | $894 | $948 | |||||||||||||
Unlevered Free Cash Flow(2) | $133 | $284 | $383 | $462 | $516 | |||||||||||||
(1) | Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as net income (loss) before interest income, interest expense, gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt, benefit from (provision for) income taxes and depreciation and amortization and as further adjusted to exclude costs that management believes are non-core to the underlying business of the Company, consisting of restructuring, exit and related charges, integration costs, costs related to mergers and acquisitions, non-cash equity-based compensation and related employer taxes, long-term incentive plan costs, certain corporate costs, fair value movements on earnout derivative liabilities, gain (loss) on remeasurement of previously held equity investment, foreign currency gains (losses) and non-service components of net periodic pension benefit (cost). |
(2) | As set forth in these tables, unlevered free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as Adjusted EBIT, less taxes after utilization of available NOLs, plus depreciation and amortization, less cash used for additions to property and equipment, less pension expense and less changes in net working capital. |
Fiscal Year Ending December 31, | |||||||||||||||
($ in millions) | 2026E | 2027E | 2028E | 2029E | 2030E | ||||||||||
Total Revenue | $3,293 | $3,631 | $4,228 | $4,598 | $4,977 | ||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA(1) | $647 | $833 | $1,176 | $1,378 | $1,570 | ||||||||||
Unlevered Free Cash Flow(2) | $204 | $410 | $638 | $809 | $983 | ||||||||||
(1) | Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as net income (loss) before interest income, interest expense, gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt, benefit from (provision for) income taxes and depreciation and amortization and as further adjusted to exclude costs that management believes are non-core to the underlying business of the Company, consisting of restructuring, exit and related charges, integration costs, costs related to mergers and acquisitions, non-cash equity-based compensation and related employer taxes, long-term incentive plan costs, certain corporate costs, fair value movements on earnout derivative liabilities, gain (loss) on remeasurement of previously held equity investment, foreign currency gains (losses) and non-service components of net periodic pension benefit (cost). |
(2) | As set forth in these tables, unlevered free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as Adjusted EBIT, less taxes after utilization of available NOLs, plus depreciation and amortization, less cash used for additions to property and equipment, less pension expense and less changes in net working capital. |
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Name(1) | Position | ||
Paul Abbott* | Chief Executive Officer | ||
Karen Williams* | Chief Financial Officer | ||
Andrew Crawley* | President | ||
Eric J. Bock* | Chief Legal Officer, Global Head of Mergers & Acquisitions and Compliance and | ||
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Name(1) | Position | ||
Corporate Secretary | |||
John David Thompson* | EVP, Chief Technology Officer | ||
Patricia Anne Huska | Chief People Officer | ||
Evan Konwiser | Chief Product and Strategy Officer | ||
John Pelant | EVP, Traveler Experience and US Defense & Government | ||
(1) | On May 12, 2026, the Company announced that Mr. Thompson will cease to serve as the Company’s EVP, Chief Technology Officer, effective May 31, 2026. |
* | These individuals were each a “named executive officer” for purposes of the definitive proxy statement for the 2026 annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders, filed by the Company on April 2, 2026. |
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• | the relevant price per share of Company Common Stock is $9.50 per share, which is the Merger Consideration; |
• | the Effective Time is May 15, 2026, which is the assumed date of the effectiveness of the Merger solely for purposes of this disclosure; |
• | the executive officers are terminated without “cause” or resign for “good reason,” in either case, immediately following the assumed Effective Time of May 15, 2026; |
• | the directors’ service on the Company Board will be terminated immediately following the assumed Effective Time of May 15, 2026; |
• | the executive officer’s base salary rate and annual target bonus are those in effect as of May 15, 2026; |
• | outstanding Company PSUs, Company RSUs, and Company Option awards held by the Company’s executive officers and non-employee directors are as of May 15, 2026. Depending on when the Merger is completed, certain Company equity awards that are unvested as of May 15, 2026, and included in the tables below may vest or be forfeited pursuant to their terms, independent of the Merger; |
• | the number of Company PSUs included in each applicable table is based on the assumption that the applicable performance-based vesting requirements are achieved at target payout levels; |
• | each executive officer has properly executed any required releases and complied with all requirements necessary in order to receive the payments and benefits; and |
• | amounts for Messrs. Abbott and Crawley and Ms. Williams that are payable in British pound sterling have been converted for purposes of this disclosure at an annual average exchange rate equal to $1.35 per £1.00 (the average exchange rate for 2026) (rounded to the nearest cent). |
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Company RSUs | Company PSUs | Vested Company Options(3) | ||||||||||||||||
Name | Number (#) | Value ($) | Number (#) | Value ($) | Number (#) | Value ($) | ||||||||||||
Named Executive Officers | ||||||||||||||||||
Paul Abbott | 1,652,585 | 15,699,558 | 695,758 | 6,609,701 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Karen Williams | 510,959 | 4,854,111 | 198,787 | 1,888,477 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Andrew Crawley | 699,176 | 6,642,172 | 298,182 | 2,832,729 | — | — | ||||||||||||
Eric J. Bock | 699,176 | 6,642,172 | 298,182 | 2,832,729 | — | — | ||||||||||||
John David Thompson | 402,862 | 3,827,189 | 173,939 | 1,652,421 | 964,248 | 2,564,900 | ||||||||||||
3 Other Executive Officers(1) | 829,393 | 7,879,235 | 368,525 | 3,500,988 | — | — | ||||||||||||
8 Non-Employee Directors(2) | 187,432 | 1,780,604 | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
(1) | Includes Ms. Huska and Messrs. Konwiser and Pelant. |
(2) | Includes M. Gregory O’Hara, Faisal Bin Saoud Al-Thani, Ugo Arzani, James Bush, Alexander Drummond, Raymond Donald Joabar, Susan Ward, and Kathleen Winters. Messrs. Eric Hart and Itai Wallach and former director Mohammed Saif S.S. Al-Sowaidi, who stepped down and was replaced by Mr. Ugo Arzani, effective February 27, 2025, do not have any Company equity awards outstanding. |
(3) | For any Company Option with an exercise price equal to or exceeding the Merger Consideration that is being canceled without any cash payment or other consideration, the number of shares underlying such Company Option is not reflected in the table above and the value of such Company Option reflected in the table above is $0. There are no unvested Company Options held by executive officers or directors. |
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Name | Base Salary Severance ($) | Bonus Severance ($)(2) | Health Benefits ($) | Total ($) | ||||||||
Named Executive Officers | ||||||||||||
Paul Abbott | 2,700,000 | 6,398,630 | 84,072 | 9,182,702 | ||||||||
Karen Williams | 1,328,400 | 1,574,064 | 19,836 | 2,922,300 | ||||||||
Andrew Crawley | 1,755,000 | 2,079,555 | 19,836 | 3,854,391 | ||||||||
Eric J. Bock | 1,300,000 | 1,540,411 | 43,647 | 2,884,058 | ||||||||
John David Thompson(1) | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
3 Other Executive Officers(3) | 3,124,000 | 2,251,370 | 87,294 | 5,462,664 | ||||||||
(1) | Mr. Thompson’s severance has been omitted from the table because his employment with the Company will terminate on May 31, 2026, prior to the closing of the Merger, and he is not eligible for CIC Severance Benefits. Under the terms of his Executive Release of Claims, Mr. Thompson is eligible to receive the following Non-CIC Severance Benefits: cash severance payments of $1,448,219 (assuming his pro rata annual bonus is pro-rated through his termination date of May 31, 2026) and health benefits with a value of $20,223. |
(2) | Represents an amount equal to the target annual bonus plus a pro rata annual bonus (assuming target performance). |
(3) | Includes Ms. Huska and Messrs. Konwiser and Pelant. |
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Name | Cash ($)(1) | Equity ($)(2) | Perquisites/ benefits ($)(3) | Total ($) | ||||||||
Paul Abbott | 9,098,630 | 22,309,259 | 84,072 | 31,491,961 | ||||||||
Karen Williams | 2,902,464 | 6,742,588 | 19,836 | 9,664,888 | ||||||||
Andrew Crawley | 3,834,555 | 9,474,901 | 19,836 | 13,329,292 | ||||||||
Eric J. Bock | 6,640,411 | 9,474,901 | 43,647 | 16,158,959 | ||||||||
John David Thompson | — | 8,044,510 | — | 8,044,510 | ||||||||
(1) | The amounts shown for each named executive officer in this column are “double-trigger” payments (i.e., they are conditioned upon both the consummation of the merger and the involuntary termination of the executive’s employment by the Company following a change in control of the Company). The amount shown for each named executive officer besides John David Thompson consists of: (a) continued base salary for one year; (b) an amount equal to the target annual bonus for the year of termination; (c) (i) a pro-rated annual bonus for the year of termination based on actual performance for Messrs. Abbott and Bock and Ms. Williams (which is assumed to be payable at target) and (ii) based on target performance for Mr. Crawley; and (d) an additional amount equal to the sum of one times’ base salary plus the target annual bonus, payable in a lump sum. Mr. Thompson’s cash severance has been omitted from the table because his employment with the Company will terminate on May 31, 2026, prior to the closing of the Merger and is not eligible for CIC Severance Benefits. Under the terms of his Executive Release of Claims, Mr. Thompson is eligible to receive cash severance payments of $1,448,219 (assuming his pro-rata annual bonus is pro rated through his termination date of May 31, 2026). |
Name | Base Salary Severance ($) | Bonus Severance ($) | Retention Award ($) | Total ($) | ||||||||
Paul Abbott | 2,700,000 | 6,398,630 | — | 9,098,630 | ||||||||
Karen Williams | 1,328,400 | 1,574,064 | — | 2,902,464 | ||||||||
Andrew Crawley | 1,755,000 | 2,079,555 | — | 3,834,555 | ||||||||
Eric J. Bock | 1,300,000 | 1,540,411 | 3,800,000 | 6,640,411 | ||||||||
John David Thompson | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
(2) | The amounts shown for each named executive officer in this column are “single -trigger” payments (i.e., they will be paid automatically upon the consummation of a change in control of the Company). As described in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger Agreement — Treatment of Company Equity Awards in the Merger,” all In-the-Money Company Options that are outstanding will be converted into the right to receive in cash the product of (a) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such In-the-Money Company Option as of immediately prior to the Effective Time and (b) the excess of the per share price of $9.50 over the exercise price per share of such In-the-Money Company Option; Company RSUs will be converted into the right to receive payment in cash equal to the product of (a) the per share price of $9.50 and (b) the total number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company RSU as of immediately prior to the Effective Time and Company PSUs will be converted into the right to receive payment in cash equal to the product of (a) the per share price of $9.50 and (b) the greater of (i) the target number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company PSU as of immediately prior to the Effective Time and (ii) the number of shares of Company Common Stock to be earned based on actual achievement of the performance criteria set forth in the applicable award agreement as of immediately prior to the Effective Time. The number of Company PSUs shown in this column is based on the assumption that the applicable performance-based vesting requirements are achieved at target payout levels. Pursuant to Mr. Thompson’s Executive Release of Claims, Mr. Thompson’s outstanding Company RSUs and Company PSUs will remain outstanding and be treated as if he remained employed through and terminated his employment effective as of November 30, 2026 (or such later date as may be mutually agreed by the Company and Mr. Thompson), and his Company Options will be treated in accordance with the terms of such plans, except that the Company Options granted to Mr. Thompson on or prior to December 2, 2021, will remain outstanding and exercisable through the later of (a) the last day of the post-termination exercise period applicable to such Company Option in connection with a termination without cause (as set forth in such plans) or (b) November 30, 2026 (or such later date as may be mutually agreed by the Company and Mr. Thompson), unless earlier settled or forfeited in accordance with their terms. Amounts shown in this column for Mr. Thompson assume that the closing of the Merger will occur on or prior to November 30, 2026, and, accordingly, he will receive payment for all of his outstanding In-the-Money Company Options, Company RSUs and Company PSUs at the closing of the Merger. For any Company Option with an exercise price equal to or exceeding the Merger Consideration that are being canceled without any cash payment or other consideration, the number of shares underlying such Company Option is not reflected in the table above and the value of such Company Option reflected in the table above is $0. |
Name | Company Options (#) | Company Options ($) | Company RSUs (#) | Company RSUs ($) | Company PSUs (#) | Company PSUs ($) | Total ($) | ||||||||||||||
Paul Abbott | — | — | 1,652,585 | 15,699,558 | 695,758 | 6,609,701 | 22,309,259 | ||||||||||||||
Karen Williams | — | — | 510,959 | 4,854,111 | 198,787 | 1,888,477 | 6,742,588 | ||||||||||||||
Andrew Crawley | — | — | 699,176 | 6,642,172 | 298,182 | 2,832,729 | 9,474,901 | ||||||||||||||
Eric J. Bock | — | — | 699,176 | 6,642,172 | 298,182 | 2,832,729 | 9,474,901 | ||||||||||||||
John David Thompson | 964,248 | 2,564,900 | 402,862 | 3,827,189 | 173,939 | 1,652,421 | 8,044,510 | ||||||||||||||
(3) | The amounts shown for each named executive officer in this column are “double-trigger” payments. The amounts shown in this column represent the monthly health care premium in effect as of the date of this proxy statement for the level of coverage in which the applicable |
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• | banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions; |
• | brokers or dealers in securities; |
• | traders in securities who elect to apply a mark-to-market method of accounting; |
• | regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts and mutual funds; |
• | tax-exempt entities or governmental organizations; |
• | holders who hold their shares of Company Common Stock as part of a “straddle,” hedge, constructive sale, or other integrated transaction or conversion transaction or similar transactions; |
• | holders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
• | partnerships, other entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, “S corporations,” any other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes (or investors in such entities), passive foreign investment companies and controlled foreign corporations; |
• | persons subject to any alternative minimum tax; |
• | U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States; |
• | persons subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to Company Common Stock being taken into account in an “applicable financial statement” as defined in Section 451(b) of the Code; |
• | holders that own or have owned (directly, indirectly or constructively) 5% or more of Company Common Stock (by vote or value); and |
• | holders that received their shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options, through a tax-qualified retirement plan or otherwise as compensation. |
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• | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
• | a corporation, or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
• | an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
• | a trust that (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more “United States persons” (as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or (b) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person. |
(i) | The gain is effectively connected with a trade or business of such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by such Non-U.S. Holder in the United States), in which case such gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax at rates generally applicable to a United States person, and, if the Non-U.S. Holder is a corporation, such gain may also be subject to the branch profits tax at a rate of thirty percent (30%) (or a lower rate under an applicable tax treaty). |
(ii) | Such Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or more in the taxable year of the Merger, and certain other conditions are met, in which case gain will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a rate of thirty percent (30%) (or a lower rate under an applicable tax treaty), net of certain U.S. source losses from sales or exchanges of other capital assets, provided the Non-U.S. Holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses; or |
(iii) | Under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (“FIRPTA”), the Company is or has been a “United States real property holding corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes and certain other conditions for taxation under FIRPTA are satisfied. We do not believe that the Company is or has been a “United States real property holding corporation.” |
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• | due organization, valid existence, good standing and authority and qualification to conduct business with respect to the Company and each of its subsidiaries; |
• | the Company’s corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Merger Agreement and the enforceability of the Merger Agreement; |
• | the necessary approval of the Company Board upon recommendation of the Special Committee, receipt of a fairness opinion from Rothschild & Co and the inapplicability of certain anti-takeover statutes or regulations to the transactions; |
• | the requisite approval of the Company stockholders to adopt the Merger Agreement; |
• | the absence of conflicts with laws, organizational documents and material contracts of the Company and its subsidiaries; |
• | required consents, approvals and regulatory filings to be made in connection with the Merger Agreement and performance of the Company’s obligations thereunder; |
• | the capital structure and rights of securityholders of each of the Company and its subsidiaries; |
• | the Company’s filings made with the SEC; |
• | compliance with SEC rules regarding filings and financial statements; |
• | disclosure controls and procedures; |
• | internal accounting controls and procedures; |
• | the absence of specified undisclosed liabilities; |
• | the conduct of the Company and its subsidiaries of their business in the ordinary course of business since December 31, 2025, and the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined herein) since such date; |
• | the existence and enforceability of specified categories of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ material contracts, any notices with respect to termination, and the performance by the Company and its subsidiaries in all material respects of their respective obligations under such material contracts; |
• | real property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries; |
• | international trade matters; |
• | environmental matters; |
• | intellectual property matters; |
• | data protection and cybersecurity matters; |
• | tax matters; |
• | employee benefit plans; |
• | labor matters; |
• | compliance with laws; |
• | the absence of pending and threatened litigation and orders; |
• | insurance matters; |
• | anti-corruption compliance; |
• | government contracts matters; |
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• | the absence of any investment banker, broker, finder or other financial intermediary, other than Rothschild & Co, that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries who will be entitled to any fee or commission from the Company or any of its subsidiaries in connection with the transactions; |
• | accuracy of information provided in this proxy statement; and |
• | the exclusivity and terms of the representations and warranties made by the Company, Parent and Merger Sub. |
• | due organization, valid existence, good standing and authority and qualification to conduct business with respect to Parent and Merger Sub; |
• | Parent’s and Merger Sub’s corporate power and authority to enter into and perform their respective obligations under the Merger Agreement and the enforceability of the Merger Agreement; |
• | the necessary approval of the board of directors or similar governing body of each of Parent and Merger Sub; |
• | the absence of conflicts with laws, organizational documents and material contracts of Parent and Merger Sub; |
• | required consents, approvals and regulatory filings in connection with the Merger Agreement and the performance by Parent and Merger Sub of their respective obligations thereunder; |
• | (a) the absence of any foreign person affiliated with Parent as of the date of the Merger Agreement that would obtain (a) “control” (as defined in the Defense Production Act (“DPA”)) of the Company; (b) the absence of certain membership and governance rights with respect to the Company or the surviving corporation; and (c) other DPA matters; |
• | the absence of pending and threatened litigation and orders; |
• | no ownership of Company Common Stock; |
• | the absence of certain arrangements between Parent and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Company stockholders (other than the persons executing the Voting Agreements), on the other hand; |
• | the absence of any investment banker, broker, finder or other financial intermediary that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of Parent or any of its subsidiaries who will be entitled to any fee or commission from the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement; |
• | operations of Parent and Merger Sub; |
• | the absence of a requirement for a vote or approval of the stockholders of Parent; |
• | delivery and enforceability of the Guarantee; |
• | delivery and enforceability of each of the Equity Commitment Letter, KED Commitment Letter and Debt Commitment Letter (as well as any ancillary agreements related thereto); |
• | solvency of the surviving corporation and its subsidiaries; |
• | accuracy of information provided in this proxy statement; and |
• | the exclusivity and terms of the representations and warranties made by the Company, Parent and Merger Sub. |
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(i) | any general economic conditions, or conditions in the global, international or regional economy generally, including changes in inflation, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages; |
(ii) | any conditions in the equity, credit, debt, financial, currency or capital markets, including (a) changes in interest rates or credit ratings; (b) changes in exchange rates for the currencies of any country; or (c) any suspension of trading in securities (whether equity, debt, derivative or hybrid securities) generally on any securities exchange or over-the-counter market; |
(iii) | any conditions in the industries in which the Company or its subsidiaries conduct business or in any jurisdiction or geographical area in which the Company or its subsidiaries conduct business, or changes therein; |
(iv) | any political or geopolitical conditions, outbreak of hostilities, armed conflicts, acts of war (whether or not declared), rebellion, insurrection, sabotage, cyberattack, cyberterrorism, data breaches, terrorism or military actions, including any escalation or worsening of, or any law or sanction, mandate, directive, pronouncement, guideline or recommendation issued by a governmental authority or any cybersecurity measure adopted, in each case, in response to, the foregoing or any threats thereof, whether in the United States or any other country or region in the world; |
(v) | earthquakes, volcanic activity, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, mudslides, wild fires, nuclear incidents, foreign or domestic social protest or social unrest (whether or not violent) or other natural or man-made disasters, weather conditions, power outages or electrical black-outs, and other force majeure events, including any escalation or worsening of, or any law or sanction, mandate, directive, pronouncement, guideline or recommendation issued by a governmental authority in response to, any of the foregoing, in each case, in the United States or any other country or region in the world or any actual or potential sequester, stoppage, shutdown, default or similar event or occurrence of any governmental authority, including any shutdown or furlough of the U.S. federal government or its employees or any impact associated with the U.S. federal government’s “debt ceiling”; |
(vi) | the negotiation, execution or delivery of the Merger Agreement or the permitted announcement of the Merger Agreement, including the impact thereof on the relationships, contractual or otherwise, of the Company and its subsidiaries with customers, suppliers, vendors, lenders, lessors, business or joint venture partners, employees (including any employee attrition), regulators, governmental authorities or any other third person (other than for purposes of specified representations and warranties contained in the Merger Agreement, to the extent that such representation or warranty expressly addresses consequences resulting from the negotiation, execution or delivery of the Merger Agreement or the permitted announcement of the Merger Agreement and the related conditions to Closing), or the identity of, Guarantors, Parent, Merger Sub or the respective affiliates of the foregoing, with respect to the Company or its business; |
(vii) | the compliance by any party with the terms of the Merger Agreement, including any action taken or refrained from being taken pursuant to or in accordance with the Merger Agreement (other than compliance with the actions or omissions required to be taken by the Company and its subsidiaries pursuant to the Merger Agreement); |
(viii) | any action which is taken or not taken at the written request of Parent after May 2, 2026; |
(ix) | any changes or proposed changes in GAAP or other accounting standards, or in any applicable laws (or the enforcement or interpretation of any of the foregoing) or in any regulatory or legislative conditions, including the adoption, implementation, repeal or modification of any law, regulation or policy (or the enforcement or interpretation thereof) by any governmental authority, or any panel or advisory body empowered or appointed thereby; |
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(x) | any epidemics, pandemics, plagues, other outbreaks of illness or public health events (including quarantine restrictions mandated or recommended by any governmental authority in response to any of the foregoing), including any escalation or worsening of any of the foregoing, in each case, in the United States or any other country or region in the world; |
(xi) | any anti-dumping actions, international tariffs, sanctions, trade policies or disputes or any “trade war” or similar actions in the United States or any other country or region in the world; |
(xii) | any changes in the price or trading volume of the Company Common Stock or other equity securities to the Company’s credit ratings (it being understood that the underlying cause of such change may, in and of itself, be taken into consideration when determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred to the extent not otherwise excluded hereunder); |
(xiii) | any failure by the Company and its subsidiaries to meet (a) any internal or public estimates or expectations of the Company’s revenue, earnings or other financial performance or results of operations for any period or (b) any budgets, plans, projections or forecasts of its revenues, earnings or other financial performance or results of operations (it being understood that the underlying cause of any such failure may, in and of itself, be taken into consideration when determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred to the extent not otherwise excluded hereunder); |
(xiv) | the availability or cost of equity, debt or other financing to Parent or Merger Sub or their respective affiliates; and |
(xv) | any transaction litigation or any demand or legal proceeding for appraisal of the fair value of any shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the DGCL in connection herewith; |
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• | amend or otherwise modify the organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (except, in the case of the Company’s subsidiary organizational documents, amendments that would not reasonably be expected to adversely affect Parent); |
• | propose or adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, conversion, division, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization (other than any recapitalization, conversion, or other restructuring of intercompany indebtedness in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice); |
• | issue, sell, deliver or agree or commit to issue, sell or deliver any Company securities, except (a) in accordance with the terms of any employment agreements or any award agreements under the Company Stock Plans (as defined in the Merger Agreement) or otherwise, with respect to, and upon the vesting, exercise or settlement of, Company Options, Company RSUs or Company PSUs, in each case, outstanding on the date of the Merger Agreement or (b) as contemplated by the Merger Agreement; |
• | (a) agree to any matter with any trustee of either UK DB Plan (as defined in the Merger Agreement) in relation to the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement or which is otherwise material to the funding of either UK DB Plan; (b) materially amend the governing terms of either UK DB Plan; (c) materially increase the rate of employer contributions payable to either UK DB Plan or otherwise put in place any additional material cash funding or other financial support (including any guarantee or other security) for either UK DB Plan; (d) reduce, terminate or withdraw any existing guarantee, security or other financial support which is in place for either UK DB Plan as at the date of the Merger Agreement; or (e) trigger or consent to the triggering of any debt under section 75 or section 75A of the UK Pensions Act 1995 to either UK DB Plan; provided that nothing will prevent the Company or any of its subsidiaries from initiating, conducting or progressing discussions or negotiations with any trustee of either UK DB Plan in connection with any triennial actuarial valuation of such UK DB Plan, or any other matter regarding either UK DB Plan (so long as such other matter is not material to the funding of, or the financial support for, either UK DB Plan); provided that the Company will not agree, finalize or otherwise commit to the terms of any triennial actuarial valuation (including any schedule of contributions and/or recovery plan) without the prior written approval of Parent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) and Company shall also provide reasonable updates and reasonable information to Parent at the time of (or promptly following) any material developments or matters which occur in respect of any such discussions or negotiations with the trustees of any UK DB Plan; |
• | except for transactions solely among the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries or solely among the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company, adjust, reclassify, split, combine, subdivide or redeem, repurchase, purchase or otherwise acquire or amend the terms of, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock or other equity or voting interest, other than (a) the acquisitions of shares of Company Common Stock in connection with the surrender of shares of Company Common Stock by holders of Company Options to pay the exercise price of such Company Options; (b) the withholding of shares of Company Common Stock to satisfy tax obligations incurred in connection with the exercise of Company Options or the vesting and settlement of Company RSUs or Company PSUs; (c) the acquisition by the Company of Company Options, Company RSUs or Company PSUs (and the shares underlying such awards) in connection with the forfeiture of such awards, in each case, in accordance with their respective terms; or (d) repurchases pursuant to the Company’s publicly disclosed share repurchase program in amounts not exceeding (i) the amounts authorized by the Company Board as of the date of the Merger Agreement or (ii) the Merger Consideration; |
• | (a) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, shares or property or any combination thereof) in respect of any shares of capital stock or other equity or voting interest, except for cash dividends or other distributions made by any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company to the Company or one of its other subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (b) pledge or encumber any shares of its capital stock or other equity or voting interests or securities (other than liens pursuant to any Company indebtedness); or (c) modify the terms of any shares of its capital stock or other equity or voting interests; |
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• | incur, assume, endorse, modify the terms of, refinance, guarantee, or otherwise become liable for any indebtedness for borrowed money, except (a) borrowings in the ordinary course of business under the Company Credit Agreement as in effect on the date hereof; (b) guarantees or credit support provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of the obligations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries to the extent such indebtedness is in existence on the date of the Merger Agreement or incurred in compliance with the Merger Agreement; (c) letters, of credit, guarantees, performance bonds, surety bonds and similar items entered into in the ordinary course of business; (d) any indebtedness among the Company and its subsidiaries or among the Company’s subsidiaries; or (e) other indebtedness for borrowed money up to $10,000,000 in the aggregate; |
• | mortgage, pledge or otherwise encumber any material assets, tangible or intangible, or create any lien thereon, except for permitted liens; |
• | (a) hire, promote, or terminate (other than for cause or death) any employee or individual independent consultant who is or would be at the compensation grade level of E3 or above; provided that with respect to any employee or individual independent consultant who is or would be receiving annual base salary or annualized wages in excess of $250,000, such hire, promotion or termination (other than for cause or death) shall be made in consultation with Parent; (b) enter into, adopt, amend or modify in any material respect (including accelerating the vesting), or terminate any material employee plan; or (c) materially increase the compensation of any director, officer, employee or individual independent consultant, except, in the case of each of clauses (b) and (c), (i) to the extent required by applicable law or pursuant to any employee plan in effect on the date of the Merger Agreement (or as amended in accordance with the Merger Agreement) or (ii) in conjunction with annual renewals or plan design changes for the employee plans that are made in the ordinary course of business, where such annual renewals or plan design changes will not result in a material increase to costs or liabilities of the Company or Parent; |
• | settle any legal proceeding for an amount in excess of $5,000,000 individually or $15,000,000 in the aggregate other than (a) any settlement where the amount paid or to be paid by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in excess of the amounts set forth above is covered entirely by insurance coverage maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (b) any settlement of transaction litigation in compliance with the Merger Agreement; provided that any such settlements do not impose material restrictions on the business activities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; |
• | change the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ methods, principles or practices of financial accounting, except as required by GAAP, Regulation S-X of the Exchange Act (or any interpretation thereof), or by any governmental authority or applicable law; |
• | except as required by law, (a) make, change or revoke any material tax election; (b) adopt, change or revoke any material accounting period or method with respect to taxes; (c) file any amended material tax return; (d) enter into any closing agreement with respect to a material amount of taxes; or (e) settle or compromise any proceeding with respect to any material tax claim or assessment in an amount greater than $1,000,000; |
• | (a) voluntarily recognize any labor union, works council, or similar employee representative body as the bargaining unit representative of any employees of the Company or any subsidiary or (b) enter into or make any material amendments to any Collective Bargaining Agreement (as defined in the Merger Agreement) or other contract with a labor union, works council, or other similar employee representative body that would (i) materially increase aggregate costs to the Company or any subsidiary; (ii) materially increase the scope or duration of the Company’s or any subsidiary’s obligations; or (iii) impose any material restrictions or other limitations on the conduct or operation of the business; |
• | incur or commit to incur any capital expenditures (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include any capitalized expenses for internal use software) other than in amounts not to exceed 110% of the Company’s capital budget; |
• | take certain actions with respect to certain contracts with certain of the Company’s customers, suppliers and vendors; |
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• | sell, dispose of or acquire any division, assets, properties, businesses or equity securities in any person (including by merger, consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets), other than (a) such transactions solely between or among the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries; (b) assets in the ordinary course of business; or (c) that do not exceed $25,000,000 in aggregate consideration; |
• | sell, assign, consensually encumber (other than with respect to permitted liens), transfer, license, abandon, place in the public domain, permit to lapse or otherwise dispose of any intellectual property owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for (a) non-exclusive licenses granted in the ordinary course of business or the lapse or expiration of the registered intellectual property owned by the Company or its subsidiaries at the end of its statutory term or (b) liens pursuant to the Company Credit Agreement; or |
• | agree, resolve or commit to take any of the foregoing prohibited actions. |
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• | solicit, initiate, propose or knowingly induce the making, submission or announcement of, or knowingly encourage, facilitate or assist, any proposal or offer that constitutes or is reasonably expected to lead to, an Acquisition Proposal; |
• | furnish to any third party any non-public information relating to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or afford to any third-party access to the business, properties, assets, books, records or personnel, of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, in any such case to the extent related to the making, submission or announcement of, or to knowingly encourage or knowingly facilitate, an Acquisition Proposal; |
• | participate or engage in any discussions or negotiations with any third party with respect to an Acquisition Proposal, in each case, other than informing such third party of the existence of the terms of the Merger Agreement; |
• | enter into any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, merger agreement, acquisition agreement or other contract relating to an Acquisition Transaction (as defined herein), other than an acceptable confidentiality agreement (or “clean-team” agreement in connection therewith) (any such letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, merger agreement, acquisition agreement or other contract relating to an Acquisition Transaction, an “Alternative Acquisition Agreement”); or |
• | resolve or agree to do any of the foregoing. |
• | “Acquisition Proposal” means any offer or proposal or indication of interest (other than an offer or proposal by Parent or Merger Sub) to engage in an Acquisition Transaction (as defined herein). |
• | “Acquisition Transaction” means any single transaction or series of related transactions (other than the Merger) involving: (a) any direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition by any person or group, whether from the Company or any other person(s), of shares of Company Common Stock or securities of the Company representing more than 20% of the Company Common Stock or aggregate voting power of equity securities of the Company after giving effect to the consummation of such purchase or other acquisition, including |
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• | “Superior Proposal” means any bona fide written Acquisition Proposal made by any person or group (other than Parent, Merger Sub or their respective affiliates) for an Acquisition Transaction on terms that the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) has determined in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisors and outside legal counsel), (a) is reasonably capable of being consummated in accordance with its terms and (b) if consummated, would result in a transaction more favorable to the Company stockholders (solely in their capacities as such) from a financial point of view than the Merger (taking into account any aspects of such proposal that the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) considers relevant). For purposes of the reference to an “Acquisition Proposal” in this definition, all references to “20%” in the definition of “Acquisition Transaction” shall be deemed to be references to “50%” which, in each case, for the avoidance of doubt shall include any shares of Company Common Stock to be retained, rolled over or contributed (directly or indirectly) by any Company stockholder. |
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• | provide Parent with prompt notice of all transaction litigation and keep Parent reasonably informed with respect to the status thereof. The Company also agreed to provide Parent with the opportunity to participate in (but not control) the defense, settlement or prosecution of any transaction litigation; and to consult with Parent with respect to the defense, settlement and prosecution of any transaction litigation. The Company agreed to not make any commitments with respect to, or otherwise compromise or settle or agree to compromise or settle any transaction litigation unless Parent has consented thereto in writing (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) and to consult with Parent in good faith with respect to any comments that Parent provides related to any supplemental disclosure in connection with transaction litigation; |
• | cooperate with Parent and use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions and do, or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable on its part under applicable laws and the rules and regulations of the NYSE to cause the delisting of the Company Common Stock from the NYSE as promptly as practicable after the Effective Time and the deregistration of the Company Common Stock under the Exchange Act as promptly as practicable after such delisting; |
• | take all such actions as may be reasonably necessary or advisable to cause any dispositions of equity securities of the Company (including derivative securities) in connection with the Merger by each individual who is a director or executive officer of the Company, to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act; and |
• | as promptly as reasonably practicable after the date of the Merger Agreement, prepare and file with the SEC a preliminary proxy statement and to use its reasonable best efforts to disseminate the preliminary proxy statement to the Company stockholders as promptly as reasonably practicable following the filing thereof with the SEC and confirmation from the SEC that it will not review, or that it has completed its review of, the preliminary proxy statement, which confirmation will be deemed to have occurred if the SEC has not affirmatively notified the Company by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the tenth calendar day following such filing with the SEC that the SEC will be reviewing the preliminary proxy statement. |
• | the Requisite Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained; |
• | the waiting periods applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement under the HSR Act shall have expired or otherwise been terminated, and the approvals, clearances or expirations of waiting periods under certain other antitrust laws, foreign investment laws and other applicable laws shall have occurred or been obtained (as applicable); |
• | no law, order, judgment, decree, injunction or ruling (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) of any governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have been enacted, entered or promulgated and be continuing in effect, in each case that prohibits, enjoins or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the Merger; and |
• | the CSA Approval shall have been obtained. |
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• | certain fundamental representations and warranties of the Company (relating to organization, good standing, approval of the Special Committee and the Company Board, certain matters related to the securities of the Company’s subsidiaries and brokers) being true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a specific date, in which case such representation and warranty being true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date); |
• | the representations and warranties of the Company relating to the capitalization of the Company being true and correct in all respects, except for de minimis inaccuracies, as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a specific date, in which case such representation and warranty being true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date); |
• | the representations and warranties of the Company relating to the absence of a Company Material Adverse Effect being true and correct in all respects as of the Closing Date; |
• | the other representations and warranties of the Company being true and correct (disregarding materiality and Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications) as of the Closing Date, except where the failure to be so true and correct would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect; |
• | the Company having performed or complied in all material respects with all covenants and agreements that the Company is required to perform or comply with under the Merger Agreement at or prior to the Closing; |
• | the absence of any Company Material Adverse Effect having occurred since the date of the Merger Agreement; and |
• | the receipt by Parent and Merger Sub of a certificate executed for and on behalf of the Company by an authorized executive officer certifying that the conditions described in the foregoing six bullets have been satisfied. |
• | the representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub being true and correct (disregarding materiality and Parent Material Adverse Effect qualifications) as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of a specific date, in which case such representation and warranty being true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date), except where the failure to be so true and correct would not have a Parent Material Adverse Effect; |
• | Parent and Merger Sub having each performed or complied in all material respects with all covenants and agreements required to be performed and complied with by it under the Merger Agreement at or prior to the Closing; and |
• | the receipt by the Company of a certificate executed for and on behalf of Parent and Merger Sub by an authorized officer certifying that the conditions described in the foregoing two bullets have been satisfied. |
• | Mutual Consent. At any time prior to the Effective Time (whether prior to or after the receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval) by mutual written agreement of the Company and Parent. |
• | Order. By either the Company or Parent, at any time prior to the Effective Time (whether prior to or after the receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval) if (a) any permanent order issued by any court of competent jurisdiction preventing the consummation of the Merger is in effect that prohibits, makes illegal or enjoins the consummation of the Merger and has become final and non-appealable or (b) any statute, rule or regulation has been enacted, entered or enforced by a governmental authority in a jurisdiction in which the Company has material business operations, which statute, rule or regulation prohibits, makes illegal or enjoins the consummation of the Merger; provided that the right to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this |
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• | Termination Date. By either the Company or Parent, at any time prior to the Effective Time (whether prior to or after the receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval), if the Effective Time has not occurred by the Termination Date; provided that if as of the Termination Date, any regulatory conditions (including conditions related to antitrust, foreign investment or FSR Laws) have not been satisfied or waived, the Termination Date will be automatically extended to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, February 2, 2027; provided, further, that the right to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this provision is not available to a party if the failure of the Merger to be consummated prior to the Termination Date was primarily due to the failure of such party (treating Parent and Merger Sub as one party for this purpose) to perform any of its obligations under the Merger Agreement. |
• | Requisite Stockholder Approval. By either the Company or Parent, at any time prior to the Effective Time, if the Company fails to obtain the Requisite Stockholder Approval at a meeting of the Company stockholders (or any adjournment or postponement thereof) at which a vote is taken on the Merger. |
• | Company Breach. By Parent, if the Company has breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in the Merger Agreement, which breach or failure to perform would result in a failure of a condition set forth in the Merger Agreement related to the Company’s representations, warranties or covenants, except that if such breach is capable of being cured prior to the Termination Date, Parent will not be entitled to terminate the Merger Agreement prior to the delivery by Parent to the Company of written notice of such breach, delivered at least forty-five (45) days prior to such termination, stating Parent’s intention to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this provision and the basis for such termination, it being understood that Parent will not be entitled to terminate the Merger Agreement if such breach has been cured on or prior to the last day of such forty-five (45) day period; provided that Parent will not have the right to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this provision if it or Merger Sub is then in material breach of any representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in the Merger Agreement that would result in a failure of a condition related to Parent’s and Merger Sub’s respective representations, warranties or covenants set forth in the Merger Agreement. |
• | Company Board Recommendation Change. By Parent, at any time prior to the Company’s receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval, if the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) has effected a Company Board Recommendation Change. |
• | Parent or Merger Sub Breach. By the Company, if Parent or Merger Sub has breached or failed to perform any of its respective representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in the Merger Agreement, which breach or failure to perform would result in a failure of a condition set forth in the Merger Agreement related to Parent or Merger Sub’s representations, warranties or covenants, except that if such breach is capable of being cured prior to the Termination Date, the Company will not be entitled to terminate the Merger Agreement prior to the delivery by the Company to Parent of written notice of such breach, delivered at least 45 days prior to such termination, stating the Company’s intention to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this provision and the basis for such termination, it being understood that the Company will not be entitled to terminate the Merger Agreement if such breach has been cured on or prior to the last day of such forty-five- (45-) day period; provided that the Company will not have the right to terminate the Merger Agreement if it is then in material breach of any representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements contained in the Merger Agreement pursuant to this provision that would result in a failure of a condition related to their respective representations, warranties or covenants set forth in the Merger Agreement. |
• | Superior Proposal. By the Company, at any time prior to the receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval, if (a) the Company has received a Superior Proposal; (b) the Company Board has authorized the Company to enter into an Alternative Acquisition Agreement to consummate the Acquisition Transaction contemplated by that Superior Proposal in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Merger Agreement; and (c) the Company pays to Parent the Company Termination Fee prior to or substantially concurrently with such termination; provided that (i) |
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• | Parent Failure to Close. By the Company, if (a) all of the conditions to the obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger are satisfied or waived (other than those conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing, each of which would be satisfied if there were a Closing on such termination date); (b) the Company has irrevocably notified Parent in writing three (3) business days prior to such termination that (i) it is ready, willing and able to consummate the Merger from the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to the Merger Agreement through any such termination and (ii) it intends to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to this provision if Parent and Merger Sub fail to consummate the Merger on the date required pursuant to the Merger Agreement; and (c) Parent and Merger Sub fail to consummate the Merger within two (2) business days of the date by which the Closing is required to have occurred pursuant to the Merger Agreement. |
• | Tail-Fee Scenario. If (a) the Merger Agreement is validly terminated by (i) the Company or Parent for failure to obtain the Requisite Stockholder Approval or (ii) Parent for the Company’s breach or failure to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements which breach or failure to perform results in the failure of a condition related to such representations, warranties, covenants or agreements (as described in the section of this proxy statement titled “The Merger Agreement — Termination of the Merger Agreement — Company Breach”); (b) following the execution and delivery of the Merger Agreement and prior to such termination of the Merger Agreement, an Acquisition Proposal is publicly announced, or an Acquisition Proposal becomes known to the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee), and (i) in the case of a termination as a result of the failure to obtain the Requisite Stockholder Approval, such Acquisition Proposal is not withdrawn or otherwise abandoned at least five (5) business days prior to the Company stockholders meeting to adopt the Merger Agreement or (ii) in the case of a termination by Parent as a result of a Company breach of the kind noted in clause (a)(ii) above, the breach giving rise to such termination occurs after the time that such Acquisition Proposal has become known to the Company Board (or a committee thereof) and prior to the time that such Acquisition Proposal is withdrawn or otherwise abandoned; and (c) within twelve (12) months following such termination, the Company or any subsidiary thereof enters into a definitive agreement with respect to, or consummates, an Acquisition Transaction, then the Company will promptly (and in any event within two (2) business days upon the earlier of entry into such definitive agreement or the consummation of such Acquisition Transaction) pay, or cause to be paid, to Parent an amount in cash equal to the Company Termination Fee, which payment will be made within two (2) business days of the earliest to occur of (i) entry by the Company into any definitive agreement with respect to any such Acquisition Transaction or (ii) the consummation of any such Acquisition Transaction, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account or accounts designated in writing by Parent. For purposes of this bullet, all references to “20%” in the definition of “Acquisition Transaction” (as defined in the Merger Agreement) will be deemed to be references to “50%.” |
• | Company Board Recommendation Change. If the Merger Agreement is validly terminated by Parent following a Company Board Recommendation Change, then the Company will promptly (and in any event within three (3) business days) pay, or cause to be paid, to Parent the Company Termination Fee within three (3) business days following such termination. |
• | Superior Proposal. If the Merger Agreement is validly terminated by the Company to enter into a Superior Proposal, then the Company will pay, or cause to be paid, to Parent the Company Termination Fee prior to or substantially concurrently with such termination, and as a condition to effect such termination. |
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• | by the Company for Parent’s or Merger Sub’s breach or failure to perform any of their respective representations, warranties, covenants or agreements, which breach or failure to perform results in the failure of a condition related to such representations, warranties, covenants or agreements; or |
• | by the Company if Parent and Merger Sub fail to consummate the Merger when otherwise required, subject to the conditions described above. |
• | the Company has provided prior written notice to Parent at least five (5) business days in advance of such Company Board Recommendation Change to the effect that the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) intends to effect a Company Board Recommendation Change, which notice shall specify, and provide a reasonably detailed summary of, the basis for such Company Board Recommendation Change; |
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• | if requested by Parent, the Company and its representatives, during such five (5) business day period, shall negotiate with Parent and its representatives in good faith (to the extent that Parent desires to so negotiate) to enable Parent to make modifications to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and the Financing Letters in such a manner that would obviate the need to effect such Company Board Recommendation Change (with any material change to the facts and circumstances related to such Intervening Event requiring the Company to deliver a new written notice to Parent and comply with the foregoing requirements, but with such five (5) business day period being deemed to be three (3) business days); and |
• | at the end of the applicable notice period and prior to taking such action, the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) has considered in good faith any such proposals by Parent to make modifications to the terms of the Merger Agreement and the Financing Letters that may have been offered before 11:59 p.m. New York City time on the last day of such applicable notice period, and has determined in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisors and outside legal counsel), that the failure to effect such Company Board Recommendation Change would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with the Company Board’s (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee’s) fiduciary duties under applicable law if such changes proposed by Parent were to be given effect. |
• | the Company has received a bona fide written Acquisition Proposal (which is not withdrawn) that the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) has determined in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisors and outside legal counsel) constitutes a Superior Proposal; |
• | the Company has provided at least five (5) business days’ advance written notice to Parent of its intention to take such action, which notice shall specify the identity of the person or group making such Acquisition Proposal, the material terms thereof and copies of all material relevant agreements relating to such Acquisition Proposal |
• | if requested by Parent, the Company and its representatives, during such five (5) business day period, shall negotiate with Parent and its representatives in good faith (to the extent that Parent desires to so negotiate) to enable Parent to make modifications to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and the Financing Letters in such a manner that would obviate the need to effect such Company Board Recommendation Change or terminate the Merger Agreement (with any material change to such Acquisition Proposal (including any change to the financial terms of such proposal) requiring the Company to deliver a new written notice to Parent and comply with the foregoing requirements, but with such five (5) business day period being deemed to be three (3) business days); and |
• | at the end of the applicable notice period and prior to taking any such action, the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) has considered in good faith any such proposals by Parent to make modifications to the terms of the Merger Agreement and the Financing Letters that may have been offered before 11:59 p.m. New York City time on the last day of such applicable notice period, and has determined in good faith (after consultation with its financial advisors and outside legal counsel), that (i) such Acquisition Proposal continues to constitute a Superior Proposal and (ii) the failure to take such action would be inconsistent with the Company Board’s (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee’s) fiduciary duties under applicable Law if such changes proposed by Parent were to be given effect. |
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• | the valid termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms; |
• | the Effective Time; |
• | any Adverse Amendment; |
• | the written consent of each of the parties thereto; or |
• | in November of 2026. |
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• | each person or group of affiliated persons, known by us to beneficially own more than 5% of the Company Common Stock; |
• | each of our directors; |
• | each of our named executive officers; and |
• | all of our current directors and executive officers as a group. |
Company Common Stock Beneficially Owned | ||||||
Name of Beneficial Owner(1) | Shares | Percent | ||||
Five Percent Holders | ||||||
American Express Company(2) | 157,786,199 | 30.2% | ||||
Qatar Investment Authority(3) | 87,659,000 | 16.8% | ||||
Expedia Group, Inc.(4) | 74,849,607 | 14.3% | ||||
BlackRock Portfolio Management LLC(5) | 39,429,596 | 7.6% | ||||
Directors, Director Nominees and Named Executive Officers | ||||||
Paul Abbott | 1,903,371 | * | ||||
Eric J. Bock(6) | 2,291,704 | * | ||||
Andrew Crawley | 682,662 | * | ||||
John David Thompson(7) | 2,147,167 | * | ||||
Karen Williams(8) | 154,559 | * | ||||
Faisal Bin Saoud Al-Thani | 30,816 | * | ||||
Ugo Arzani | 36,488 | * | ||||
James Bush | 114,597 | * | ||||
Alexander Drummond | 55,855 | * | ||||
Eric Hart | 66,281 | * | ||||
Raymond Donald Joabar | 97,097 | * | ||||
Michael Gregory O’Hara(9) | 20,061,367 | 3.8% | ||||
Itai Wallach | — | — | ||||
Susan Ward | 97,097 | * | ||||
Kathleen Winters | 97,097 | * | ||||
Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (18 Individuals)(10) | 29,569,695 | 5.6% | ||||
* | Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1%. |
(1) | The business address of each director and executive officer of the Company is c/o Global Business Travel Group, Inc., 666 3rd Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10017. |
(2) | Based solely upon the Schedule 13D/A filed by American Express Company with the SEC on January 16, 2024. Consists of securities held of record by American Express International, Inc. The principal business address of this entity is 200 Vesey Street, New York, NY 10285. |
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(3) | Based solely upon the Schedule 13D filed by Qatar Investment Authority with the SEC on October 2, 2025. Consists of securities held of record by QIA Retail Holding LLC. The principal business address of this entity is Ooredoo Tower (Building 14), Al Dafna Street (Street 801), Al Dafna (Zone 61), PO Box 23224, Doha, State of Qatar. |
(4) | Based solely upon the Schedule 13D/A filed by Expedia Group, Inc. with the SEC on January 16, 2024. Consists of securities held of record by Expedia HoldCo. The business address of such parties is 1111 Expedia Group Way W., Seattle, WA 98119. |
(5) | Based solely upon the Schedule 13G filed by BlackRock Portfolio Management LLC with the SEC on April 15, 2025. The principal business address of this entity is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. |
(6) | Includes 994,508 stock options that are exercisable within 60 days of May 15, 2026. |
(7) | Includes 1,923,236 stock options that are exercisable within 60 days of May 15, 2026. |
(8) | Includes 59,361 restricted stock units scheduled to vest on July 1, 2026. |
(9) | Includes 97,097 shares held directly by Michael Gregory O’Hara. Additionally, based solely upon the Form 4 filed by Mr. Michael Gregory O’Hara with the SEC on June 13, 2025, Mr. Michael Gregory O’Hara may be deemed to beneficially own securities held of record by PecosCo Limited Partnership, HMC Juweel Holdings, LP, Certares Sponsor Investor (Delaware) LLC and Clementine Holdings Ltd., totaling 19,964,270 shares. Certares Sponsor Investor (Delaware) LLC is controlled by its largest common shareholder, Certares Travel Holdings, LP. Certares Management Limited is the General Partner of each of PecosCo Limited Partnership, HMC Juweel Holdings, LP and Certares Travel Holdings, LP. Messrs. Michael Gregory O’Hara, Henry Briance and Spencer Marsden are the directors of Certares Management Limited and as such may be deemed to have voting and dispositive control of the securities held of record by PecosCo Limited Partnership, HMC Juweel Holdings, LP and Certares Sponsor Investor (Delaware) LLC. Clementine Holdings Ltd. is ultimately owned by Mr. Michael Gregory O’Hara. |
(10) | Includes (a) 3,259,543 stock options that are exercisable within 60 days of May 15, 2026 and (b) 59,361 restricted stock units scheduled to vest on July 1, 2026. |
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• | You must deliver to the Company a written demand for appraisal before the vote on the adoption of the Merger Agreement at the Special Meeting. This written demand for appraisal must be in addition to and separate from any proxy or vote abstaining from, voting against or otherwise failing to vote for the adoption of the Merger Agreement. Voting against or failing to vote for the adoption of the Merger Agreement by itself does not constitute a demand for appraisal within the meaning of Section 262 of the DGCL. The demand must reasonably inform us of the identity of the holder of record holding the shares for which appraisal is demanded, the intention of the person to demand appraisal of his, her or its shares and, in case of a demand made by a beneficial owner, must be accompanied by documentary evidence of such beneficial owner’s beneficial ownership of the shares and a statement that such documentary evidence is a true and correct copy of what it purports to be and must provide an address at which such beneficial owner consents to receive notices given by the surviving corporation under Section 262 of the DGCL and to be set forth on the verified list required by Section 262(f) of the DGCL. A stockholder’s and beneficial owner’s failure to make a written demand for appraisal before the vote with respect to the adoption of the Merger Agreement is taken will constitute a waiver of appraisal rights; |
• | In the case of a stockholder, you must not vote in favor of, or consent in writing to, the adoption of the Merger Agreement with respect to such shares. A vote in favor of the adoption of the Merger Agreement, whether by proxy submitted by mail, over the Internet or by telephone or at the Special Meeting, will constitute a waiver of your appraisal rights in respect of the shares so voted and will nullify any previously filed written demands for appraisal. A proxy which does not contain voting instructions will, unless revoked, be voted in favor of the adoption of the Merger Agreement. Therefore, a stockholder who submits a proxy and who wishes to exercise appraisal rights must effectively revoke that proxy pursuant to one of the means described in this proxy statement. In the case of a beneficial owner, you must not instruct your broker, bank or other nominee to vote your shares in favor of the adoption of the Merger Agreement; |
• | You must continuously hold (in the case of a stockholder demanding appraisal) or beneficially own (in the case of a beneficial owner demanding appraisal) your shares of Company Common Stock from the date of making the demand through the Effective Time. You will lose your appraisal rights if you are a holder of record and transfer the shares, or if you are a beneficial owner and cease to beneficially own such shares, before the Effective Time; |
• | Any stockholder or beneficial owner who has complied with the requirements of Section 262 of the DGCL or the Company must file a petition in the Delaware Court of Chancery requesting a determination of the fair value of the shares within 120 days after the Effective Time. The Company is under no obligation to file any petition and has no present intention of doing so; and |
• | You must otherwise comply with the applicable procedures and requirements set forth in Section 262 of the DGCL. |
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• | the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the SEC on March 9, 2026; |
• | the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for the May 13, 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on April 2, 2026; and |
• | the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 4, 2026. |
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS & INTERPRETATIONS | A-6 | ||||||||
1.1 | Certain Definitions | A-6 | |||||||
1.2 | Index of Defined Terms | A-17 | |||||||
1.3 | Certain Interpretations | A-19 | |||||||
ARTICLE II THE MERGER | A-21 | ||||||||
2.1 | The Merger | A-21 | |||||||
2.2 | The Effective Time | A-21 | |||||||
2.3 | The Closing | A-21 | |||||||
2.4 | Effect of the Merger | A-21 | |||||||
2.5 | Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws | A-21 | |||||||
2.6 | Directors and Officers | A-21 | |||||||
2.7 | Effect on Capital Stock | A-22 | |||||||
2.8 | Treatment of Equity Awards; ESPP | A-23 | |||||||
2.9 | Exchange of Certificates | A-24 | |||||||
2.10 | No Further Ownership Rights in Company Common Stock | A-26 | |||||||
2.11 | Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates | A-26 | |||||||
2.12 | Required Withholding | A-26 | |||||||
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY | A-26 | ||||||||
3.1 | Organization; Good Standing | A-26 | |||||||
3.2 | Corporate Power; Enforceability | A-27 | |||||||
3.3 | Company Board Approval; Fairness Opinion; Anti-Takeover Laws | A-27 | |||||||
3.4 | Requisite Stockholder Approval | A-27 | |||||||
3.5 | Non-Contravention | A-27 | |||||||
3.6 | Requisite Governmental Approvals | A-28 | |||||||
3.7 | Company Capitalization | A-28 | |||||||
3.8 | Subsidiaries | A-29 | |||||||
3.9 | Company SEC Documents | A-29 | |||||||
3.10 | Company Financial Statements; Internal Controls | A-29 | |||||||
3.11 | No Undisclosed Liabilities | A-30 | |||||||
3.12 | Absence of Certain Changes | A-30 | |||||||
3.13 | Material Contracts | A-30 | |||||||
3.14 | Real Property | A-31 | |||||||
3.15 | International Trade | A-31 | |||||||
3.16 | Environmental Matters | A-31 | |||||||
3.17 | Intellectual Property | A-31 | |||||||
3.18 | Data Privacy and Cybersecurity | A-32 | |||||||
3.19 | Tax Matters | A-33 | |||||||
3.20 | Employee Benefits | A-34 | |||||||
3.21 | Compliance with Laws | A-35 | |||||||
3.22 | Legal Proceedings; Orders | A-35 | |||||||
3.23 | Insurance | A-36 | |||||||
3.24 | Anti-Corruption Compliance | A-36 | |||||||
3.25 | Government Contracts. | A-36 | |||||||
3.26 | Brokers | A-37 | |||||||
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3.27 | Company Information | A-37 | |||||||
3.28 | No Other Representations or Warranties | A-37 | |||||||
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB | A-37 | ||||||||
4.1 | Organization; Good Standing | A-37 | |||||||
4.2 | Corporate Power; Enforceability | A-38 | |||||||
4.3 | Non-Contravention | A-38 | |||||||
4.4 | Requisite Governmental Approvals | A-38 | |||||||
4.5 | No Foreign Person | A-38 | |||||||
4.6 | Legal Proceedings; Orders | A-38 | |||||||
4.7 | Ownership of Company Common Stock | A-39 | |||||||
4.8 | Brokers | A-39 | |||||||
4.9 | Operations of Parent and Merger Sub | A-39 | |||||||
4.10 | No Parent Vote or Approval Required | A-39 | |||||||
4.11 | Guarantee | A-39 | |||||||
4.12 | Financing | A-39 | |||||||
4.13 | Stockholder and Management Arrangements | A-41 | |||||||
4.14 | Solvency | A-41 | |||||||
4.15 | Non-Reliance | A-42 | |||||||
4.16 | Parent and Merger Sub Information. | A-42 | |||||||
4.17 | No Other Representations or Warranties | A-42 | |||||||
ARTICLE V INTERIM OPERATIONS OF THE COMPANY | A-42 | ||||||||
5.1 | Affirmative Obligations | A-42 | |||||||
5.2 | Forbearance Covenants | A-43 | |||||||
5.3 | No Solicitation | A-45 | |||||||
5.4 | No Control of the Other Party’s Business | A-48 | |||||||
ARTICLE VI ADDITIONAL COVENANTS | A-48 | ||||||||
6.1 | Required Action and Forbearance; Efforts | A-48 | |||||||
6.2 | Antitrust and Regulatory Matters | A-49 | |||||||
6.3 | Proxy Statement | A-51 | |||||||
6.4 | Company Stockholder Meeting | A-53 | |||||||
6.5 | Financing | A-53 | |||||||
6.6 | Financing Cooperation | A-56 | |||||||
6.7 | Anti-Takeover Laws | A-60 | |||||||
6.8 | Access | A-60 | |||||||
6.9 | Section 16(b) Exemption | A-61 | |||||||
6.10 | Directors’ and Officers’ Exculpation, Indemnification and Insurance | A-61 | |||||||
6.11 | Employee Matters | A-63 | |||||||
6.12 | Public Statements and Disclosure | A-64 | |||||||
6.13 | Transaction Litigation | A-65 | |||||||
6.14 | Stock Exchange Delisting; Deregistration | A-65 | |||||||
6.15 | Additional Agreements | A-65 | |||||||
6.16 | Parent Vote | A-65 | |||||||
6.17 | Certain Arrangements | A-65 | |||||||
6.18 | FIRPTA Certificate | A-65 | |||||||
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ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER | A-66 | ||||||||||||
7.1 | Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Effect the Merger | A-66 | |||||||||||
7.2 | Conditions to the Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to Effect the Merger | A-66 | |||||||||||
7.3 | Conditions to the Company’s Obligations to Effect the Merger | A-66 | |||||||||||
ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER | A-67 | ||||||||||||
8.1 | Termination | A-67 | |||||||||||
8.2 | Manner and Notice of Termination; Effect of Termination | A-68 | |||||||||||
8.3 | Fees and Expenses | A-69 | |||||||||||
8.4 | Amendment | A-71 | |||||||||||
8.5 | Extension; Waiver | A-71 | |||||||||||
ARTICLE IX GENERAL PROVISIONS | A-71 | ||||||||||||
9.1 | Survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants | A-71 | |||||||||||
9.2 | Notices | A-72 | |||||||||||
9.3 | Assignment | A-73 | |||||||||||
9.4 | Confidentiality | A-73 | |||||||||||
9.5 | Entire Agreement | A-73 | |||||||||||
9.6 | Third Party Beneficiaries | A-73 | |||||||||||
9.7 | Severability | A-73 | |||||||||||
9.8 | Remedies | A-74 | |||||||||||
9.9 | Governing Law | A-75 | |||||||||||
9.10 | Consent to Jurisdiction | A-75 | |||||||||||
9.11 | WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL | A-75 | |||||||||||
9.12 | No Recourse | A-75 | |||||||||||
9.13 | Company Disclosure Letter References | A-76 | |||||||||||
9.14 | Financing Sources | A-76 | |||||||||||
9.15 | Counterparts | A-77 | |||||||||||
Exhibit A | Form of Voting Agreement | ||
Exhibit B | Certificate of Incorporation of the Company | ||
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Term | Section Reference | ||
Acquisition Proposal Notice Period | 5.3(d)(ii)(1) | ||
Agreement | Preamble | ||
Alternate Financing | 6.5(d) | ||
Alternative Acquisition Agreement | 5.3 | ||
Anticorruption Laws | 3.24(a) | ||
Capitalization Date | 3.7(a) | ||
Cash Incentive Payment | 6.11(e) | ||
Certificate of Merger | 2.2 | ||
Certificates | 2.9(c) | ||
Chosen Courts | 9.10 | ||
Class B Common Stock | 3.7(a) | ||
Closing | 2.3 | ||
Closing Date | 2.3 | ||
Company | Preamble | ||
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Term | Section Reference | ||
Company Board Recommendation | 3.3(a) | ||
Company Board Recommendation Change | 5.3(c)(i) | ||
Company Disclosure Letter | Article III | ||
Company SEC Documents | Article III | ||
Company Securities | 3.7(c) | ||
Company Software | 3.17(f) | ||
Company Stockholder Meeting | 6.4(a) | ||
Contracting Parties | 9.12 | ||
Converting Shares | 2.7(a)(iv) | ||
Copyrights | 1.1(jjj) | ||
CSA Approval | 6.2(b) | ||
CSA Notification | 6.2(b) | ||
D&O Insurance | 6.10(c) | ||
Debt Commitment Letters | 4.12(a) | ||
Debt Financing | 4.12(a) | ||
DGCL | Recitals | ||
Dissenting Company Shares | 2.7(d) | ||
Domain Names | 1.1(jjj) | ||
DTC | 2.9(d) | ||
Effective Time | 2.2 | ||
Electronic Delivery | 9.15 | ||
Enforceability Exceptions | 3.2 | ||
Enforcement Costs | 8.3(f) | ||
Equity Award Consideration | 2.8(c) | ||
Equity Award Holders | 2.8(c) | ||
Equity Commitment Letter | 4.12(a) | ||
Equity Financing | 4.12(a), 4.12(a) | ||
Excluded Information | 1.1(jjjj) | ||
Fee Letter | 4.12(a) | ||
Final Exercise Date | 2.8(e) | ||
Financing | 4.12(a) | ||
Financing Letters | 4.12(a) | ||
FOCI | 3.25(c) | ||
FOCI Mitigation Plan | 6.2(b) | ||
GDPR | 1.1(bb) | ||
Guarantees | Recitals | ||
Guarantor | Recitals | ||
Guarantors | Recitals | ||
Incentive Plan | 6.11(e) | ||
Indemnification Agreement | 6.10(a) | ||
Indemnified Person(s) | 6.10(a) | ||
Interim Period | 5.1 | ||
Intervening Event Notice Period | 5.3(d)(i)(1) | ||
In-the-Money Option Consideration | 2.8(a)(i) | ||
Know-How | 1.1(jjj) | ||
Lease | 3.14 | ||
Leased Real Property | 3.14 | ||
Letter of Transmittal | 2.9(c) | ||
Material Lease | 3.14 | ||
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Term | Section Reference | ||
Maximum Annual Premium | 6.10(c) | ||
Merger | Recitals | ||
Merger Sub | Preamble | ||
Multiemployer Plan | 3.20(b) | ||
New Commitment Letters | 6.5(d) | ||
New Plan | 6.11(a) | ||
OFAC | 3.15 | ||
Old Plans | 6.11(a) | ||
Other Indemnified Persons | 6.10(e) | ||
Other Required Company Filing | 6.3(b) | ||
Owned Company Shares | 2.7(a)(iii) | ||
Owned Real Property | 3.14 | ||
Parent | Preamble | ||
Parent Material Adverse Effect | 7.3(a) | ||
Parent Related Parties | 8.3(e)(i) | ||
Parent Termination Fee | 8.3(c) | ||
Party | Preamble | ||
Patents | 1.1(jjj) | ||
Payment Agent | 2.9(a) | ||
Payment Fund | 2.9(b) | ||
Per Share Price | 2.7(a)(ii) | ||
Preferred Equity Commitment Letter | 4.12(a) | ||
Preferred Equity Issuer | 4.12(a) | ||
Privacy Requirements | 3.18(b) | ||
Prohibited Modification | 6.5(a) | ||
Proxy Statement | 6.3(a) | ||
Real Property | 3.14 | ||
Required Amount | 4.12(c) | ||
Requisite Stockholder Approval | 3.4 | ||
RSU Consideration | 2.8(b) | ||
Schedule 13-3 | 6.3(g) | ||
Software | 1.1(jjj) | ||
Special Committee | Recitals | ||
Special Committee Recommendation | Recitals | ||
Subject Courts | 9.14 | ||
Surviving Corporation | 2.1 | ||
Termination Date | 8.1(c) | ||
Trade Controls | 3.15 | ||
Trademarks | 1.1(jjj) | ||
Uncertificated Shares | 2.9(c) | ||
Voting Agreement | Recitals | ||
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(a) | if to Parent or Merger Sub to: | ||||||||
Gaia Purchaser, Inc. | |||||||||
32 Avenue of the Americas | |||||||||
New York, NY 10013 | |||||||||
Attention: | *** | ||||||||
E-mail: | *** | ||||||||
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to: | |||||||||
Latham & Watkins LLP | |||||||||
1271 Avenue of the Americas | |||||||||
New York, NY 10020 | |||||||||
Attn: | Tad Freese | ||||||||
Ian Nussbaum | |||||||||
Sean Parish | |||||||||
Seth Gottlieb | |||||||||
Email: | Tad.Freese@lw.com | ||||||||
Ian.Nussbaum@lw.com | |||||||||
Sean.Parish@lw.com | |||||||||
Seth.Gottlieb@lw.com | |||||||||
(b) | if to the Company (prior to the Effective Time) to: | ||||||||
Global Business Travel Group, Inc. | |||||||||
666 Third Avenue, 4th Floor | |||||||||
New York, NY 10172 | |||||||||
Attn: | *** | ||||||||
Email: | *** | ||||||||
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to: | |||||||||
Kirkland & Ellis LLP | |||||||||
601 Lexington Avenue | |||||||||
New York, NY 10022 | |||||||||
Attn: | Daniel Wolf, P.C. | ||||||||
David M. Klein, P.C. | |||||||||
Brian H. Junquera | |||||||||
Email: | daniel.wolf@kirkland.com | ||||||||
dklein@kirkland.com | |||||||||
brian.junquera@kirkland.com | |||||||||
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to: | |||||||||
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP | |||||||||
One Manhattan West | |||||||||
New York, NY 1000 | |||||||||
Attn: | Peter D. Serating | ||||||||
Thaddeus P. Hartmann | |||||||||
Max A. Troper | |||||||||
Email: | Peter.Serating@skadden.com | ||||||||
Thaddeus.Hartmann@skadden.com | |||||||||
Max.Troper@skadden.com | |||||||||
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GAIA PURCHASER, INC. | |||||||||
By: | /s/ Kyle Doppelt | ||||||||
Name: | Kyle Doppelt | ||||||||
Title: | Secretary and Treasurer | ||||||||
GAIA MERGER SUB, INC. | |||||||||
By: | /s/ Kyle Doppelt | ||||||||
Name: | Kyle Doppelt | ||||||||
Title: | Secretary and Treasurer | ||||||||
GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL GROUP, INC. | |||||||||
By: | /s/ Eric J. Bock | ||||||||
Name: | Eric J. Bock | ||||||||
Title: | Chief Legal Officer and Global Head of Mergers and Acquisitions | ||||||||
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(a) | As of the time of execution of this Agreement, (i) such Stockholder is the record and beneficial owner of the Stockholder Securities set forth on Exhibit A hereto, (ii) except for the Stockholder Securities set forth on Exhibit A hereto, such Stockholder does not hold nor have any beneficial ownership interest in any other shares of the Company Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any securities or obligations convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for, valued by reference to, or giving any Person a right to subscribe for or acquire, any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including any option, warrant, call, proxy or commitment, or other instrument, obligation or right the value of which is based on any of the foregoing (each, an “Equity Interest”) and (iii) other than pursuant to this Agreement, such Stockholder has not entered into any agreement to transfer, sell, convey or assign any Stockholder Securities or Equity Interests and no Person has a right to acquire any of the Stockholder Securities or Equity Interests. |
(b) | The Stockholder is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of its jurisdiction of organization. The Stockholder has the legal right, power, authority and capacity to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. |
(c) | This Agreement has been, duly and validly executed and delivered by the Stockholder and, assuming this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub, this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Stockholder, enforceable against the Stockholder in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions. No other action on the part of or vote of holders of any equity securities of the Stockholder is necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of, compliance with and performance by the Stockholder of this Agreement. |
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(d) | Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation by the Stockholder of the transactions contemplated hereby or the performance of the Stockholder’s obligations hereunder will (i) cause a violation, or a default, by the Stockholder of any applicable Law or Order applicable to the Stockholder or the Stockholder Securities, or to which the Stockholder or the Stockholder Securities are subject, (ii) require any consent by any Person under, constitute a breach or default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default under, or cause or permit the termination, cancellation, modification or acceleration of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which such Stockholder is entitled under any Contract to which the Stockholder is a party or by which the Stockholder or its assets or the Stockholder Securities are bound, other than as required under the Exchange Act, (iii) if such Stockholder is an entity, violate any provision of such Stockholder’s Organizational Documents, (iv) require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority on the part of the Stockholder, except for compliance with applicable securities Laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or (v) result (or, with the giving of notice, the passage of time or otherwise, would result) in the creation or imposition of any lien on any of the Stockholder Securities (other than any liens created by this Agreement); except in the case of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii), (iv) or (v), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to restrict, prohibit, impair or delay the performance by such Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement. Other than the filings and reports pursuant to and in compliance with the Exchange Act, no filings, notifications, approvals or other consents are required to be obtained by the Stockholder from, or to be given by the Stockholder to, or be made by the Stockholder with, any Governmental Authority in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Stockholder of this Agreement. |
(e) | The Stockholder Securities and the certificates, if any, representing the Stockholder Securities owned by the Stockholder are now, and at all times during the term hereof will be, held by the Stockholder or by a nominee or custodian for the benefit of such Stockholder, free and clear of all liens or encumbrances (other than any such liens or encumbrances arising hereunder). |
(f) | Other than as provided in this Agreement, the Stockholder has full and unencumbered voting power with respect to the Stockholder Securities and full and unencumbered power of disposition, full and unencumbered power to issue instructions with respect to the matters set forth herein, and full and unencumbered power to agree to all of the matters set forth in this Agreement, in each case with respect to all of the Stockholder Securities. Except for this Agreement and the Company Shareholders Agreement, the Stockholder Securities of such Stockholder are not subject to any proxy, voting trust or other agreement, arrangement or restriction with respect to the voting of such Stockholder Securities. The Stockholder has not entered into any Contract that is inconsistent with, or would in any way restrict, limit or interfere with the performance of the Stockholder’s obligations hereunder. |
(g) | As of the time of execution of this Agreement, there is no Legal Proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Stockholder, threatened against the Stockholder or any of its assets (including the Stockholder Securities) at law or equity before or by any Governmental Authority that would reasonably be expected to impair, prevent or delay the performance by the Stockholder of its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise impact the Stockholder’s ability to perform its obligations hereunder in a timely manner. |
(h) | The Stockholder has received and reviewed a copy of the Merger Agreement. The Stockholder understands and acknowledges that the Company, Parent and Merger Sub are entering into the Merger Agreement in reliance upon such Stockholder’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Stockholder has been represented by or had the opportunity to be represented by independent counsel of its own choosing and has had the right and opportunity to consult with its attorney, and to the extent, if any, that the Stockholder desired, the Stockholder availed itself of such right and opportunity. |
(i) | No broker, investment bank, financial advisor or other Person is entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial adviser’s or similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement payable by any Person other than the Stockholder based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of such Stockholder (it being understood that arrangements of the Company or its other Affiliates shall not be deemed to be an arrangement of such Stockholder). |
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(a) | The Company is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and the Company has the corporate power and authority to execute and deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and has taken all necessary action to duly authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. |
(b) | This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company, and, assuming this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the other parties hereto, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and is enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions. |
(c) | The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the performance of the Company’s obligations hereunder, will not: (i) violate or conflict with any Law or Order to which the Company is subject; (ii) require any consent by any Person under, constitute a breach or default under, or cause or permit the termination, cancellation, modification or acceleration or creation of any right or obligation under any provision of any Contract binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iii) require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority on the part of the Stockholder, except for compliance with applicable securities Laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; or (iv) violate any provision of the Company’s Organizational Documents, except, in the case of the foregoing clause (ii) or (iii), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or delay the performance by the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement. |
(a) | Each of Parent and Merger Sub is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware and each of Parent and Merger Sub have the corporate power and authority to execute and deliver and perform their obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and each has taken all necessary action to duly authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. |
(b) | This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of Parent and Merger Sub, and, assuming this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the other parties hereto, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each of Parent and Merger Sub, is enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions. |
(c) | The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the performance of each of their obligations hereunder, will not: (i) violate or conflict with any Law or Order to which Parent or Merger Sub is subject; (ii) require any consent by any Person under, constitute a breach or default under, or cause or permit the termination, cancellation, modification or acceleration or creation of any right or obligation under any provision of any Contract binding upon Parent or Merger Sub; (iii) require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority on the part of the Stockholder, except for compliance with applicable securities Laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; or (iv) violate any provision of the Organizational Documents of Parent or Merger Sub, except, in the case of the foregoing clause (ii) or (iii), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or delay the performance by Parent or Merger Sub of any of its obligations under this Agreement. |
(d) | As of the date of this Agreement, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or delay the performance by Parent or Merger Sub of any of its obligations under this Agreement, (i) there are no Legal Proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of Parent or any of its Affiliates, threatened against Parent or Merger Sub; and (ii) neither Parent nor Merger Sub is subject to any Order that would prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Transactions or the ability of Parent and Merger Sub to fully perform their respective covenants and obligations pursuant to this Agreement. |
(e) | Each of Parent and Merger Sub has not given or agreed to give and shall not give or agree to give to any person, either directly or indirectly, any placement fee, introductory fee, arrangement fee, finder’s fee or any |
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(a) | Prior to the Termination Date, the Stockholder shall not, and shall cause each of its controlled Affiliates not to, directly or indirectly: (i) transfer, assign, sell, gift-over, hedge or swap (or such other transaction or Contract which is designed to (or is reasonably expected to lead to or result in) transfer the economic or voting consequences of ownership of any Equity Interests), pledge or otherwise dispose of (whether by sale, liquidation, dissolution, dividend, distribution, merger, tendering into any tender or exchange offer, testamentary disposition, by operation of Law or otherwise), enter into any derivative arrangement with respect to, or create or permit to exist any material lien or encumbrance on, or enter into any agreement with respect to the foregoing with respect to, any Stockholder Securities or other Equity Interests in the Company (“Transfer”); (ii) enter into any Contract, option or other agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to any Transfer; (iii) grant any proxy, power-of-attorney or other authorization or consent with respect to any of the Stockholder Securities; (iv) deposit any of the Stockholder Securities into a voting trust or enter into a voting agreement or arrangement with respect to any Stockholder Securities; (v) take or cause the taking of any other action that would reasonably be expected to restrict, prevent, materially impede or delay the performance of the Stockholder’s obligations hereunder or seek to do or solicit any of the foregoing actions, or cause any other Person to take any of the foregoing actions, excluding any bankruptcy filing; or (vi) otherwise approve or consent to any of the foregoing; provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prohibit a Transfer of the Stockholder’s Equity Interests in the Company, including any Stockholder Securities, (x) to Parent, Merger Sub or one or more of their respective Affiliates, (y) pursuant to a Transfer of publicly traded securities of the parent company of the Stockholder or (z) to a controlled Affiliate of the Stockholder (a “Permitted Transfer”), in the case of clause (z), so long as, prior to any such Transfer, the transferee agrees in writing to be bound by each of the terms of, and to assume all of the obligations of such Stockholder under, this Agreement with respect to such Stockholder Securities by executing and delivering to Parent a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Parent (on the execution and delivery of a joinder agreement by such transferee, such transferee shall be deemed to be a Party hereto as if such transferee’s signature appeared on the signature pages of this Agreement and shall be deemed to be a Stockholder). Any action (including any purported Transfer) taken in violation of the foregoing sentence shall be null and void ab initio. If any involuntary Transfer of any of the Stockholder Securities shall occur (including, but not limited to, a sale by the Stockholder’s trustee in any bankruptcy, or a sale to a purchaser at any creditor’s or court sale), the transferee (which term, as used herein, shall include any and all transferees and subsequent transferees of the initial transferee) shall take and hold such Stockholder Securities subject to all of the restrictions, liabilities and rights under this Agreement, which shall continue in full force and effect until the Termination Date. The Stockholder agrees that it shall not, and shall cause each of its controlled Affiliates not to, become a member of a “group” (as defined under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) with respect to any securities in the Company for the purpose of opposing or competing with or taking any actions inconsistent with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. |
(b) | At all times from the date hereof until the earlier of (i) the Company’s receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval and (ii) the Termination Date, in furtherance of this Agreement, each Stockholder hereby authorizes the Company (or its counsel) to notify its transfer agent that there is a stop transfer order with respect to all of the Stockholder Securities (and that this Agreement places limits on the voting and transfer of the Stockholder Securities), subject to the provisions hereof and provided that any such stop transfer order and notice shall immediately be withdrawn and terminated by the Company promptly following the earlier of (x) the Company’s receipt of the Requisite Stockholder Approval and (y) the Termination Date. |
(c) | The Stockholder waives and agrees not to exercise or assert any appraisal rights or dissenter’s rights available to the Stockholder with respect to the Merger with respect to all or any portion of the Stockholder Securities pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL. |
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(d) | The Stockholder agrees that it will not commence or participate in any Legal Proceeding, whether derivative or otherwise, against Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates, successors or assigns, or their respective boards of directors (or similar governing bodies) and officers, relating to the negotiation, execution or delivery of this Agreement or the Merger Agreement, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including any such Legal Proceeding (A) challenging the validity of, or seeking to enjoin the operation of, any provision of this Agreement or the Merger Agreement (including any claim seeking to enjoin or delay the Closing) or (B) alleging a breach of any fiduciary duty of the Company Board (or a committee thereof, including the Special Committee) in connection with the Merger Agreement or the Transactions, and the Stockholder hereby agrees to take all actions necessary to opt out of any class in any class action relating to the foregoing; provided, that this Section 4(d) shall not be deemed (i) a waiver of any rights of the Stockholder or its Affiliates for any breach of this Agreement by Parent, the Company or any of their respective Affiliates; (ii) a waiver or release of claims that cannot be released as a matter of law; or (iii) a waiver or release of claims for actual fraud; provided, further, that the foregoing shall not limit, restrict or prohibit the Stockholder from claiming or asserting any defenses or counterclaims in connection with any claim or other Legal Proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, or the transactions contemplated hereby. |
(a) | Prior to the Termination Date, the Stockholder hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that at every annual, special or other meeting of the stockholders of the Company, however called, and at every adjournment or postponement thereof, and in connection with any action proposed to be taken by written consent of the Company Stockholders, the Stockholder (in Stockholder’s capacity as a holder of the Stockholder Securities) shall, or shall cause the holder of record on any applicable record date to, in each case to the fullest extent that the Stockholder Securities held by or on behalf of such Stockholder are entitled to vote thereon: (i) appear (in person or by proxy) at each such meeting or otherwise cause all of Stockholder’s shares of Stockholder Securities entitled to vote to be counted as present thereat for purposes of calculating a quorum and (ii) unconditionally and irrevocably affirmatively vote (or cause to be voted if another Person is the holder of record of any Stockholder Securities beneficially owned by the Stockholder), in person or by proxy, (and not to withdraw any such vote), or deliver (or cause to be delivered) and not withdraw a written consent with respect to, all the Stockholder Securities entitled to vote (A) in favor of (1) the adoption of the Merger Agreement and the approval of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (2) any proposal to adjourn or postpone any Company Stockholder Meeting to a later date if the Company or Parent proposes or requests such postponement or adjournment in accordance with Section 6.4 of the Merger Agreement, (3) the adoption or execution of any amended and restated Merger Agreement or amendment to the Merger Agreement that, in any such case, does not (x) decrease the Per Share Price (other than any such decrease as a result of any adjustment pursuant to Section 2.7(b) of the Merger Agreement), (y) change the form of the Per Share Price, or (z) result in a change that is materially adverse to the Stockholder (any amendment that results in clauses (x) through (z), an “Adverse Amendment”) and (4) any other proposal considered and voted upon by the Company stockholders at any meeting of the stockholders of the Company necessary or desirable for consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, and/or (B) against any (1) Acquisition Proposal and Alternative Acquisition Agreement, (2) action or agreement that would be reasonably likely to result in (I) a breach of any covenant or any other obligation or agreement of the Company contained in the Merger Agreement or of the Stockholder contained in this Agreement or (II) any of the conditions set forth in Article VII of the Merger Agreement not being satisfied and (3) other action or agreement that is intended to, or which would reasonably be expected to, delay, impede, interfere with, postpone, prevent or otherwise adversely affect the consummation of the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement; provided that, in the event of a Company Board Recommendation Change made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Section 5.3(d)(i) of the Merger Agreement in respect of an Intervening Event, the obligation of the Stockholder to vote the Stockholder Securities in the manner set forth in this Section 5(a) shall be modified such that the Stockholder shall only be required by this Agreement to vote such number of Stockholder Securities as is equal to the number of Stockholder Securities (rounded to the nearest whole share) that would |
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(b) | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Stockholder shall retain at all times the right to vote the Stockholder Securities in its sole discretion and without any other limitation on those matters that are at any time or from time to time presented for consideration to the Company Stockholders (other than those set forth in Section 5(a)). |
(c) | The Stockholder is entering into this Agreement solely in its capacity as the beneficial owner of the Stockholder Securities. Parent and Merger Sub acknowledge that the Stockholder may have nominated individuals to serve on the Company Board, and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, that the taking of any actions or omissions by any such individual (solely in such individual’s capacity as a director of Company) shall in no instance be subject to the terms and provisions, or deemed to constitute a breach, of this Agreement, nor shall this Agreement otherwise limit any action or decision by such individual in his capacity as a director of the Company. |
(a) | In the event that such Stockholder is a party to the Company Shareholders Agreement, subject to and effective upon the Closing, each of the Company and the Stockholder shall cause the Company Shareholders Agreement as among the Company, GBT JerseyCo Limited and the Stockholder (or an Affiliate thereof) to be terminated and of no further force or effect in all respects, and for none of the Company, GBT JerseyCo Limited or the Stockholder (or an Affiliate thereof) to have any further rights or obligations thereunder, in each case, in accordance with Section 10.1 of the Company Shareholders Agreement (such that the rights and obligations of the Stockholder and its Affiliates, the Company and GBT JerseyCo Limited, as applicable under Section 8.1.4, Section 8.2, Section 10.3, Section 10.8 and Section 10.16 of the Company Shareholders Agreement shall survive such termination); provided, that the termination of the Company Shareholders Agreement shall not prevent any Party hereto from seeking any remedies (at law or in equity) against any other Party hereto for that Party’s breach that may have occurred at or before such termination. |
(b) | [The Stockholder agrees and acknowledges neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Merger Agreement by the Company nor the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby nor the performance of the Company’s obligations contemplated hereby or thereby, in each case, constitute or will constitute a breach or default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default under, or cause or permit the termination (or payment of any termination or similar fee), cancellation, modification or acceleration of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which the Company is entitled under any Contract or other commercial arrangement between the Stockholder (or any Affiliate thereof) and the Company (or any Affiliate thereof), it being acknowledged and agreed that the foregoing shall not constitute a waiver of, or otherwise affect any, other rights of the Stockholder (or any Affiliate thereof) under, or any prior, current or future breach or default of or under, any such Contract or other commercial arrangement.] |
(c) | The Stockholder shall not, and shall cause its controlled Affiliates not to, participate in or otherwise support any tender offer for equity securities of the Company. |
(a) | This Agreement, and all rights and obligations of the Parties hereunder, shall terminate immediately without any notice or other action by any Person, upon the earliest to occur of the following (the date of such termination, the “Termination Date”): |
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(b) | Upon termination of this Agreement, all obligations of the Parties under this Agreement will terminate, without any liability or other obligation on the part of any Party hereto to any Person in respect hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby, and no Party shall have any claim against another (and no person shall have any rights against such Party), whether under contract, tort or otherwise, with respect to the subject matter hereof, provided, however, that the termination of this Agreement shall not relieve any Party from liability for fraud or any material breach of this Agreement prior to such termination. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event will the Stockholder be liable for any claims, losses, damages, expenses or other liabilities or obligations resulting from or related to any breach of the Merger Agreement by any party thereto. |
(c) | Section 8(b), Section 9, Section 10 and Section 13 hereof shall survive the termination of this Agreement. |
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(a) | Notices. All notices and other communications given or made hereunder shall, unless otherwise specified herein, be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5:00 p.m. New York time (or otherwise on the next succeeding Business Day) if (i) served by personal delivery or by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, (ii) delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested or (iii) sent by email (to the extent that no “bounce back”, “out-of-office” replies or similar automatically generated response indicating non-delivery is received with respect thereto). Such communications must be sent to the Stockholder, Parent or Merger Sub at the address set forth below, or at such other street address or email address for a Party as shall be specified for such purpose in a notice given in accordance with this Section 13(a) (it being understood that rejection or other refusal to accept or the inability to deliver because of changed street address or email address of which no notice was given shall be deemed to be receipt of such communication as of the date of such rejection, refusal or inability to deliver). |
Attn: | [•] |
Email: | [•] |
Attn: | [•] |
Email: | [•] |
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Attn: | *** |
Email: | *** |
Attn: | Tad Freese |
Email: | Tad.Freese@lw.com |
Attn: | *** |
Email: | *** |
Attn: | Daniel Wolf, P.C. |
Email: | daniel.wolf@kirkland.com |
Attn: | Peter D. Serating |
Email: | Peter.Serating@skadden.com |
(b) | Headings; Interpretations. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Section 1.3 of the Merger Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the terms of this Agreement. An “Affiliate” of the Stockholder will only be deemed to be an Affiliate under this Agreement for so long as it continues to the meet the definition of such term. |
(c) | Counterparts. This Agreement (i) may be executed in any number of counterparts, each such counterpart being deemed to be an original instrument, and all such counterparts shall together constitute the same |
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(d) | Entire Agreement, No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement (i) constitutes the entire agreement among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations, understandings, representations and warranties, whether oral or written, with respect to such matters and (ii) is not intended to confer, nor shall it confer, upon any Person other than the Parties any rights or remedies or benefits of any nature whatsoever. |
(e) | Governing Law, Jurisdiction. This Agreement and all actions, proceedings, causes of action, claims or counterclaims (whether based on contract, tort, statute or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the actions of the Parties in the negotiation, administration, performance and enforcement thereof (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in connection with this Agreement or as an inducement to enter into this Agreement), shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, including its statutes of limitations, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of Laws provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the Laws, including any statutes of limitations, of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware. Each of the Parties (a) irrevocably consents to the service of the summons and complaint and any other process (whether inside or outside the territorial jurisdiction of the Chosen Courts) in any Legal Proceeding in connection with, arising out of or otherwise relating to this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement, for and on behalf of itself or any of its properties or assets, in accordance with Section 13(a) or in such other manner as may be permitted by applicable Law, and nothing in this Section 13(e) will affect the right of any Party to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by applicable Law; (b) irrevocably and unconditionally consents and submits itself and its properties and assets in any Legal Proceeding to the exclusive general jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and any state appellate court therefrom within the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware declines to accept jurisdiction over a particular matter, any other state or federal court within the State of Delaware) (the “Chosen Courts”) in the event that any dispute or controversy arises in connection with this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby; (c) agrees that it shall not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from any such court; (d) agrees that any Legal Proceeding arising in connection with this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be brought, tried and determined only in the Chosen Courts; (e) waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such Legal Proceeding in the Chosen Courts or that such Legal Proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same; and (f) agrees that it shall not bring any Legal Proceeding relating to this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby in any court other than the Chosen Courts. Each of the Parties agrees that a final judgment in any Legal Proceeding in the Chosen Courts will be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by applicable Law. |
(f) | Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY THAT MAY ARISE PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT THAT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF any LEGAL Proceeding (WHETHER FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORTIOUS CONDUCT or OTHERWISE) directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Agreement, any instrument or other document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT (i) NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING |
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(g) | Assignment. Other than in connection with any Transfer permitted by Section 4, no Party may assign either this Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written approval of the other Parties hereto, except that Parent and Merger Sub will have the right to assign all or any portion of their respective rights and obligations pursuant to this Agreement to any Affiliate thereof to whom they have assigned the Merger Agreement; provided, however, that, following the Effective Time, Parent and Merger Sub may assign, in their sole discretion and without the consent of any other party, any or all of their rights, interests and obligations hereunder to each other or to one or more direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of Parent in connection with the assignment of the rights, interests and obligations of Parent and/or Merger Sub under the Merger Agreement to such direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries of Parent in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement; provided, further, that no such assignment shall relieve Parent or Merger Sub of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement. Any assignment in violation of the preceding sentence shall be void ab initio. Subject to the preceding two sentences, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Parties and their respective successors and assigns. |
(h) | Severability of Provisions. The provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed severable and the illegality, invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the legality, validity or enforceability of the other provisions of this Agreement. If any provision of this Agreement, or the application of such provision to any Person or any circumstance, is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority as illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (i) a suitable and equitable provision to be negotiated by the Parties hereto, each acting reasonably and in good faith, shall be substituted therefor in order to carry out, so far as may be legal, valid and enforceable, the original intent and purpose of such illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision, and (ii) the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such illegality, invalidity or unenforceability, nor shall such illegality, invalidity or unenforceability affect the legality, validity or enforceability of such provision, or the application of such provision, in any other jurisdiction. |
(i) | Specific Performance. Each of the Parties hereto acknowledges and agrees that the rights of each Party hereto to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby are special, unique and of extraordinary character and that if for any reason any of the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their specific terms or are otherwise breached, immediate and irreparable harm or damage would be caused for which money damages would not be an adequate remedy. Accordingly, each Party hereto agrees that, in addition to any other available remedies a Party may have in equity or at law, each Party hereto shall be entitled to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement and to an injunction restraining any breach or violation or threatened breach or violation of the provisions of this Agreement in the Chosen Courts without necessity of posting a bond or other form of security. In the event that any Legal Proceeding should be brought in equity to enforce the provisions of this Agreement, no Party shall allege, and each Party hereto hereby waives the defense, that there is an adequate remedy at Law. |
(j) | Amendment. No amendment or modification of this Agreement shall be effective unless it shall be in writing and signed by each of the Parties and, with respect to the Company, approved by the Special Committee, and no waiver or consent hereunder shall be effective against any Party unless it shall be in writing and signed by such Party and, with respect to the Company, approved by the Special Committee. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Agreement may not be amended, waived or modified in any manner without the prior written consent of the Company and the approval of the Special Committee. |
(k) | No Presumption. This Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any Party by virtue of the authorship of any provisions of this Agreement. |
(l) | No Agreement Until Executed. This Agreement shall not be effective unless and until (i) the Merger Agreement is executed by all parties thereto and (ii) this Agreement is executed by the Parties. |
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(m) | No Ownership Interest. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to vest in Parent or Merger Sub any direct or indirect ownership or incidence of ownership of or with respect to the Stockholder Securities. All rights, ownership and economic benefits of and relating to the Stockholder Securities shall remain vested in and belong to Stockholder, and neither Parent nor Merger Sub shall have any authority to manage, direct, restrict, regulate, govern, or administer any of the policies or operations of the Company and none of Parent nor Merger Sub shall exercise any power or authority to direct the Stockholder in the voting of any of the Stockholder Securities, except as otherwise specifically provided herein. |
(n) | [Controlled Affiliates. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any reference herein to “Affiliates”, rather than “controlled Affiliates”, of the Stockholder shall nonetheless be deemed only to refer to Affiliates that are majority owned and controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Stockholder.] |
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GAIA PURCHASER, INC., a Delaware corporation | |||||||||
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GAIA MERGER SUB, INC., a Delaware corporation | |||||||||
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GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL GROUP, INC. | |||||||||
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[STOCKHOLDER] | |||||||||
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