date: 2023-04-24 10:46:00+00:00
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- Rules of the Tullow Oil plc 2023 Executive Share Plan
- Adoption copy
Table of Contents
1. Definitions and Interpretation 3
2. Grant of Awards 7
3. Performance Condition 7
4. Restrictions on Transfer and Bankruptcy 8
5. Dividend Equivalents 8
6. Individual Limit 8
7. Plan Limits 8
8. Reduction and Recovery 9
9. Vesting, Release, Exercise and Settlement 10
10. Relevant Liabilities and Regulatory Issues 12
11. Cash Equivalent 13
12. Cessation of Employment 13
13. Corporate events 16
14. Adjustments 19
15. Amendments 19
16. Legal Entitlement 20
17. General 20
Schedule 1 - Cash Awards 22
The Tullow Oil plc 2023 Executive Share Plan
- Definitions and Interpretation
- In this Plan, unless otherwise stated, the words and expressions below have the following meanings:
“Award” means a Conditional Award or a Nil-Cost Option;
“Board” means, subject to rule 13.8, the board of the Company or any committee or person duly authorised by the board, or any duly appointed successor body;
“Bonus” means the bonus (if any) earned by an Eligible Employee pursuant to a bonus plan operated by any Group Member;
“Bonus Year” means the financial year of the Company in respect of which the Bonus is earned;
“Company” means Tullow Oil plc registered in England and Wales with registered number 3919249;
“Conditional Award” means a right to receive Shares automatically at no cost subject to the rules of the Plan;
“Control” has the meaning given by section 995 of the Income Tax Act 2007;
“Dealing Day” means any day on which the London Stock Exchange is open for business;
“Dealing Restrictions” means restrictions imposed by the Company’s share dealing code, the Listing Rules, the MAR or any other laws or regulations that impose restrictions on share dealing;
“Deferred Bonus Award” means an Award granted under the Plan which is designated by the Board as a deferred bonus award at the Grant Date (which unless the Board determines otherwise will not be subject to a Performance Condition) and which relates to the deferral of a portion of any Bonus;
“Eligible Employee” means a current or former employee (including an executive director) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
“FCA” means the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, or any successor body;
“Grant Date” means the date on which an Award is granted;
“Grant Period” means the period of 42 days beginning on:
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- the day on which the Plan is approved by shareholders in general meeting;
- the first Dealing Day after the day on which the Company makes an announcement of its results for any period;
- the day on which the Policy is approved by shareholders; or
- any day on which the Board resolves that exceptional circumstances exist which justify the grant of Awards,
- unless the Company is restricted from granting Awards during the periods specified above as a result of any Dealing Restrictions, in which case the relevant Grant Period will be 42 days beginning on the day after such Dealing Restrictions are lifted;
“Group Member” means the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any company that is (within the meaning given by section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006) the Company’s holding company or a Subsidiary of the Company’s holding company or, if the Board so determines, any body corporate in relation to which the Company is able to exercise at least 20% of the equity voting rights and “Group” will be construed accordingly;
“Holding Period” means such period as the Board determines on or before the Grant Date, which will usually begin on the Normal Vesting Date and end on the fifth anniversary of the Grant Date;
“Internal Reorganisation” means where immediately after a change of Control of the Company, all or substantially all of the share capital of the acquiring company is owned directly or indirectly by the persons who were shareholders in the Company immediately before the change of Control;
“Listing Rules” means the FCA’s listing rules, as amended from time to time;
“MAR” means the EU Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014 and any associated EU Regulation to the extent each is incorporated into the law of the United Kingdom by virtue of section 3 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and as amended by any instrument related to their incorporation into the law of the United Kingdom;
“Nil-Cost Option” means a right to acquire Shares subject to the rules of the Plan for nil cost or for a Nominal Exercise Price;
“Nominal Exercise Price” means an exercise price per Share equal to the nominal value of a Share from time to time;
“Normal Release Date” means the date on which an Award will normally be Released, which, in relation to an Award:
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- to which no Holding Period applies, will be the Normal Vesting Date; and
- to which a Holding Period applies, will be the first Dealing Day immediately after the end of the Holding Period;
“Normal Vesting Date” means the date on which an Award will normally Vest, which:
- in relation to an Award (except a Deferred Bonus Award) subject to the satisfaction of a Performance Condition, will be the later of:
- the date on which the Board determines the extent to which any Performance Condition has been satisfied in accordance with rule 9.1; and
- the date on which the Board determines whether an adjustment should be made in accordance with rule 9.2; or
- in relation to an Award (including a Deferred Bonus Award) not subject to the satisfaction of a Performance Condition, will be the third anniversary of the Grant Date
or any other date determined by the Board at the Grant Date;
“Participant” means any person who holds an Award or following their death, their personal representatives;
“Performance Condition” means any one or more condition, measure , target or underpin (whether on an individual basis or otherwise) or conditions imposed under rule 3.1 that relates to performance;
“Performance Period” means the period over which a Performance Condition will be measured which, unless the Board determines otherwise, will be at least three years;
“Plan” means the Tullow Oil plc 2023 Executive Share Plan as amended from time to time;
“Policy” means the Company’s directors’ remuneration policy as most recently approved by the Company’s shareholders;
“Recovery Period” means subject to rule 8.6, the period:
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- for any Award (except a Deferred Bonus Award) subject to the satisfaction of a Performance Condition, beginning on the first day of the Performance Period and ending on the third anniversary of the last day of the Performance Period (ignoring any truncating of the Performance Period pursuant to the rules of the Plan);
- for any Award (except a Deferred Bonus Award) not subject to the satisfaction of a Performance Condition, beginning on the first day of the Vesting Period and ending on the third anniversary of the Normal Vesting Date;
- for a Deferred Bonus Award, beginning on the first day of the Bonus Year and ending on the on the third anniversary of the last day of the Bonus Year
or such other period as the Board may determine on or before the Grant Date, provided that any such period is consistent with the Policy;
“Release” means:
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- in relation to a Conditional Award, the point at which the Participant becomes entitled to receive the Shares under their Award; and
- in relation to a Nil-Cost Option, the point at which it becomes capable of exercise,
- and “Released” and “Unreleased” will be construed accordingly;
“Release Date” means the date on which an Award is Released;
“Relevant Liability” means any tax, social security contributions, levy, charge or other payroll deductions required by law arising out of or in connection with an Award for which the Participant is liable (or which may be recovered from the Participant) and for which any Group Member or former Group Member is obliged to pay or account to any relevant authority, or any reasonable estimate thereof;
“Share” means a fully paid ordinary share in the Company;
“Shareholding Requirement” meansany requirement, guideline or policy determined by the Board from time to time pursuant to which a person must hold Shares either during their office or employment with a Group Member or following their ceasing to hold office or employment with a Group Member;
“Subsidiary” has the meaning given by section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006;
“Trustee” the trustee or trustees for the time being of any employee benefit trust, the beneficiaries of which include Eligible Employees;
“Vest” means the Board’s determination of the number of Shares in respect of which an Award may become capable of Release by reference to the satisfaction of any Performance Condition, any adjustment in accordance with rule 9.2 and any other term of the Award, and "Vested” and “Unvested” will be construed accordingly; and
“Vesting Period” means, in relation to:
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- an Award that is subject to a Performance Condition, the Performance Period (or such other period as the Board may determine on or before the Grant Date); and
- an Award (including a Deferred Bonus Award) that is not subject to a Performance Condition, the period commencing on the Grant Date and ending on the third anniversary of the Grant Date
or such other period as the Board may determine on or before the Grant Date, provided that any such period is consistent with the Policy.
the Board may determine that such Vesting and/or Release will be subject to such conditions as the Board may determine, which may include restrictions on the disposal of some or all of the Shares acquired pursuant to the Award for such period as the Board may determine, and that any Shares so restricted may be forfeited if the Participant ceases to hold office or employment with a Group Member during such period in circumstances in which their Award would have lapsed if it had not Vested or been Released in accordance with this rule 9.7 and that any such Shares remain subject to reduction and recovery under rule 8. The Board may make the Release of the Award or exercise of a Nil-Cost Option conditional on the Participant taking any action (including entering into any agreement) reasonably required by the Board in relation to such conditions.
any such cash sum will be paid to the Participant within 30 days after the Release of the Conditional Award or the exercise of the Nil-Cost Option, net of any Relevant Liability.
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- The Board may determine that this rule 11 will not apply to an Award or any part of it.
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Cessation of Employment
- Cessation of employment before the Normal Vesting Date – default position
- If a Participant ceases to hold office or employment with a Group Member before the Normal Vesting Date other than in accordance with rule 12.2 or on account of their death, that Award will lapse on the date of such cessation.
- Cessation of employment before the Normal Vesting Date – good leaver
- If a Participant ceases to hold office or employment with a Group Member before the Normal Vesting Date as a result of:
- ill-health, injury or disability as established to the satisfaction of the Board;
- the Participant’s employing company ceasing to be a Group Member or the transfer of an undertaking or part of an undertaking to a person who is not a Group Member; or
- any other reason (other than gross misconduct, in which case that Award will lapse on the date of such cessation) as the Board may determine,
unless the Board determines that rule 13.6 will apply, rule 12.3 applies to the Award.
- Pro rating and Process
- If this rule 12.3 applies to an Award, the Award will Vest and be Released as follows:
Determination of Vesting
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- The Award will normally continue pursuant to the rules of the Plan save that, other than in relation to a Deferred Bonus Award unless otherwise determined by the Board, rule 12.3.3 (time based reduction) will apply to the Award.
- Alternatively, the Board may determine that the Award should Vest earlier, in which case the extent to which the Award Vests shall be determined by:
- the early application of rule 9.1 (determining the extent to which the Performance Condition has been satisfied);
- the early application of rule 9.2 (adjusting outcomes); and
- other than in relation to a Deferred Bonus Award unless otherwise determined by the Board, the application of rule 12.3.3 (time based reduction).
Time based reduction
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- The number of Shares in respect of which the Award Vests will be reduced to take account of the proportion of the Vesting Period that had elapsed on the date of the Participant’s cessation of office or employment with a Group Member (unless the Board determines otherwise or that a different pro ration formula will be applied);
Timing of Release
and any part of the Award that does not Vest will lapse immediately.
- Exchange
- An Award will not Vest, be Released or lapse under this rule 13 but will be exchanged for a new award that, in the opinion of the Board, is equivalent to the Award, to the extent that:
- an offer to exchange the Award is made and accepted by a Participant;
- there is an Internal Reorganisation, unless the Board determines otherwise; or
- the Board decides (before the relevant event) that an Award will be exchanged.
- The new award may be over shares in and/or other securities issued by a different company (whether an acquiring company or a different company) and/or a right to receive a cash amount.
- If an Award is exchanged under rule 13.6, the rules of this Plan will be construed in relation to the new award (the “New Award”) as if:
- the New Award was an Award granted under the Plan at the same time as the Award;
- references to any Performance Condition were references to a new performance condition to which the New Award is subject;
- references to the Company were references to the company whose shares and/or other securities are subject to the New Award; and
- references to Shares were references to shares and/or other securities that are the subject of the New Award.
- Meaning of Board
- Any reference to the Board in this rule 13 means the members of the Board immediately before the relevant event.
- Adjustments
- The number of Shares subject to an Award and/or any Performance Condition may be adjusted in such manner as the Board determines, in the event of:
- any variation of the share capital of the Company; or
- a demerger, delisting, special dividend or other event that may, in the opinion of the Board, affect the current or future value of Shares.
- Amendments
- Except as described in this rule 15, the Board may amend the rules of the Plan or the terms of any Award.
- Subject to rule 15.3, no amendment to the advantage of Eligible Employees and/or Participants may be made under this rule 15 to the provisions relating to:
- the persons to whom, or for whom, Shares or cash are provided under the Plan;
- limitations on the number or amount of Shares or cash subject to the Plan;
- the maximum entitlement for any one Participant;
- the basis for determining a Participant’s entitlement to, and the terms of, Shares or cash to be provided under the Plan;
- the adjustments that may be made in the event of a variation of capital; and
- the terms of this rule 15.2
- without prior approval of the shareholders of the Company in general meeting.
- Rule 15.2 will not apply to any minor amendment that is to benefit the administration of the Plan or is necessary or desirable to take account of any change in legislation or to obtain or maintain favourable taxation, exchange control or regulatory treatment for any Group Member, Eligible Employee or Participant.
- No amendment to the material disadvantage of existing rights of Participants (except in respect of a Performance Condition) will be made under rule 15.1 unless:
- every Participant who may be affected has been invited to indicate whether or not they approve the amendment; and
- the amendment is approved by a majority of those Participants who have so indicated.
- No amendment will be made under this rule 15 if it would prevent the Plan from being an employees’ share scheme within the meaning of section 1166 of the Companies Act 2006.
- The Board may establish further schedules to the Plan for overseas territories. Any such schedule will be similar to the Plan but may modify the Plan to take account of local tax, exchange control or securities laws. Any Award granted under any such schedule must be treated as counting against the limits set out in rule 6 and any Shares made available under any such schedule must be treated as counting against the limits set out in rule 7.
- Legal Entitlement
- This rule 16 applies during a Participant’s employment with any Group Member and after the termination of such employment, whether or not the termination is lawful.
- Nothing in the Plan or its operation forms part of the terms of employment of a Participant and the rights and obligations arising from a Participant’s employment with any Group Member are separate from, and are not affected by, their participation in the Plan. Participation in the Plan does not create any right to continued employment with a Group Member for any Participant.
- The grant of any Award to a Participant does not create any right for that Participant to be granted any further Awards or to be granted Awards on any particular terms, including the number of Shares to which Awards relate.
- By participating in the Plan, a Participant waives all rights to compensation for any loss in relation to the Plan, including:
- any loss or reduction of any rights or expectations under the Plan in any circumstances or for any reason (including lawful or unlawful termination of the Participant’s employment);
- any exercise of a discretion or a decision taken in relation to an Award or to the Plan, or any failure to exercise a discretion or take a decision; and
- the operation, suspension, termination or amendment of the Plan.
- General
- The Plan will terminate upon the date stated in rule 2.7, or at any earlier time by the passing of a resolution by the Board or an ordinary resolution of the Company in general meeting. Termination of the Plan will be without prejudice to the existing rights of Participants.
- Shares issued or transferred from treasury under the Plan will rank equally in all respects with the Shares then in issue, except that they will not rank for any voting, dividend or other rights attaching to Shares by reference to a record date preceding the date of issue or transfer from treasury.
- The personal data of any Eligible Employee, Participant or former Participant may be processed in connection with the operation of the Plan in accordance with the Group’s prevailing data protection policy and as notified to Eligible Employees pursuant to a privacy notice or otherwise. If an Eligible Employee, Participant or former Participant is employed outside the European Economic Area and outside the United Kingdom and consent is needed for processing of their personal data in connection with the operation of the Plan, by participating in the Plan, they consent to such processing of their personal data.
- The Plan will be administered by the Board. The Board will have full authority, consistent with the Plan, to administer the Plan, including authority to interpret and construe any provision of the Plan and to adopt regulations for administering the Plan. Decisions of the Board will be final and binding on all parties.
- Any notice or other communication in connection with the Plan may be delivered personally or sent by electronic means or post, in the case of a company to its registered office (for the attention of the company secretary), and in the case of an individual to their last known address, or, where they are a director or employee of a Group Member, either to their last known address or to the address of the place of business at which they perform the whole or substantially the whole of the duties of their office or employment. Where a notice or other communication is given by post, it will be deemed to have been received 72 hours after it was put into the post properly addressed and stamped, and if by electronic means, when the sender receives electronic confirmation of delivery or if not available, 24 hours after sending the notice.
- No benefits received under the Plan will be pensionable.
- If any rule of the Plan or any term of an Award is held to be void but would be valid if part of its wording were deleted, such rule will apply with such deletion as may be necessary to make it valid.
- No third party other than a Group Member will have any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of the Plan (without prejudice to any right of a third party that exists other than under that Act).
- The rules of the Plan will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any person referred to in the Plan submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales.
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- The rules of the Tullow Oil plc 2023 Executive Share Plan will apply to a right to receive a cash sum granted under this Schedule as if it was either a Conditional Award (a “Cash Conditional Award”) or a Nil-Cost Option (a “Cash Option”), except as set out in this Schedule. Where there is any conflict between the rules of the Plan and this Schedule, the terms of this Schedule will prevail.
- Each Cash Conditional Award or Cash Option will relate to a certain number of notional Shares.
- On the Release of a Cash Conditional Award or the exercise of a Cash Option the Participant will be entitled to receive a cash sum, calculated on the following basis:
- in the case of a Cash Conditional Award, the cash sum will be equal to the market value (as determined by the board) on the release date of the notional shares in respect of which the Cash Conditional Award is released; and
- in the case of a Cash Option, the cash sum will be equal to the market value (as determined by the board) on the date of exercise of the notional shares in respect of which the Cash Option is exercised.
- The cash sum payable under paragraph 1.4 above will be paid to the participant within 30 days after the release of the Cash Conditional Award or the exercise of the Cash Option, net of any Relevant Liability as may be required by law.
- Unless the board determines otherwise on or before the grant date of a Cash Conditional Award or a Cash Option, the board may, at any time prior to the date on which the Cash Sum becomes payable under paragraph 1.4 above, determine that a Cash Conditional Award or a Cash Option will be converted into a Conditional Award or a Nil-Cost Option under the rules of the plan over the same number of shares as the number of notional shares to which the Cash Conditional Award or Cash Option relates.