1.    Purpose. The purpose of the Plan (as defined below) is to provide Employees (as defined below) of the Company (as defined below) and its Designated Parents or Subsidiaries (as defined below) with an opportunity to purchase Common Shares (as defined below) of the Company through accumulated payroll deductions. It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code (as defined below) and the applicable regulations thereunder. The provisions of the Plan, accordingly, will be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of that section of the Code.

2.    Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions apply:

(a)    “Administrator” means either the Board or a committee of the Board that is responsible for the administration of the Plan as is designated from time to time by resolution of the Board.

(b)    “Applicable Laws” means the legal requirements relating to the administration of employee stock purchase plans, if any, under applicable provisions of federal securities laws, state corporate and securities laws, the Code and the applicable regulations thereunder, the rules of any applicable stock exchange or national market system, and the rules of any foreign jurisdiction applicable to participation in the Plan by residents therein.

(c)    “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d)    “Brokerage Account” means the brokerage account at a brokerage firm which the Company may designate and in which the shares purchased on behalf of a Participant are deposited.

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

(f)    “Common Shares” means the Class A common shares of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.

(g)    “Company” means Athene Holding Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company limited by shares.

(h)    “Compensation” means, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, an Employee’s base salary from the Company or one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries, including such amounts of base salary as are deferred by the Employee: (i) under a qualified cash or deferred arrangement described in Section 401(k) of the Code; or (ii) to a plan qualified under Section 125 of the Code. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, “Compensation” does not include overtime, bonuses, annual awards, other

(i)    “Corporate Transaction” means any of the following transactions, provided, however, that the Administrator will determine under parts (iv) and (v) whether multiple transactions are related, and its determination is final, binding and conclusive:

(i)    a merger or consolidation of the Company in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the state or other jurisdiction in which the Company is incorporated;

(ii)    the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

(iii)    the complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

(iv)    any reverse merger or series of related transactions culminating in a reverse merger (including, but not limited to, a tender offer followed by a reverse merger) in which the Company is the surviving entity but (A) the Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to such merger are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (B) in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities are transferred to a person or persons different from those who held such securities immediately prior to such merger or the initial transaction culminating in such merger, but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Administrator determines is not a Corporate Transaction; or

(v)    acquisition in a single or series of related transactions by any person or related group of persons (other than the Company or by a Company-sponsored employee benefit plan) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Administrator determines is not a Corporate Transaction.

(j)    “Designated Parents or Subsidiaries” means the Parents or Subsidiaries, which have been designated by the Administrator from time to time as eligible to participate in the Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, Athene USA Corporation and any United States or Bermuda Subsidiary are Designated Subsidiaries under this Plan.

(k)    “Effective Date” means March 8, 2017. However, should any Parent or Subsidiary become a Designated Parent or Subsidiary after such date, then the Administrator, in its discretion, will designate a separate Effective Date with respect to the employee-participants of such Designated Parent or Subsidiary.

(l)    “Employee” means any individual, including an officer or director, who is an employee of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary for purposes of Section 423 of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship will be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the individual’s employer. Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months and the individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship will be deemed to have terminated on the day that is three (3) months and one (1) day following the start of such leave, for purposes of determining eligibility to participate in the Plan.

(m)    “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(n)    “Exercise Date” means the last day of each Purchase Period.

(o)    “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a Common Share determined as follows:

(i)    If the Common Shares are listed on one or more established stock exchanges, including without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such shares (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on the principal exchange or system on which the Common Shares are listed (as determined by the Administrator) on the date of determination (or, if no closing sales price or closing bid was reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such closing sales price or closing bid was reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

(ii)    In the absence of an established market for the Common Shares of the type described in (i) above, if the Common Shares are regularly quoted on an automated quotation system (including the OTC Bulletin Board) or by a recognized securities dealer, but selling prices are not reported, its Fair Market Value will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for a Common Share on the date of determination (or, if no such prices were reported on that date, on the last date such prices were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

(iii)    In the absence of an established market for the Common Shares of the type described in (i) and (ii), above, its Fair Market Value thereof will be determined by the Administrator in good faith.

(p)    “New Exercise Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 18(b).

(q)    “Offer Period” means an Offer Period established pursuant to Section 4 hereof.

(r)    “Offering” means an offer under this Plan of an Option that may be exercised during an Offer Period. For purposes of the Plan, all Employees eligible to participate pursuant to Section 3 will be deemed to participate in the same Offering unless the Administrator otherwise determines that Employees of the Company or one or

(s)    “Offering Date” means the first day of each Offer Period.

(t)    “Option” means, with respect to each Purchase Period, a right to purchase Common Shares on the Exercise Date for such Purchase Period in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(u)    “Parent” means a “parent corporation” of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code.¹ 

(v)    “Participant” means an Employee of the Company or Designated Parent or Subsidiary who has enrolled in the Plan as set forth in Section 5(a).

(w)    “Plan” means this Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(x)    “Purchase Period” means, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, a period of approximately three (3) months.

(y)    “Purchase Price” means an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share (i) on the Exercise Date or, if applicable, (ii) on the Offering Date or on the Exercise Date, whichever is lower. Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, the Purchase Price will be eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the Exercise Date.

(z)    “Required Holding Period” means any holding period established by the Company during which a Participant may not sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of shares purchased under the Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the Required Holding Period shall be twelve (12) months following the Exercise Date.

(aa)    “Reserves” means, as of any date, the sum of: (1) the number of Common Shares covered by each then outstanding Option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised; and (2) the number of Common Shares which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but are not then subject to an outstanding Option.

¹As of the date hereof, a “parent corporation” generally means any corporation in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the granting of the Option, each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all class of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

(bb)     “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.² 

3.    Eligibility.

(a)    General. Subject to the further limitations in Sections 3(b) and 3(c), any individual who is an Employee on a given Offering Date will be eligible to participate in the Plan for the Offer Period commencing with such Offering Date. No individual who is not an Employee will be eligible to participate in the Plan.

(b)    Limitations on Grant and Accrual. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, no Employee will be granted an Option under the Plan: (i) if, immediately after the grant, such Employee (taking into account stock owned by any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own stock and/or hold outstanding options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary; or (ii) which permits the Employee’s rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its Parents or Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate which exceeds Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars (US$25,000) worth of stock (determined at the Fair Market Value of the shares at the time such Option is granted) for each calendar year in which such Option is outstanding at any time. The determination of the accrual of the right to purchase stock will be made in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

(c)    Other Limits on Eligibility. Notwithstanding Subsection (a), above, unless otherwise determined prior to the applicable Offer Date, the following Employees will not be eligible to participate in the Plan for any relevant Offer Period: (i) Employees whose customary employment is 20 hours or less per week; (ii) Employees whose customary employment is for not more than 5 months in any calendar year; and (iii) Employees who are citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether such an Employee is also a citizen of the United States or a resident alien (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) if his or her participation is prohibited under the laws of the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering to violate Section 423 of the Code. In addition, the Administrator may determine that Employees who have not been employed for a continuous period (of less than 2 years) preceding the Offering Date will not be eligible to participate in the Plan for any relevant Offer Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, Employees who have not been employed continuously for the one (1) month period preceding an Offering Date will not be eligible to participate in the Plan for the Offer Period corresponding to such Offering Date.

²As of the date hereof, a “subsidiary corporation” generally means any corporation in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of the granting of the Option, each of the corporations other than the relevant subsidiary corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.

4.    Offer Periods.

(a)    The Plan will be implemented through overlapping or consecutive Offer Periods until such time as (i) the maximum number of Common Shares available for issuance under the Plan have been purchased or (ii) the Plan has been sooner terminated in accordance with Section 19 hereof. The maximum duration of an Offer Period is twenty-seven (27) months. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the Plan will initially be implemented through consecutive Offer Periods of three (3) months’ duration.

(b)    A Participant will be granted a separate Option for each Offer Period in which he or she participates. The Option will be granted on the Offering Date and will be automatically exercised in successive installments on the Exercise Dates ending within the Offer Period.

(c)    If on the first day of any Purchase Period in an Offer Period in which an Employee is a Participant, the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares is less than the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares on the Offering Date of the Offer Period (after taking into account any adjustment during the Offer Period pursuant to Section 18(a)), the Offer Period will be terminated automatically and the Participant will be enrolled automatically in the new Offer Period which has its first Purchase Period commencing on that date, provided the Employee is eligible to participate in the Plan on that date and has not elected to terminate participation in the Plan.

(d)    Except as specifically provided herein, the acquisition of Common Shares through participation in the Plan for any Offer Period will neither limit nor require the acquisition of Common Shares by a Participant in any subsequent Offer Period.

5.    Participation.

(a)    An eligible Employee may become a Participant in the Plan by submitting an authorization of payroll deduction (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) as of a date in advance of the Offering Date for the Offer Period in which such participation will commence, as required by the Administrator for all eligible Employees with respect to a given Offer Period.

(b)    Payroll deductions for a Participant will commence with the first partial or full payroll period beginning on the Offering Date and will end on the last complete payroll period during the Offer Period, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.

6.    Payroll Deductions.

(a)    At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan, the Participant will elect to have payroll deductions made during the Offer Period in amounts between one percent (1%) and not exceeding fifteen percent (15%) of the Compensation which the Participant receives during the Offer Period.

(b)    All payroll deductions made for a Participant will be credited to the Participant’s account under the Plan and will be withheld in whole percentages only. A Participant may not make any additional payments into such account.

(c)    A Participant may discontinue participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10, or may increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions during the Offer Period by submitting notice of a change of status (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) authorizing an increase or decrease in the payroll deduction rate. Any increase or decrease in the rate of a Participant’s payroll deductions will be effective as soon as administratively practicable following the date of the request. A Participant’s payroll deduction authorization (as modified by any change of status notice) will remain in effect for successive Offer Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10. The Administrator will be authorized to limit the number of payroll deduction rate changes (including to zero) during any Offer Period.

(d)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Sections 3(b) and 7 herein, a Participant’s payroll deductions will be decreased to zero percent (0%). Payroll deductions will recommence at the rate provided in such Participant’s payroll deduction authorization, as amended, when permitted under Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Sections 3(b) and 7, unless such participation is sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.

7.    Grant of Option. On the Offering Date, each Participant will be granted an Option to purchase (at the applicable Purchase Price) Common Shares; provided: (i) that such Option is subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(b), 6 and 12; (ii) until otherwise determined by the Administrator, the maximum number of Common Shares a Participant will be permitted to purchase in any Offer Period is 1,000 shares, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 18; and (iii) that such Option is subject to such other terms and conditions (applied on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis), as the Administrator determines from time to time. Exercise of the Option will occur as provided in Section 8, unless the Participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10, and the Option, to the extent not exercised, will expire on the last day of the Offer Period with respect to which such Option was granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares subject to the Option may only be purchased with accumulated payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account in accordance with Section 6. In addition, to the extent an Option is not exercised on each Exercise Date, the Option will lapse and thereafter cease to be exercisable.

8.    Exercise of Option. Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10, the Participant’s Option for the purchase of Common Shares will be exercised automatically on each Exercise Date, by applying the accumulated payroll deductions in the Participant’s account to purchase the number of whole shares subject to the Option by dividing such Participant’s payroll deductions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Participant’s account as of the Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price. No fractional shares will be purchased; any payroll deductions accumulated in a Participant’s account which are not sufficient to purchase a whole share will be carried over to the next Purchase Period or

9.    Delivery. Subject to Section 12(d), upon receipt of a request from a Participant after each Exercise Date on which a purchase of shares occurs, the Company will arrange for the delivery to such Participant, as soon as administratively practicable, of the shares purchased upon exercise of the Participant’s Option.

10.    Withdrawal; Termination of Employment.

(a)    A Participant may, by giving notice to the Company (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time), either: (i) withdraw all but not less than all the payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account and not yet used to exercise the Participant’s Option under the Plan; or (ii) terminate future payroll deductions, but allow accumulated payroll deductions to be used to exercise the Participant’s Option under the Plan at any time. If the Participant elects withdrawal alternative (i) described above, all of the Participant’s payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account will be paid to such Participant as soon as administratively practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal, such Participant’s Option for the Offer Period will be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of shares will be made during the Offer Period. If the Participant elects withdrawal alternative (ii) described above, no further payroll deductions for the purchase of shares will be made during the Offer Period, all of the Participant’s payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account will be applied to the exercise of the Participant’s Option on the next Exercise Date (subject to Sections 3(b), 6, 7 and 12), and after such Exercise Date, such Participant’s Option for the Offer Period will be automatically terminated and all remaining accumulated payroll deduction amounts will be returned to the Participant. If a Participant withdraws from an Offer Period, payroll deductions will not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offer Period unless the Participant enrolls in such succeeding Offer Period. The Administrator may, in its discretion and on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, specify further procedures for withdrawal.

(b)    Upon termination of a Participant’s employment relationship (as described in Section 2(k)) prior to the next scheduled Exercise Date, the payroll deductions credited to such Participant’s account during the Offer Period but not yet used to exercise the Option will be returned to such Participant or, in the case of his/her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 14, and such Participant’s Option will be automatically terminated without exercise of any portion of such Option.

11.    Interest. No interest will accrue on the payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account under the Plan.

12.    Stock.

(a)    Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 18, the maximum number of Common Shares which will be made available for sale under the Plan is 3,800,000 shares. If the Administrator determines that on a given Exercise Date the number of shares with respect to which Options are to be exercised may exceed: (x) the number of shares then available for sale under the Plan; or (y) the number of shares available for sale under the Plan on the Offering Date(s) of one or more of the Offer Periods in which such Exercise Date is to occur, the Administrator may make a pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available for purchase on such Offering Dates or Exercise Date, as applicable, and will either continue the Offer Period then in effect or terminate any one or more Offer Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 19, below. Such allocation method will be “bottom up,” with the result that all Option exercises for one (1) share will be satisfied first, followed by all exercises for two (2) shares, and so on, until all available shares have been exhausted. Any amount remaining in a Participant’s payroll account following such allocation will be returned to the Participant and will not be carried over to any future Purchase Period or Offer Period, as determined by the Administrator.

(b)    A Participant will have no interest, dividend or voting right in shares covered by the Participant’s Option until such shares are actually purchased on the Participant’s behalf in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Plan. No adjustment will be made for dividends, distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of such purchase.

(c)    Shares to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant.

(d)    Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, shares purchased on behalf of each Participant shall initially be deposited into a Brokerage Account and may not be transferred from the Brokerage Account or sold or otherwise disposed of during the Required Holding Period.

13.    Administration. The Plan will be administered by the Administrator, which will have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to determine eligibility, to determine, with respect to each Offer Period, whether the Purchase Price will be determined as of (i) the Exercise Date or (ii) as of the Offering Date or the Exercise Date (whichever is lower), to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan, and to designate separate Offerings for the eligible Employees of the Company and one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries, in which case the Offerings will be considered separate even if the dates of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. Every finding, decision and determination made by the Administrator will, to the full extent permitted by Applicable Law, be final and binding upon all persons.

14.    Designation of Beneficiary.

(a)    Each Participant will file a designation (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the Participant’s account under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death. If a Participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent will be required for such designation to be effective.

(b)    Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant at any time by written notice. If a Participant is married, spousal consent will also be required for such change of designation to be effective. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living (or in existence) at the time of such Participant’s death, the Company will deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Administrator), the Administrator will deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse (or domestic partner, as determined by the Administrator) of the Participant, or if no spouse (or domestic partner) is known to the Administrator, then to the issue of the Participant, such distribution to be made per stirpes (by right of representation), or if no issue are known to the Administrator, then to the heirs at law of the Participant determined in accordance with Section 27.

15.    Transferability. No payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account, Options granted hereunder, or any rights with regard to the exercise of an Option or to receive shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, or as provided in Section 14) by the Participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition will be without effect, except that the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offer Period in accordance with Section 10.

16.    Use of Funds. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company will not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions or hold them exclusively for the benefit of Participants. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company may be subject to the claims of the Company’s general creditors. Participants will have the status of general unsecured creditors of the Company. Any amounts payable to Participants pursuant to the Plan will be unfunded and unsecured obligations for all purposes, including, without limitation, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. The Company will retain at all times beneficial ownership of any investments which the Company may make to fulfill its payment obligations hereunder. Any investments or the creation or maintenance of any trust or any Participant account will not create or constitute a trust or fiduciary relationship between the Administrator, the Company or any Designated Parent or Subsidiary and a Participant, or otherwise create any vested or beneficial interest in any Participant or the Participant’s creditors in any assets of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary. The Participants will have

17.    Reports. Individual account records will be maintained for each Participant in the Plan. Statements of account will be given to Participants at least annually, which statements will set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Purchase Price, the number of shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.

18.    Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions.

(a)    Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the Administrator, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust the Reserves, the Purchase Price, the maximum number of shares that may be purchased in any Offer Period or Purchase Period, as well as any other terms that the Administrator determines require adjustment, for: (i) any increase or decrease in the number of issued Common Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Shares; (ii) any other increase or decrease in the number of Common Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; or (iii) as the Administrator may determine in its discretion, any other transaction with respect to Common Shares, including a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation (including a spin-off or other distribution of stock or property), reorganization, liquidation (whether partial or complete) or any similar transaction; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment, if any, will be made by the Administrator and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive. Except as the Administrator determines, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, will affect, and no adjustment by reason hereof will be made with respect to, the Reserves and the Purchase Price.

(b)    Corporate Transactions. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, each Option under the Plan will be assumed by such successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless the Administrator, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in lieu of such assumption, determines to shorten the Offer Period then in progress by setting a new Exercise Date (the “New Exercise Date”). If the Administrator shortens the Offer Period then in progress in lieu of assumption in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Administrator will notify each Participant in writing at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that either:

(i)    the Participant’s Option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offer Period as provided in Section 10; or

(ii)    the Company will pay to the Participant on the New Exercise Date an amount in cash, cash equivalents, or property as determined by the Administrator that is equal

(c)    For purposes of Section 18(b), an Option granted under the Plan will be deemed to be assumed if, in connection with the Corporate Transaction, the Option is replaced with a comparable Option with respect to shares of capital stock of the successor corporation or Parent thereof. The determination of Option comparability will be made by the Administrator prior to the Corporate Transaction and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

19.    Amendment or Termination.

(a)    The Administrator may at any time and for any reason terminate or amend the Plan. Except as provided in Section 18, no such termination can adversely affect Options previously granted, provided that the Plan or any one or more Offer Periods then in effect may be terminated by the Administrator on any Exercise Date or by the Administrator establishing a new Exercise Date with respect to any Offer Period and/or Purchase Period then in progress if the Administrator determines that the termination of the Plan or one or more Offer Periods is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Except as provided in Section 18 and this Section 19, no amendment may make any change in any Option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant without the consent of affected Participants. To the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any other Applicable Law), the Company will obtain shareholder approval of any amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required.

(b)    Without stockholder consent and without regard to whether any Participant rights may be considered to have been “adversely affected,” the Administrator will be entitled to limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during Offer Periods, change the length of Purchase Periods within any Offer Period, determine the length of any future Offer Period, determine whether future Offer Periods will be consecutive or overlapping, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, establish or change Plan or per Participant limits on share purchases, establish additional terms, conditions, rules or procedures to accommodate the rules or laws of applicable foreign jurisdictions, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Shares for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participant’s Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable and which are consistent with the Plan, in each case to the extent consistent with the requirements of Code Section 423 and other Applicable Laws.

20.    Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan will be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Administrator at the location, or by the person, designated by the Administrator for the receipt thereof.

21.    Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares will not be issued with respect to an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto will comply with all Applicable Laws and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may require the Participant to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned Applicable Laws or is otherwise advisable. In addition, no Options will be exercised or shares issued hereunder before the Plan has been approved by stockholders of the Company as provided in Section 23.

22.    Term of Plan. The Plan will become effective upon the earlier to occur of its adoption by the Board or its approval by the stockholders of the Company. It will continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated under Section 19.

23.    Shareholder Approval. Continuance of the Plan will be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted. Such shareholder approval will be obtained in the degree and manner required under Applicable Laws.

24.    No Employment Rights. The Plan does not, directly or indirectly, create any right for the benefit of any employee or class of employees to purchase any shares under the Plan, or create in any employee or class of employees any right with respect to continuation of employment by the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, and it will not be deemed to interfere in any way with such employer’s right to terminate, or otherwise modify, an employee’s employment at any time.

25.    No Effect on Retirement and Other Benefit Plans. Except as specifically provided in a retirement or other benefit plan of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, participation in the Plan will not be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits or contributions under any retirement plan of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, and will not affect any benefits under any other benefit plan of any kind or any benefit plan subsequently instituted under which the availability or amount of benefits is related to level of compensation. The Plan is not a “Retirement Plan” or “Welfare Plan” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

26.    Effect of Plan. The provisions of the Plan will, in accordance with its terms, be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, all successors of each Participant, including, without limitation, such Participant’s estate and the executors, administrators or trustees thereof, heirs and legatees, and any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or representative of creditors of such Participant.

27.    Governing Law. The Plan is to be construed in accordance with and governed by the internal laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to any choice of law rule that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the internal laws of the State of Delaware to the rights and duties of the parties, except to the extent the internal laws of the State of Delaware are superseded by the laws of the United States. Should any provision of the Plan be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions will nevertheless remain effective and will remain enforceable.

28.    Dispute Resolution. The provisions of this Section 28 will be the exclusive means of resolving disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan. The Company and the Participant, or their respective successors (the “parties”), will attempt in good faith to resolve any disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan by negotiation between individuals who have authority to settle the controversy. Negotiations will be commenced by either party by notice of a written statement of the party’s position and the name and title of the individual who will represent the party. Within thirty (30) days of the written notification, the parties will meet at a mutually acceptable time and place, and thereafter as often as they reasonably deem necessary, to resolve the dispute. If the dispute has not been resolved by negotiation, the parties agree that any suit, action, or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Plan must be brought in the United States District Court for Delaware (or should such court lack jurisdiction to hear such action, suit or proceeding, in a Delaware state court) and that the parties will submit to the jurisdiction of such court. The parties irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection the party may have to the laying of venue for any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court. THE PARTIES ALSO EXPRESSLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT THEY HAVE OR MAY HAVE TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING. If any one or more provisions of this Section 28 are for any reason held invalid or unenforceable, it is the specific intent of the parties that such provisions be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it or its application valid and enforceable.