EX-4.9 3 ex4_9.htm EXHIBIT 4.9

 

Exhibit 4.9

 

DATED: 1 June 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MIDATECH PHARMA PLC


and

CRAIG COOK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SERVICE AGREEMENT

 

   
 

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made on 1st June 2018

 

BETWEEN:

MIDATECH PHARMA PLC company number 09216368) whose registered office is at 65 Innovation Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon OX14 4RQ (the “Company”); and

 

CRAIG COOK of Flat 4, 61 Inverness Terrace, London W2 3JT (the “Executive”).

 

RECITALS

 

The Company shall employ the Executive and the Executive shall serve the Company as Chief Executive Officer of the Company on the following terms and subject to the following conditions (the “Agreement”):

 

IT IS AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

 

1DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

 

1.1In this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires the following expressions shall have the following meanings:
1.2

“Board” the board of directors for the time being of the Company;

 

“Group” the Company and its Subsidiaries for the time being and “Group Company” means any one of them;

 

“Regulations” the Working Time Regulations 1998; and

 

“Subsidiary” in relation to a company a subsidiary within the meaning of s1159 of the Companies Act 2006 and any other company which is a subsidiary (as so defined) of a company which is itself a subsidiary of such holding company.

 

1.2Any reference to a statutory provision shall be deemed to include a reference to any statutory modification or re-enactment of it.

 

1.3The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect its construction or interpretation.

 

1.4References in this Agreement to a person include a body corporate and an incorporated association of persons and references to a company include any body corporate.

 

1.5Where appropriate, references to the Executive include his personal representatives.

 

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2TERM OF EMPLOYMENT

 

2.1The employment of the Executive in the role of Chief Executive Officer commenced on 1 June 2018 however for the purpose of determining Continuity of Employment, the Executive shall be deemed to have commenced employment on 1 January 2014. The employment of the Executive (subject to earlier termination as provided below) shall continue until terminated by either party giving to the other not less than six months’ notice in writing at any time.

 

2.2The Executive represents and warrants that he is not bound by or subject to any contract, court order, agreement, arrangement or undertaking which in any way restricts or prohibits him from entering into this Agreement or performing his duties under it.

 

3DUTIES

 

3.1The Executive shall during his employment under this Agreement:

 

3.1.1perform the duties and exercise the powers which the Board may from time to time properly assign to him in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer or in connection with the conduct and management of the business of the Company or the business of any Group Company (including serving on the board of such Group Company or on any other executive body or any committee of such a company); and

 

3.1.2do all in his power to promote, develop and protect the business of the Company and at all times and in all respects conform to and comply with the proper and reasonable directions and regulations of the Board.

 

3.2The Executive shall give to the Board such information regarding the affairs of the Company as it shall require, and in any event, report regularly and keep the Board informed.

3.3The Executive shall carry out his duties and exercise his powers jointly with any other executives appointed by the Board to act jointly with him and the Board may at any time require the Executive to cease performing or exercising the said or any duties or powers.

 

3.4The Executive shall be based at the Company’s head office near Abingdon, but the Executive shall travel to and/or work in any place which the Board may reasonably require and he may be required to travel abroad when required by the Company for the proper performance of his duties.

 

4HOURS OF WORK

 

The Executive shall have no set hours of work but is required to devote such time to his work as is necessary for the proper performance of his duties and his basic salary referred to in clause 7.1 shall compensate him for this. Normal office hours are 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.

 

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5GRATUITIES AND CODES OF CONDUCT

 

5.1The Executive shall not, without prior written consent of Company, directly or indirectly accept any commission, rebate, discount or gratuity in cash or in kind from any person who has or is having a business relationship with the Company or any Group Company.

5.2The Executive shall comply (and procure that his spouse and minor children shall comply) with all applicable rules and regulations of the London Stock Exchange including all AIM rules and regulations, and as applicable the Listing Rules of the United Kingdom Listing Authority, and any codes of conduct of the Company for the time being in force and any other relevant regulatory authority.

 

6REMUNERATION

 

6.1The Company shall pay to the Executive a salary at the rate of £220,000 (the “Temporary Salary”) gross per year, inclusive of any directors’ fees payable to him. At such time as the AIM 30-day volume weighted average share price of the Company reaches 100 pence, the salary shall be increased to £253,000 (the “Current Salary”) gross per year.

 

6.2The basic salary stated in clause 6.1 above will increase automatically with effect from 1 April each year by the percentage increase, if any, in the ‘All Items Index of Retail Prices’ published by the Office for National Statistics over the previous year.

 

6.3The Executive’s salary shall accrue from day to day and be payable by equal monthly instalments in arrears on or about the last day of each month.

 

6.4The Executive’s salary shall be reviewed annually following the finalisation of the relevant calendar year’s Annual Reports and Accounts. The undertaking of a salary review does not confer a contractual right (whether express or implied) to any increase in salary and the Executive acknowledges that any salary increase is at the absolute discretion of the Remuneration Committee.

 

7BONUS

 

The Executive will be eligible to participate in a discretionary bonus scheme (the “Scheme”), which terms may be reviewed by the Remuneration Committee from time to time. Decisions as to the calculation and payment of any bonus under the Scheme shall be made at the absolute discretion of the Remuneration Committee although it is acknowledged that the amount of such bonus will be up to approximately 40 per cent, of the Executive’s annual salary on the satisfaction of certain performance criteria. Payment of bonus on certain terms at any particular time will not create any entitlement to or expectation of any future payment or the amount or terms of any future payment. The Executive will not have any contractual right to a bonus if he has left the Company’s employment for whatever reason (whether lawful or unlawful) or has given or received notice of termination, at or prior to the time on which any such bonus would normally be payable. Any bonus awarded will be paid subject to tax and National Insurance in the usual way.

 

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8OTHER BENEFITS

 

The Executive is entitled to such additional benefits (including, but not limited to, a 10% pension contribution, life insurance and medical insurance) as may be determined by the Board from time to time.

 

9EXPENSES

 

The Company shall reimburse or procure that the Executive is reimbursed all reasonable travelling, hotel and other expenses wholly and necessarily incurred by him in the performance of his duties under this Agreement on production of appropriate receipts, if required, by the Company.

 

10HOLIDAYS

 

10.1The Executive is entitled to 25 days’ holiday with pay every calendar year in addition to bank and other public holidays. The Company’s holiday year runs from January to December.

 

10.2The Executive’s holiday entitlement is inclusive of his statutory entitlement. When calculating the Executive’s statutory entitlement, bank and public holidays are taken into account. A maximum of three days of the statutory entitlement can be carried over from one holiday year to the first three months of the next year and pay in lieu of such holidays will be made to the Executive.

 

10.3During the first year of the Executive’s employment the Executive’s statutory holiday entitlement will accrue pro rata monthly in advance. Where this calculation results in fractions of days the amount of leave which can be taken is rounded up to the next half day. Any rounded-up element is deducted from the leave remaining.

 

10.4Save as provided for in clause 10.3 above, the Executive’s entitlement to holiday accrues pro rata throughout each holiday year (disregarding fractions of days). The Executive will be deemed to have taken statutory holiday first.

 

10.5Any entitlement to holiday over and above any statutory entitlement remaining at the end of any holiday year shall lapse and no payment in lieu of such holiday will be made for accrued but untaken holiday.

 

10.5.1If the Executive has taken holiday in excess of his entitlement on termination of employment he will be required to give account for it and the Company will make a deduction from his final salary payment accordingly. If the Executive has accrued holiday owing to him, the Company may at its discretion, require him to take the outstanding holiday during any notice period or make a payment in lieu of it.

 

10.5.2For the purposes of clause 10.5.1 above, a day’s pay will be calculated as 1/260th of basic salary.

 

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10.6If the Executive’s employment is terminated without notice, he will not be entitled to holiday pay for holiday which would have accrued during the notice period, had he continued to be employed throughout that time.

 

10.7If the Executive is put on garden leave in accordance with clause 19 any accrued but unused holiday entitlement shall be deemed to be taken during any period of garden leave.

 

10.8Holidays should be taken at such times as the Board shall consider most convenient having regard to the requirements of the Company’s business.

 

11ILLNESS

 

11.1The Executive shall continue to be paid during sickness absence (such payment to be inclusive of any statutory sick pay or social security benefits to which he may be entitled) for a total of up to three months in any six consecutive months and thereafter any additional payments of salary will be at the discretion of the Company.

 

11.2The Executive will cease to accrue holiday, subject to any entitlement under the Regulations if he has been absent due to sickness, for six consecutive weeks or more.

 

11.3If the Executive is incapable of performing his duties by reason of injury sustained wholly or partly as a result of negligence, nuisance or breach of any statutory duty on the part of a third party and the Executive recovers an amount by way of compensation for loss of earnings from that third party, he shall pay to the Company an amount equivalent to the amount of sick pay he has received from the Company or such lesser amount as he received in compensation.

 

11.4The Company shall be entitled to require the Executive to undergo examinations by a medical adviser appointed or approved by the Company and the Executive authorises the medical adviser and/or will provide such consents as are necessary to disclose to the Company the results of such examinations.

 

11.5The Executive hereby covenants with the Company on behalf of himself and his personal representatives at all times fully and effectively to comply with the terms of any insurance policy taken out by the Company or any Group Company on his life or in respect of his position as a director and/or office of the Company and further undertakes (notwithstanding that his Agreement has been terminated or has come to an end) to co-operate fully with and assist the Company or any applicable Group Company in relation to any claim(s) made or to be made in connection with such insurance policy (including without limitation submitting to a medical examination).

 

11.6In the event that the Executive is unable to perform his duties hereunder through illness or other incapacity for any continuous period of three months or an aggregated period exceeding 100 working days in any period of 12 months, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company may terminate the Executive’s employment upon six months’ written notice to him and during that period the Executive shall not have any entitlement to receive his salary or any bonus payment but shall otherwise be entitled to his contractual benefits under this Agreement.

 

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12RESTRICTIONS DURING EMPLOYMENT

 

12.1During the continuance of his employment under this Agreement the Executive shall unless prevented by incapacity devote his whole time and attention to the business of the Company and shall not without the prior written consent of the Board:

 

12.1.1engage in any other business; or

 

12.1.2be concerned or interested in any other business which is or shall be of a similar nature to or competitive with that carried on by the Company or any Group Company or which is a supplier or customer of the Company or Group Company in relation to its services; or

 

12.1.3solicit the custom of, canvass, approach or deal with, in competition with the Company or any Group Company, any person (including any company, firm, organisation or other entity) to whom the Company or any Group Company supplies services or with whom the Company or any Group Company is in negotiations or discussions regarding the possible supply of services; or

 

12.1.4discourage any such person referred to in clause 12.1.3 above from conducting or continuing to conduct business with the Company or any Group Company on the best terms available to the Company or any Group Company; or

 

12.1.5induce or attempt to induce any director or senior employee of the Company or any Group Company and with whom the Executive has material dealings in the course of his employment, to leave the employment of the Company or any Group Company; or

 

12.1.6take any steps which impair or might reasonably be thought by the Company, to impair the Executive’s ability to act at all times in the best interests of the Company,

 

provided that nothing in this clause shall preclude the Executive from holding or being otherwise interested in any shares or other securities of any company which is quoted on any recognised investment exchange (as defined by section 285 Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) so long as the interest of the Executive in such shares or other securities does not extend to more than three per cent, of the total amount of such shares or securities.

 

13INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

 

13.1“Intellectual Property” shall mean all inventions, patents, utility models, designs (both registered or unregistered and including rights relating to semi-conductor topographies), database right, copyright, and trade marks (both registered and unregistered) together with all rights to the grant of and applications for the same and including all similar or analogous rights and all other rights in the nature of intellectual and industrial property throughout the world and all future rights of such nature.

 

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13.2For the purpose of interpreting this clause, reference(s) to any form of Intellectual Property shall include all similar and analogous rights in other jurisdictions and all other rights in the nature of intellectual and industrial property that protect the same or similar subject matter.

13.3If the Executive makes, or if the Executive participates in making, any invention, any design (whether registrable or not), or any work in which copyright and/or database rights subsist and which relates to or is useful in connection with the business of the Company or the Group, the Executive shall disclose it to the Company immediately, whether or not it is the property of the Company or any Group Company and:

 

13.3.1in the case of an invention give the Company full particulars of the invention together with everything embodying, recording (in any media) or relating to the invention, irrespective of the nature of the invention or when it was made; and

 

13.3.2in the case of designs or works in which copyright and/or database right subsists, give the Company a copy of all records of such designs and works; and

 

13.3.3and, in addition, the Company may call for the same to be delivered forthwith to an authorised representative at any time.

 

13.4If an invention made by the Executive is the property of the Company or any Group Company under Section 39 Patents Act 1977 the Executive assigns to the Company (or Group Company) with full title guarantee all rights the Executive may have to the invention, to the grant of protection and all applications for protection in respect of that invention.

13.5The Company shall not be under any obligation to apply for or maintain protection in respect of any invention made by the Executive.

 

13.6If any invention is the Executive’s property under Section 39 Patents Act 1977 and relates to or is useful in connection with the business or any product or service of the Company or Group the Executive shall not grant or agree to grant a licence or other rights or execute or agree to execute an assignment in respect of any rights in or relating to that invention to any other person without first offering to grant a licence (or such other rights) or execute an assignment for the benefit of the Company (or Group Company) on terms no less favourable than those offered to the third party, and the Company (or Group Company) shall have fifteen working days in which to accept or reject the offer.

 

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13.7If during the course of the Executive’s employment by the Company (whether in the course of normal duties or not and whether or not during normal working hours) the Executive makes, or participates in the making of any design (whether registrable or not) or any work in which copyright and/or database right subsists the Executive assigns to the Company with full title guarantee and, where appropriate, by way of future assignment, all such rights for the full term thereof throughout the world. The assignment shall not extend to those designs or works which are created by him wholly outside his normal working hours and wholly unconcerned with his service under this Agreement. Any agreement to the contrary is expressly excluded. If by operation of law it is not possible for the Executive to assign such rights in a territory outside the United Kingdom the Executive shall hold such rights on trust for the Company and shall grant to the Company such rights as most closely resemble an assignment in the territory concerned.

 

13.8The Executive shall execute all documents and do all things which are necessary or desirable for perfecting the assignment of all rights assigned to the Company or any Group Company pursuant to this clause 14 and for obtaining the best possible protection in respect of such rights in the territories specified by the Company. The Executive shall assign to the Company all such rights as are not already held by the Company in all subsequent registrations and applications for registration.

 

13.9All embodiments of rights assigned under this clause 14 and all records relating to such rights irrespective of the form or media shall be the property of the Company, the Executive shall surrender them to the Company on the termination of this Agreement or at the request of the Company at any time during the Executive’s employment, and shall not keep any copies.

 

13.10The Executive irrevocably appoints the Company to be his attorney in his name and on his behalf to sign or execute any document or do anything generally to use his name for the purpose of giving to the Company the full benefit of the provisions of this clause 14 and in favour of any third party a certificate in writing signed by any director or the secretary of the Company that any document or act falls within the authority conferred by this clause shall be conclusive evidence that that is the case.

 

13.11The Executive waives all moral rights and all similar and analogous rights in other territories (whether arising under Chapter IV of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or otherwise) to the extent permissible under the relevant legislation in each jurisdiction in works to which clause 14 applies.

 

13.12The Executive warrants that he is not bound by any legally enforceable obligations owed to persons other than the Company which would prevent him from complying with the terms of this Agreement. The Executive shall not without proper licence use any inventions or information in breach of rights owed to or held by persons other than the Company or copy or adapt copyright works or designs or unlawfully extract or re-utilise all or a substantial part of a database owned (in each case) by persons other than the Company or otherwise infringe any rights in Intellectual Property owned by people other than the Company.

 

13.13The Executive shall not exploit or attempt to exploit any Intellectual Property which is the property of the Company or any Group Company without the prior written consent of the Company nor shall the Executive do anything that would imperil or prejudice any rights in any of the same, and the Executive shall immediately inform the Company if the Executive becomes aware of any infringement of any of the same.

 

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13.14If and when required to do so by the Company, the Executive shall provide reasonable assistance to defend any proceedings in respect of revocation, invalidity and/or infringement of any and all rights that are assigned or licensed to the Company under this clause 14.

 

13.15All the provisions of this clause 14 shall survive termination of the Executive’s employment insofar as they relate to rights that were created before the date of termination of this Agreement.

 

14CONFIDENTIALITY

 

14.1The Executive shall not (except in the proper performance of his duties) during or after his employment has ended directly or indirectly divulge to any person or otherwise make use of (and shall use his best endeavours to prevent the publication or disclosure of) any trade secret or any confidential information concerning the business or finances of the Company or any Group Company or any of its/their dealings transactions or affairs or any such confidential information concerning any of their suppliers, agents, distributors or clients.

 

14.2Confidential information includes, but is not limited to:
14.2.1corporate and marketing strategy, business development and plans, sales reports and research results;

 

14.2.2business methods and processes, manuals and operating procedures, technical information and know-how relating to the Group’s business and which is not in the public domain, including inventions, designs, programs, techniques, database systems, formulae and ideas;

 

14.2.3business contacts, lists of commercial customers, advertisers and suppliers and details of contracts with them and their current or future requirements;

 

14.2.4information on employees and their terms of employment;

 

14.2.5sales, expenditure levels, pricing and discounting policies;

 

14.2.6budgets, management accounts, trading statements and other financial reports;

 

14.2.7unpublished price sensitive information relating to shares or securities listed or dealt in on any recognised stock exchange; and

 

14.2.8any document marked “confidential”, identified to the Executive as confidential or any information not in the public domain.

 

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14.3The restrictions in clauses 14.1 and 14.2 shall not apply to information which:

 

14.3.1comes into the public domain otherwise than by a breach by the Executive of his obligations under this Agreement; or

 

14.3.2is disclosed to the Executive by a third party who has not received it directly or indirectly from the Company or any Group Company; or

 

14.3.3must be disclosed by any applicable law, to the extent of such required disclosure.

 

14.4Notwithstanding the obligations and restrictions contained in this clause 15, noting in this Agreement shall operate to prevent the Executive making a “protected disclosure” pursuant to Part IVA of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

 

15DATA PROTECTION

 

15.1The Executive acknowledges that the Company will hold personal data relating to the Executive such data will include the Executive’s employment application, address, references, bank details, performance appraisals, work, holiday and sickness records, next of kin, salary reviews, remuneration details and other records (which may, where necessary, include sensitive personal data relating to the Executive’s health, and data held for equal opportunities purposes). The Company will hold such personal data for personnel administration and management purposes and to comply with the obligations regarding the retention of Executive/worker records. The Executive’s right of access to such data is as prescribed by law.

 

15.2The Executive hereby undertakes and agrees that the Company may process personal data relating to personnel administration and management purposes, and may, when necessary for those purposes, make such data available to its advisers, to third parties providing products and/or services to the Company (such as IT systems suppliers, pensions, benefits and payroll administrators) and as required by law. Further, the Executive hereby agrees that the Company may transfer such data to and from any Group Company. By signing this Agreement, the Executive expressly consents to the collection, transfer and use of such data in accordance with this clause 15.

 

16MONITORING

 

The Executive shall have access to e-mail and the internet for the better performance of his duties and he shall comply with the Company’s stated e-mail and internet policy from time to time and in any event the Executive shall not send any e-mails of a defamatory or abusive nature or which constitute sexual, racial or any other form of harassment and he shall be prohibited from downloading any pornographic or other offensive material and the Executive shall indemnify the Company during and after his employment against all liability resulting from the Executive’s breach of this clause. The Company reserves the right to monitor all email/internet activity by the Executive.

 

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17TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

 

17.1The Company may at any time and in its absolute discretion (whether or not any notice of termination has been given by the Company or the Executive under clause 3 above) terminate the Agreement with immediate effect and make a payment in lieu of notice. This payment shall comprise solely the Executive’s basic salary (at the rate payable when this option is exercised) but shall not include any bonus or other benefits and shall be subject to deductions for income tax and national insurance contributions as appropriate (the “Payment in Lieu”). The Executive will not, under any circumstances, have any right to the Payment in Lieu unless the Company has exercised its option to pay in lieu of notice.

 

17.2The employment of the Executive may be terminated by the Company without notice or payment in lieu of notice if the Executive:

 

17.2.1is guilty of any serious misconduct or any other conduct which affects or is likely to affect prejudicially the interests of the Company or any Group Company; or

 

17.2.2fails or neglects efficiently and diligently to discharge his duties or commits any serious or repeated breach or non-observance of any of the provisions contained in this Agreement or any Share Dealing Code adopted by the Company or Group; or

 

17.2.3has an interim receiving order made against him, becomes bankrupt or makes any composition or enters into any deed of arrangement with his creditors; or

 

17.2.4is charged with any arrestable criminal offence (other than an offence under road traffic legislation in the United Kingdom or elsewhere for which a fine or non-custodial penalty is imposed); or

 

17.2.5is disqualified from holding office in any company by reason of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction; or

 

17.2.6shall become of unsound mind or become a patient under any statute relating to mental health; or

 

17.2.7is convicted of an offence under the Criminal Justice Act 1993 in relation to insider dealings or under any other present or future statutory enactment or regulations relating to insider dealings; or

 

17.2.8is in breach of the Model Code on directors’ dealings in listed securities, including securities trading on AIM, published by the London Stock Exchange Limited; or

 

17.2.9commits any other act warranting summary termination at common law including (but not limited to) any act justifying dismissal without notice in the terms of the Company’s generally-applicable disciplinary rules.

 

17.3Any delay by the Company in exercising the right to terminate without notice is not a waiver thereof.

 

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18SUSPENSION

 

The Company may suspend the Executive on full pay for such time as is reasonable in all the circumstances, to allow the Company to investigate any complaint made against the Executive in relation to his employment with the Company and/or pending the outcome of any disciplinary proceedings.

 

19GARDEN LEAVE

 

19.1Provided the Executive continues to enjoy his full contractual benefits and receive his pay in accordance with this Agreement, the Company may in its absolute discretion do all or any of the following during any period of notice or any part of the notice period, after the Executive or the Company has given notice of termination to the other, without breaching this Agreement or incurring any liability or giving rise to any claim against it:

 

19.1.1exclude the Executive from the premises of the Company and/or the Group;

 

19.1.2require the Executive to carry out only specified duties (consistent with his status, role and experience) whether or not different to his normal duties or to carry out no duties;

 

19.1.3announce to any or all of its employees, suppliers, customers and business partners that the Executive has been given notice of termination or has resigned (as the case may be);

 

19.1.4prohibit the Executive from communicating in any way with any or all of the suppliers, customers, business partners, employees, agents or representatives of the Company or the Group until his employment has terminated except to the extent he is authorised to do so by the Board in writing;

 

19.1.5require the Executive to resign his directorship of any Group Company; and/or

 

19.1.6require the Executive to comply with any other reasonable conditions imposed by the Company.The Executive will continue to be bound by all obligations (whether express or implied) owed to the Company under the terms of the Agreement or as an employee of the Company. Including but not limited to his duty of care, fidelity, obedience and good faith.

 

20RESIGNATION AND RETURN OF COMPANY PROPERTY

 

20.1Upon the termination by whatever means of this Agreement the Executive shall:

 

20.1.1immediately resign from his office as a director of the Company and from such offices held by him in any Group Company without claim for compensation; and

 

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20.1.2immediately deliver to the Company all credit cards, motor-cars, keys, computer media and other Company property or Group Company property, in whatever form, of or relating to the business of the Company or of any Group Company which may be in his possession or under his power or control.

 

20.2If the Executive fails to comply with clause 19.1.5 and 20.1.1 the Company is hereby irrevocably authorised to appoint some person in his name and on his behalf to sign and complete any documents or do anything necessary to give effect to this clause.

 

20.3The Executive shall not without the consent of the Company at any time after the termination of this Agreement represent himself still to be connected with the Company or any Group Company.

 

21RECONSTRUCTION OR AMALGAMATION

 

If the employment of the Executive under this Agreement is terminated by reason of the liquidation of the Company for the purpose of reconstruction or amalgamation and the Executive is offered employment with any concern or undertaking resulting from the reconstruction or amalgamation on terms and conditions not less favourable than the terms of this Agreement then the Executive shall have no claim against the Company or any Group Company in respect of the termination of his employment under this Agreement.

 

22RESTRICTIONS

 

22.1Definitions

 

In this clause the following words shall have the following meanings:

 

“Termination Date” the date on which the Executive’s employment terminates;

 

“Person” includes any company, firm, organisation or other entity;

 

“Area” any country where on the Termination Date the Company was supplying services;

 

“Client” any Person to whom the Company or a Group Company supplied services during the six months preceding the Termination Date and with whom at any time during such period the Executive was actively involved in the course of his employment;

 

“Prospective Client” any Person with whom the Company or a Group Company had negotiations or discussions regarding the possible supply of services during the six months immediately preceding the Termination Date and with whom at any time during such period the Executive was actively involved in the course of his employment;

 

“Employee” means any director of the Company or any Group Company and/or any person employed by or who renders services to the Company or any Group Company and who has Client responsibility or influence over Clients or Prospective Clients and/or who is in possession of confidential information (as defined above) and who in any such case was so employed or so rendered services during the period of six months prior to the Termination Date and had dealings with the Executive during that period; and

 

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“Supplier” means any person firm or company who is or was at any time during the six months preceding the Termination Date a supplier or procurer of goods and/or services to the Company or any Group Company.

 

22.2In order to protect the goodwill, confidential information, trade secrets and business connections of the Company or any Group Company the Executive covenants with the Company (and as trustee for each Group Company) that:

 

22.2.1Non-competition

 

The Executive shall not during his employment or for a period of six months from the Termination Date directly or indirectly be interested or concerned in any business which I s carried on in the Area and which:

 

(a)concerns the business carried on by the Group in the six months preceding the Completion Date and as carried on or otherwise contemplated by the Group during the Relevant Period; or
(b)is competitive or likely to be competitive with the business of the Company or a Group Company being carried on at the Termination Date and with which the Executive was actively involved at any time during the six months ending on the Termination Date.

 

For this purpose, the Executive is concerned in a business if:

 

(a)he carries it on as principal or agent; or
(b)he is a partner, director, employee, secondee, consultant or agent in, of or to any Person who carries on the business; or
(c)subject to clause 13 above, he has any direct or indirect financial interest (as shareholder or otherwise) in any Person who carries on the business.

 

22.2.2Non-solicitation/Dealing

 

The Executive shall not during his employment or for a period of twelve months from the Termination Date in the Area directly or indirectly:

(a)canvass or solicit business or approach any Clients or Prospective Clients in respect of services similar to those being provided by the Company or a Group Company as at the Termination Date;
(b)seek to do business or deal with any Clients or Prospective Clients in respect of services similar to those being provided by the Company or a Group Company as at the termination Date; or
(c)canvass or solicit business from or make an approach to any supplier of the Company or a Group Company with whom the Executive was actively involved at any time during the six months ending on the Termination Date to cease to supply, or to restrict or vary the terms of supply to the Company or a Group Company or otherwise interfere with the relationship between such a supplier and the Company or a Group Company.

 

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22.2.3Non-poaching

 

The Executive shall not during his employment or for a period of twelve months after the Termination Date directly or indirectly:

(a)induce or attempt to induce any Employee of the Company or a Group Company to leave the employment of the Company or a Group Company (whether or not this would be a breach of contract by that employee) for the purposes of being involved in or engaged in the types of business referred to in sub-clauses 22.2.1(a) and 22.2.1(b) above; or

 

(b)engage, attempt to engage, employ, attempt to employ or offer employment or work (and in each case whether directly or indirectly, including through an employment agency or other intermediary) to any Employee for the purposes of being involved in or engaged in the types of business referred to in sub-clauses 22.2.1(a) and 22.2.1(b) above.

 

22.2.4Non-interference

 

The Executive shall not during his employment or for a period of twelve months after the Termination Date to the detriment of the Company or any Group Company, directly or indirectly persuade or endeavour to persuade any Relevant Supplier to cease doing business or materially reduce its business with the Company or any Group Company.

 

22.2.5Non-disparagement

 

The Executive shall not at any time (whether during or after the termination of his employment) make whether directly or indirectly any untrue, misleading or derogatory oral or written statement concerning the business, affairs, officers or employees of the Company or any Group Company.

 

22.2.6Non-association

 

The Executive shall not (except with the prior written consent of the Company) at any time after the termination of his employment represent himself to be connected with or interested in the business of or employed by the Company or any Group Company or use for any purpose the name of the Company or any Group Company or any name capable of confusion therewith.

 

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22.3The restrictions in this clause are considered by the parties to be reasonable and the validity of each sub-clause shall not be affected if any of the others is judged to be invalid. If any of the restrictions are void but would be valid if some part of the restriction were deleted, the restriction in question shall apply with such modification as may be necessary to make it valid.

 

22.4The Executive acknowledges that the provisions of this clause are no more extensive than is reasonable to protect the legitimate business interests of the Company or the Group.

 

23SEVERABILITY

 

If any of the provisions of this Agreement become invalid or unenforceable for any reason by virtue of applicable law the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect and the Company and the Executive hereby undertake to use all reasonable endeavours to replace any legally invalid or unenforceable provision with a provision which will promise to the parties (as far as practicable) the same commercial results as were intended or contemplated by the original provision.

 

24THIRD PARTIES

 

Unless the right of enforcement is expressly granted, it is not intended that a third party should have the right to enforce the provisions of this Agreement pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

 

25NOTICES

 

25.1Any notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be given in writing delivered personally or sent by first class post pre-paid recorded delivery (air mail if overseas) or by facsimile to the party due to receive such notice at, in the case of the Company, its registered office from time to time and, in the case of the Executive, his address as set out in this Agreement (or such address as he may have notified to the Company in accordance with this clause).

 

25.2Any notice delivered personally shall be deemed to be received when delivered to the address provided in this Agreement and any notice sent by pre-paid recorded delivery post shall be deemed (in the absence of evidence of earlier receipt) to be received two days after posting and in proving the time of despatch it shall be sufficient to show that the envelope containing such notice was properly addressed, stamped and posted. A notice sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been received on receipt by the sender of confirmation in the transmission report that the facsimile had been sent.

 

26GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

 

26.1In the event of the Executive wishing to seek redress of any grievance relating to his employment he should lay his grievance before the Board in writing, who will afford the Executive the opportunity of a full hearing before the Board or a committee of the Board whose decision on such grievance shall be final and binding.

 

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26.2The Company’s usual disciplinary procedures do not apply to the Executive. In the event that any disciplinary action is to be taken against the Executive, any hearing in respect thereof will be conducted by such director of the Company or any Group Company as the Board may in its reasonable discretion nominate. If the Executive seeks to appeal against any disciplinary action taken against him he should do so to the Board submitting full written grounds for his appeal to the Chairman within thirty days of the action appealed against. The decision of the Board or a delegated committee therefore shall be final and binding. For the avoidance of doubt, the Executive has no contractual right to either a disciplinary hearing or appeal.

 

26.3The Company may in its absolute discretion suspend the Executive from some or all of his duties and from the Board and/or require him to remain away from work during any investigation conducted into an allegation relation to the Executive’s conduct or performance. During such period, the Executive’s salary and contractual benefits will continue to be paid and provided.

 

27MISCELLANEOUS

 

27.1This Agreement is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of England.

27.2The parties to this Agreement submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

 

27.3This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties and supersedes all previous agreements and arrangements (if any) relating to the employment of the Executive by the Company or any Group Company (which shall be deemed hereby to have been terminated by mutual consent and without compensation). By executing this Agreement, the Executive confirms and warrants that there are no outstanding payments or benefits owed to him under any prior agreement or understanding with the Company or any Group Company.

 

27.4The Company is not a party to any collective agreements which affect the Executive’s employment.

27.5The Executive authorises the Company to deduct from any remuneration payable to the Executive under this Agreement any sums due from him to the Company or any Group Company including the cost of repairing any damage to Company or any Group Company property caused by the Executive.

 

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Signed as a Deed by MIDATECH PHARMA PLC acting by:

 

 

 

   
Director /s/ Sijmen de Vries
   
   
Director/Company Secretary  
   
   
   
   
Signed as a Deed by CRAIG COOK /s/ Craig Cook
in the presence of:  
   
   
   
Witness signature: /s/ Nick Robbins-Cherry
 
Name: Nick Robbins-Cherry
   
Address:  
   
   
   
   
   
Occupation: CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT

 

 

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