UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
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Check the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy Statement
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
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Definitive Proxy Statement
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Definitive Additional Materials
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Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12
ATLAS FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
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No fee required.
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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and
0-11.
(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction
applies:
(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction
computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount
on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
determined):
(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of
transaction:
(5) Total fee paid:
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials
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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange
Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the
offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by
registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date
of its filing.
(1) Amount Previously Paid:
(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement
No.:
(3) Filing Party:
(4) Date Filed:
THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK
Notice of 2022 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
and Proxy Statement
Atlas Financial Holdings Inc.
953 American Lane, 3rd Floor
Schaumburg, Illinois 60173
Notice of 2022 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
Items of Business:
1.To
elect the directors of the Corporation to serve until the next
annual general meeting of shareholders (“Meeting”),
as more fully described in the proxy statement dated April 29,
2022 (“Proxy
Statement”),
a copy of which accompanies this notice;
2.to
consider and, if deemed appropriate, to pass an advisory,
non-binding resolution with respect to the Corporation's executive
compensation, as more fully described in the Proxy
Statement;
3.to
consider and to pass a resolution ratifying the appointment of
Baker Tilly US, LLP as the independent auditor of the Corporation
for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022;
4.to
consider and, if deemed appropriate, to pass, with or without
variation, a resolution approving the Corporation’s 2022 Equity
Incentive Plan, as more fully described in this Proxy Statement;
and
5.to
transact such other business as may be properly brought before the
Meeting.
The Proxy Statement provides additional information relating to the
matters to be dealt with at the Meeting and is deemed to form part
of this notice of annual general meeting.
We have elected to use the notice and access rules adopted by the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)
to provide our Shareholders access to our proxy materials and
Annual Report to Shareholders by notifying them of the availability
of our proxy materials and Annual Report to Shareholders via the
Internet. The notice and access model gives the Corporation a fast,
efficient and lower-cost way to furnish Shareholders with their
proxy materials and reduces our impact on the environment. As a
result, on or about April 29, 2022, we will begin mailing our
Shareholders an “Important Notice Regarding the Availability of
Proxy Materials” (“Notice”)
with instructions on how to access the proxy materials and Annual
Report to Shareholders via the Internet and how to vote online. On
the date of mailing the Notice, all shareholders will be able to
access the proxy materials on a website referred to, and at the URL
address included in, the Notice and in the Proxy Statement. These
proxy materials will be available free of charge.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for
the Meeting. This Proxy Statement, the Corporation’s 2021 Annual
Report to Shareholders and directions to access the Meeting are
available on the Corporation’s website at www.atlas-fin under the
"Earnings Release Info" selection.
Meeting Admission:
Only holders of record of ordinary voting common shares as of the
close of business on April 28, 2022, the record date, are
entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at the
Meeting.
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When: |
June 13, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., Central Time. |
Registration begins at 9:45 a.m. |
Where: |
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ATLAS2022 |
Proxy Submission Deadline: |
Proxies that are submitted by mail to be used at the Meeting must
be deposited with Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, P.O. Box
1342, Brentwood, NJ 11717, before 10:00 a.m., Central Time, on June
10, 2022, or if the Meeting is adjourned, no later than 9:00 a.m.,
Central Time on the second business day preceding the day to which
the Meeting is adjourned. Alternatively, proxies can be submitted
electronically pursuant to the instructions on the proxy
form.
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Date of Mailing:
At Schaumburg, Illinois on this 29th day of April, the contents of
this Proxy Statement have been approved and its mailing has been
authorized by the Board of Directors.
By order of the Board of Directors,
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Scott Wollney
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Chairman of the Board |
April 29, 2022 |
Table of Contents
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Proposal 3: Ratification of Baker Tilly US, LLP as Independent
Registered Public Accountant for 2022 |
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Appendix A |
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Information About Atlas' Annual General Meeting
All references to “Atlas,” the “Corporation,” “we,” “us” or “our”
refer to Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. The mailing address of our
principal offices is Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc., 953 American
Lane, 3rd Floor, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. Unless otherwise
stated, the information contained in this Proxy Statement is given
as of April 29, 2022.
Place, Time and Date of Meeting
This proxy statement (this “Proxy
Statement”)
is being furnished to the holders of fully paid ordinary shares.
par value $.003 each per share (“Voting
Shares”)
in the capital of Atlas ("Shareholders")
in connection with the solicitation of proxies on behalf of our
Board of Directors for use at the annual general meeting of
Shareholders (the “Meeting”or
the "Annual
General Meeting")
to be held on June 13, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., Central Time, and at any
subsequent adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof, for the
purposes set forth herein and in the accompanying Notice of Annual
General Meeting of Shareholders (the “Notice
of Meeting”).
The Meeting will be held virtually at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ATLAS2022. Directions to access
the Meeting are included within this Proxy Statement. This Proxy
Statement and the form of proxy are first being mailed to
Shareholders on or about April 29, 2022.
When are this Proxy Statement and the accompanying materials
scheduled to be sent to shareholders?
We have elected to provide access to our proxy materials to our
Shareholders via the Internet. Accordingly, on or about April 29,
2022, we will begin mailing a Notice of Internet Availability of
Proxy Materials (“Notice”).
Our proxy materials, including the Notice of Meeting, this Proxy
Statement and the accompanying proxy card, for shares held in
street name (held for your account by a broker or other nominee), a
voting instruction form, and the 2021 Annual Report to Shareholders
(“2021
Annual Report”)
will be mailed or made available to Shareholders on the Internet on
the same date.
Why did I receive a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy
Materials instead of a full set of proxy materials?
Pursuant to rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”)
for most Shareholders, we are providing access to our proxy
materials over the Internet rather than printing and mailing our
proxy materials. We believe following this process will expedite
the receipt of such materials and will help lower our costs and
reduce the environmental impact of our Meeting materials.
Therefore, the Notice will be mailed to holders of record and
beneficial owners of our Voting Shares starting on or about April
29, 2022. The Notice will provide instructions as to how
Shareholders may access and review our proxy materials including
the Notice of Meeting, this Proxy Statement, the proxy card and our
2021 Annual Report, on the website referred to in the Notice or,
alternatively, how to request a copy of the proxy materials,
including the proxy card, be sent to a requesting Shareholder by
mail. The Notice will also provide voting instructions. In
addition, Shareholders of record may request to receive the proxy
materials in printed form by mail or electronically by e-mail on an
ongoing basis for future Shareholder meetings. Please note that,
while our proxy materials are available at the website referenced
in the Notice, and our Notice of Meeting, this Proxy Statement and
our 2021 Annual Report are available on our website, no other
information contained on either website is incorporated by
reference in or considered to be a part of this Proxy
Statement.
Who is soliciting my vote?
Our Board of Directors (the "Board"
or "Board
of Directors")
is soliciting your vote for the Annual General
Meeting.
When is the record date for the Annual General
Meeting?
The record date for determination of Shareholders entitled to vote
at the Annual General Meeting is the close of business on
April 28, 2022.
How many votes can be cast by all Shareholders?
There were 17,552,839 shares of our Voting Shares outstanding on
April 28, 2022, all of which are entitled to vote with respect
to all matters to be acted upon at the Annual General Meeting. Each
shareholder of record is entitled to one vote for each Voting Share
held by such Shareholder. We had no shares of restricted voting
common shares and no preferred shares outstanding as of
April 28, 2022.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
1
How do I vote?
You may vote your shares over the Internet, by telephone or during
the annual general meeting by going to
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ATLAS2022. If you requested
and/or received a printed version of the proxy card, you may also
vote by mail.
•By
Internet.
You may vote at www.proxyvote.com, 24 hours a day seven days per
week. You will need the 16-digit control number included on your
proxy card or voting instruction form. Votes submitted by internet
must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 12,
2022.
•By
Telephone.
You may vote using a touch-tone telephone by calling
1-800-690-6903, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You will need
the 16-digit control number included on your proxy card or voting
instruction form. Votes submitted by telephone must be received by
11:59 p.m. ET on June 12, 2022.
•By
Mail.
If you received printed proxy materials, you may submit your vote
by completing, signing and dating each proxy card received and
returning it in the prepaid envelope. Sign your name exactly as it
appears on the proxy card. Proxy cards submitted by mail must be
received no later than June 12, 2022.
•During
the Annual General Meeting.
You may vote during the Annual General Meeting by going to
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ATLAS2022. You will need the
16-digit control number included on your proxy card or voting
instruction form. If you previously voted via the Internet (or by
telephone or mail), you will not limit your right to vote online at
the Annual General Meeting. Online check-in will begin at 9:45 a.m.
Central Time on June 13, 2022. We will have technicians standing by
and ready to assist you with any technical difficulties you may
have accessing the virtual Annual General Meeting. If you encounter
any difficulties accessing the virtual Annual General Meeting
during the check-in or meeting time, please call the technical
support number that will be posted on the log-in page at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ATLAS2022.
Voting deadlines and availability of telephone and Internet voting
for beneficial owners whose shares are held in “street name” by a
bank, broker or nominee depend on the voting processes of the
entity that holds their shares. If your shares are held in “street
name,” we urge you to carefully review and follow the voting
instruction form and any other materials that you might receive
from the entity that is the record holder of your
shares.
If you complete and submit your proxy before the Annual General
Meeting, the persons named as proxies will vote the shares
represented by your proxy in accordance with your instructions. If
you submit a proxy without giving voting instructions, your shares
will be voted in the manner recommended by the Board of Directors
on all matters presented in this Proxy Statement, and as the
persons named as proxies may determine in their discretion with
respect to any other matters properly presented at the Annual
General Meeting. You may also authorize another person or persons
to act for you as proxy in writing, signed by you or your
authorized representative, specifying the details of those proxies’
authority. The original writing must be given to each of the named
proxies, although it may be sent to them by electronic transmission
if, from that transmission, it can be determined that the
transmission was authorized by you.
If any other matters are properly presented for consideration at
the Annual General Meeting, including, among other things,
consideration of a motion to adjourn the Annual General Meeting to
another time or place (including, without limitation, for the
purpose of soliciting additional proxies), the persons named in
your proxy and acting thereunder will have discretion to vote on
those matters in accordance with their best judgment. We do not
currently anticipate that any other matters will be raised at the
Annual General Meeting.
How do I revoke my proxy?
If your shares are registered directly in your name, you may revoke
your proxy and change your vote at any time before the Annual
General Meeting. To do so, you must do one of the
following:
•Vote
by Internet or over the telephone as instructed above. Only your
latest Internet or telephone vote is counted. You may not change
your vote over the telephone after 11:59 p.m. ET on June 12,
2022.
•Sign
a new proxy and submit it as instructed above. Only your latest
dated proxy, to be received no later than June 12, 2022 , will
be counted.
•Participate
in the Annual General Meeting virtually via the Internet and vote
again. Participating in the Annual General Meeting will not revoke
your Internet vote, telephone vote or proxy, unless you vote
again.
If a broker, bank, or other nominee holds your shares, you must
contact such broker, bank, or nominee in order to find out how to
change your vote.
How is the vote counted?
All Shareholders are cordially invited to attend the Meeting. If
you do not expect to be present at the Meeting, you are requested
to complete, date, sign, and submit the proxy to make sure that
your Voting Shares are represented at the Meeting. Shareholders of
record also have the option of voting by mail, telephone, or
Internet. Instructions for using these services are included on the
proxy card. In the event you decide to attend the Meeting
virtually, you may, if you desire, revoke your proxy and vote your
Voting Shares during the meeting in accordance with the procedures
described above.
Each Shareholder is entitled to one vote for each Voting Share held
on the Record Date on all matters submitted for consideration at
the Meeting. A quorum, representing the two or more Shareholders in
excess of 5% of the outstanding Voting Shares, must be present in
person or by proxy at the Meeting for the transaction of business.
Voting Shares that reflect abstentions are treated as Voting Shares
that are present and entitled to vote for the purposes of
establishing a quorum but do not constitute a vote “for” or
“against” any matter.
“Broker nonvotes” are Voting Shares held in “street name” through a
broker or other nominee over which the broker or nominee lacks
discretionary power to vote and for which the broker or nominee has
not received specific voting instructions. Thus, if you do not give
your broker or nominee specific instructions, your Voting Shares
may not be voted on certain matters. Voting Shares that reflect
“broker nonvotes” are treated as Voting Shares that are present and
entitled to vote for the purposes of establishing a quorum.
However, for the purposes of determining the outcome of any matter
as to which the broker or nominee has indicated on the proxy that
it does not have discretionary authority to vote, those Voting
Shares will be treated as not present and not entitled to vote with
respect to that matter, even though those Voting Shares are
considered present and entitled to vote for the purposes of
establishing a quorum and may be entitled to vote on other
matters.
If you are a beneficial shareholder and your broker or nominee
holds your Voting Shares in its name, some brokers or nominees are
permitted to vote your Voting Shares on matters such as the
ratification of the appointment of independent registered public
accountants, even if the broker or nominee does not receive voting
instructions from you.
Who pays the cost for soliciting proxies?
We are making this solicitation and will pay the entire cost of
preparing and distributing our proxy materials and soliciting
votes. If you choose to access the proxy materials or vote over the
Internet, you are responsible for any Internet access charges that
you may incur. Our officers and employees may, without compensation
other than their regular compensation, solicit proxies through
further mailings, personal conversations, facsimile transmissions,
e-mails, or otherwise. Proxy solicitation expenses that we will pay
include those for preparation, mailing, returning, and tabulating
the proxies.
Meaning of Shareholder of Record
You will only be a Shareholder of record if your name is recorded
on the Corporation’s register of members as of April 28, 2022. If
your name is not recorded on the Corporation’s register of members,
any Voting Shares you hold in the Corporation are held
beneficially. Shareholders who have purchased their Voting Shares
on an exchange may hold those shares through a depository, in which
case they will be beneficial shareholders and will not be
Shareholders of record. If you hold your Voting Shares in “street
name,” you will not be a Shareholder of record.
Even if the Voting Shares you own are held in “street name” by a
bank or brokerage firm, you are considered the beneficial owner of
the Voting Shares, and your bank or brokerage firm, as the record
holder of your Voting Shares, is required to vote your Voting
Shares according to your instructions. To vote your Voting Shares,
you will need to follow the directions your bank or brokerage firm
provides to you. Many banks and brokerage firms offer the option of
voting over the Internet or by telephone. Please contact your bank
or brokerage firm for further information.
All references to Shareholders in this Proxy Statement and the
proxy card and Notice of Meeting are to registered Shareholders
unless specifically stated otherwise.
General
Unless otherwise noted, all of the dollar amounts in this Proxy
Statement are expressed in U.S. dollars.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
3
Proxy Summary
To the knowledge of the Board, the only matters to be brought
before the Meeting are set forth in the accompanying Notice of
Meeting. These matters are described in turn under the headings
below. This information does not contain all of the information
that you should consider in deciding how to vote. You should read
the entire Proxy Statement carefully before voting.
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Proposal 1
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Election of Directors |
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The Board recommends a vote FOR each director nominee. |
Each director nominee has broad leadership experience and an
established record of accomplishment with relevant skills and
expertise for overseeing our business. |
At the Meeting, the Shareholders will be asked to elect the
directors of the Corporation to hold office until the next annual
general meeting of Shareholders or until the successors of such
directors are duly elected or appointed. The number of directors to
be elected is within the range set forth in the Corporation's
Articles of Association.
The following Directors have been nominated to serve as
directors:
•Scott
Wollney
•Paul
Romano
•Joseph
Shugrue
You can find additional information about these nominees in the
section entitled “Director Nominees” under the heading
Corporate Governance
of this Proxy Statement.
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Proposal 2
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Advisory Vote to Approve the Compensation of the Named Executive
Officers |
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The Board recommends a vote FOR this item. |
You can find information about the compensation of our Named
Executive Officers and the approach used to determine their
compensation under the heading
Executive Compensation
of this Proxy Statement.
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Proposal 3
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Ratification of Baker Tilly US, LLP as Independent Registered
Public Accountant for 2022 |
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The Board recommends a vote FOR this item. |
The Board is asking Shareholders to ratify the selection of Baker
Tilly US, LLP (“Baker
Tilly”)
as our independent registered public accountant for 2022. You can
find information about Atlas' relationship with Baker Tilly in the
section entitled “Ratification of Appointment of Independent
Registered Public Accountant” of this Proxy Statement.
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Proposal 4
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Approval of the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan |
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The Board recommends a vote FOR this item. |
At the Meeting, the Shareholders will be asked to consider and, if
deemed appropriate, to pass, with or without variation, a
resolution approving the Corporation’s 2022 Equity Incentive Plan,
as more fully described in this Proxy Statement.
Corporate Governance
Director Nominees
The following sets forth the name, age, length of service on our
Board, business experience during at least the past five years,
indicating their principal occupation during the period, and the
name and principal business of the organization by which they were
employed, and qualifications of each of the persons nominated for
election as a director of the Corporation. All of the nominees
proposed for election are currently directors of the
Corporation.
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SCOTT WOLLNEY
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Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer
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Age: |
53 |
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Director since:
December 31, 2010
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Committees:
None
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Principal Occupation:
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Financial
Holdings, Inc.
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Business Experience:
•Chairman
of the Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. Board of Directors since
August 2020.
•President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director since December 31,
2010.
•President
and Chief Executive Officer of Kingsway America Inc. (“KAI”), a
property and casualty holding company, from July 2009 until
December 31, 2010.
•President
and Chief Executive Officer of Lincoln General Insurance Company (a
subsidiary of KAI), a property and casualty insurance company, from
May 2008 to March 2009.
•President
of Avalon Risk Management, Inc., an insurance broker, from January
1998 to May 2008.
Qualifications:
•MBA
graduate of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management
with a concentration in finance and management
strategy.
•Bachelor
of Arts degree from the University of Illinois.
•Experience
building successful businesses as well as re-organizing challenged
companies around a focused strategy to address legacy issues and
set them on a path for future success.
•Direct
experience and expertise with respect to the numerous disciplines
that are critical to the insurance business.
Other Board Service:
•Director
of FG Financial Group, Inc. (formerly 1347 Property Insurance
Holdings, Inc.), a reinsurance and investment management holding
company.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
5
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PAUL ROMANO
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Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting
Officer
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Age: |
60 |
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Director since:
April 26, 2022
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Committees:
None
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Principal Occupation:
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting
Officer of Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
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Business Experience:
•Vice
President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer
since December 31, 2010.
•Vice
President and Treasurer of KAI from March 2010 to December
2010.
•Vice
President, Data Management of Lincoln General Insurance Company, a
property and casualty insurance company, from October 2008 to March
2009.
•Various
Vice President and Director positions with American Country
Insurance Company, a property and casualty insurance company, which
became a subsidiary of the Corporation on December 31, 2010, and
its affiliates from 2002 to 2008.
Qualifications:
•Certified
Public Accountant designation in the State of
Illinois.
•Master
of Business Administration degree from the Northwestern
University's Kellogg School of Management (1996).
•Bachelor
of Science, Accounting, from the University of Illinois
(1984).
•Experience
building successful businesses as well as re-organizing challenged
companies around a focused strategy to address legacy issues and
set them on a path for future success.
•Direct
experience and expertise with respect to the numerous disciplines
that are critical to the insurance business.
Other Board Service:
•None
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JOSEPH SHUGRUE
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Chief Operating Officer
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Age: |
58 |
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Director since:
April 26, 2022
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Committees:
None
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Principal Occupation:
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Financial
Holdings, Inc.
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Business Experience:
•Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer since December 17,
2019.
•Vice
President, Claims, from December 31, 2010 to December 17,
2019.
•Various
senior management positions at KAI and American Service Insurance
Company, which became a subsidiary of the Corporation on December
31, 2010, from March 1, 2004 to December 31, 2010.
•Various
positions with other specialized insurance businesses beginning in
October 1986.
Qualifications:
•Bachelor
of Arts degree from the University of Illinois.
•Experience
building successful businesses as well as re-organizing challenged
companies around a focused strategy to address legacy issues and
set them on a path for future success.
•Direct
experience and expertise with respect to the numerous disciplines
that are critical to the insurance business.
Other Board Service:
•None
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
7
Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight
Currently, Scott Wollney serves as the Chairman of the Board and
serves as our President and Chief Executive Officer. Jordan
Kupinsky serves as Lead Independent Director and Chairman of the
Corporation's Audit Committee and will continue to serve in such
roles until his term expires at the Annual General Meeting.
Separating the positions of Chairman of the Board and Lead
Independent Director allows the Corporation’s Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive Officer to focus on day-to-day leadership, the
Corporation’s performance and overall Board governance, while
allowing the Lead Independent Director to lead the Board in its
fundamental independent role of providing advice and oversight to
management. The Board does not have a policy as to whether the
Chairman of the Board should be a non-management director or a
member of management. The Board recognizes that no single
leadership structure is right for all companies and, depending on
the circumstances, other leadership structures might be
appropriate. The Board believes, however, that the current
leadership structure is effective and appropriate, allows for a
separation of oversight between management and non-management,
provides an experienced Chairman and Chief Executive Officer who
can discuss issues facing us with the Lead Independent Director,
and gives a significant voice to non-management directors.
Following the Annual General Meeting, the Board expects that the
leadership structure will be comprised entirely of non-independent
directors. Accordingly, the Board intends to seek new independent
directors to join the Board in due course, following the Annual
General Meeting.
Board Meetings
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, there were 14
meetings of the Board, and each director attended all meetings of
the Board, with the exception of two meetings, and each director
attended all meetings of the committees of which he was a member
during the period for which he was a member of the Board and the
applicable committee(s) and each director who was a member of the
Board at the time of the 2021 Annual General Meeting of
Shareholders attended the 2021 Annual General Meeting of
Shareholders. The Corporation expects Board members to attend all
meetings of the Board, of the Board committees of which they are a
member, and the annual general meeting of
Shareholders.
Determination of Independence of Directors and Nominees for
Election
Directors are considered independent if they are not an executive
officer or employee of the Corporation and have no relationship
which, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with the
exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the
responsibilities of a director.
There are five directors on the Board, of which two are independent
directors for purposes of Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Capital
Market (“Nasdaq”).
Scott Wollney, Paul Romano and Joseph Shugrue are not independent,
as they are members of our management.
On July 26, 2021, Walter Walker resigned from the Board. Mr.
Walker's decision to resign was not the result of any disagreement
with the Corporation. Mr. Walker was an independent
director.
On September 1, 2021, Kurt Lageschulte joined the Board. On April
22, 2022, Mr. Lageschulte resigned from the Board. Mr.
Lageschulte's decision to resign was not the result of any
disagreement with the Corporation. Mr. Lageschulte was an
independent director.
On April 26, 2022, Jordan Kupinsky and Ronald Konezny each informed
the Corporation that they will not be standing for re-election as a
director of the Corporation when their respective terms expire at
the Annual General Meeting. Neither Mr. Kupinsky’s nor Mr.
Konezny’s decision to not stand for re-election was the result of
any disagreement with the Corporation. Mr. Kupinsky and Mr. Konezny
were independent directors.
On April 26, 2022, Paul Romano and Joseph Shugrue joined the
Board.
As discussed above, the Corporation believes it is important to
have independent directors on its Board, and, following the Annual
General Meeting, the Board intends to seek new independent
directors to join the Board in due course. From the Annual General
Meeting, until such time as new independent directors are appointed
to the Board, the activities of the standing committees of the
Board are expected to be undertaken by the Board as a
whole.
Committees of the Board
The Board has three standing committees to assist it in carrying
out its duties. The standing committees are: (i) Audit Committee;
(ii) Compensation Committee; and (iii) Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee. The Board previously had an Investment
Committee which was dissolved on September 9, 2021 after the Board
determined it was no longer needed based on the Corporation's
current scope of activities.
Each of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has a written
charter. The Corporation’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics,
Audit Committee Charter, Compensation Committee Charter and
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter are
available, free of charge, on the Corporation’s website at
www.atlas-fin.com under the “Corporate Governance” link. The
Corporation will also provide copies of these documents, free of
charge, to any Shareholder upon written request to the
Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, Scott Wollney, 953 American
Lane, 3rd Floor, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. The information
contained on the website is not incorporated by reference in, or
considered part of, this Proxy Statement.
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Director |
Director since |
Principal Occupation |
Current Committees |
Scott Wollney |
2010 |
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Financial
Holdings, Inc. |
None |
Paul Romano |
2022 |
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Accounting
Officer of Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. |
None |
Joseph Shugrue |
2022 |
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Financial
Holdings, Inc. |
None |
Ronald Konezny** |
2018 |
Chief Executive Officer and Director of Digi
International |
AC, CC*, NCGC |
Jordan Kupinsky** |
2009 |
President of Justley Capital Corporation |
AC*, CC, NCGC |
AC = Audit Committee CC = Compensation Committee NCGC = Nominating
and Corporate Governance Committee
* Denotes committee chair.
** Has informed the Corporation that he will not be standing for
re-election at the Annual General Meeting.
(i) Audit Committee
The Audit Committee is elected annually at the first meeting of the
Board held after our annual general meeting of Shareholders. The
Audit Committee meets quarterly with our external auditors. During
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the Audit Committee
met 5 times.
During 2021, the Audit Committee was comprised of Jordan Kupinsky
(Chairman), Walter Walker, Ronald Konezny and Kurt Lageschulte. Mr.
Walker served on the committee through July 26, 2021, and Mr.
Lageschulte was appointed to the committee on September 9, 2021 and
served through April 22, 2022. Each member of the Audit Committee
is independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) and Rule 10A-3 of the
Exchange Act and meets the financial literacy requirements of the
Nasdaq rules.
The Board has determined that Mr. Kupinsky and Mr. Konezny, because
of their accounting and financial management expertise discussed
above are all considered “audit committee financial experts” as
that term is defined under the Exchange Act and, accordingly, that
at least one audit committee financial expert is serving on the
Corporation’s Audit Committee.
Following the Annual General Meeting, the activities of the Audit
Committee are expected to be undertaken by the full
Board.
(ii) Compensation Committee
During 2021, the Compensation Committee was comprised of Ronald
Konezny (Chairman), Jordan Kupinsky, Walter Walker and Kurt
Lageschulte. Mr. Walker served on the committee through July 26,
2021. Mr. Lageschulte was appointed to the committee on September
9, 2021 and served through April 22, 2022. Each member of the
Compensation Committee is independent under Nasdaq Rule
5605(d)(2)(A), which requires a compensation committee be comprised
of at least two members, each of whom must be an independent
director. The Compensation Committee met two times during the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
The Compensation Committee oversees our remuneration policies and
practices. The principal responsibilities of the Compensation
Committee include: (i) periodically reviewing and advising the
Board concerning the Corporation’s overall compensation philosophy,
policies and plans; (ii) reviewing and making recommendations to
the Board regarding all compensation of the Corporation’s chief
executive officer and all other executive officers and director
compensation; and (iii) administering the Corporation’s incentive
compensation plans and approving grants of options and other equity
awards to all executive officers and directors under such
plans.
The Compensation Committee reviewed executive compensation with
management in the course of the 2021 budgeting process. As set
forth in the Compensation Committee's charter, the Compensation
Committee may delegate the day-to-day administration of the
Corporation's equity compensation plans to one or more officers and
employees of the Corporation or an affiliate thereof. Authority was
extended to management within the approved budget for compensation.
Mr. Wollney, in consultation with the Compensation Committee, set
the executive compensation for the named executive officers other
than Mr. Wollney.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
9
The Compensation Committee and the Board evaluate total
compensation amounts and structure for the director positions on an
annual basis, including the following publicly available components
of pay: director fees, chairman stipends, committee member fees,
equity compensation and short-term and long-term incentives. Other
factors including the Corporation's strategic objectives, business
environment, operating results as well as the need to attract and
retain directors and officers are taken into consideration. As part
of this analysis in prior years, the Compensation Committee has
engaged outside experts from time to time. In the future, the
Compensation Committee may engage advisors to help evaluate
available industry data and assess the appropriateness of director
and executive officer compensation based on the Corporation’s
situation. The Compensation Committee and Board will continue to
evaluate compensation plans based on facts and circumstances, as
appropriate, in the future.
Following the Annual General Meeting, the activities of the
Compensation Committee are expected to be undertaken by the full
Board.
(iii) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
During 2021, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee was
comprised of Walter Walker, Kurt Lageschulte, Ronald Konezny and
Jordan Kupinsky. Mr. Walker served as Chairman of the committee
through July 26, 2021. Mr. Lageschulte was appointed to the
committee and as Chairman of the committee on September 1, 2021 and
served on the committee through April 22, 2022.
Consistent with Nasdaq Rule 5605(e), the Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committee is comprised of independent directors. The
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met two times during
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee oversees our
approach to corporate governance matters. The principal
responsibilities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee include: (i) monitoring and overseeing the quality and
effectiveness of our corporate governance practices and policies;
(ii) considering nominees for our independent directors; (iii)
planning for the succession of our directors and executive
officers, including appointing, training and monitoring senior
management to ensure that the Board and management have appropriate
skills and experience; and (iv) administering the Board’s
relationship with our management.
The Corporation receives suggestions for potential director
nominees from many sources, including members of the Board,
advisors and Shareholders. Any such nominations, together with
appropriate biographical information, should be submitted to us in
accordance with our policies governing submissions of nominees
discussed below. Any candidates submitted by a Shareholder or
Shareholder group are reviewed and considered in the same manner as
all other candidates. Qualifications for consideration as a board
nominee may vary according to the particular areas of expertise
being sought as a complement to the existing Board composition.
However, qualifications include high level leadership experience in
business activities, breadth of knowledge about issues affecting
us, experience on other boards of directors, preferably public
company boards, and time available for meetings and consultation on
Corporation matters. The Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee seeks a diverse group of candidates who possess the
background, skills and expertise to make a significant contribution
to the Board, to us and our Shareholders, though we do not have a
formal policy with regard to the consideration of diversity in
identifying director nominees. The independent directors, in
addition to any other Board members as may be desirable, evaluate
potential nominees, whether proposed by Shareholders or otherwise,
by reviewing their qualifications, reviewing results of personal
and reference interviews and reviewing such other information as
may be deemed relevant. Potential director nominees are identified
through a process by which existing directors consider experience
and skills that a new director should possess as identified by the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in conjunction with
the full Board. Each potential nominee is first interviewed by the
Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and
candidates deemed qualified are then interviewed by each of the
directors of the Corporation. Discussion regarding qualified
potential nominees is undertaken following these interviews to
finalize the nomination process.
Candidates whose evaluations are favorable are then recommended by
the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee for selection by
the full Board. The Board then selects and recommends candidates
for nomination as directors for Shareholders to consider and vote
upon at the annual general meeting.
Following the Annual General Meeting, the activities of the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are expected to be
undertaken by the full Board.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all
of our employees, officers and directors. The Code of Business
Conduct and Ethics is designed to promote honest and ethical
conduct, full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure
of financial information in our public filings and communications,
and compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. The
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is posted on our website at
www.atlas-fin.com under “Corporate
Governance.” A written copy is available to Shareholders, free of
charge, upon written request to us, to the attention of Scott
Wollney.
The Corporation’s policy on Disclosures, Securities and
Confidentiality, coupled with the Corporation’s Code of Business
Conduct and Ethics (together “Corporate
Policies”),
set forth guidelines and restrictions applicable to directors,
officers and other employees of the Corporation regarding
transactions involving Corporation equity securities. The
Corporation imposes a trading moratorium on all directors, officers
and any other insiders in advance of earnings releases and
otherwise restricts trading whenever they have knowledge of
material non-public information such as material transactions or
materially impactful cyber breaches. These Corporate Policies
further prohibit employees from using, for their own personal gain
or for the benefit of others, any confidential or “inside”
information obtained as a result of their employment with the
Corporation. In addition, subject parties are directed to avoid
conflicts of interest which include, but are not limited to,
engaging in short-term speculation in Corporation securities or
engaging in any transaction in which he or she profits if the value
of Corporation securities falls. Among other things, the intent of
these Corporate Policies is also to strongly discourage directors
and officers from selling any Corporation equity securities if the
security is not owned by the individual at the time of sale
(commonly called a "short sale") or to purchase financial
instruments that are designed to hedge or offset any decrease in
the market value of their Corporation equity
securities.
Director Compensation
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the
Corporation paid cash compensation for services rendered to the
non-employee directors of our Board, and we reimbursed the
out-of-pocket expenses of our directors incurred in connection with
attendance at or participation in meetings of the Board. With
respect to non-employee directors, a combination of equity and cash
is provided to reflect a focus on both (i) long-term performance
and shareholder value and (ii) compensation for the Board’s
continuing oversight and corporate governance role.
Each non-employee, independent director receives a quarterly cash
retainer of $13,750. Three quarterly retainer payments were made to
the Directors during the first three calendar quarters of 2021.
However, Mr. Lageschulte did not receive any retainer payments
because he joined the Board late in the third quarter of 2021,
after the three quarterly payments had been paid. Stipend payments
for the Chairman of the Board, the chair of a committee and a
member of a committee of $15,000, $7,000 and $3,500 per committee,
respectively, were not paid during 2021. Stipend payments have
historically been made following the Corporation’s annual general
meeting.
The following table shows the compensation earned by directors for
the most recently completed fiscal year. Named Executive Officers
who also act as our directors do not receive any additional
compensation for services rendered in such capacity, other than as
paid by us to such officers in their capacity as officers and other
than the stock awards granted to Mr. Wollney as part of the
Director Stock Matching Program. See “Summary Compensation Table”
under the heading
Executive Compensation
for information regarding the compensation paid to our Named
Executive Officers.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
11
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Name |
Retainer Payments Paid in Cash |
Stock Awards
7
|
Option Awards7
|
Total Compensation |
Jordan Kupinsky
1
|
$41,250 |
$152 |
$— |
$41,402 |
Walter Walker
2
|
$41,250 |
$152 |
$— |
$41,402 |
Ronald Konezny
1
|
$41,250 |
$91 |
$— |
$41,341 |
Kurt Lageschulte
3
|
$— |
$— |
$— |
$— |
Scott Wollney
4
|
$— |
$— |
$— |
$— |
Paul Romano
5
|
$— |
$— |
$— |
$— |
Joseph Shugrue
6
|
$— |
$— |
$— |
$— |
1.As
of December 31, 2021, each of Mr. Kupinsky and Mr. Konezny had
no stock awards outstanding, and each have 85,000 option awards
outstanding.
2.As
of July 26, 2021, Mr. Walker resigned from the Board and had no
stock awards and had 85,000 option awards as of that date, which
have since expired.
3.As
of December 31, 2021, Mr. Lageschulte had no stock or option
awards outstanding. Effective April 22, 2022, Mr. Lageschulte
resigned from the Board.
4.As
of December 31, 2021, Mr. Wollney had an aggregate of 249,500
option awards outstanding as of December 31, 2021 received
solely for his services as an executive officer and not for his
services as a director, as disclosed in the section “Outstanding
Equity Awards at 2021 Fiscal Year End”.
5.Mr.
Romano joined the Board effective April 26, 2022. As of December
31, 2021, Mr. Romano had an aggregate of 155,500 option awards
outstanding as of December 31, 2021 received solely for his
services as an executive officer and not for his services as a
director, as disclosed in the section “Outstanding Equity Awards at
2021 Fiscal Year End”.
6.Mr.
Shugrue joined the Board effective April 26, 2022. As of December
31, 2021, Mr. Shugrue had an aggregate of 135,500 option awards
outstanding as of December 31, 2021 received solely for his
services as an executive officer and not for his services as a
director, as disclosed in the section “Outstanding Equity Awards at
2021 Fiscal Year End”.
7.See
‘Part II, Item 8, Note 9, Share-Based Compensation’ in the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements of the Corporation's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 for
further discussion regarding the valuation of stock
awards.
Shareholder Nominations for Directors
A Shareholder wishing to nominate a candidate for election to the
Board at any annual general meeting of Shareholders at which the
Board has determined that one or more directors will be elected
shall submit a written notice of his, her or its nomination of a
candidate to Atlas’ executive offices, 953 American Lane, 3rd
Floor, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173, Attention: Scott Wollney. The
submission must be received at the Corporation’s principal
executive offices within the time frame set forth in the
“Shareholder Proposals” section of this Proxy
Statement.
In order to be valid, a Shareholder’s notice must set forth (i) the
name and address of the Shareholder, as they appear on the
Corporation’s books, as well as the Shareholder’s business address
and telephone number and residence address and telephone number;
(ii) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are
beneficially owned by the nominating Shareholder; (iii) the name,
age, business address and residence address of each nominee
proposed in the notice; (iv) any relationship of the nominating
Shareholder to the proposed nominee; (v) the principal occupation
or employment of the nominee; (vi) the class and number of shares
of the Corporation’s stock beneficially owned by the nominee, if
any; (vii) a description of all arrangements or understandings
between the Shareholder and each nominee and any other persons
pursuant to which the Shareholder is making the nomination; and
(viii) any other information required to be disclosed in
solicitations of proxies for election of directors or information
otherwise required pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange
Act, as amended, relating to any person that the Shareholder
proposes to nominate for election as a director, including the
nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as
a nominee and to serving as a director if elected.
Communications with Board of Directors
Shareholders who wish to send communications on any topic to any
member of the Board should address such communications to Atlas at
953 American Lane, 3rd Floor, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173,
Attention: Scott Wollney. All communications will be forwarded to
the Board, individual director or group of non-employee directors,
as applicable, although Mr. Wollney will not forward the
communication if it is primarily commercial in nature or if it
relates to an improper or irrelevant topic.
Executive Officers
Biographical information for Bruce Giles, Vice President,
Underwriting, is set forth below. Biographical information for
Scott Wollney, President & Chief Executive Officer, Paul
Romano, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer and Joseph Shugrue, Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer is contained in the section captioned “Director
Nominees” under the heading Corporate Governance of this Proxy
Statement. Scott Wollney, Paul Romano, Joseph Shugrue and Bruce
Giles are all of the Corporation's executive officers. None of the
Corporation's officers serve as a director for any other reporting
issuers.
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BRUCE GILES
|
Vice President, Underwriting
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Age: |
63 |
|
Date First Appointed as an Officer:
December 31, 2010
|
Business Experience:
•Vice
President, Underwriting since December 31, 2010.
•Assistant
Vice President of Commercial Underwriting for KAI, with whom he
held various positions from December 2003 to June
2010.
•Various
positions with Allstate Insurance Group, CIGNA and other insurance
companies from 1981 to 2003.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
13
Executive Compensation
Compensation for executive officers is reviewed annually by the
Compensation Committee. Current compensation was set based on the
following criteria: (i) our size and scale; (ii) nature of our
strategic objectives; and (iii) each executive’s role and
responsibility. Industry data (such as surveys compiled by Towers
Watson and the Property and Casualty Insurers Association for the
property and casualty insurance industry), past paid consultant
reports, as well as the potential for incentive compensation are
taken into consideration in the regular evaluation of base
salary.
Employment agreements were executed with our executives in 2011
with an initial effective term of January 1, 2011 through December
31, 2012 and subsequent annual terms commencing January 1, 2013.
These agreements provide for compensation based on a combination of
base salary and incentive compensation. Incentive compensation in
subsequent years will be based on a combination of financial
results and the achievement of strategic objectives, as determined
by the Compensation Committee of the Board. Incentive compensation
earned during 2021 and 2020 is shown in the “Summary Compensation
Table” section as Bonus and Stock Awards. Final determination of
incentive compensation is subject to approval by the
Board.
Employment Agreements with Named Executive Officers
Employment agreements were executed in 2011 with our Named
Executive Officers with an initial effective term of January 1,
2011 through December 31, 2012 and subsequent annual terms
commencing January 1, 2013(1)(2).
The key terms of such employment agreements include:
(a) employment
being “at-will” and, subject to the severance and post-termination
obligations described below, the employment agreement being
terminable by either party at any time;
(b) an
annual base salary as set out in the table under the “Summary
Compensation Table” section;
(c) the
executive being entitled to participate in such employee benefit
plans as we shall approve, including retirement plans, paid
vacation and sick days/paid time off, disability plans, our Stock
Option Plan (as defined herein), our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (as
defined herein), or such other plans as may be offered from time to
time; and
(d) severance
payments and post-termination obligations as further described
below under “Termination and Change of Control Benefits”
section.
(1)
As previously disclosed, on October 7, 2019, the Corporation and
its wholly-owned subsidiary Anchor Group Management, Inc. entered
into agreements regarding a newly adopted near term incentive
program with certain senior executives of the Corporation,
including each of Scott Wollney, Paul Romano and Joseph Shugrue,
the Corporation’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and Principal Accounting
Officer and Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
respectively (each such individual, an “Executive,” and each such
agreement, an “Agreement”). Pursuant to the terms of the
Agreements, each Executive is entitled to receive, under certain
conditions, (i) a cash retention bonus equal to thirty percent
(30%) of such Executive’s current base salary (a “Retention
Amount”), and (ii) an Incentive Amount of up to seventy percent
(70%) of such Executive’s current base salary plus a set number of
Corporation common shares (an “Incentive Amount”).
The Retention Amount was paid in the first
payroll period following December 31, 2020, provided the Executive
remained employed by the Corporation or its subsidiaries through
such date. In addition, to the extent that an Executive was
terminated for any reason other than “for cause” on or before June
30, 2021 and was entitled to any severance amount under any
then-existing Corporation policy, any Retention Amount previously
paid would be deducted from any severance payment due.
The Incentive Amount was paid incrementally
(in proportionate amounts of cash and shares) only upon the
completion of certain milestones within the eighteen (18) month
period from the date of the Agreements; provided, however, that not
more than one-sixth (1/6th) of the Incentive Amount would be paid
in any quarter, with the first available evaluation period being in
the fourth quarter of 2019. The milestones are the same for each
Agreement and relate to the (i) transition of gross written
paratransit premium pursuant to a previously announced agreement
with American Financial Group ("AFG") and their subsidiary National
Interstate Insurance Company (“NATL”), (ii) placement of gross
written non-paratransit premium with alternative markets, (iii)
progress with respect to the rehabilitation plan for American
Service Insurance Company, Inc., American Country Insurance
Company, and Gateway Insurance Company, which were indirect
subsidiaries of the Corporation, as represented by regulatory
approval of certain expense sharing arrangements and related
payments between the Corporation and its subsidiaries and (iv) sale
or disposition of Corporation assets, all as further described in
the Agreements.
(2)
As previously disclosed, on April 22, 2021, the Corporation granted
an aggregate of 1,016,000 options (“Options”) with an exercise
price of $0.49 per common share of the Corporation to directors and
managers, including each of Scott Wollney, Paul Romano and Joseph
Shugrue, the Corporation's Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer and Vice President and Chief Operating Officer,
respectively (each such individual, a “Named Executive”). This
exercise price is the average of the high bid and low asked prices
on the date of the grant quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board Service.
The individual Option grant for each Named Executive is as follows:
Mr. Wollney received 175,000 Options, Mr. Romano received 115,000
Options, and Mr. Shugrue received 100,000 Options.
In addition to the named officers, an aggregate of 255,000 Options
were granted to independent directors and an aggregate of 371,000
Options were granted to management employees other than the Named
Executives above. The Options granted to management shall vest in
three equal installments, with each installment vesting on the 1st,
2nd and 3rd anniversary of the date of the grant. The Options
granted to independent directors vested immediately upon the date
of the grant. The Options will expire on the 7th anniversary of the
date of the grant. In the event of a change of control of the
Corporation, or should a director or employee’s service with the
Corporation be terminated other than for cause or voluntary
resignation, any unvested Options will immediately
vest.
All grants are made pursuant to the Corporation’s 2013 Equity
Incentive Plan (our “2013 Equity Incentive Plan”) as previously
approved by Shareholders, and the description set forth herein is
qualified in its entirety by the terms of such Plan.
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth information concerning the total
compensation for each of the Named Executive Officers during each
of the last two fiscal years.
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($) |
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Name and Principal Position |
Year |
Salary |
Bonus
1
|
Stock Awards
1
|
|
All Other Compensation
2
|
Total Compensation |
Scott Wollney
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
2021 |
$ |
450,000 |
|
$ |
172,170 |
|
$ |
3,251 |
|
|
$ |
10,302 |
|
$ |
635,723 |
|
2020 |
$ |
494,107 |
|
$ |
148,050 |
|
$ |
38,605 |
|
|
$ |
21,240 |
|
$ |
702,002 |
|
Paul Romano
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting
Officer and Director
|
2021 |
$ |
305,000 |
|
$ |
116,693 |
|
$ |
1,906 |
|
|
$ |
14,334 |
|
$ |
437,933 |
|
2020 |
$ |
336,949 |
|
$ |
92,645 |
|
$ |
22,630 |
|
|
$ |
21,816 |
|
$ |
474,040 |
|
Joseph Shugrue
Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Director
|
2021 |
$ |
325,000 |
|
$ |
124,345 |
|
$ |
1,569 |
|
|
$ |
1,782 |
|
$ |
452,696 |
|
2020 |
$ |
354,263 |
|
$ |
92,925 |
|
$ |
18,637 |
|
|
$ |
8,391 |
|
$ |
474,216 |
|
1The
Bonus and Stock Awards for 2020 and 2021 are pursuant to the near
term executive compensation plan described under “Employment
Agreements with Named Executive Officers” Stock Awards were issued
on February 11, 2021 at $0.19 per share.
2Includes
company contributions to 401(k) plan, health saving plan, group
term life, employee stock purchase plan and annual
allowance.
Stock Option Plan
On January 3, 2011, we adopted a 10% rolling stock option plan
(“Stock
Option Plan”)
in order to advance our interests by providing certain “Eligible
Persons” (any employee, officer, director, or consultant who is
approved for participation in the Stock Option Plan by the
Compensation Committee) with incentives. In connection with
completion of the offering of our common shares in February 2013,
the Compensation Committee of the Board performed a review of our
executive and director compensation, including our Stock Option
Plan. This review included, among other considerations, comparisons
to industry data, including the executive and director compensation
programs of other publicly traded property and casualty insurance
companies. As a result, our executive compensation and director
compensation was increased to bring us in line with other public
companies in our industry. These changes included our 2013 Equity
Incentive Plan. See the “Equity Incentive Plan” section
below.
Prior to the adoption of our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, the Stock
Option Plan provided for the granting of options to purchase common
shares to Eligible Persons. Options were granted at the discretion
of the Compensation Committee in such number determined at the time
of grant, subject to the limits set out in the Stock Option Plan.
The number of common shares issuable under the Stock Option Plan
was limited to not more than 10% of the number of common shares
that were issued and outstanding as of the date of the grant of an
option. Any increase in the issued and outstanding common shares
would have resulted in an increase in the available number of
common shares issuable under the Stock Option Plan, and any
exercises of options or expirations or terminations of options
would make new grants available under the Stock Option
Plan.
The exercise price of all options was established by the
Compensation Committee at the time of grant, provided that the
exercise price would not be less than the market price of the
common shares on the date of grant. Under the Stock Option Plan,
market price was equal to the volume weighted average trading price
of the common shares on the Nasdaq (the principal stock exchange on
which the common shares were listed for trading) for the five
trading days immediately preceding the date on which the option was
granted. The expiry of options was also established by the
Compensation Committee at the time of the grant, provided that the
options have a maximum term of ten years. The Compensation
Committee determined when any option would become exercisable and
whether the option would be exercisable in installments or pursuant
to a vesting schedule. In the event of a change of control, vesting
may be accelerated. In the event of a separation from the
Corporation, options expire based on the terms as set forth in the
option agreements.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
15
Equity Incentive Plan
In the second quarter of 2013, our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan was
approved by Shareholders at our 2013 Annual General Meeting of
Shareholders. As of such date, Atlas ceased to grant new stock
options under the existing Stock Option Plan discussed above. Our
2013 Equity Incentive Plan is a securities based compensation plan
pursuant to which Atlas may issue restricted shares, restricted
units, stock options and other forms of equity incentives to
eligible persons as part of their compensation. Our 2013 Equity
Incentive Plan is considered an amendment and restatement of the
Stock Option Plan, although outstanding stock options issued
pursuant to the Stock Option Plan will be governed by the terms of
the Stock Option Plan.
On March 6, 2014, Atlas granted options to purchase 175,000
ordinary voting common shares under the Stock Option Plan, all of
which were granted to the Corporation’s officers. The granted
options had an exercise price of $13.26 and vested equally on the
first, second and third anniversary of the grant date. The options
were scheduled to expire on March 6, 2024. All unexercised options
under the March 6, 2014 grant have been cancelled effective March
30, 2022.
On March 12, 2015, Atlas granted 200,000 restricted ordinary voting
common shares and options to purchase 200,000 common shares under
the Equity Incentive Plan, all of which were granted to the
Corporation’s officers. The awards vested in five equal annual
installments of 20%, provided that an installment shall not vest
unless an annual performance target based on book value growth
equal to an annual 15% return on average equity is attained. In the
event the performance target is not met in any year, the 20%
installment for such year shall not vest, but such unvested
installment shall carry forward and can vest in future years (up to
the fifth year from the date of grant), subject to achievement in a
future year of the applicable cumulative performance target
expected through such year. The options have an exercise price of
$20.29 per share and were scheduled to expire on March 12, 2025.
All unvested shares under the March 12, 2015 grant were cancelled
effective March 12, 2020 and all unexercised options under this
grant were cancelled effective March 30, 2022.
On December 31, 2018, Atlas granted 17,524 restricted stock units
under our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, all of which were granted to
the Corporation's independent directors. The awards vested in three
equal installments on January 1 of each of the next three years,
beginning on January 1, 2019. The restricted stock units were
approved by the Board of Directors during March 2018.
On October 7, 2019, the Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary
Anchor Group Management, Inc. entered into agreements regarding a
newly adopted near term incentive program with certain senior
executives of the Corporation, including each of Scott Wollney,
Paul Romano and Joseph Shugrue, the Corporation’s Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President, Chief
Operating Officer, respectively (each such individual, an
“Executive,” and each such agreement, an “Agreement”). Pursuant to
the terms of the Agreements, each Executive is entitled to receive,
under certain conditions, (i) a cash retention bonus equal to
thirty percent (30%) of such Executive’s current base salary (a
“Retention Amount”), and (ii) an Incentive Amount of up to seventy
percent (70%) of such Executive’s current base salary plus a set
number of Corporation common shares (an “Incentive Amount”). During
2020 and 2021, the Corporation delivered, in aggregate, the
following Incentive Amount ordinary voting common shares as
follows: Mr. Wollney received 85,260 ordinary voting common shares,
Mr. Romano received 49,980 ordinary voting common shares, and Mr.
Shugrue received 41,160 ordinary voting common shares.
On April 22, 2021, the Corporation granted an aggregate of
1,016,000 options with an exercise price of $0.49 per common share
to directors and managers, including each of Scott Wollney, Paul
Romano and Joseph Shugrue, the Corporation’s Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer,
respectively. This exercise price is the average of the high bid
and low asked prices on the date of the grant quoted on the OTC
Bulletin Board Service. In the event of a separation from the
Corporation, options expire based on the terms as set forth in the
option agreements.
As of April 28, 2022, we had 907,000 outstanding options at an
average exercise price of $0.49 per Voting Share.
Outstanding Equity Awards at 2021 Fiscal Year End
The following table sets forth all equity awards held by the Named
Executive Officers that were outstanding at the end of the most
recently completed fiscal year.
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Option Awards |
Stock Awards |
Name and Principal Position |
Grant date |
Number of securities underlying unexercised options
(#) exercisable
1
|
Number of securities underlying unexercised options
(#) unexercisable
1
|
Option exercise
price ($) |
Option expiration date |
Number of shares or units of stock that have not vested
(#) |
Market value of shares or units of stock that have not vested
($) |
Equity incentive plan awards: Number of unearned shares, units or
other rights that have not vested (#) |
Equity incentive plan awards: Market or payout value of unearned
shares, units or other rights that have not vested ($) |
Scott Wollney
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
|
March 6, 2014 |
54,500 |
— |
$13.26 |
March 6, 2024 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
March 12, 2015 |
— |
20,000 |
$20.29 |
March 12, 2025 |
— |
— |
20,000 |
$7,200 |
April 22, 2021 |
— |
175,000 |
$0.49 |
April 22, 2028 |
— |
— |
175,000 |
$63,000 |
Paul Romano
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting
Officer and Director
|
March 6, 2014 |
35,000 |
— |
$13.26 |
March 6, 2024 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
March 12, 2015 |
— |
5,000 |
$20.29 |
March 12, 2025 |
— |
— |
5,000 |
$1,800 |
April 22, 2021 |
— |
115,000 |
$0.49 |
April 22, 2028 |
— |
— |
115,000 |
$41,400 |
Joseph Shugrue
Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Director
|
March 6, 2014 |
28,500 |
— |
$13.26 |
March 6, 2024 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
March 12, 2015 |
— |
5,000 |
$20.29 |
March 12, 2025 |
— |
— |
5,000 |
$1,800 |
April 22, 2021 |
— |
100,000 |
$20.29 |
April 22, 2028 |
— |
— |
100,000 |
$36,000 |
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1The
March 6, 2014 grants vest equally on the first, second and third
anniversary dates of the grant date. The March 12, 2015 grants vest
20% equally on the first, second, third, fourth and fifth
anniversary pending a return on equity as described in the “Equity
Incentive Plan” section of this Proxy Statement, and the April 22,
2021 grants vest equally on the first, second and third anniversary
dates of the grant date. The outstanding awards under the March 6,
2014 and the March 12, 2015 grants were cancelled on March 30,
2022.
Pension Plan Benefits
We do not currently maintain any pension or retirement plans that
provide for payments or benefits at, following or in connection
with retirement.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
17
Termination and Change of Control Benefits
We are party to employment agreements effective January 1, 2011
with the Named Executive Officers pursuant to which, if we
terminate the executive without Cause (as defined in the employment
agreement), or the executive’s employment is terminated in
connection with a Change of Control (as defined in the employment
agreement), the executive will be entitled to certain payments and
benefits as set out below.
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If terminated without Cause: |
Continuation of base salary for:
1
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Lump-sum payment equal to: |
Continuation of employee health benefits covered under COBRA
for:
1, 2
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2021 |
12 months |
Most recently awarded bonus |
12 months |
2020 |
12 months |
Most recently awarded bonus |
12 months |
1The
continuation of base salary and COBRA benefits will cease on the
first of the month immediately following the date on which the
executive becomes employed by a subsequent employer.
2Continuation
coverage will continue for the period set forth in this column, or
the maximum period of time allowed by law, if shorter.
If, after a Change of Control (as defined in the employment
agreement), the executive maintains employment with us (or our
successor) for at least 180 days, the executive may terminate his
employment at will and will be entitled to certain severance
payments and post-termination benefits. Such payments and benefits
shall mirror the payments and benefits that would have been in
effect had we terminated the executive’s employment without Cause
on such date.
In the event of a change of control of the Corporation, or should a
director or employee’s service with the Corporation be terminated
other than for cause or voluntary resignation, any unvested Options
will immediately vest.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Directors &
Executive Officers
The following table sets forth information concerning the
beneficial ownership of the Voting Shares held on April 28,
2022 by (i) each person known to us to own beneficially more than
5% of the total issued and outstanding Voting Shares, (ii) each of
our directors and director nominees, (iii) each of our named
executive officers, and (iv) all directors and executive officers
as a group.
The options included in the below beneficial ownership table are
exercisable within 60 days of April 28, 2022. Unless otherwise
indicated, each person has sole voting and investment power over
the shares listed.
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Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
Number of Voting Shares Owned
1, 2
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Percentage of Total Outstanding Voting Shares
1, 2
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5% Beneficial Owners |
Broadbill Partners GP, LLC.
3
157 Columbus Avenue, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10023
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4,693,750 |
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26.7 |
% |
American Financial Group, Inc.
4
Great American Insurance Group Tower
301 East Fourth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
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2,387,368 |
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13.6 |
% |
Palm Management (US) LLC
5
10 West Elm Street
Greenwich, CT 06830
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962,482 |
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5.5 |
% |
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Executive Officers and Directors |
Scott Wollney |
659,771 |
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3.8 |
% |
Jordan Kupinsky |
65,162 |
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* |
Ronald Konezny |
2,284 |
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* |
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Kurt Lageschulte
6
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— |
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* |
Paul Romano |
209,489 |
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1.2 |
% |
Joseph Shugrue
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164,577 |
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* |
Bruce Giles |
146,888 |
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* |
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (6
individuals)
7
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1,248,171 |
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7.1 |
% |
* Indicates that ownership is less than
1%
1As
of April 28, 2022, there were 17,552,839 ordinary voting
common shares outstanding. Included in the shares above are the
following convertible securities, exercisable within 60 days of
April 28, 2022, that are deemed to be beneficially owned by
the persons holding them for the purpose of computing that person’s
percentage ownership: Jordan Kupinsky and Ronald Konezny each hold
85,000 options; Scott Wollney holds 175,000 options; Paul Romano
holds 115,000 options; and Joseph Shugrue holds 100,000 options.
The shares underlying these convertible securities are not treated
as outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage
beneficial ownership of any other person.
2Under
Rule 13d-3, a beneficial owner of a security includes any person
who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement,
understanding, relationship, or otherwise has or shares: (i) voting
power, which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of
shares; and/or (ii) investment power, which includes the power to
dispose or direct the disposition of shares. Certain shares may be
deemed to be beneficially owned by more than one person (if, for
example, persons share the power to vote or the power to dispose of
the shares). In addition, shares are deemed to be beneficially
owned by a person if the person has the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of the shares (for example, upon exercise of a vested
option) within 60 days of the date as of which the information is
provided. Any securities not outstanding which are subject to such
acquisition rights shall be deemed to be outstanding for the
purpose of computing the percentage of outstanding securities of
the class owned by such person but shall not be deemed to be
outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage of the
class owned by any other person. As a result, the percentage of
outstanding shares of any person as shown in this table does not
necessarily reflect the person’s actual ownership or voting power
with respect to the number of shares outstanding.
3Based
solely on a Schedule 13D/A filed by Broadbill Partners II, LP, a
Delaware limited partnership (“Broadbill Partners”), with the SEC
on September 22, 2021, as of September 1, 2021: (i) Broadbill
Partners directly owns and has shared voting power and shared
dispositive power over 1,810,761 Voting Shares; (ii) Broadbill
Credit Arbitrage LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(“Broadbill Arbitrage”), directly owns and has shared voting power
and shared dispositive power over 221,365 Voting Shares; (iii) JKJ
Special Situations Fund L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
(“JKJ”) directly owns and has shared voting power and shared
dispositive power over 474,124 Voting Shares; (iv) Broadbill
Investment Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(“Broadbill Investment”), has shared voting power and shared
dispositive power over 2,506,250 Voting Shares, which are directly
held by Broadbill Partners, Broadbill Arbitrage and JKJ; (v)
Broadbill Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(“Broadbill GP”), has shared voting power and shared dispositive
power over 1,810,761 Voting Shares directly held by Broadbill
Partners; (vi) JKJ Capital Management LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (“JKJ Management”), has shared voting power and
shared dispositive power over 474,124 Voting Shares directly held
by JKJ. On March 27, 2022, the Corporation transferred an
additional 410,840 Voting Shares to JKJ, an additional 1,583,373
Voting Shares to Broadbill Partners and an additional
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
19
193,287 Voting Shares to Broadbill Arbitrage. Kurt Lageschulte, a
former Corporation Director, is a member of JKJ Management and
Broadbill Partners. The reporting persons also have the right to
acquire 8,828,434 additional ordinary voting common shares pursuant
to their conversion right under the Credit Agreement (as defined
herein) at a conversion price of $0.35 per share, if the conversion
right is excercised in full.
4Based
solely on a Schedule 13G/A filed by American Financial Group, Inc.,
a parent holding company, with the SEC on January 20, 2022, the
number of Voting Shares owned represents warrants to purchase
2,387,368 Voting Shares, of which American Financial Group, Inc.
has sole voting power and sole dispositive power, until June 10,
2024 pursuant to a Warrant Agreement dated June 10, 2019 (the
“Warrant Agreement”), at an initial exercise price of $0.69 per
share, with both the number of ordinary voting common shares
subject to the Warrant Agreement and the exercise price subject to
adjustment as set forth in the Warrant Agreement. Such schedule
also identifies Great American Insurance Company, an insurance
company, as the subsidiary which acquired the security being
reported on by the parent holding company.
5Based
solely on a Schedule 13D/A filed by Palm Management (US) LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“Palm Management”), with the
SEC on January 24, 2022: (i) Palm Global Small Cap Master Fund LP,
a Cayman Islands limited partnership (“Palm Global”), directly owns
and has shared voting power and shared dispositive power over
859,482 Voting Shares; (ii) Palm Management has shared voting power
and shared dispositive power over the 859,482 Voting Shares
directly owned by Palm Global; (iii) Bradley C. Palmer, an
individual, has shared voting power and shared dispositive power
over the 859,482 Voting Shares directly owned by Palm Global; (iv)
Joshua S. Horowitz, an individual, directly owns and has sole
voting power and sole dispositive power over 103,000 Voting Shares
and has shared voting power and shared dispositive power over the
859,482 Voting Shares directly owned by Palm Global; and (v)
neither Palm Management nor Bradley C. Palmer directly own any
Voting Shares.
6Mr.
Lageschulte was a Director during the year ended December 31, 2021
and resigned effective April 22, 2022.
7Does
not include Mr. Lageschulte in the number of
individuals.
Audit Committee Matters
The Board is submitting the selection of Baker Tilly US, LLP
("Baker
Tilly")
as our independent auditor for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2022 to the Shareholders for ratification. Although Shareholder
action on this matter is not required, the Board believes it is
good corporate practice to seek shareholder ratification of its
selection. If the selection is not ratified, the Audit Committee
will consider whether it is appropriate (without obligation) to
select another public accounting firm. A representative of Baker
Tilly will not be attending the Meeting.
Audit and Non-Audit Fees
The aggregate fees billed by the Corporation’s external auditor for
the financial years ending December 31, 2021 and
December 31, 2020, are set out in the table
below.
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(US$)
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Year |
Audit Fees1
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Audit-Related Fees2
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Tax Fees3
|
All Other Fees4
|
Auditor |
Baker Tilly US, LLP |
December 31, 2021 |
$450,000 |
$7,500 |
Nil |
Nil |
Baker Tilly US, LLP |
December 31, 2020 |
$522,335 |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
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1Fees
related to our annual audit as reported on Form 10-K, review of our
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and review of documents filed with
the SEC.
2Fees
related to procedures performed in conjunction with registration
statements.
3Fees
related to tax compliance services and tax preparation
services.
4Fees
for other incidental expenses.
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
The Audit Committee has adopted specific policies and procedures
for the engagement of non-audit services as described in its
charter which is available on the Corporation's website at
www.atlas-fin.com under the “Corporate Governance” section. The
Audit Committee shall approve all audit engagements and pre-approve
the provision by the external auditors of all non-audit services,
including fees and terms for all audit engagements and non-audit
engagements, and in such regard the Audit Committee may establish
the types of non-audit services the external auditors shall be
prohibited from providing and shall establish the types of audit,
audit related and non-audit services for which the Audit Committee
will retain the external auditors. The Audit Committee may delegate
to one or more of its members the authority to pre-approve
non-audit services, provided that any such delegated pre-approval
shall be exercised in accordance with the types of particular
non-audit services authorized by the Audit Committee to be provided
by the external auditor and the exercise of such delegated
pre-approvals shall be presented to the full Audit Committee at its
next scheduled meeting following such pre-approval. The Audit
Committee has reviewed and approved the occurrence of all of the
fees described above for 2021 and 2020.
Audit Committee Report
The Audit Committee reviews the Corporation’s annual and quarterly
financial statements, oversees the annual audit process, and
internal accounting controls, and the resolution of issues
identified by the Corporation’s auditors and recommends to the
Board the firm of independent auditors to be appointed and ratified
by the Shareholders at the next annual general meeting of
Shareholders. Management is responsible for the Corporation’s
financial statements and reporting process, including the
Corporation’s system of internal controls.
The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible
for expressing an opinion on the conformity of the Corporation’s
audited financial statements with U.S. Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles (“U.S.
GAAP”).
The Audit Committee reports as follows:
•The
Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with management the
Corporation’s 2021 audited financial statements;
•The
Audit Committee discussed with the Corporation’s independent
registered public accounting firm, Baker Tilly, the matters
required to be discussed by the Statement on Auditing Standards No.
61,
Communicating with Audit Committees,
as amended, which include matters related to the conduct of the
audit of the Corporation’s financial statements;
•The
Audit Committee has received and reviewed the written disclosures
and the letter from the independent registered public accounting
firm required by applicable requirements of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board regarding its communications with the
Audit Committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee
has discussed with the independent registered public accounting
firm its independence from the Corporation; and
•Based
on the reviews and discussions described above, the Audit Committee
recommended to the Board that the Corporation’s 2021 audited
financial statements, including management’s discussion and
analysis of the Corporation’s financial condition and results of
operations, be included in the 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Audit Committee
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Jordan Kupinsky |
Ronald Konezny |
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Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
21
Matters for Shareholder Voting
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Proposal 1
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Election of Directors |
þ |
The Board recommends a vote FOR each director nominee. |
|
The Board is asking Shareholders to elect three directors, and the
Board has nominated three of the Corporation's current directors:
Scott Wollney, Paul Romano and Joseph Shugrue, who are all of the
current directors with the exception of Jordan Kupinsky and Ronald
Konezny, each of whom will not be standing for re-election at the
Annual General Meeting. Each director nominee has broad leadership
experience and an established record of accomplishment with
relevant skills and expertise for overseeing our business.
Biographies of each of our directors, which include a brief
discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes,
and skills that led to the Board's conclusion that such individual
should serve as a director, are set forth above in "Corporate
Governance".
Vote Required
The election of each director will require an ordinary resolution
under Cayman Island law, being the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the votes cast by the holders of Voting
Shares.
The Corporation does not contemplate that any of such nominees will
be unable to serve as directors; however, if for any reason any of
the proposed nominees does not stand for election or is unable to
serve as such, proxies
held by the persons designated as proxyholders in the proxy card
will be voted for another nominee in their discretion unless the
Shareholder has specified in his, her or its proxy that his, her or
its Voting Shares are to be withheld from voting in the election of
directors.
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Proposal 2
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Advisory Vote to Approve the Compensation of the Named Executive
Officers |
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þ |
The Board recommends a vote FOR this item. |
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of
2010 (the “Dodd-Frank
Act”)
and Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
“Exchange
Act”)
entitle Shareholders to have the opportunity to cast a non-binding
advisory vote regarding the Corporation's executive compensation as
described in the Proxy Statement. The Corporation has disclosed
compensation pursuant to rules adopted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
The Corporation believes that its executive compensation programs
are designed to (1) motivate and retain executive officers, (2)
reward the achievement of the Corporation's short-term and
long-term performance goals, (3) establish an appropriate
relationship between executive pay and short-term and long-term
performance, and (4) align executive officers' interests with those
of the Shareholders. Under these programs, the Corporation's
executive officers are rewarded for the achievement of goals
established by the Compensation Committee and the realization of
increased Shareholder value. The Compensation Committee is
responsible for reviewing the compensation programs for Atlas'
executive officers to ensure they achieve the desired goals of
aligning Atlas' executive compensation structure with Shareholders'
interests and current market practices.
The Corporation is asking Shareholders to indicate their support
for the compensation of the Corporation's Named Executive Officers
as disclosed herein. This proposal, commonly known as a
“say-on-pay” proposal, gives Shareholders the opportunity to
express their views on the Corporation's approach to executive
compensation. This vote is not intended to address any specific
item of compensation, but rather the overall philosophy, policies
and practices of the Corporation's approach to executive
compensation as described in the Proxy Statement.
Shareholders will be asked to approve the following non-binding
advisory resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Corporation's executive compensation as
described in the Corporation's Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual
General Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to applicable SEC
regulations, including the compensation table, other executive
compensation tables and related narrative disclosures, is hereby
approved.
The say-on-pay vote is advisory, and therefore not binding on the
Corporation, the Compensation Committee or the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors and Compensation Committee value the
opinions of Shareholders, and to the extent there is any
significant vote against the Corporation's approach to executive
compensation as described in this Proxy Statement, the Corporation
will consider Shareholders' concerns, and the Compensation
Committee will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to
address those concerns.
Vote Required
The advisory resolution requires affirmative vote of holders of a
majority of the issued and outstanding Voting Shares present and
entitled to vote at the Meeting is required for the approval of
this advisory resolution. Although the vote on this advisory
proposal is non-binding, the Compensation Committee and the Board
value the opinion of Shareholders and will take into account the
outcome of the vote when considering future executive compensation
decisions.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
23
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Proposal 3
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Ratification of Baker Tilly US, LLP as Independent Registered
Public Accountant for 2022 |
|
þ |
The Board recommends a vote FOR this item. |
The Board is submitting the selection of Baker Tilly as our
independent auditor for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2022 to the Shareholders for ratification. Although Shareholder
action on this matter is not required, the Board believes it is
good corporate practice to seek shareholder ratification of its
selection. If the selection is not ratified, the Audit Committee
will consider whether it is appropriate (without obligation) to
select another public accounting firm.
Vote Required
The ratification of the selection of Baker Tilly as the
Corporation’s independent auditor will require an ordinary
resolution under Cayman Island law, being the affirmative vote of
the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding Voting
Shares present and entitled to vote at the Meeting.
The persons designated as proxyholders in the proxy card (absent
contrary directions) intend to vote for the ratification of the
selection of Baker Tilly as the auditor of the Corporation, unless
the Shareholder has specified in the proxy card that Voting Shares
represented by such proxy are to be withheld from voting in respect
thereof.
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Proposal 4
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Approval of the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan |
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The Board recommends a vote for every year. |
The Board of Directors has adopted, and recommends that the
Shareholders approve, the Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. 2022
Equity Incentive Plan (the “2022 Plan”). Under this proposal we are
asking you to approve the 2022 Plan which will make additional
Voting Shares of the Corporation available for issuance to our
employees and other eligible participants pursuant to incentive
compensation awards. The 2022 Plan permits the grant of share
options, share appreciation rights, share awards, share units,
performance shares, performance units, and other share-based awards
(collectively, awards) to eligible individuals. The Corporation
will not grant any awards under the 2022 Plan before the Annual
General Meeting. The material features of the 2022 Plan are
described below.
The 2022 Plan is intended to replace our existing 2013 Equity
Incentive Plan (the “Prior Plan”). If our Shareholders approve the
2022 Plan, it will become effective on the date of the Annual
General Meeting and no further awards will be granted under the
Prior Plan thereafter. If our Shareholders do not approve the 2022
Plan, the 2022 Plan will not become effective, and we will continue
to grant awards under the Prior Plan for so long as shares remain
available under that plan or if sooner, until the earlier of the
expiration of that plan, which is May 30, 2023, or the approval of
another plan.
Key Features Designed to Protect Shareholders’
Interests
The 2022 Plan’s design includes a number of provisions designed to
promote best practices by reinforcing the alignment between equity
compensation arrangements for eligible individuals and
Shareholders’ interests. These provisions include, but are not
limited to, the following:
•No
Discounted Share Options or SARs.
Share options and share appreciation rights (“SARs”)
may not be granted with an exercise or grant price lower than the
fair market value of the underlying shares on the date of
grant.
•Performance-Based
Awards..
The 2022 Plan permits the grant of performance-based share and
cash-incentive awards that are payable only upon the attainment of
specified performance goals.
Timing of Proposal
There are a number of reasons why we are seeking approval of the
2022 Plan at this time.
The last time we asked our Shareholders to approve a long-term
equity incentive plan, was the approval of the Prior Plan on May
30, 2013. The Prior Plan is set to expire on May 30, 2023, and,
therefore, we must adopt a new plan soon in order to continue to
grant equity incentives.
In addition to the expiring term of the Prior Plan, we believe it
is timely for us to update our long-term equity incentive plan to
clearly reflect these updates in a form more consistent with
current market practices and our needs.
Background for Requested Share Authorization and Reasons for
Request
In determining the number of ordinary voting common shares to be
authorized under the 2022 Plan, the Compensation Committee and the
Board of Directors considered a number of factors, which are
discussed further below, including:
•Talent
acquisition and retention;
•Broad-based
nature of equity compensation program at market competitive levels;
and
•Reasonable
historical equity award granting practices, including the
Corporation’s three-year average usage, or burn rate.
Equity awards are a key part of our compensation
program
We believe that equity compensation has been, and will continue to
be, a critical component of our compensation package because it (i)
contributes to a culture of ownership among our employees and other
service providers, (ii) aligns our employees’ interests with the
interests of our other Shareholders and (iii) preserves our cash
resources. We believe that our ability to compensate with equity
awards is essential to our efforts to attract and retain top
talent, which we believe we have been successful in doing to
date.
Equity awards are an essential part of our compensation package,
are central to our employment value proposition, and are necessary
for us to continue competing for top talent.
Equity awards incentivize the achievement of key business
objectives and increases in shareholder value
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
25
Our equity program primarily consists of share options, restricted
share units, and performance shares units. Share options are
performance-based because no value is realized unless our share
price increases from the date of grant. We have also from time to
time granted share options that are subject to performance-based
vesting conditions to incentivize the achievement of key business
objectives or specific increases in share price. Performance shares
units vest based on the achievement of key business objectives or
specific increases in share price. We believe that equity awards
have been and will continue to be critical to our success and that
they play an important role in incentivizing employees across our
Corporation to achieve our key business objectives and drive
increases in shareholder value.
Additional shares are necessary in order for us to meet our
anticipated equity compensation needs
If Shareholders do not approve our 2022 Plan, our ability to grant
equity awards to new hires, as well as our existing employees and
management team, will be severely limited, which would place us at
a competitive disadvantage.
Although we grant equity awards deeply, we have responsibly managed
our burn rate and overhang
In determining the share pool under our 2022 Plan, our Board of
Directors considered the historical number of equity awards granted
by the Corporation in the past three years. In 2020 and 2021, the
Corporation made equity awards in respect of 173,900 shares and
773,660 shares, respectively, under the Prior Plan (assuming
maximum performance, for awards subject to performance-based
vesting). No grants were made in 2019. The weighted average number
of shares of our ordinary voting common shares outstanding in 2019,
2020 and 2021 was 11,956,621, 11,957,268, and 12,960,674,
respectively. The Corporation’s three-year average burn rate is
2.47%. We believe our historical burn rate is low for a company of
our size in our industry, especially given our more recent
financial condition and the impact of COVID-19 on our business. We
will continue to monitor our equity use in future years to in an
effort to ensure our burn rate is within competitive market
norms.
Outstanding Equity Awards.
In setting the number of shares authorized for issuance under the
2022 Plan, we considered the total outstanding equity awards under
the Prior Plan.
Under the heading “Equity
Incentive Plan”
beginning on page 16, as required by the rules of the SEC, we
provide information about ordinary voting common shares that may be
issued under our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2021,
the end of fiscal year 2021.
To facilitate the approval of the 2022 Plan, set forth below is
certain additional information as of the record date, April 28,
2022.
As of April 28, 2022, we had 17,552,839 ordinary voting common
shares issued and outstanding.
The average of the bid and ask price of our ordinary voting common
shares as reported on the OTC Markets system on April 26, 2022
was $0.40.
Historical Equity Award Granting Practices.
In setting the number of shares authorized for issuance under the
2022 Plan, we considered our three-year average burn rate (2021,
2020 and 2019), which as noted above is 2.47%. We believe our
historical burn rate is low for a company of our size in our
industry, especially given our more recent financial condition and
the impact of COVID-19 on our business. We will continue to monitor
our equity use in future years in an effort to ensure our burn rate
is within competitive market norms.
Our future burn rate will depend on a number of factors, including
the number of participants in the 2022 Plan, the price per
share
of our ordinary voting common shares, any changes to our
compensation strategy, changes in business practices or industry
standards, changes in our capital structure due to share splits or
similar events, the compensation practices of our competitors or
changes in compensation practices in the market generally, and the
methodology used to establish the equity award mix.
Expected Share Usage Needs.
In setting the number of shares authorized for issuance under the
2022 Plan, we also considered the potential dilution that would
result by approval of the authorization of the share pool for the
2022 Plan, including the policies of certain institutional
investors and major proxy advisory firms.
The actual dilution will depend on several factors, including the
types of awards made under the 2022 Plan.
Summary of the 2022 Plan
The following summary describes the most significant features of
the 2022 Plan.
This summary is not intended to be complete and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the full text of the 2022 Plan, a copy of
which is attached as Appendix A to this Proxy
Statement.
Who may receive awards under the 2022 Plan?
The Compensation Committee selects the individuals who will
participate in the 2022 Plan. Eligibility to participate is open to
non-employee directors, officers and employees of, and other
individuals who provide bona fide services to or for, us or any of
our affiliates. For eligibility purposes, an affiliate means any
entity, whether previously, now or hereafter existing, which
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
Corporation or any successor to the Corporation. As of the
date
of this Proxy Statement, both non-employee directors, and
approximately 48 employees and consultants (of which there are
currently none) are eligible to participate in the 2022
Plan.
The Compensation Committee may also select as participants
prospective officers, employees and service providers who have
accepted an offer of employment or another service relationship
from us or one of our affiliates.
Any awards granted to such a prospect before the individual’s start
date may not become vested or exercisable, and no shares may be
issued to such individual before the date the individual first
commences performance of services with us.
The foregoing notwithstanding, only employees of ours, or any
parent or subsidiary of ours (as those terms are defined in
Sections 424(e) and (f) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (“Code”),
respectively), are eligible for purposes of receiving any incentive
share options that are intended to comply with the requirements of
Section 422 of the Code (“ISOs”).
An employee on leave of absence may be considered as still in our
employ or the employ of a subsidiary of ours for purposes of
eligibility for participation in the 2022 Plan.
How many shares will be reserved for awards?
The shares of our ordinary voting common shares issuable pursuant
to awards under the 2022 Plan will be shares authorized for
issuance under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of
association (as amended or supplemented from time to time) but
unissued, or issued and reacquired and held in
treasury.
Initial Share Pool.
When the 2022 Plan first becomes effective, 3,000,000 shares of our
ordinary voting common shares (the “Share
Pool”).
No further awards will be granted under the Prior Plan once the
2022 Plan becomes effective.
Adjustments to Share Pool.
Following the effective date of the 2022 Plan, the Share Pool will
be adjusted as follows:
•The
Share Pool will automatically increase on January 1 of each year,
beginning on January 1, 2023 and continuing through January 1, 2032
by 2% of the total number of our ordinary voting common shares
outstanding on December 31 of the preceding calendar year, or a
lesser number of shares determined by the Board.
•The
Share Pool will be reduced by one share for each share of our
ordinary voting common shares made subject to an award granted
under the 2022 Plan.
•The
Share Pool will be increased by the number of unissued shares of
our ordinary voting common shares underlying or used as a reference
measure for any award or portion of an award granted under the 2022
Plan or the Prior Plan that is cancelled, forfeited, expired,
terminated unearned or settled in cash, in any such case without
the issuance of shares.
•The
Share Pool will be increased by the number of shares of our
ordinary voting common shares that are forfeited back to us after
issuance due to a failure to meet an award contingency or condition
with respect to any award or portion of an award granted under the
2022 Plan or the Prior Plan.
•The
Share Pool will be increased by (i) ordinary voting common shares
used as a reference measure for any award that are not issued upon
settlement of such award due to a net settlement or (ii) the number
of shares of our common shares withheld by or surrendered (either
actually or through attestation) to us in payment of the exercise
price or any tax withholding obligation that arises in connection
with any award granted under the 2022 Plan or the Prior
Plan.
In the event of a merger, consolidation, share rights offering,
liquidation, statutory share exchange or similar event affecting
the Corporation (each, a “Corporate
Event”)
or a share dividend, share split, reverse share split, separation,
spin-off, reorganization, extraordinary dividend of cash or other
property, share combination or subdivision, or recapitalization or
similar event affecting the capital structure of the
Corporation
(a “Share
Change”),
in either case which occurs at any time after adoption of the 2022
Plan by the Board (including coincident with or prior to the
effective date), our Board will adjust the Share Pool
proportionately to reflect the transaction or event.
Similar adjustments will be made to the award limitations described
below and to the terms of outstanding awards.
Does the 2022 Plan include maximum award amounts?
The following limitations on awards are imposed under the 2022
Plan.
ISO Award Limit.
No more than 9,000,000 shares of our ordinary voting common shares
may be issued in connection with awards granted under the 2022 Plan
that are intended to qualify as ISOs.
What would happen in the event of a dissolution, liquidation or
change in control?
Dissolution or Liquidation.
Unless the administrator determines otherwise, all awards
outstanding under the 2022 Plan will terminate upon the dissolution
or liquidation of the Corporation.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
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Termination of Awards.
If any transaction results in a change in control (as defined in
the 2022 Plan) of the Corporation, outstanding awards under the
2022 Plan will terminate when such transaction becomes effective
unless provision is made in connection with the transaction by the
surviving or successor entity or a parent of such entity for
outstanding awards to be continued or assumed or for equivalent
awards to be substituted.
In the event outstanding awards will terminate in this manner, then
except as otherwise provided in the applicable award
agreement:
•The
outstanding awards of share options and share appreciation rights
that will terminate upon the effective time of the change in
control transaction will, immediately before the effective time of
the change in control, become fully exercisable, and the holders of
such awards will be permitted to exercise the awards immediately
prior to the change in control;
•The
outstanding restricted shares, the vesting on which depends, as of
immediately prior to the effective time of the change in control,
solely on the satisfaction of a service obligation by the
participant to the Corporation and are not then subject to
performance goals, will, immediately before the effective time of
the change in control, become fully vested, free of all transfer
and lapse restrictions and free of all risks of
forfeiture;
•The
outstanding restricted shares the vesting or restrictions on which
are as of immediately prior to the change in control, subject to
and pending achievement of performance goals will, immediately
before the effective time of the change in control become vested,
free of transfer and lapse restrictions and risks of forfeiture in
such amounts as would be determined under the applicable award
agreement as though the applicable performance goals for the
unexpired performance period are deemed to have been achieved at
the target level set forth in the applicable award
agreement;
•The
outstanding restricted share units, performance shares, performance
units and other share-based awards, the vesting, earning or
settlement of which depends, as of immediately before the effective
time of the change in control, solely on the satisfaction of a
service obligation by the participant to the Corporation and which
is not subject to or pending achievement of performance goals,
will, immediately before the effective time of the change in
control, become fully earned and vested and will be settled in cash
or ordinary voting common shares (consistent with the terms of the
applicable award agreement after taking into account the effect of
the change in control transaction on the shares), subject to any
applicable limitations imposed thereon by Section 409A of the Code;
and
•The
outstanding restricted share units, performance shares and
performance units and other share-based awards, the vesting,
earning or settlement of which is, as of immediately before the
effective time of the change in control, then subject to and
pending achievement of performance goals, will, immediately before
the effective time of the change in control, become vested and
earned in such amounts as would be determined under the applicable
award agreement as though the applicable performance goals for the
unexpired performance period are deemed to have been achieved at
the target level set forth in the applicable award agreement, and
shall be settled in cash or ordinary voting common shares
(consistent with the terms of the award agreement after taking into
account the effect of the change in control transaction on the
shares), subject to any applicable limitations imposed thereon by
Section 409A of the Code.
Implementation of these vesting acceleration provisions will be
conditioned upon consummation of the change in control, not merely
the approval of the transaction by our Board or
Shareholders.
Continuation, Assumption or Substitution of Awards.
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, if a
change in control of the Corporation occurs via a transaction under
which provision is made in connection with the transaction by the
surviving or successor entity or a parent of such entity for
outstanding awards to be continued or assumed or for equivalent
awards to be substituted, then such awards will continue and will
not accelerate.
What types of awards are available under the 2022
Plan?
The 2022 Plan enables the grant of share options, share
appreciation rights, share awards, share unit awards, performance
shares, cash-based performance units and other share- and
cash-based awards, each of which may be granted separately or in
tandem with other awards.
Share options and share appreciation rights.
Share options represent a right to purchase a specified number of
shares of our ordinary voting common shares from us at a specified
price during a specified period of time.
Share options may be granted in the form of incentive share
options, which are intended to qualify for favorable treatment for
the recipient under U.S. federal tax law, or as nonqualified share
options, which do not qualify for this favorable tax treatment.
Only employees of the Corporation or its subsidiaries may receive
tax-qualified incentive share options. The administrator may
establish sub-plans under the 2022 Plan through which to grant
share options that qualify for preferred tax treatment for
recipients in jurisdictions outside the United States.
Share appreciation rights represent the right to receive an amount
in cash, shares of our ordinary voting common
shares or both equal to the fair market value of the shares subject
to the award on the date of exercise minus the exercise price of
the award. All share options and share appreciation rights must
have a term of no longer than ten years’ duration. Share options
and share appreciation rights must have an exercise price equal to
or above the fair market value of our ordinary voting common shares
on the date of grant except as provided under applicable law or
with respect to share options and share appreciation rights that
are granted in substitution of similar types of awards of a company
acquired by us or an affiliate or with which we or our affiliate
combine (whether in connection with a corporate transaction, such
as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property
or share, or otherwise) to preserve the intrinsic value of such
awards.
As of April 26, 2022, the average of the bid and ask prices of
our ordinary voting common shares for the regular market session,
as reported by the OTC Markets system, was $0.40.
Prohibition on reload share options.
Reload grants, or the automatic granting of additional share
options upon delivery of shares to satisfy the exercise price
and/or tax withholding obligation under another outstanding share
option, are not permitted under the 2022 Plan.
Restricted shares.
Awards of restricted shares are actual shares of our ordinary
voting common shares that are issued to a participant but that are
subject to forfeiture if the participant does not remain employed
by us for a certain period of time and/or if certain performance
goals are not met.
Except for these restrictions and any others imposed by the
administrator, the participant will generally have all of the
rights of a shareholder with respect to the restricted shares,
including the right to vote the restricted shares, but will not be
permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber
restricted shares before the risk of forfeiture
lapses.
Dividends declared, if any, payable on restricted shares that are
granted subject to risk of forfeiture conditioned solely on
continued service over a period of time or subject to risk of
forfeiture conditioned on satisfaction of performance goals will be
held by us and made subject to forfeiture at least until the
applicable service condition or performance goal related to such
restricted shares has been satisfied.
Restricted share units.
An award of restricted share units represents a contractual
obligation of the Corporation to deliver a number of shares of our
ordinary voting common shares, an amount in cash equal to the fair
market value of the specified number of shares subject to the
award, or a combination of shares and cash.
Until shares of our ordinary voting common shares are issued to the
participant in settlement of share units, the participant will not
have any rights of a shareholder of the Corporation with respect to
the share units or the shares issuable pursuant to the share
units.
Vesting of restricted share units may be made subject to
performance goals, the continued service of the participant or
both.
The administrator may provide that dividend equivalents will be
paid or credited with respect to restricted share units, but such
dividend equivalents will be held by us and made subject to
forfeiture at least until any applicable performance goal related
to the restricted share units has been satisfied.
Performance shares and performance units.
An award of performance shares, as that term is used in the 2022
Plan, refers to shares of our ordinary voting common shares or
share units that are expressed in terms of our ordinary voting
common shares, the issuance, vesting, lapse of restrictions or
payment of which is contingent on performance as measured against
predetermined objectives over a specified performance
period.
An award of performance units, as that term is used in the 2022
Plan, refers to dollar-denominated units valued by reference to
designated criteria established by the administrator, other than
our ordinary voting common shares, whose issuance, vesting, lapse
of restrictions or payment is contingent on performance as measured
against predetermined objectives over a specified performance
period.
Performance units also may include cash incentive awards granted in
connection with the Corporation’s annual incentive program.
The applicable award agreement will specify whether performance
shares and performance units will be settled or paid in cash or
shares of our ordinary voting common shares or a combination of
both or will reserve to the administrator or the participant the
right to make that determination prior to or at the payment or
settlement date.
The administrator will, prior to or at the time of grant, condition
the grant, vesting or payment of, or lapse of restrictions on, an
award of performance shares or performance units upon (A) the
attainment of performance goals during a performance period or (B)
the attainment of performance goals and the continued service of
the participant. The length of the performance period, the
performance goals to be achieved during the performance period, and
the measure of whether and to what degree such performance goals
have been attained will be conclusively determined by the
administrator in the exercise of its absolute discretion.
Performance goals may include minimum, maximum and target levels of
performance, with the size of the award or payout of performance
shares or performance units or the vesting or lapse of restrictions
with respect thereto based on the level attained. An award of
performance shares or performance units will be settled as and when
the award vests or at a later time specified in the award agreement
or in accordance with an election of the participant, if the
administrator so permits, that meets the requirements of Section
409A of the Code.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
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Performance goals applicable to performance-based awards may be
awarded based on the following performance metrics to be attained
within a predetermined performance period as they may apply to an
individual, one or more business units, divisions, or affiliates,
or on a company-wide basis, and in absolute terms, relative to a
base period, or relative to the performance of one or more
comparable companies, peer groups, or an index covering multiple
companies:
•Earnings
or Profitability Metrics:
any derivative of revenue; earnings/loss (gross, operating, net, or
adjusted); earnings/loss before interest and taxes
(“EBIT”);
earnings/loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization
(“EBITDA”);
profit margins; operating margins; combined ratio; expense levels
or ratios;
provided
that any of the foregoing metrics may be adjusted to eliminate the
effect of any one or more of the following:
interest expense, asset impairments or investment losses, early
extinguishment of debt or share-based compensation
expense;
•Return
Metrics:
any derivative of return on investment, assets, equity or capital
(total or invested);
•Investment
Metrics:
relative risk-adjusted investment performance; investment
performance of assets under management;
•Cash
Flow Metrics:
any derivative of operating cash flow; cash flow sufficient to
achieve financial ratios or a specified cash balance; free cash
flow; cash flow return on capital; net cash provided by operating
activities; cash flow per share; working capital;
•Liquidity
Metrics:
any derivative of debt leverage (including debt to capital, net
debt-to-capital, debt-to-EBITDA or other liquidity ratios);
and/or
•Share
Price and Equity Metrics:
any derivative of return on Shareholders’ equity; total shareholder
return; share price; share price appreciation; market
capitalization; earnings/loss per share (basic or diluted) (before
or after taxes).
•The
administrator may also establish such other performance criteria as
determined in its discretion.
The administrator may, in its discretion, adjust the performance
goals applicable to any awards to reflect any unusual or
non-recurring events and other extraordinary items, impact of
charges for restructurings, discontinued operations and the
cumulative effects of accounting or tax changes, each as defined by
generally accepted accounting principles or as identified in
the
Corporation’s consolidated financial statements, notes to
the
consolidated
financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis or other
Corporation filings with the SEC.
If the administrator determines that a change in the business,
operations, corporate structure or capital structure of
the
Corporation or the applicable subsidiary, business segment or other
operational unit of
the
Corporation or any such entity or segment, or the manner in which
any of the foregoing conducts its business, or other events or
circumstances, render the performance goals to be unsuitable, the
administrator may modify such performance goals or the related
minimum acceptable level of achievement, in whole or in part, as
the administrator deems appropriate and
equitable.
Other share-based awards.
The administrator may from time to time grant to eligible
individuals awards in the form of other share-based awards on such
terms and conditions as the administrator may determine. Other
share-based awards in the form of dividend equivalents may be (A)
awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another
award other than a share option or share appreciation right, (B)
paid currently or credited to an account for the participant,
including the reinvestment of such credited amounts in ordinary
voting common shares equivalents, to be paid on a deferred basis,
and (C) settled in cash or ordinary voting common shares as
determined by the administrator; provided, however, that dividend
equivalents payable on other share-based awards will be accrued and
made subject to forfeiture at least until achievement of the
applicable service condition or performance goal related to such
other share-based awards.
Any such settlements, and any such crediting of dividend
equivalents, may be subject to such conditions, restrictions and
contingencies as the administrator may establish.
What happens to outstanding awards when extraordinary corporate
events occur?
Mandatory Adjustments.
In the event of a Corporate Event or a Share Change, in either case
which occurs at any time after adoption of the 2022 Plan by the
Board of Directors (including coincident with or prior to the
effective date), the administrator will make such equitable and
appropriate substitutions or proportionate adjustments
to:
•the
aggregate number and kind of ordinary voting common shares or other
securities on which awards under the 2022 Plan may be granted to
eligible individuals;
•the
maximum number of ordinary voting common shares or other securities
with respect to which awards may be granted during any one calendar
year to any individual;
•the
maximum number of ordinary voting common shares or other securities
that may be issued with respect to incentive share options granted
under the 2022 Plan;
•the
number of ordinary voting common shares or other securities covered
by each outstanding award and the exercise price, base price or
other price per share, if any, and other relevant terms of each
outstanding award; and
•all
other numerical limitations relating to awards, whether contained
in the 2022 Plan or in award agreements.
Discretionary Adjustments.
In addition to the adjustments specified above, in the case of
Corporate Events, the administrator may make such other adjustments
to outstanding awards as it determines to be appropriate and
desirable, which adjustments may include, without limitation, (i)
the cancellation of outstanding awards in exchange for payments of
cash, securities or other property or a combination thereof having
an aggregate value equal to the value of such awards, (ii) the
substitution of securities or other property (including, without
limitation, cash or other securities of the Corporation and
securities of entities other than the Corporation) for the ordinary
voting common shares subject to outstanding awards, and (iii) the
substitution of equivalent awards, as determined in the sole
discretion of the administrator, of the surviving or successor
entity or a parent thereof.
The administrator may, in its discretion, adjust the performance
goals applicable to any awards to reflect any unusual or
non-recurring events and other extraordinary items, impact of
charges for restructurings, discontinued operations and the
cumulative effects of accounting or tax changes.
Can the plan be amended or terminated?
Our Board or Compensation Committee may terminate, amend or modify
the 2022 Plan or any portion of it at any time, subject to such
restrictions on amendments and modifications as may apply under
applicable laws or listing rules.
No such amendment may be made without the approval of our
Shareholders, if required to comply with applicable laws or listing
rules. In addition, no amendment may be made to the 2022 Plan or an
existing award if such amendment would materially impair the rights
of a participant with respect to such previously granted award
without the participant’s consent, unless such an amendment is made
to comply with applicable laws or listing rules or to prevent
adverse tax or accounting consequences to the Corporation or the
participant.
The 2022 Plan is scheduled to expire on April 26,
2032.
Who administers the 2022 Plan?
The Compensation Committee of our Board is the administrator of the
2022 Plan.
At any time, the Board may serve as the administrator in lieu of,
or in addition to, the Compensation Committee. Except as provided
otherwise under the 2022 Plan, the administrator has plenary
authority to grant awards pursuant to the terms of the 2022 Plan to
eligible individuals, determine the types of awards and the number
of shares covered by the awards, establish the terms and conditions
for awards and take all other actions necessary or desirable to
carry out the purpose and intent of the 2022 Plan.
The Compensation Committee or the Board may delegate to other
officers and employees, limited authority to perform administrative
actions under the 2022 Plan to assist in its administration to the
extent permitted by applicable law and share exchange rules. This
delegation of authority, however, may not extend to the exercise of
discretion with respect to awards to participants who are “covered
employees” within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange
Act.
With respect to any award to which Section 16 of the Exchange Act
applies, the administrator shall consist of either our Board or the
Compensation Committee, which committee shall consist of two or
more directors, each of whom is intended to be a “non-employee
director” as defined in Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and an
“independent director” to the extent required by applicable laws or
listing rules.
Any member of the administrator who does not meet the foregoing
requirements must abstain from any decision regarding an award and
must not be considered a member of the administrator to the extent
required to comply with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange
Act.
Other Information
Compliance with Listing Rules
During any time, if any, that shares are listed for trading on any
share exchange or market, our Board and the administrator agree
that they will not make any amendments, issue any awards, or take
any action under the 2022 Plan unless such action complies with the
relevant listing rules.
Provisions Applicable to All Awards
Award Documents.
Each award will be evidenced by an award document that will specify
the award terms, including the type of the award, the exercise
price or grant price, if any, the number of shares subject to the
award, the duration of the award and such other provisions as the
Compensation Committee determines.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
31
Termination of Employment/Other Relationship.
Within the discretion of the Compensation Committee, each award
document will set forth the extent to which the participant will
have any rights with respect to the award following termination of
the participant’s employment or other service relationship with the
Corporation; provided that, such terms need not be uniform among
all awards and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for
termination.
Nontransferability of Awards.
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award document for
awards other than incentive share options, no award may be sold,
transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or
hypothecated, other than by will, by the laws of descent and
distribution or, with the prior written consent of the
administrator, by a participant to a “family member” of the
participant as a gift. Under the 2022 Plan, “family member”
includes any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent,
grandparent, spouse (but expressly excluding ex-spouse), sibling,
niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law,
daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including
adoptive relationships, any person sharing the participant’s
household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which these
persons have more than fifty percent of the beneficial interest, a
foundation in which these persons (or the participant) control the
management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons
(or the participant) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the
voting interests.
Restrictions on Share Transferability.
The Compensation Committee may impose such restrictions on any
ordinary voting common shares acquired pursuant to an award as it
may deem advisable, including, without limitation, restrictions
under applicable federal securities laws, under the requirements of
any share exchange or market upon which such shares are then listed
and/or traded, and under any blue sky or state securities laws
applicable to such shares.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following discussion is intended only as a general summary of
the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of awards issued
under the 2022 Plan, based upon the provisions of the Code as of
the date of this Proxy Statement, for the purposes of Shareholders
considering how to vote on this proposal. It is not intended as tax
guidance to participants in the 2022 Plan. This summary does not
take into account certain circumstances that may change the income
tax treatment of awards for individual participants, and it does
not describe the state income tax consequences of any award or the
taxation of awards in jurisdictions outside of the
U.S.
Share Options and Share appreciation rights.
The grant of a share option or share appreciation right generally
has no income tax consequences for a participant or the
Corporation. Likewise, the exercise of an incentive share option
generally does not have income tax consequences for a participant
or the Corporation, except that it may result in an item of
adjustment for alternative minimum tax purposes for the
participant.
A participant usually recognizes ordinary income upon the exercise
of a non-qualified share option or share appreciation right equal
to the fair market value of the shares or cash payable (without
regard to income or employment tax withholding) minus the exercise
price, if applicable. We should generally be entitled to a
deduction for federal income tax purposes equal to the amount of
ordinary income recognized by the participant as a result of the
exercise of a non-qualified share option or share appreciation
right.
If a participant holds the shares acquired under an incentive share
option for the time specified in the Code (at least two years
measured from the grant date and one year measured from the
exercise date), any gain or loss arising from a subsequent
disposition of the shares will be taxed as long-term capital gain
or loss. If the shares are disposed of before the holding period is
satisfied, the participant will recognize ordinary income equal to
the lesser of (1) the amount realized upon the disposition and (2)
the fair market value of such shares on the date of exercise minus
the exercise price paid for the shares. Any ordinary income
recognized by the participant on the disqualifying disposition of
the shares generally entitles us to a deduction by us for federal
income tax purposes. Any disposition of shares acquired under a
non-qualified share option or a share appreciation right will
generally result only in capital gain or loss for the participant,
which may be short- or long-term, depending upon the holding period
for the shares.
Full Value Awards.
Any cash and the fair market value of any ordinary voting common
shares received by a participant under a full value award are
generally included in the participant’s ordinary income.
In the case of restricted shares awards, this amount is included in
the participant’s income when the awards vest, unless the
participant has filed an election with the Internal Revenue Service
to include the fair market value of the restricted shares in income
as of the date the award was granted.
In the case of restricted share units, performance shares and
performance units, generally the value of any cash and the fair
market value of any ordinary voting common shares received by a
participant are included in income when the awards are paid.
Any dividends or dividend equivalents paid on unvested full value
awards are also ordinary income for participants.
Other Stock-Based Awards.
Any cash payments an employee receives in connection with any other
stock-based awards are included in income by the participant in the
year received or made available to the participant without
substantial limitations or restrictions.
Deductibility of Compensation.
Section 162(m) of the Code generally limits our ability to deduct
for tax purposes compensation in excess of $1.0 million per year
for each of our principal executive officer, our principal
financial officer and additional highest compensated officers
during any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2016.
Compensation resulting from awards under the 2022 Plan will be
counted toward the $1.0 million limit.
Section 409A.
Section 409A of the Code provides special tax rules applicable to
programs that provide for a deferral of compensation. Failure to
comply with those requirements will result in accelerated
recognition of U.S. federal income tax purposes along with an
additional tax equal to 20% of the amount included in U.S. federal
income, and interest on deemed underpayments in certain
circumstances. While certain awards under the 2022 Plan could be
subject to Section 409A, the 2022 Plan and awards are intended to
comply with the requirements of Section 409A, where
applicable.
New Plan Benefits
The awards that are to be granted to any participant or group of
participants are indeterminable at the date of this Proxy Statement
because participation and the types of awards that may be granted
under the 2022 Plan are subject to the discretion of the
administrator.
The Board unanimously recommends that Shareholders vote FOR
approval of the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan.
Vote Required
The affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the issued and
outstanding Voting Shares present and entitled to vote at the
Meeting is required for the approval of this proposal.
The persons designated as proxyholders in the proxy card (absent
contrary directions) intend to vote for the approval of the 2022
Equity Incentive Plan, unless the Shareholder has specified in the
proxy card that Voting Shares represented by such proxy are to be
withheld from voting in respect thereof.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
33
Annual Report
All Shareholders of record on the Record Date are currently being
sent a copy of Atlas’ 2021 Annual Report, which contains Atlas’
audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2021. Additional information relating to the Corporation is
available on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.
Any person who was a Shareholder of Atlas at the close of business
on the Record Date may obtain copies of Atlas’ 2021 Annual Report
on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”),
without charge, via the Corporation’s website at www.atlas-fin.com
or by written request to Atlas at 953 American Lane, 3rd Floor,
Schaumburg, Illinois 60173, Attention: Scott Wollney.
Householding
The SEC permits companies and intermediaries such as brokers to
satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy statements or annual
reports with respect to two or more Shareholders sharing the same
address by delivering a single copy of the proxy statement or
annual report as applicable, addressed to those Shareholders. This
process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,”
potentially provides extra conveniences for Shareholders and cost
savings for companies.
Although we do not intend to household for our Shareholders of
record, some brokers household our proxy materials and annual
reports delivering a single copy of the proxy statement or annual
report to multiple Shareholders sharing an address unless contrary
instructions have been received from the affected Shareholders.
Once you have received notice from your broker that it will be
householding materials to your address, householding will continue
until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent.
If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding
and would prefer to receive a separate copy of the proxy statement
or annual report, or if you are receiving multiple copies of any
such document and wish to receive only one, please notify your
broker. Shareholders who currently receive multiple copies of the
proxy statement or annual report at their address from their
brokers and would like to request householding of their
communications should contact their brokers. Shareholders of record
may request householding, or to discontinue householding and
receive a separate copy, which will be promptly sent at no cost, of
our proxy materials and annual reports by contacting the
Corporation at Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc., 953 American Lane,
3rd Floor, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173, Attention: Investor
Relations, or by telephone at (847)700-8600.
Related Person Transactions
We have established procedures for reviewing transactions between
us and our directors and executive officers, their immediate family
members and entities with which they have a position or
relationship. These procedures help us evaluate whether any such
related party transaction could impair the independence of a
director or present a conflict of interest on the part of a
director or executive officer.
Directors are considered independent if they are not an executive
officer or employee of the Corporation and have no relationship
which, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with the
exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the
responsibilities of a director. There are five directors on the
Board, of which two are independent directors as defined by Nasdaq
Rules. Scott Wollney, Paul Romano and Joseph Shugrue are not
independent, as each of them is a member of our management. Mr.
Kupinsky and Mr. Konezny, each of whom will not be standing for
re-election at the Annual General Meeting, are independent
directors. Mr. Walker and Mr. Lageschulte, who resigned from the
Board effective July 26, 2021 and April 22, 2022, respectively,
were also independent directors.
Our Audit Committee charter specifically requires the Audit
Committee to review and approve all related party transactions that
are required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K. In
addition, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics requires our
directors, executive officers and all employees to provide full
disclosure of the circumstances surrounding any potential conflict
of interest and refrain from any related decision making process.
Directors and officers must provide this full disclosure to our
senior executives and our Audit Committee.
To capture all relevant information with respect to such
transactions, we annually require each of our directors and
executive officers to complete a Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics as well as a Director and Officer Questionnaire that, among
other things, elicits information about related party transactions.
Our senior executives review the information disclosed in these
documents, and review any unique circumstances potentially
involving a related party transaction with our Chief Financial
Officer, other members of management and the Audit Committee, as
warranted. The Audit Committee, and possibly the full Board, would
review any specific fact patterns as required.
As further described below, the Corporation has participated in
certain investments with Kingsway America, Inc., some of which
involve participation by former Corporation director John T.
Fitzgerald. The aggregate value of the investment described below,
which is held by Global Liberty Insurance Corporation of New York
("Global
Liberty"),
made up
approximately 22.5% of the Corporation’s investment portfolio as of
December 31, 2020 and is included in assets held for sale on the
2020 Consolidated Statements of Financial Position and was
deconsolidated in Q4 2021. The related party transaction described
below is consistent with the Corporation’s current investment
guidelines and has been reviewed and approved by both the
Investment Committee of the Corporation’s Board of Directors as
well as the Audit Committee pursuant to the Corporation’s policy on
related party transactions described above. Effective October 1,
2021 Global Liberty was deconsolidated from the Corporation's
results due to the order of liquidation as filed by the New York
Department of Financial Services.
Mr. Lageschulte, a former director, is a member of the
Administrative Agent and certain of the Lenders under the Credit
Agreement. More information is outlined in the following section
"Credit Agreement" with regard to a related party
transaction.
Credit Agreement
On September 1, 2021, the Corporation
and certain of its subsidiaries, as borrowers (collectively, the
“Borrowers”),
entered into
a Convertible Senior Secured Delayed-Draw Credit Agreement (as
amended February 2, 2022 and March 25, 2022, the “Credit
Agreement”), agented by Sheridan Road Partners, LLC (in such
capacity, the “Agent”), with certain lenders (the “Lenders”),
pursuant to which the Lenders made available to the Borrowers a
term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of $3,000,000
(the “Term Loans”). The Credit Agreement provides for an initial
advance of $2 million in Term Loans and up to $1 million of
additional Delayed Draws within 18 months of closing, in each case,
subject to the satisfaction of waiver of certain funding conditions
and the other terms and conditions set forth in the Credit
Agreement. The Borrowers may use the proceeds of the Term Loans for
payments of certain agreed upon permitted expenditures, as set
forth in the Credit Agreement. Interest will accrue on the funded
Term Loans at 12% per annum and may be paid, at the Borrowers’
option, in cash or in kind; provided, that upon the occurrence and
during the continuance of an event of default, the interest rate
will be increased to 14% per annum and will be payable only in
cash. The term of the term loan facility is 24 months. In October
2021, and January 2022, the Lenders advanced an aggregate of $2
million of the Term Loans and, in March 2022, the Lenders advanced
$1 million of delayed draws under the Term Loans, in each case
despite the fact that not all of the funding conditions had been
met.
As a set-up fee for the term loan facility, 2,750,000 ordinary
voting common shares of the Corporation were issued to the Lenders
upon execution of the agreement, and an additional 2,500,000
ordinary voting common shares were issued to the Lenders in March
2022, in connection with the Delayed Draws. The outstanding
principal balance of the Term Loans can be converted at any time
into ordinary voting common shares, at the applicable Lender’s
discretion, at a rate of $0.35 per share, except that paid-in-kind
interest included in the amount presented by a Lender for
conversion may, at the Borrowers’ discretion, be paid in cash or
converted into ordinary shares at the same rate.
Under the Credit Agreement, the Borrowers have the option at any
time to prepay the Term Loans in whole or in part subject to the
payment of certain yield protection obligations. The Lenders have
the right to demand prepayment, along with payment of certain yield
protection obligations, upon the occurrence of an event of default,
change of control, sale of certain assets of the Borrowers, a
casualty event, eminent domain, or condemnation, in each case,
subject to negotiated limitations.
The Credit Agreement requires the satisfaction or waiver of certain
funding conditions and that the Borrower comply with customary
affirmative and negative covenants, including covenants governing
and restricting indebtedness, liens, investments, sales of assets,
distributions, and fundamental changes in the Borrowers’
organizational structure and line of business and maintaining
certain levels of liquidity. The obligation of the Lenders to make
any of the Term Loans was conditioned upon the grant to the Agent,
on behalf of the Lenders, of a first priority perfected security
interest in collateral consisting of substantially all of the
assets of the Borrowers to secure the payment in full of the Term
Loans and all other obligations under the Credit Agreement and
related loan documentation. The collateral includes pledges of the
equity of the Corporation’s direct and indirect subsidiaries
American Acquisition, Anchor Group Management, Inc., Anchor
Holdings Group, Inc., UBI Holdings Inc., optOn Digital IP Inc. and
optOn Insurance Agency Inc. Upon payment in full of the Term Loans,
the Corporation will have no further obligations to the Agent and
the Lenders under the Credit Agreement and other related loan
documentation other than the obligation to register the ordinary
voting common shares issued pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and
the security interests granted by the Borrowers in favor of the
Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, will terminate.
Kurt Lageschulte, a former Corporation Director, is a member of the
Agent and certain of the Lenders.
Real Estate Investment
Global Liberty and Kingsway America, Inc. have participated in the
following transaction involving the acquisition and management of
revenue producing real estate.
As of December 31, 2020, the Corporation, Kingsway America Inc. and
a third party real estate manager have investments in a venture
with the purpose of acquiring, improving and managing underutilized
retail real estate. Total aggregate investment in
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
35
this venture by the three parties is approximately $2.4 million,
with Global Liberty and Kingsway America Inc. investing
approximately $1.3 million and $656,000, respectively. The
outstanding third party debt as of December 31, 2020 totaled $3.4
million. Principal and interest paid totaled $67,700 and $147,800
during the year ended December 31, 2020. Effective October 1, 2021
Global Liberty was deconsolidated from the Corporation's results
due to the order of liquidation as filed by the New York Department
of Financial Services.
Shareholder Proposals
Shareholder proposals submitted pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 14a-8
for inclusion in the Corporation's proxy statement and form of
proxy for the 2023 annual general meeting of Shareholders must be
received by the Corporation by December 30, 2022. Such a proposal
must also comply with the requirements as to form and substance
established by the SEC for such a proposal to be included in the
proxy statement and form of proxy. In addition, if a Shareholder
intends to present a proposal at Atlas’ 2023 annual general meeting
of Shareholders without the inclusion of the proposal in the
Corporation’s proxy materials (i.e., not pursuant to Rule 14a-8)
and written notice of the proposal is not received by the
Corporation on or before March 15, 2023, proxies solicited by the
Board for the 2023 annual general meeting of Shareholders will
confer discretionary authority to vote on the proposal if presented
at the meeting. Shareholders should submit proposals to Atlas’
executive offices, 953 American Lane, 3rd Floor, Schaumburg,
Illinois 60173, Attention: Scott Wollney. Atlas reserves the right
to reject, rule out of order or take other appropriate action with
respect to any proposal that does not comply with these and other
applicable requirements.
Other Matters
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Corporation is not
aware of any matter other than those described in this Proxy
Statement that will be presented for consideration at the Meeting.
If any other matter or matters properly come before the Meeting, it
is the intention of the persons named in the proxy to vote, or
otherwise act, on such matters in accordance with their best
judgment.
By order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
|
Scott D. Wollney
|
Chairman of the Board |
April 29, 2022 |
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
37
APPENDIX A
2022 Equity Incentive Plan
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
39
ATLAS FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC.
2022 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1.General
(a)Establishment
of the Plan.
ATLAS FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC., a Cayman Islands exempted company
(“the
Company”),
has established the ATLAS FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC. 2022 EQUITY
INCENTIVE PLAN, as set forth herein, and as the same may be amended
from time to time (the “Plan”).
The Plan will become effective on the date on which the Plan is
approved by the shareholders of the Company (the
“Effective
Date”),
which approval must occur within the period ending 12 months after
the date the Plan is adopted by the Board of Directors of the
Company (the “Board”).
In addition, no Award will be granted under the Plan (or, in the
case of share options or share appreciation rights, no Award
granted under the Plan will be exercised) and no Performance Units
will be settled before the Effective Date.
(b)Successor
to 2013 Plan.
The Plan is intended as the successor to the Atlas Financial
Holdings, Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the
“2013
Plan”).
From and after the Effective Date, no further awards will be made
under the 2013 Plan; provided, however, awards made under the 2013
Plan before the Effective Date will continue in effect and subject
to the terms of the 2013 Plan.
2.Purposes
of the Plan.
The Plan is designed to:
(a) promote the long-term financial
interests and growth of the Company and its Subsidiaries (together,
the “Company”)
by attracting and retaining management and other personnel of the
Company and other Eligible Individuals.
(b) motivate management personnel by means
of strategic objective related incentives to achieve long-range
goals; and
(c) further the alignment of interests of
Participants with those of the shareholders of the Company through
opportunities for increased share or share-based ownership in the
Company.
To accomplish these purposes, the Administrator may grant share
options, share appreciation rights, share awards, share units,
Performance Shares, Performance Units, and Other Share-Based Awards
to eligible individuals on the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in the Plan.
3.Terminology.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in an Award Agreement,
capitalized words and phrases used in the Plan or an Award
Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the glossary at
Section 17 of the Plan or as defined the first place such word
or phrase appears in the Plan.
4.Administration.
(a)Administration
of the Plan.
The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator.
(b)Powers
of the Administrator.
The Administrator shall, except as otherwise provided under the
Plan, have plenary authority, in its sole and absolute discretion,
to grant Awards pursuant to the terms of the Plan to Eligible
Individuals and to take all other actions necessary or desirable to
carry out the purposes and intent of the Plan. Among other things,
the Administrator shall have the authority, in its sole and
absolute discretion, subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan, to:
(i)determine
the Eligible Individuals to whom, and the time or times at which,
Awards shall be granted;
(ii)determine
the types of Awards to be granted to any Eligible
Individual;
(iii)determine
the number of Common Shares to be covered by
or used for reference purposes for each Award or the value to be
transferred pursuant to any Award;
(iv)determine
the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to each Award
(which need not be identical) and any shares acquired pursuant
thereto, including, without limitation, (A) the purchase price
of any Common Shares, (B) the method of payment for shares
purchased pursuant to any Award, (C) the method for satisfying
any tax withholding obligation arising in connection with any
Award, including by the withholding or delivery of Common Shares,
(D) the timing, terms and conditions of the vesting,
exercisability or payout of any Award or any shares acquired
pursuant thereto, (E) the Performance Goals applicable to any
Award and the extent to which such Performance Goals have been
attained, (F) the time of the expiration of any Award,
(G) the effect of the Participant’s Termination of Service on
any of the foregoing, and (H) all other terms, conditions and
restrictions applicable to any Award or Common Shares acquired
pursuant thereto as the Administrator shall consider to be
appropriate and not inconsistent with the terms of the
Plan;
(v)subject
to Sections 10(c) and 15, modify, amend or adjust the terms and
conditions of any Award, including but not limited to, any such
modification, amendment or substitution that results in repricing
of the Award which may be made without prior shareholder
approval;
(vi)accelerate
or otherwise change the time at or during which an Award may be
exercised or becomes payable and waive or accelerate the lapse, in
whole or in part, of any restriction, condition or risk of
forfeiture with respect to such Award;
provided,
however,
that, except in connection with death, Total and Permanent
Disability, or a Change in Control, no such change, waiver or
acceleration to any Award that is considered “deferred
compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A or Section
457A of the Code if the effect of such action is inconsistent with
Section 409A or Section 457A of the Code;
(vii)determine
whether an Award will be paid or settled in cash, Common Shares, or
in any combination thereof and whether, to what extent and under
what circumstances cash or Common Shares payable with respect to an
Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of
the Participant;
(viii)for
any purpose, including but not limited to, qualifying for preferred
or beneficial tax treatment, accommodating the customs or
administrative challenges or otherwise complying with the tax,
accounting or regulatory requirements of one or more jurisdictions,
adopt, amend, modify, administer or terminate sub-plans,
appendices, special provisions or supplements applicable to Awards
regulated by the laws of a particular jurisdiction, which
sub-plans, appendices, supplements and special provisions may take
precedence over other provisions of the Plan, and prescribe, amend
and rescind rules and regulations relating to such sub-plans,
supplements and special provisions;
(ix)establish
any “blackout” period, during which transactions affecting Awards
may not be effectuated, that the Administrator, in its sole
discretion, deems necessary or advisable;
(x)determine
the Fair Market Value of Common Shares or other property for any
purpose under the Plan or any Award;
(xi)administer,
construe and interpret the Plan, Award Agreements and all other
documents relevant to the Plan and Awards issued thereunder, and
decide all other matters to be determined in connection with the
Plan or an Award;
(xii)establish,
amend, rescind and interpret such administrative rules,
regulations, agreements, guidelines, instruments and practices for
the administration of the Plan and for the conduct of its business
as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable;
(xiii)correct
any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in
the Plan or in any Award or Award Agreement in the manner and to
the extent the Administrator shall consider it desirable to carry
it into effect; and
(xiv)otherwise
administer the Plan and all Awards granted under the
Plan.
(c)Delegation
of Administrative Authority.
The Administrator may designate officers or employees of the
Company to assist the Administrator in the administration of the
Plan and, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and stock
exchange rules, the Administrator may delegate to officers or other
employees of the Company the Administrator’s duties and powers
under the Plan, subject to such conditions and limitations as the
Administrator shall prescribe, including without limitation the
authority to execute agreements or other documents on behalf of the
Administrator; provided, however, that such delegation of authority
shall not extend to the granting of, or exercise of discretion with
respect to, Awards to Eligible Individuals who are officers under
Section 16 of the Exchange Act, to the extent
applicable.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
41
(d)Non-Uniform
Determinations.
The Administrator’s determinations under the Plan (including
without limitation, determinations of the persons to receive
Awards, the form, amount and timing of such Awards, the terms and
provisions of such Awards and the Award Agreements, and the
ramifications of a Change in Control upon outstanding Awards) need
not be uniform and may be made by the Administrator selectively
among Awards or persons who receive, or are eligible to receive,
Awards under the Plan, whether or not such persons are similarly
situated.
(e)Limited
Liability; Advisors.
To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Laws, no member of
the Administrator, nor any director, officer, employee or
representative of the Company shall be liable for any action taken
or decision made in good faith relating to the Plan or any Award.
The Administrator may employ counsel, consultants, accountants,
appraisers, brokers or other persons. The Administrator, the
Company and the officers and directors the Company shall be
entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any
such persons.
(f)Indemnification.
To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Laws, by the
Company’s bylaws or other governing documents, and by any
directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage which may be
in effect from time to time, the members of the Administrator and
any agent or delegate of the Administrator who is a director,
officer or employee of the Company or an Affiliate shall be
indemnified by the Company against any and all liabilities and
expenses to which they may be subjected by reason of any act or
failure to act with respect to their duties on behalf of the
Plan.
(g)Effect
of Administrator’s Decision.
All actions taken and determinations made by the Administrator on
all matters relating to the Plan or any Award pursuant to the
powers vested in it hereunder shall be in the Administrator’s sole
and absolute discretion, unless in contravention of any express
term of the Plan, including, without limitation, any determination
involving the appropriateness or equitableness of any action. All
determinations made by the Administrator shall be conclusive, final
and binding on all parties concerned, including the Company, any
Participants and any other employee, or director of the Company and
its Affiliates, and their respective successors in interest. No
member of the Administrator, nor any director, officer, employee or
representative of the Company shall be personally liable for any
action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with
respect to the Plan or Awards.
5.Shares
Issuable Pursuant to Awards.
(a)Initial
Share Pool.
As of the Effective Date,
the aggregate number of Common Shares that may be issued pursuant
to Awards shall equal 3,000,000 Common Shares (the
“Share
Pool”).
(b)Adjustments
to Share Pool.
On and after the Effective Date, subject to any adjustments to be
made pursuant to Section 10 of the Plan, the Share Pool shall
be:
(i)increased
automatically, without further action of the Board, on January 1st
of each calendar year commencing after the Effective Date and
ending on (and including) January 1, 2032, by a number of Common
Shares equal to the lesser of (A) two percent (2%) of the aggregate
number of Common Shares outstanding on December 31st of the
immediately preceding calendar year, excluding for this purpose any
such outstanding Common Shares that were granted under this Plan
and remain unvested and subject to forfeiture as of the relevant
December 31st, or (B) a lesser number of Common Shares determined
by the Board or Compensation Committee prior to the relevant
January 1st;
(ii)reduced,
on the date of grant, by one share for each Common Share made
subject to an Award granted under the Plan;
(iii)increased,
on the relevant date, by the number of unissued Common Shares
underlying or used as a reference measure for any Award or portion
of an Award granted under the Plan or the 2013 Plan, which is
cancelled, forfeited, expired, terminated unearned or settled in
cash, in any such case without the issuance of shares, and by the
number of Common Shares used as a reference measure for any Award,
which are not issued upon settlement of such Award either due to a
net settlement or otherwise;
(iv)increased,
on the forfeiture date, by the number of Common Shares that are
forfeited back to the Company after issuance due to a failure to
meet an Award contingency or condition with respect to any Award or
portion of an Award granted under the Plan or the 2013
Plan;
(v)increased,
on the exercise date, by the number of Common Shares withheld by,
or surrendered (either actually or through attestation) to, the
Company in payment of the exercise price of any Award granted under
the Plan or the 2013 Plan; and
(vi)increased,
on the relevant date, by the number of Common Shares withheld by or
surrendered (either actually or through attestation) to the Company
in payment of the Tax Withholding Obligation that arises in
connection with any Award granted under the Plan or the 2013
Plan.
(c)ISO
Limit.
Subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 10 of the Plan, the
maximum number of Common Shares that may be issued pursuant to
share options granted under the Plan that are
intended
to qualify as Incentive Share Options within the meaning of
Section 422 of the Code shall be equal to 9,000,000
Common
Shares.
(d)Source
of Shares.
The Common Shares with respect to which Awards may be made under
the Plan shall be shares authorized for issuance under the
Governing Documents but unissued, or issued and reacquired and held
in treasury.
6.Participation.
Participation in the Plan shall be open to all Eligible
Individuals, as may be selected by the Administrator from time to
time. The Administrator may also grant Awards to Eligible
Individuals in connection with hiring, recruiting or otherwise,
prior to the date the individual first performs services for the
Company or an Affiliate;
provided, however,
that such Awards shall not become vested or exercisable and no
shares shall be issued to such individual prior to the date the
individual first commences performance of such
services.
7.Awards.
(a)Awards,
In General.
The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall establish the
terms of all Awards granted under the Plan consistent with the
terms of the Plan. Awards may be granted individually or in tandem
with other types of Awards, concurrently with or with respect to
outstanding Awards. All Awards are subject to the terms and
conditions provided in the Award Agreement, which shall be
delivered to the Participant receiving such Award upon, or as
promptly as is reasonably practicable following, the grant of such
Award. Unless otherwise specified by the Administrator, in its sole
discretion, or otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, an Award
shall not be effective unless the Award Agreement is signed or
otherwise accepted by the Company and the Participant receiving the
Award (including by electronic delivery and/or electronic
signature).
(b)Share
Options.
(i)Grants.
A share option means a right to purchase a specified number of
Common Shares from the Company at a specified price during a
specified period of time. The Administrator may from time to time
grant to Eligible Individuals Awards of Incentive Share Options or
Nonqualified Options;
provided,
however,
that Awards of Incentive Share Options shall be limited to
employees of the Company or of any current or hereafter existing
“parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation,” as defined in
Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively, of the
Company, and any other Eligible Individuals who are eligible to
receive Incentive Share Options under the provisions of
Section 422 of the Code. No share option shall be an Incentive
Share Option unless so designated by the Administrator at the time
of grant and in the applicable Award Agreement.
(ii)Exercise.
Share options shall be exercisable at such time or times and
subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the
Administrator;
provided, however,
that Awards of share options may not have a term in excess of ten
years’ duration unless required otherwise by Applicable
Laws.
(iii)Termination
of Service.
Except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise
determined by the Administrator, to the extent share options are
not vested and exercisable, a Participant’s share options shall be
forfeited upon his or her Termination of Service.
(iv)Additional
Terms and Conditions.
The Administrator may, by way of the Award Agreement or otherwise,
determine such other terms, conditions, restrictions, and/or
limitations, if any, of any Award of share options,
provided
they are not inconsistent with the Plan.
(c)Limitation
on Reload Options.
The Administrator shall not grant share options under this Plan
that contain a reload or replenishment feature pursuant to which a
new share option would be granted automatically upon receipt of
delivery of Common Shares to the Company in payment of the exercise
price or any Tax Withholding Obligation under any other share
option.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
43
(d)Share
Appreciation Rights.
(i)Grants.
The Administrator may from time to time grant to Eligible
Individuals Awards of share appreciation rights. A share
appreciation right entitles the Participant to receive, subject to
the provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreement, a payment
having an aggregate value equal to the product of (i) the
excess of (A) the Fair Market Value on the exercise date of
one share of Common Shares over (B) the base price per share
specified in the Award Agreement, times (ii) the number of
shares specified by the share appreciation right, or portion
thereof, which is exercised. The base price per share specified in
the Award Agreement shall not be less than the lower of the Fair
Market Value on the date of grant or the exercise price of any
tandem share option to which the share appreciation right is
related, or with respect to share appreciation rights that are
granted in substitution of similar types of awards of a company
acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary or with which the Company
or a Subsidiary combines (whether in connection with a corporate
transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or
acquisition of property or shares, or otherwise), such base price
as is necessary to preserve the intrinsic value of such
awards.
(ii)Exercise.
Share appreciation rights shall be exercisable at such time or
times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be
determined by the Administrator;
provided, however,
that share appreciation rights granted under the Plan may not have
a term in excess of ten years’ duration unless required otherwise
by Applicable Laws. The applicable Award Agreement shall specify
whether payment by the Company of the amount receivable upon any
exercise of a share appreciation right is to be made in cash or
Common Shares or a combination of both or shall reserve to the
Administrator or the Participant the right to make that
determination prior to or upon the exercise of the share
appreciation right. If upon the exercise of a share appreciation
right a Participant is to receive a portion of such payment in
Common Shares, the number of shares shall be determined by dividing
such portion by the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Shares
on the exercise date. No fractional shares shall be used for such
payment and the Administrator shall determine whether cash shall be
given in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional
shares shall be eliminated.
(iii)Termination
of Service.
Except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise
determined by the Administrator, to the extent share appreciation
rights are not vested and exercisable, a Participant’s share
appreciation rights shall be forfeited upon his or her Termination
of Service.
(iv)Additional
Terms and Conditions.
The Administrator may, by way of the Award Agreement or otherwise,
determine such other terms, conditions, restrictions, and/or
limitations, if any, of any Award of share appreciation
rights,
provided
they are not inconsistent with the Plan.
(e)Share
Awards.
(i)Grants.
The Administrator may from time to time grant to Eligible
Individuals Awards of unrestricted Common Shares or Restricted
Shares (collectively, “Share
Awards”)
on such terms and conditions, and for such consideration, including
no consideration or such minimum consideration as the Administrator
shall determine. Share Awards shall be evidenced in such manner as
the Administrator may deem appropriate, including via book-entry
registration.
(ii)Vesting.
Restricted Shares shall be subject to such vesting, restrictions on
transferability and other restrictions, if any, and/or risk of
forfeiture as the Administrator may impose at the date of grant or
thereafter. The Restriction Period to which such vesting,
restrictions and/or risk of forfeiture apply may lapse under such
circumstances, including without limitation upon the attainment of
Performance Goals, in such installments, or otherwise, as the
Administrator may determine. Subject to the provisions of the Plan
and the applicable Award Agreement, during the Restriction Period,
the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer,
pledge or otherwise encumber shares of Restricted
Shares.
(iii)Rights
of a Shareholder; Dividends.
Except to the extent restricted under the Award Agreement relating
to the Restricted Shares, a Participant granted Restricted Shares
shall have all of the rights of a shareholder of Common Shares
including, without limitation, the right to vote Restricted Shares.
Cash dividends declared payable on Common Shares shall be paid,
with respect to outstanding Restricted Shares, either as soon as
practicable following the dividend payment date or deferred for
payment to such later date as determined by the Administrator, and
shall be paid in cash or as unrestricted Common Shares having a
Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, or may be
reinvested in additional Restricted Share as determined by the
Administrator;
provided,
however,
that dividends declared payable on a Restricted Share that is
granted as a Performance Award shall be held by the Company and
made subject to forfeiture at least until achievement of the
applicable Performance Goal(s) related to such Restricted Share.
Shares distributed in connection with a share split or share
dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be
subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent
as the Restricted Shares with respect to which such Common Shares
or other property has been
distributed. As soon as is practicable following the date on which
restrictions on any shares of Restricted Shares lapse, the Company
shall deliver to the Participant the certificates for such shares
or shall cause the shares to be registered in the Participant’s
name in book-entry form, in either case with the restrictions
removed, provided that the Participant shall have complied with all
conditions for delivery of such shares contained in the Award
Agreement or otherwise reasonably required by the
Company.
(iv)Termination
of Service.
Except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement, upon
Termination of Service during the applicable Restriction Period,
Restricted Shares and any accrued but unpaid dividends that are at
that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited;
provided
that the Administrator may provide, by rule or regulation or in any
Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that
restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Shares
will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations
resulting from specified causes, and the Administrator may in other
cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted
Shares.
(v)Additional
Terms and Conditions.
The Administrator may, by way of the Award Agreement or otherwise,
determine such other terms, conditions, restrictions, and/or
limitations, if any, of any Award of Restricted Shares,
provided
they are not inconsistent with the Plan.
(f)Share
Units.
(i)Grants.
The Administrator may from time to time grant to Eligible
Individuals Awards of unrestricted share Units or Restricted Share
Units on such terms and conditions, and for such consideration,
including no consideration or such minimum consideration as may be
required by Applicable Laws, as the Administrator shall determine,
subject to the limitations set forth in Section 7(b). Restricted
Share Units represent a contractual obligation by the Company to
deliver a number of Common Shares, an amount in cash equal to the
Fair Market Value of the specified number of shares subject to the
Award, or a combination of Common Shares and cash, in accordance
with the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan and any
applicable Award Agreement.
(ii)Vesting
and Payment.
Restricted Share Units shall be subject to such vesting, risk of
forfeiture and/or payment provisions as the Administrator may
impose at the date of grant. The Restriction Period to which such
vesting and/or risk of forfeiture apply may lapse under such
circumstances, including without limitation upon the attainment of
Performance Goals, in such installments, or otherwise, as the
Administrator may determine. Common Shares, cash or a combination
of Common Shares and cash, as applicable, payable in settlement of
Restricted Share Units shall be delivered to the Participant as
soon as administratively practicable, but no later than 30 days,
after the date on which payment is due under the terms of the Award
Agreement
provided
that the Participant shall have complied with all conditions for
delivery of such shares or payment contained in the Award Agreement
or otherwise reasonably required by the Company, or in accordance
with an election of the Participant, if the Administrator so
permits, that meets the requirements of Section 409A or
Section 457A of the Code.
(iii)No
Rights of a Shareholder; Dividend Equivalents.
Until Common Shares are issued to the Participant in settlement of
share Units, the Participant shall not have any rights of a
shareholder of the Company with respect to the share Units or the
shares issuable thereunder. The Administrator may grant to the
Participant the right to receive Dividend Equivalents on share
Units, on a current, reinvested and/or restricted basis, subject to
such terms as the Administrator may determine
provided,
however,
that Dividend Equivalents payable on share Units that are granted
as a Performance Award shall, rather than be paid on a current
basis, be accrued and made subject to forfeiture at least until
achievement of the applicable Performance Goal(s) related to such
share Units.
(iv)Termination
of Service.
Upon Termination of Service during the applicable deferral period
or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply, or upon
failure to satisfy any other conditions precedent to the delivery
of Common Shares or cash to which such Restricted Share Units
relate, all Restricted Share Units and any accrued but unpaid
Dividend Equivalents with respect to such Restricted Share Units
that are then subject to deferral or restriction shall be
forfeited;
provided
that the Administrator may provide, by rule or regulation or in any
Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that
restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Share
Units will be waived in whole or in part in the event of
termination resulting from specified causes, and the Administrator
may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of
Restricted Share Units.
(v)Additional
Terms and Conditions.
The Administrator may, by way of the Award Agreement or otherwise,
determine such other terms, conditions, restrictions, and/or
limitations, if any, of any Award of share Units,
provided
they are not inconsistent with the Plan.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
45
(g)Performance
Shares and Performance Units.
(i)Grants.
The Administrator may from time to time grant to Eligible
Individuals Awards in the form of Performance Shares and
Performance Units. Performance Shares, as that term is used in this
Plan, shall refer to Common Shares or Units that are expressed in
terms of Common Shares, the issuance, vesting, lapse of
restrictions on or payment of which is contingent on performance as
measured against predetermined objectives over a specified
Performance Period. Performance Units, as that term is used in this
Plan, shall refer to dollar-denominated Units valued by reference
to designated criteria established by the Administrator, other than
Common Share, the issuance, vesting, lapse of restrictions on or
payment of which is contingent on performance as measured against
predetermined objectives over a specified Performance Period. The
applicable Award Agreement shall specify whether Performance Shares
and Performance Units will be settled or paid in cash or Common
Shares or a combination of both or shall reserve to the
Administrator or the Participant the right to make that
determination prior to or at the payment or settlement
date.
(ii)Performance
Criteria.
The Administrator shall, prior to or at the time of grant,
condition the grant, vesting or payment of, or lapse of
restrictions on, an Award of Performance Shares or Performance
Units upon (A) the attainment of Performance Goals during a
Performance Period or (B) the attainment of Performance Goals
and the continued service of the Participant. The length of the
Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the
Performance Period, and the measure of whether and to what degree
such Performance Goals have been attained shall be conclusively
determined by the Administrator in the exercise of its absolute
discretion. Performance Goals may include minimum, maximum and
target levels of performance, with the size of the Award or payout
of Performance Shares or Performance Units or the vesting or lapse
of restrictions with respect thereto based on the level attained.
Performance Goals may be applied on a per share or absolute basis
and relative to one or more Performance Metrics, or any combination
thereof, and may be measured pursuant to any objective standards in
a manner consistent with the Company’s or its Subsidiary’s
established accounting policies, all as the Administrator shall
determine at the time the Performance Metrics for a Performance
Period are established. The Administrator may, in its sole
discretion, provide that one or more objectively determinable
adjustments shall be made to the manner in which one or more of the
Performance Goals is to be calculated or measured to take into
account, or ignore, one or more of the following: (1) items related
to a change in accounting principle; (2) items relating to
financing activities; (3) expenses for restructuring or
productivity initiatives; (4) other non-operating items; (5) items
related to acquisitions; (6) items attributable to the business
operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the
Performance Period; (7) items related to the sale or disposition of
a business or segment of a business; (8) items related to
discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a
business under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; (9)
items attributable to any share dividend, share split, combination
or exchange of share occurring during the Performance Period; (10)
any other items of significant income or expense which are
determined to be appropriate adjustments; (11) items relating to
unusual or extraordinary corporate transactions, events or
developments, (12) items related to amortization of acquired
intangible assets; (13) items that are outside the scope of the
Company’s core, on-going business activities; (14) changes in
foreign currency exchange rates; (15) items relating to changes in
tax laws; (16) certain identified expenses (including, but not
limited to, cash bonus expenses, incentive expenses and
acquisition-related transaction and integration expenses); (17)
items relating to asset impairment charges; (18) items relating to
gains or unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in Applicable
Laws, accounting principles or business conditions, or (19) or any
other items selected by the Administrator. Shares or Performance
Units shall be settled as and when the Award vests or at a later
time specified in the Award Agreement or in accordance with an
election of the Participant, if the Administrator so permits, that
meets the requirements of Section 409A or Section 457A of the
Code.
(iii)Additional
Terms and Conditions.
The Administrator may, by way of the Award Agreement or otherwise,
determine such other terms, conditions, restrictions, and/or
limitations, if any, of any Award of Performance Shares or
Performance Units,
provided
they are not inconsistent with the Plan.
(h)Other
Share-Based Awards.
The Administrator may from time to time grant to Eligible
Individuals Awards in the form of Other Share-Based Awards. Other
Share-Based Awards in the form of Dividend Equivalents may be
(A) awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with
another Award other than a share option or share appreciation
right, (B) paid currently or credited to an account for the
Participant, including the reinvestment of such credited amounts in
Common Share equivalents, to be paid on a deferred basis, and
(C) settled in cash or Common Shares as determined by the
Administrator;
provided,
however,
that Dividend Equivalents payable on Other Share-Based Awards that
are granted as a Performance Award shall, rather than be paid on a
current basis, be accrued and made subject to forfeiture at least
until achievement of the applicable Performance Goal(s) related to
such Other Share-Based Awards. Any such settlements, and any such
crediting of Dividend Equivalents, may be subject to such
conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Administrator
shall establish.
(i)Awards
to Participants Outside the United States.
The Administrator may grant Awards to Eligible Individuals who are
foreign nationals, who are located outside the United States
or who are not compensated from a
payroll maintained in the United States, or who are otherwise
subject to (or could cause the Company or a Subsidiary to be
subject to) tax, legal or regulatory provisions of countries or
jurisdictions outside the United States, on such terms and
conditions different from those specified in the Plan as may, in
the judgment of the Administrator, be necessary or desirable in
order that any such Award shall conform to Applicable Laws or to
foster and promote achievement of the purposes of the
Plan.
(j)Limitation
on Dividend Reinvestment and Dividend
Equivalents.
Reinvestment of dividends in additional Restricted Shares at the
time of any dividend payment, and the payment of Common Shares with
respect to dividends to Participants holding Awards of share Units,
shall only be permissible if sufficient shares are available under
the Share Pool for such reinvestment or payment (taking into
account then outstanding Awards). In the event that sufficient
shares are not available under the Share Pool for such reinvestment
or payment, such reinvestment or payment shall be made in the form
of a grant of share Units equal in number to the Common Shares that
would have been obtained by such payment or reinvestment, the terms
of which share Units shall provide for settlement in cash and for
Dividend Equivalent reinvestment in further share Units on the
terms contemplated by this Section 7(j).
8.Withholding
of Taxes.
Participants and holders of Awards shall pay to the Company or its
Affiliate or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator
for payment of, any Tax Withholding Obligation in respect of Awards
granted under the Plan no later than the date of the event creating
the tax or social insurance contribution liability. The obligations
of the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on such payment
or arrangements. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator,
Tax Withholding Obligations may be settled in whole or in part with
Common Shares, including unrestricted outstanding shares
surrendered to the Company and unrestricted shares that are part of
the Award that gives rise to the Tax Withholding Obligation, having
a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender or withholding equal
to the statutory minimum amount (or such greater amount permitted
under FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718,
Compensation—Share Compensation, for equity-classified awards)
required to be withheld for tax or social insurance contribution
purposes, all in accordance with such procedures as the
Administrator establishes. The Company or its Affiliate may deduct,
to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, any such Tax
Withholding Obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due
to the Participant or holder of an Award.
9.Transferability
of Awards.
(a)General
Nontransferability Absent Administrator Permission.
Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, and in any
event in the case of an Incentive Share Option or a tandem share
appreciation right granted with respect to an Incentive Share
Option, no Award granted under the Plan shall be transferable by a
Participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution. The Administrator shall not permit any transfer of an
Award for value. An Award may be exercised during the lifetime of
the Participant, only by the Participant or, during the period the
Participant is under a legal disability, by the Participant’s
guardian or legal representative, unless otherwise determined by
the Administrator. Awards granted under the Plan shall not be
subject in any manner to alienation, anticipation, sale, transfer,
assignment, pledge, or encumbrance, except as otherwise determined
by the Administrator;
provided, however,
that the restrictions in this sentence shall not apply to the
Common Shares received in connection with an Award after the date
that the restrictions on transferability of such shares set forth
in the applicable Award Agreement have lapsed. Nothing in this
paragraph shall be interpreted or construed as overriding the terms
of any the Company share ownership or retention policy, now or
hereafter existing, that may apply to the Participant or Common
Shares received under an Award.
(b)Administrator
Discretion to Permit Transfers Other Than For Value.
Except as otherwise restricted by Applicable Laws, the
Administrator may, but need not, permit an Award, other than an
Incentive Share Option or a tandem share appreciation right granted
with respect to an Incentive Share Option, to be transferred to a
Participant’s Family Member (as defined below) as a gift or
pursuant to a domestic relations order in settlement of marital
property rights. The Administrator shall not permit any transfer of
an Award for value. For purposes of this Section 9,
“Family
Member”
means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent,
grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew,
mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law,
brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships,
any person sharing the Participant’s household (other than a tenant
or employee), a trust in which these persons have more than fifty
percent (50%) of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which
these persons (or the Participant) control the management of
assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the
Participant) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting
interests. The following transactions are not prohibited transfers
for value: (i) a transfer under a domestic relations order in
settlement of marital property rights; and (ii) a transfer to an
entity in which more than fifty percent of the voting interests are
owned by Family Members (or the Participant) in exchange for an
interest in that entity.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
47
10.Adjustments
for Corporate Transactions and Other Events.
(a)Mandatory
Adjustments.
In the event of a merger, amalgamation, consolidation, share rights
offering, share exchange or similar event affecting the Company
(each, a “Corporate
Event”)
or a share dividend, share split, reverse share split, separation,
spinoff, reorganization, extraordinary dividend of cash or other
property, share combination or subdivision, recapitalization,
capital reduction distribution, or similar event affecting the
capital structure of the Company (each, a “Share
Change”)
that occurs at any time after the Effective Date (including any
such Corporate Event or Share Change that occurs after such
adoption and coincident with or prior to the Effective Date), the
Administrator shall make equitable and appropriate substitutions or
proportionate adjustments to (i) the aggregate number and kind
of Common Shares or other securities on which Awards under the Plan
may be granted to Eligible Individuals, (ii) the maximum
number of Common Shares or other securities that may be issued with
respect to Incentive Share Options granted under the Plan,
(iv) the number of Common Shares or other securities covered
by each outstanding Award and the exercise price, base price or
other price per share, if any, and other relevant terms of each
outstanding Award, and (v) all other numerical limitations
relating to Awards, whether contained in this Plan or in Award
Agreements;
provided,
however,
that any fractional shares resulting from any such adjustment shall
be eliminated.
(b)Discretionary
Adjustments.
In the case of Corporate Events, the Administrator may make such
other adjustments to outstanding Awards as it determines to be
appropriate and desirable, which adjustments may include, without
limitation, (i) the cancellation of outstanding Awards in
exchange for payments of cash, securities or other property or a
combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of
such Awards, as determined by the Administrator in its sole
discretion (it being understood that in the case of a Corporate
Event with respect to which shareholders of the Company receive
consideration other than publicly traded equity securities of the
ultimate surviving entity, any such determination by the
Administrator that the value of a share option or share
appreciation right shall for this purpose be deemed to equal the
excess, if any, of the value of the consideration being paid for
each Common Share pursuant to such Corporate Event over the
exercise price or base price of such share option or share
appreciation right shall conclusively be deemed valid and that any
share option or share appreciation right may be cancelled for no
consideration upon a Corporate Event if its exercise price or base
price equals or exceeds the value of the consideration being paid
for each Common Share pursuant to such Corporate Event),
(ii) the substitution of securities or other property
(including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the
Company and securities of entities other than the Company) for the
Common Shares subject to outstanding Awards, and (iii) the
substitution of equivalent awards, as determined in the sole
discretion of the Administrator, of the surviving or successor
entity or a parent thereof (“Substitute
Awards”).
(c)Adjustments
to Performance Goals.
The Administrator may, in its discretion, adjust the Performance
Goals applicable to any Awards to reflect any unusual or
non-recurring events and other extraordinary items, impact of
charges for restructurings, discontinued operations and the
cumulative effects of accounting or tax changes, each as defined by
generally accepted accounting principles or as identified in the
Company’s consolidated financial statements, notes to the
consolidated financial statements, management’s discussion and
analysis or other the Company filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. If the Administrator determines that a change
in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital
structure of the Company or the applicable subsidiary, business
segment or other operational unit of the Company or any such entity
or segment, or the manner in which any of the foregoing conducts
its business, or other events or circumstances, render the
Performance Goals to be unsuitable, the Administrator may modify
such Performance Goals or the related minimum acceptable level of
achievement, in whole or in part, as the Administrator deems
appropriate and equitable.
(d)Statutory
Requirements Affecting Adjustments.
Notwithstanding the foregoing: (A) any adjustments made
pursuant to Section 10 to Awards that are considered “deferred
compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A or Section
457A of the Code shall be made in compliance with the requirements
of Section 409A or Section 457A of the Code; (B) any
adjustments made pursuant to this Section 10 to Awards that
are not considered “deferred compensation” subject to
Section 409A or Section 457A of the Code shall be made in such
a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment, the Awards either
(1) continue not to be subject to Section 409A or Section
457A of the Code or (2) comply with the requirements of
Section 409A or Section 457A of the Code; (C) in any
event, the Administrator shall not have the authority to make any
adjustments pursuant to Section 10 to the extent the existence
of such authority would cause an Award that is not intended to be
subject to Section 409A or Section 457A of the Code at the
date of grant to be subject thereto; and (D) any adjustments
made pursuant to this Section 10 to Awards that are Incentive
Share Options shall be made in compliance with the requirements of
Section 424(a) of the Code.
(e)Dissolution
or Liquidation.
Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, all Awards
outstanding under the Plan shall terminate upon the dissolution or
liquidation of the Company.
11.Change
in Control Provisions.
(a)Termination
of Awards.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11(b), if any
transaction resulting in a Change in Control occurs, outstanding
Awards will terminate upon the effective time of such Change in
Control unless provision is made in connection with the transaction
for the continuation or assumption of such Awards by, or for the
issuance therefor of Substitute Awards of, the surviving or
successor entity or a parent thereof. Solely with respect to Awards
that will terminate as a result of the immediately preceding
sentence and except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award
Agreement:
(i) the outstanding Awards of share options
and share appreciation rights that will terminate upon the
effective time of the Change in Control shall, immediately before
the effective time of the Change in Control, become fully
exercisable and the holders of such Awards will be permitted,
immediately before the Change in Control, to exercise the
Awards;
(ii) the outstanding Restricted Shares the
vesting or restrictions on which are then solely time-based and not
subject to achievement of Performance Goals shall, immediately
before the effective time of the Change in Control, become fully
vested, free of all transfer and lapse restrictions and free of all
risks of forfeiture;
(iii) the outstanding Restricted Shares the
vesting or restrictions on which are then subject to and pending
achievement of Performance Goals shall, immediately before the
effective time of the Change in Control and unless the Award
Agreement provides for vesting or lapsing of restrictions in a
greater amount upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, become
vested, free of transfer and lapse restrictions and risks of
forfeiture in such amounts as if the applicable Performance Goals
for the unexpired Performance Period had been achieved at the
target level set forth in the applicable Award
Agreement;
(iv) the outstanding Restricted Share Units,
Performance Shares and Performance Units the vesting, earning or
settlement of which is then solely time-based and not subject to or
pending achievement of Performance Goals shall, immediately before
the effective time of the Change in Control, become fully earned
and vested and shall be settled in cash or Common Shares
(consistent with the terms of the Award Agreement after taking into
account the effect of the Change in Control transaction on the
shares) as promptly as is practicable, subject to any applicable
limitations imposed thereon by Section 409A or Section 457A of the
Code; and
(v) the outstanding Restricted Share Units,
Performance Shares and Performance Units the vesting, earning or
settlement of which is then subject to and pending achievement of
Performance Goals shall, immediately before the effective time of
the Change in Control and unless the Award Agreement provides for
vesting, earning or settlement in a greater amount upon the
occurrence of a Change in Control, become vested and earned in such
amounts as if the applicable Performance Goals for the unexpired
Performance Period had been achieved at the target level set forth
in the applicable Award Agreement and shall be settled in cash or
Common Shares (consistent with the terms of the Award Agreement
after taking into account the effect of the Change in Control
transaction on the shares) as promptly as is practicable, subject
to any applicable limitations imposed thereon by Section 409A of
the Code.
Implementation of the provisions of this Section 11(a) shall be
conditioned upon consummation of the Change in
Control.
(b)Continuation,
Assumption or Substitution of Awards.
The Administrator may specify, on or after the date of grant, in an
award agreement or amendment thereto, the consequences of a
Participant’s Termination of Service that occurs coincident with or
following the occurrence of a Change in Control, if a Change in
Control occurs under which provision is made in connection with the
transaction for the continuation or assumption of outstanding
Awards by, or for the issuance therefor of Substitute Awards of,
the surviving or successor entity or a parent thereof.
(c)Other
Permitted Actions.
If any transaction resulting in a Change in Control occurs, the
Administrator may take any of the actions set forth in
Section 10 with respect to any or all Awards granted under the
Plan.
(d)
Section 409A or Section 457A
Savings Clause.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Award is considered to be a
“nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of
Section 409A or Section 457A of the Code, this Section 11
shall apply to such Award only to the extent that its application
would not result in the imposition of any tax or interest or the
inclusion of any amount in income under Section 409A or
Section 457A of the Code.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
49
12.Substitution
of Awards in Mergers and Acquisitions.
Awards may be granted under the Plan from time to time in
substitution for assumed awards held by employees, officers, or
directors of entities who become employees, officers, or directors
of the Company or a Subsidiary as the result of a merger,
amalgamation or consolidation of the entity for which they perform
services with the Company or a Subsidiary, or the acquisition by
the Company of the assets or shares of such entity. The terms and
conditions of any Awards so granted may vary from the terms and
conditions set forth herein to the extent that the Administrator
deems appropriate at the time of grant to conform the Awards to the
provisions of the assumed awards for which they are substituted and
to preserve their intrinsic value as of the date of the merger,
amalgamation, consolidation or acquisition transaction. To the
extent permitted by Applicable Laws and stock exchange rules, any
available shares under a shareholder-approved plan of an acquired
company (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the transaction) may
be used for Awards granted pursuant to this Section 12 and,
upon such grant, shall not reduce the Share Pool.
13.Compliance
with Securities Laws; Listing and Registration.
(a) The obligation of the Company to sell or
deliver Common Shares with respect to any Award granted under the
Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Laws and the obtaining of
all such approvals by governmental agencies as may be deemed
necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. If at any time the
Administrator determines that the delivery of Common Share under
the Plan is or may be unlawful under Applicable Laws, the right to
exercise an Award or receive Common Shares pursuant to an Award
shall be suspended until the Administrator determines that such
delivery is lawful. If at any time the Administrator determines
that the delivery of Common Shares under the Plan would or may
violate the rules of any exchange on which the Company’s securities
are then listed for trade, the right to exercise an Award or
receive Common Shares pursuant to an Award shall be suspended until
the Administrator determines that such delivery would not violate
such rules. If the Administrator determines that the exercise or
nonforfeitability of, or delivery of benefits pursuant to, any
Award would violate any Applicable Law and stock exchange rule,
then the Administrator may postpone any such exercise,
nonforfeitability or delivery, as applicable, but the Company shall
use all reasonable efforts to cause such exercise,
nonforfeitability or delivery to comply with all such provisions at
the earliest practicable date.
(b) Each Award is subject to the requirement
that, if at any time the Administrator determines, in its absolute
discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification of
Common Shares issuable pursuant to the Plan is required by any
Applicable Law, or the consent or approval of any governmental
regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in
connection with, the grant of an Award or the issuance of Common
Share, no such Award shall be granted or payment made or Common
Shares issued, in whole or in part, unless listing, registration,
qualification, consent or approval has been effected or obtained
free of any conditions not acceptable to the
Administrator.
(c) In the event that the disposition of
Common Shares acquired pursuant to the Plan is not covered by a
then current registration statement under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”),
and is not otherwise exempt from such registration, such Common
Shares shall be restricted against transfer to the extent required
by the Securities Act or regulations thereunder, and the
Administrator may require a person receiving Common Shares pursuant
to the Plan, as a condition precedent to receipt of such Common
Shares, to represent to the Company in writing that the Common
Shares acquired by such person is acquired for investment only and
not with a view to distribution and that such person will not
dispose of the Common Shares so acquired in violation of Applicable
Laws and furnish such information as may, in the opinion of counsel
for the Company, be appropriate to permit the Company to issue the
Common Shares in compliance with Applicable Laws.
14.Section
409A and Section 457A Compliance.
It is the intention of the Company that any Award that constitutes
a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of
Section 409A or Section 457A of the Code shall comply in all
respects with the requirements of Section 409A or Section 457A
of the Code to avoid the imposition of any tax or interest or the
inclusion of any amount in income pursuant to Section 409A of
the Code, and the terms of each such Award shall be construed,
administered and deemed amended, if applicable, in a manner
consistent with this intention. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates nor any of its or
their directors, officers, employees, agents or other service
providers will be liable for any taxes, penalties or interest
imposed on any Participant or other person with respect to any
amounts paid or payable (whether in cash, Common Shares or other
property) under any Award, including any taxes, penalties or
interest imposed under or as a result of Section 409A or
Section 457A of the Code. Any payments described in an Award that
are due within the “short term deferral period” as defined in
Section 409A of the Code shall not be treated as deferred
compensation unless Applicable Law requires otherwise. For purposes
of any Award, each amount to be paid or benefit to be provided to a
Participant that constitutes deferred compensation subject to
Section 409A of the Code shall be construed as a
separate identified payment for purposes of Section 409A of
the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, the payment of
Dividend Equivalents under any Award shall be construed as earnings
and the time and form of payment of such Dividend Equivalents shall
be treated separately from the time and form of payment of the
underlying Award. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan
to the contrary, with respect to any Award that constitutes a
“nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code, any payments (whether in cash,
Common Shares or other property) to be made with respect to the
Award that become payable on account of the Participant’s
separation from service, within the meaning of Section 409A of
the Code, while the Participant is a “specified employee” (as
determined in accordance with the uniform policy adopted by the
Administrator with respect to all of the arrangements subject to
Section 409A of the Code maintained by the Company and its
Affiliates) and which would otherwise be paid within six months
after the Participant’s separation from service shall be
accumulated (without interest) and paid on the first day of the
seventh month following the Participant’s separation from service
or, if earlier, within 15 days after the appointment of the
personal representative or executor of the Participant’s estate
following the Participant’s death. Notwithstanding anything in the
Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the
Administrator exercise its discretion to accelerate the payment or
settlement of an Award where such payment or settlement constitutes
deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of
the Code unless, and solely to the extent that, such accelerated
payment or settlement is permissible under Treasury Regulation
Section 1.409A-3(j)(4).
15.Plan
Duration; Amendment and Discontinuance.
(a)Plan
Duration.
The Plan shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Board
or the Compensation Committee to amend or terminate the Plan at any
time, until the earlier of (i) the earliest date as of which
all Awards granted under the Plan have been satisfied in full or
terminated and no Common Shares approved for issuance under the
Plan remain available to be granted under new Awards or
(ii)
April 26, 2032.
No Awards shall be granted under the Plan after such termination
date. Subject to other applicable provisions of the Plan, all
Awards made under the Plan on or before the tenth anniversary of
the Effective Date or such earlier termination of the Plan, shall
remain in effect until such Awards have been satisfied or
terminated in accordance with the Plan and the terms of such
Awards.
(b)Amendment
and Discontinuance of the Plan.
The Board or Compensation Committee may amend, alter or discontinue
the Plan;
provided,
however,
that, if required to comply with Applicable Laws
or stock exchange rules, the Company shall obtain shareholder
approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a
degree as required.
No amendment, alteration or discontinuation shall be made which
would materially impair the rights of a Participant with respect to
a previously granted Award without such Participant’s consent,
except if such an amendment is made to comply with Applicable
Laws
and stock exchange rules or to prevent adverse tax or accounting
consequences to the Company or the Participant. Except as otherwise
determined by the Board or Compensation Committee, termination of
the Plan shall not affect the Administrator’s ability to exercise
the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards granted
under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
(c)Amendment
of Awards.
The Administrator may unilaterally amend the terms of any Award
theretofore granted, but no such amendment shall materially impair
the rights of any Participant with respect to an Award without the
Participant’s consent, except if such an amendment is made to cause
the Plan or Award to comply with Applicable Laws and stock exchange
rules or to prevent adverse tax or accounting consequences for the
Participant or the Company or any of its Affiliates. For purposes
of the foregoing sentence, an amendment to an Award that results in
a change in the tax consequences of the Award to the Participant
shall not be considered to be a material impairment of the rights
of the Participant and shall not require the Participant’s
consent.
16.General
Provisions.
(a)Non-Guarantee
of Employment or Service.
Nothing in the Plan or in any Award Agreement thereunder shall
confer any right on an individual to continue in the service of the
Company or any Affiliate or shall interfere in any way with the
right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate such service at
any time with or without cause or notice and whether or not such
termination results in (i) the failure of any Award to vest or
become payable; (ii) the forfeiture of any unvested or vested
portion of any Award; and/or (iii) any other adverse effect on the
individual’s interests under any Award or the Plan. No person, even
though deemed an Eligible Individual, shall have a right to be
selected as a Participant, or having been so selected, to be
selected again as a Participant. To the extent that an Eligible
Individual who is an employee of a Subsidiary receives an Award
under the Plan, that Award shall in no event be understood or
interpreted to mean that the Company is the Participant’s employer
or that the Participant has an employment relationship with the
Company.
(b)No
Trust or Fund Created.
Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to
create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary
relationship between the Company and a Participant or any
other
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
51
person. To the extent that any Participant or other person acquires
a right to receive payments from the Company pursuant to an Award,
such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured
general creditor of the Company.
(c)Status
of Awards.
Awards shall be special incentive payments to the Participant and
shall not be taken into account in computing the amount of salary
or compensation of the Participant for purposes of determining any
pension, retirement, death, severance or other benefit under
(i) any pension, retirement, profit-sharing, bonus, insurance,
severance or other employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Affiliate now or hereafter in effect under which the availability
or amount of benefits is related to the level of compensation or
(ii) any agreement between (A) the Company or any
Affiliate and (B) the Participant, except as such plan or
agreement shall otherwise expressly provide.
(d)Subsidiary
Employees.
In the case of a grant of an Award to an Eligible Individual who
provides services to any Subsidiary, the Company may, if the
Administrator so directs, issue or transfer the Common Shares, if
any, covered by the Award to the Subsidiary, for such lawful
consideration as the Administrator may specify, upon the condition
or understanding that the Subsidiary will transfer the Common
Shares to the Eligible Individual in accordance with the terms of
the Award specified by the Administrator pursuant to the provisions
of the Plan. All Common Shares underlying Awards that are forfeited
or canceled after such issue or transfer of shares to the
Subsidiary shall revert to the Company.
(e)Governing
Law and Interpretation.
The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, of Award
Agreements entered into pursuant to the Plan, and of any rules,
regulations, determinations or decisions made by the Administrator
relating to the Plan or such Award Agreements, and the rights of
any and all persons having or claiming to have any interest therein
or thereunder, shall be determined exclusively in accordance with
the laws of the State of Illinois and the Governing Documents,
except as otherwise set forth herein, without regard to its
conflict of laws principles. The captions of the Plan are not part
of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect. Except
where the context otherwise requires: (i) the singular includes the
plural and vice versa; (ii) a reference to one gender includes
other genders; (iii) a reference to a person includes a natural
person, partnership, corporation, association, governmental or
local authority or agency or other entity; and (iv) a reference to
a statute, ordinance, code or other law includes regulations and
other instruments under it and consolidations, amendments,
re-enactments or replacements of any of them.
(f)Use
of English Language.
The Plan, each Award Agreement, and all other documents, notices
and legal proceedings entered into, given or instituted pursuant to
an Award shall be written in English, unless otherwise determined
by the Administrator. If a Participant receives an Award Agreement,
a copy of the Plan or any other documents related to an Award
translated into a language other than English, and if the meaning
of the translated version is different from the English version,
the English version shall control.
(g)Recovery
of Amounts Paid.
Except as otherwise provided by the Administrator, Awards granted
under the Plan shall be subject to any and all policies,
guidelines, codes of conduct, or other agreement or arrangement
adopted by the Board or Compensation Committee with respect to the
recoupment, recovery or clawback of compensation (collectively, the
“Recoupment
Policy”)
and/or to any provisions set forth in the applicable Award
Agreement under which the Company may recover from current and
former Participants any amounts paid or Common Shares issued under
an Award and any proceeds therefrom under such circumstances as the
Administrator determines appropriate. The Administrator may apply
the Recoupment Policy to Awards granted before the policy is
adopted to the extent required by Applicable Laws and stock
exchange rules, as determined by the Administrator in its sole
discretion.
17.Glossary.
Under this Plan, except where the context otherwise indicates, the
following definitions apply:
“2013
Plan”
has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1(b).
“Administrator”
means the Compensation Committee, or such other committee(s) of
director(s) duly appointed by the Board or the Compensation
Committee to administer the Plan or delegated limited authority to
perform administrative actions under the Plan, and having such
powers as shall be specified by the Board or the Compensation
Committee; provided, however, that at any time the Board may serve
as the Administrator in lieu of or in addition to the Compensation
Committee or such other committee(s) of director(s) to whom
administrative authority has been delegated. With respect to any
Award to which Section 16 of the Exchange Act applies, the
Administrator shall consist of either the Board or a committee of
the Board, which committee shall consist of three or more
directors, each of whom is intended to be, to the extent required
by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, a “non-employee director” as
defined in Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and an “independent
director” to the extent
required by Applicable Laws, provided that, with respect to Awards
made to a member of the Board who is not an employee of the
Company, Administrator means the Board. Any member of the
Administrator who does not meet the foregoing requirements shall
abstain from any decision regarding an Award and shall not be
considered a member of the Administrator to the extent required to
comply with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.
“Affiliate”
means any entity, whether now or hereafter existing, which
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
Company or any successor to the Company. For this purpose,
“control” (including the correlative meanings of the terms
“controlled by” and “under common control with”) mean ownership,
directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total combined voting
power of all classes of voting securities issued by such entity, or
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the
management and policies of such entity, by contract or
otherwise.
“Applicable
Laws”
means (i) the laws of the Cayman Islands as they relate to the
Company and its Common Shares; (ii) the legal requirements relating
to the Plan and the Awards under applicable provisions of the
corporate, securities, tax and other laws, rules, regulations and
government orders; and (iii) the rules of any applicable securities
exchange, of any jurisdiction (state, federal, and foreign
(non-United States)) applicable to Awards granted to residents
therein.
“Award”
means any share option, share appreciation right, share award,
share unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, and/or Other
Share-Based Award, granted under this Plan or the 2013
Plan.
“Award
Agreement”
means the written document(s), including an electronic writing
acceptable to the Administrator, and any notice, addendum or
supplement thereto, evidencing the grant of, and memorializing the
terms and conditions of, an Award granted pursuant to the Plan, and
which shall incorporate the terms of the Plan.
“Board”
has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1(a).
“Cause”
means, with respect to a Participant, except as otherwise provided
in the relevant Award Agreement (i) the Participant’s plea of
guilty or
nolo contendere
to, or conviction of, (A) a felony (or its equivalent in a
non-United States jurisdiction) or (B) other conduct of a
criminal nature that has or is likely to have a material adverse
effect on the reputation or standing in the community of the
Company, any of its Affiliates or a successor to the Company or an
Affiliate, as determined by the Administrator in its sole
discretion, or that legally prohibits the Participant from working
for the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a successor to the
Company or a Subsidiary; (ii) a breach by the Participant of a
regulatory rule that adversely affects the Participant’s ability to
perform the Participant’s employment duties to the Company, any of
its Subsidiaries or a successor to the Company or a Subsidiary, in
any material respect; or (iii) the Participant’s failure, in
any material respect, to (A) perform the Participant’s
employment duties, (B) comply with the applicable policies of
the Company, or of its Subsidiaries, or a successor to the Company
or a Subsidiary, or (C) comply with covenants contained in any
contract or Award Agreement to which the Participant is a
party;
provided, however,
that the Participant shall be provided a written notice describing
in reasonable detail the facts which are considered to give rise to
a breach described in this clause (iii) and the Participant shall
have 30 days following receipt of such written notice (the
“Cure
Period”)
during which the Participant may remedy the condition and, if so
remedied, no Cause for Termination of Service shall
exist.
“Change
in Control”
means the first of the following to occur: (i) a Change in
Ownership of the Company, (ii) a Change in Effective Control
of the Company, or (iii) a Change in the Ownership of Assets
of the Company, as described herein and construed in accordance
with Code Section 409A.
(i) A “Change in
Ownership of the Company” shall occur on the date that any one
Person acquires, or Persons Acting as a Group acquire, ownership of
the capital stock of the Company that, together with the shares
held by such Person or Group, constitutes more than 50% of the
total fair market value or total voting power of the capital stock
of the Company. However, if any one Person is, or Persons Acting as
a Group are, considered to own more than 50%, on a fully diluted
basis, of the total fair market value or total voting power of the
capital stock of the Company, the acquisition of additional shares
by the same Person or Persons Acting as a Group is not considered
to cause a Change in Ownership of the Company or to cause a Change
in Effective Control of the Company (as described below). An
increase in the percentage of capital stock owned by any one
Person, or Persons Acting as a Group, as a result of a transaction
in which the Company acquires its shares in exchange for property
will be treated as an acquisition of shares.
(ii) A “Change in
Effective Control of the Company” shall occur on the date either
(A) a majority of members of the Company’s Board is replaced
during any 12-month period by directors whose appointment or
election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the
Company’s Board before the date of the appointment or election, or
(B) any one Person, or Persons Acting as a Group, acquires (or
has acquired during
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
53
the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent
acquisition by such Person or Persons) ownership of shares of the
Company possessing 50% or more of the total voting power of the
shares of the Company.
(iii) A “Change in
the Ownership of Assets of the Company” shall occur on the date
that any one Person acquires, or Persons Acting as a Group acquire
(or has or have acquired during the 12-month period ending on the
date of the most recent acquisition by such Person or Persons),
assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value
equal to or more than 50% of the total gross fair market value of
all of the assets of the Company immediately before such
acquisition or acquisitions. For this purpose, gross fair market
value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of
the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any
liabilities associated with such assets.
The following rules of construction apply in interpreting the
definition of Change in Control:
(A) A
“Person”
means any individual, entity or group within the meaning of Section
13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, other than employee
benefit plans sponsored or maintained by the Company and by
entities controlled by the Company or an underwriter, initial
purchaser or placement agent temporarily holding the shares of the
Company pursuant to a registered public offering.
(B) Persons will be
considered to be Persons Acting as a Group (or Group) if they are
owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation,
purchase or acquisition of shares, or similar business transaction
with the corporation. If a Person owns shares in both corporations
that enter into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of
shares, or similar transaction, such shareholder is considered to
be acting as a Group with other shareholders only with respect to
the ownership in that corporation before the transaction giving
rise to the change and not with respect to the ownership interest
in the other corporation. Persons will not be considered to be
acting as a Group solely because they purchase assets of the same
corporation at the same time or purchase or own shares of the same
corporation at the same time, or as a result of the same public
offering.
(C) A Change in
Control shall not include a transfer to a related person as
described in Code Section 409A or a public offering of share
capital of the Company.
(D) For purposes of
the definition of Change in Control, Section 318(a) of the Code
applies to determine share ownership. Shares underlying a vested
share option are considered owned by the individual who holds the
vested share option (and the shares underlying an unvested share
option are not considered owned by the individual who holds the
unvested share option). For purposes of the preceding sentence,
however, if a vested share option is exercisable for shares that
are not substantially vested (as defined by Treasury Regulation
§1.83-3(b) and (j)), the shares underlying the share option are not
treated as owned by the individual who holds the share
option.
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, and any successor thereto, the Treasury Regulations
thereunder and other relevant interpretive guidance issued by the
Internal Revenue Service or the Treasury Department. Reference to
any specific section of the Code shall be deemed to include such
regulations and guidance, as well as any successor section,
regulations and guidance.
“Common
Shares”
means ordinary fully paid shares of the capital of the Company, par
value of $0.003 per share.
“Company”
means the Company and its Subsidiaries, except where the context
otherwise requires. For purposes of determining whether a Change in
Control has occurred, Company means only the Company.
“Compensation
Committee”
means the Compensation Committee of the Board.
“Dividend
Equivalent”
means a right, granted to a Participant, to receive cash, Common
Share, share Units or other property equal in value to dividends
paid with respect to a specified number of Common
Shares.
“Effective
Date”
has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1(a).
“Eligible
Individuals”
means (i) officers and employees of, and other individuals,
including non-employee directors, who are natural persons providing
bona fide services to or for, the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries,
provided
that such services are not in connection with the offer or sale of
securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or
indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s
securities, and (ii) prospective officers, employees and service
providers who have accepted offers of employment or other service
relationship from the Company or a Subsidiary.
“Exchange
Act”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to
time, and any successor thereto. Reference to any specific section
of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include such regulations and
guidance issued thereunder, as well as any successor section,
regulations and guidance.
“Fair
Market Value”
means, on a per share basis as of any date, unless otherwise
determined by the Administrator:
(i) if the principal market for the Common
Shares (as determined by the Administrator if the Common Shares are
listed or admitted to trading on more than one exchange or market)
is a national securities exchange or an established securities
market, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the
official closing price per Common Share for the regular market
session on that date on the principal exchange or market on which
the Common Shares are then listed or admitted to trading or, if no
sale is reported for that date, on the last preceding day on which
a sale was reported, all as reported by such source as the
Administrator may select;
(ii) if the principal market for the Common
Shares is not a national securities exchange or an established
securities market, but the Common Shares are quoted by a national
quotation system, the average of the highest bid and lowest asked
prices for the Common Shares on that date as reported on a national
quotation system or, if no prices are reported for that date, on
the last preceding day on which prices were reported, all as
reported by such source as the Administrator may select;
or
(iii) if the Common Shares are neither
listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange or
an established securities market, nor quoted by a national
quotation system, the value determined by the Administrator in good
faith by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation
method, which method may, but need not, include taking into account
an appraisal of the fair market value of the Common Shares
conducted by a nationally recognized appraisal firm selected by the
Administrator.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, for foreign, federal, state and
local income tax reporting purposes and for such other purposes as
the Administrator deems appropriate, the Fair Market Value shall be
determined by the Administrator in accordance with uniform and
nondiscriminatory standards adopted by it from time to
time.
“Full
Value Award”
means an Award that results in the Company transferring the full
value of a Common Share under the Award, whether or not an actual
share is issued. Full Value Awards shall include, but are not
limited to, share awards, share units, Performance Shares,
Performance Units that are payable in Common Shares, and Other
Share-Based Awards for which the Company transfers the full value
of Common Shares under the Award, but shall not include Dividend
Equivalents.
“Governing
Documents”
means the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of
association or other governing documents as amended or supplemented
from time to time.
“Incentive
Share Option”
means any share option that is designated, in the applicable Award
Agreement or the resolutions of the Administrator under which the
share option is granted, as an “incentive stock option” within the
meaning of Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the
requirements to be an “incentive stock option” set forth in
Section 422 of the Code.
“Nonqualified
Option”
means any share option that is not an Incentive Share
Option.
“Other
Share-Based Award”
means an Award of Common Shares or any other Award that is valued
in whole or in part by reference to, or is otherwise based upon,
Common Shares, including without limitation Dividend Equivalents
and convertible debentures.
“Participant”
means an Eligible Individual to whom one or more Awards are or have
been granted pursuant to the Plan and have not been fully settled
or cancelled and, following the death of any such person, his
successors, heirs, executors and administrators, as the case may
be.
“Performance
Award”
means a Full Value Award, the grant, vesting, lapse of restrictions
or settlement of which is conditioned upon the achievement of
performance objectives over a specified Performance Period and
includes, without limitation, Performance Shares and Performance
Units.
“Performance
Goals”
means the performance goals established by the Administrator in
connection with the grant of Awards based on Performance Metrics or
other performance criteria selected by the
Administrator.
“Performance
Period”
means that period established by the Administrator during which any
Performance Goals specified by the Administrator with respect to
such Award are to be measured.
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
55
“Performance
Metrics”
means criteria established by the Administrator relating to any of
the following, as it may apply to an individual, one or more
business units, divisions, or Affiliates, or on a company-wide
basis, and in absolute terms, relative to a base period, or
relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies,
peer groups, or an index covering multiple companies:
(i) Earnings
or Profitability Metrics:
any derivative of revenue; earnings/loss (gross, operating, net, or
adjusted); earnings/loss before interest and taxes (“EBIT”);
earnings/loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization
(“EBITDA”); profit margins; operating margins; expense levels or
ratios;
provided
that any of the foregoing metrics may be adjusted to eliminate the
effect of any one or more of the following: interest expense, asset
impairments or investment losses, early extinguishment of debt or
share-based compensation expense;
(ii) Return
Metrics:
any derivative of return on investment, assets, equity or capital
(total or invested);
(iii) Investment
Metrics:
relative risk-adjusted investment performance; investment
performance of assets under management;
(iv) Cash
Flow Metrics:
any derivative of operating cash flow; cash flow sufficient to
achieve financial ratios or a specified cash balance; free cash
flow; cash flow return on capital; net cash provided by operating
activities; cash flow per share; working capital;
(v) Liquidity
Metrics:
any derivative of debt leverage (including debt to capital, net
debt-to-capital, debt-to-EBITDA or other liquidity ratios);
and/or
(vi) Share
Price and Equity Metrics:
any derivative of return on shareholders’ equity; total shareholder
return; share price; share price appreciation; market
capitalization; earnings/loss per share (basic or diluted) (before
or after taxes).
“Performance
Shares”
means a grant of share or share Units the issuance, vesting or
payment of which is contingent on performance as measured against
predetermined objectives over a specified Performance
Period.
“Performance
Units”
means a grant of dollar-denominated Units the value, vesting or
payment of which is contingent on performance against predetermined
objectives over a specified Performance Period.
“Plan”
means this Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive
Plan, as set forth herein and as it may be amended from time to
time.
“Restricted
Share”
means an Award of Common Shares to a Participant that may be
subject to certain transferability and other restrictions and to a
risk of forfeiture (including by reason of not satisfying certain
Performance Goals).
“Restricted
Share Unit”
means a right granted to a Participant to receive Common Shares or
cash at the end of a specified deferral period, which right may be
conditioned on the satisfaction of certain requirements (including
the satisfaction of certain Performance Goals).
“Restriction
Period”
means, with respect to Full Value
Awards, the period commencing on the date of grant of such Award to
which vesting or transferability and other restrictions and a risk
of forfeiture apply and ending upon the expiration of the
applicable vesting conditions, transferability and other
restrictions and lapse of risk of forfeiture and/or the achievement
of the applicable Performance Goals (it being understood that the
Administrator may provide that vesting shall occur and/or
restrictions shall lapse with respect to portions of the applicable
Award during the Restriction Period.
“Subsidiary”
means any corporation or other entity in an unbroken chain of
companies, corporations or other entities beginning with the
Company if each of the companies, corporations or other entities,
or group of commonly controlled companies, corporations or other
entities, other than the last company, corporation or other entity
in the unbroken chain then owns shares, stock or other equity
interests possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power
of all classes of shares, stock or other equity interests in one of
the other companies, corporations or other entities in such chain
or otherwise has the power to direct the management and policies of
the entity by contract or by means of appointing a majority of the
members of the board or other body that controls the affairs of the
entity;
provided, however,
that solely for purposes of determining whether a Participant has a
Termination of Service that is a “separation from service” within
the meaning of Section 409A of the Code or whether an Eligible
Individual is eligible to be granted an Award that in the hands of
such Eligible Individual would
constitute a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the
meaning of Section 409A of the Code , a “Subsidiary” of a
corporation or other entity means all other entities with which
such company, corporation or other entity would be considered a
single employer under Sections 414(b) or 414(c) of the
Code.
“Tax
Withholding Obligation”
means any federal, state, local or foreign (non-United States)
income, employment or other tax or social insurance contribution
required by Applicable Law to be withheld in respect of
Awards.
“Termination
of Service”
means the termination of the Participant’s employment, or
performance of services for, the Company and its Subsidiaries.
Temporary absences from employment because of illness, vacation or
leave of absence and transfers among the Company and its
Subsidiaries shall not be considered Terminations of Service. With
respect to any Award that constitutes a “nonqualified deferred
compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the
Code, “Termination of Service” means a “separation from service” as
defined under Section 409A of the Code to the extent required
by Section 409A of the Code to avoid the imposition of any tax
or interest or the inclusion of any amount in income pursuant to
Section 409A of the Code. A Participant has a separation from
service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code if the
Participant terminates employment with the Company and all
Subsidiaries for any reason. A Participant will generally be
treated as having terminated employment with the Company and all
Subsidiaries as of a certain date if the Participant and the entity
that employs the Participant reasonably anticipate that the
Participant will perform no further services for the Company or any
Subsidiary after such date or that the level of bona fide services
that the Participant will perform after such date (whether as an
employee or an independent contractor) will permanently decrease to
no more than 20 percent (20%) of the average level of bona fide
services performed (whether as an employee or an independent
contractor) over the immediately preceding 36-month period (or the
full period of services if the Participant has been providing
services for fewer than 36 months);
provided, however,
that the employment relationship is treated as continuing while the
Participant is on military leave, sick leave or other bona fide
leave of absence if the period of leave does not exceed six months
or, if longer, so long as the Participant retains the right to
reemployment with the Company or any Subsidiary.
“Total
and Permanent
Disability”
means, with respect to a Participant, except as otherwise provided
in the relevant Award Agreement, that a Participant is
(i) unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by
reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment
that can be expected to last until the Participant’s death or
result in death, or (ii) determined to be totally disabled by
the Social Security Administration or other governmental or
quasi-governmental body that administers a comparable social
insurance program outside of the United States in which the
Participant participates and which conditions the right to receive
benefits under such program on the Participant being unable to
engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any
medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be
expected to last until the Participant’s death or result in death.
The Administrator shall have sole authority to determine whether a
Participant has suffered a Total and Permanent Disability and may
require such medical or other evidence as it deems necessary to
judge the nature and permanency of the Participant’s
condition.
“Unit”
means a bookkeeping entry used by the Company to record and account
for the grant of the following types of Awards until such time as
the Award is paid, cancelled, forfeited or terminated, as the case
may be: share units, Restricted Share Units, Performance Units, and
Performance Shares that are expressed in terms of Common
Shares.
{end
of document}
Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc.
57
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