Schedule 13D
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*
China Lodging Group, Limited
(Name of Issuer)
Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001
(Title of Class of Securities)
(CUSIP Number)
Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
Min Fan
99 Fu Quan Road
Shanghai 200335
Peoples Republic of China
Telephone: +86 21 3406 4880
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to
Receive Notices and Communications)
with a copy to:
Z. Julie Gao, Esq.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
c/o 42/F, Edinburgh Tower
The Landmark
15 Queens Road Central
Hong Kong
(852) 3740-4700
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. o
Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.
* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting persons initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be filed for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
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NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. |
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CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
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(a) o |
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(b) o |
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SEC USE ONLY |
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SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) |
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WC |
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CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e) |
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CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION |
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Cayman Islands
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7 |
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SOLE VOTING POWER |
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NUMBER OF |
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22,049,446 ordinary shares |
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SHARES |
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SHARED VOTING POWER |
BENEFICIALLY |
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OWNED BY |
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0 |
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EACH |
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SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER |
REPORTING |
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PERSON |
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22,049,446 ordinary shares |
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WITH |
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SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER |
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0 |
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11 |
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AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON |
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22,049,446 ordinary shares |
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12 |
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CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) |
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PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) |
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9.15% |
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14 |
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TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS) |
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CO |
1
Item 1. Security and Issuer.
This Statement on Schedule 13D (this Statement) relates to the ordinary shares, par
value $0.0001 per share (the Shares), of China Lodging Group, Limited, a company
organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the Company), whose principal executive
offices are located at 5th Floor, Block 57, No. 461 Hongcao Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200233,
Peoples Republic of China.
Item 2. Identity and Background.
This Statement is being filed by Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company organized under the
laws of the Cayman Islands (Ctrip).
Ctrip is a travel service provider for hotel accommodations, airline tickets and packaged
tours in China.
The principal executive offices of Ctrip are located at 99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai 200335,
Peoples Republic of China.
The name, business address, present principal occupation or employment and citizenship of each
of the executive officers and directors of Ctrip are set forth in Schedule A hereto and are
incorporated herein by reference.
During the last five years, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any of the
persons listed in Schedule A hereto has been: (i) convicted in a criminal proceeding
(excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or (ii) a party to a civil proceeding of a
judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or
is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or
mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with
respect to such laws.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Considerations.
On March 31, 2010, pursuant to the subscription agreement (the Subscription
Agreement) by and between Ctrip and the Company, the Company sold and issued to Ctrip
7,202,482 Shares at a purchase price of $3.0625 per share in a private placement.
On March 31, 2010, pursuant to the share purchase agreement (the Share Purchase
Agreement) by and among Ctrip and the selling shareholders listed therein , Ctrip purchased an
aggregate of 11,646,964 Shares of the Company at a purchase price of $3.0625 per Share from the
selling shareholders, comprising of (i) 110,619 Shares from Chengwei Partners, L.P., (ii) 2,714,428
Shares from Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Fund, L.P., (iii) 335,491 Shares from Chengwei Ventures
Evergreen Advisors Fund, LLC, (iv) 3,160,538 Shares from CDH Courtyard Limited, (v) 1,410,306
Shares from IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P., (vi) 288,210 Shares from IDG-Accel China Growth
Fund-A L.P., (vii) 131,387 Shares from IDG-Accel China Investors L.P., (viii) 1,020,623 Shares from
Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P., (ix)112,076 Shares from Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P., (x)
224,152 Shares from Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P., and (xi) 2,139,134 Shares from Pinpoint
Capital 2006 A Limited.
2
A copy of the Subscription Agreement and the Share Purchase Agreement are attached hereto as
Exhibit A and Exhibit B, respectively. The description of the abovementioned
documents contained herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit A and B, which are
incorporated herein by reference.
In addition, on March 31, 2010, Ctrip purchased 800,000 ADSs representing 3,200,000 Shares of
the Company in the Companys initial public offering at a purchase price of $12.25 per ADS, or
$3.0625 per Share.
Upon the closing of the transactions described above, Ctrip holds an aggregate of 22,049,446
Shares of the Company (including 3,200,000 Shares represented by ADSs), representing 9.15% of the
Companys total outstanding Shares as of March 31, 2010. The funds used by Ctrip to purchase the
Shares and ADSs described above were obtained from its working capital.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
Subscription Agreement
The description of the Subscription Agreement set forth in Item 3 is hereby incorporated by
reference in this Item 4. Ctrip also agreed for a period of 180 days after March 31, 2010 (i) not
to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, and not to announce an intention to sell, transfer or
otherwise dispose of Sharers or similar securities; and (ii) not to acquire more than an additional
5% of the total outstanding Shares of the Company without the prior written approval of the
Company.
Share Purchase Agreement
The description of the Share Purchase Agreement set forth in Item 3 is hereby incorporated by
reference in this Item 4.
Investor and Registration Rights Agreement
On March 12, 2010, Ctrip and the Company entered into an Investor and Registration Rights
Agreement (the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement), a copy of which is attached
as Exhibit C hereto. Pursuant to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, Ctrip is
entitled to appoint one director to the Companys board of directors (the Board) so long
as Ctrip, together with its affiliates (as defined in the Rule 405 under the Securities Act of
1933) remains the beneficial owner of at least (a) 5% of the Companys then outstanding Shares for
a period of three years from the closing of the Companys IPO, and (b) 8% of the Companys then
outstanding Shares for any period thereafter.
Pursuant to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, the Company agreed to provide
Ctrip with certain registration rights in respect of the Shares held by Ctrip.
The description of the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement contained herein is
qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit C, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
3
Although Ctrip has no present intention to acquire additional securities of the Company, it
intends to review its investment on a regular basis and, as a result thereof, may at any time or
from time to time determine, either alone or as part of a group (subject to the 180-days lock-up
and stand-still period set
forth in the Subscription Agreement as discussed above), (i) to acquire additional securities
of the Company, through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise, (ii)
to dispose of all or a portion of the securities of the Company owned by it in the open market, in
privately negotiated transactions or otherwise or (iii) to take any other available course of
action, which could involve one or more of the types of transactions or have one or more of the
results described in the next paragraph of this Item 4. Any such acquisition or disposition or
other transaction would be made in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein, Ctrip specifically reserves the right to change its
intention with respect to any or all of such matters. In reaching any decision as to its course of
action (as well as to the specific elements thereof), Ctrip currently expects that it would take
into consideration a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the following: the
Companys business and prospects; other developments concerning the Company and its businesses
generally; other business opportunities available to Ctrip; changes in law and government
regulations; general economic conditions; and liquidity and stock market conditions, including the
market price of the securities of the Company.
Except as set forth in this Schedule 13D, Ctrip has no present plans or proposals that relate
to or would result in:
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(i) |
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The acquisition of additional securities of the Company, or the
disposition of securities of the Company by any person; |
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(ii) |
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An extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger,
reorganization or liquidation, involving the Company; |
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(iii) |
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A sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the
Company; |
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(iv) |
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Any change in the present Board or management of the Company,
including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or
to fill any existing vacancies on the board; |
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(v) |
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Any material change in the present capitalization or dividend
policy of the Company; |
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(vi) |
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Any other material change in the Companys business or
corporate structure; |
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(vii) |
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Changes in the Companys charter, bylaws or instruments
corresponding thereto or other actions that may impede the acquisition of
control of the Company by any person; |
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(viii) |
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A class of securities of the Company being delisted from a national
securities exchange or ceasing to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-dealer
quotation system of a registered national securities association; |
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(ix) |
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A class of equity securities of the Company becoming eligible
for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended; or |
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(x) |
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Any action similar to any of those enumerated above. |
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Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
The responses of Ctrip to Rows (7) through (13) of the cover pages of this Schedule 13D and
the information set forth in Item 3 are hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 5.
Upon the closing of the transactions described above, Ctrip acquired and is deemed to
beneficially own 22,049,446 Shares, representing 9.15% of the Companys total outstanding Shares as
of March 31, 2010. References to percentage ownerships of Shares in this Schedule 13D are based
upon 241,018,079 Shares outstanding as of March 31, 2010.
To the best knowledge of Ctrip, the directors and executive officers of Ctrip may be deemed to
beneficially own an aggregate of 132,116,228 Shares, or 54.82% of the total outstanding Shares of
the Company, as of March 31, 2010, comprising of: (i) 115,759,849 Shares beneficially owned by Qi
Ji, a director of Ctrip, who is also the executive chairman of the Company, including 35,000,000 Shares
held by East Leader International Limited, of which Ms. Tongtong Zhao is the sole director and over which Mr. Ji has voting power pursuant to a power of attorney; (ii) 9,633,333 Shares
held by John Jiong Wu, who is a director of the Company and spouse of the chief
financial officer of Ctrip; (iii) a total of 6,721,046 Shares held by IDG-Accel China Growth Fund
L.P., IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P. and IDG-Accel China Investors L.P., of which a director of
Ctrip, Suyang Zhang, is an affiliate (Mr. Zhang expressly disclaims beneficial ownership of the
foregoing 6,721,046 Shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interests therein); (iv) 2,000
Shares held by Tao Yang, a senior vice president of Ctrip.
Ctrip has no contract, arrangement, or understanding of any kind with any of such directors or
officers with respect to the Shares, expressly disclaims any direct or indirect beneficial
ownership in the Shares owned by such directors and officers, and further disclaims any group
status with such directors and officers. Such directors and officers expressly disclaim any direct
or indirect beneficial ownership in the Shares owned by Ctrip, and further disclaim any group
status with Ctrip.
Except as disclosed in this Schedule 13D, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any
of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto, beneficially owns any Shares or has the right
to acquire any Shares.
Except as disclosed in this Schedule 13D, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any
of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto, presently has the power to vote or to direct
the vote or to dispose or direct the disposition of any of the Shares that they may be deemed to
beneficially own.
Except as disclosed in this Schedule 13D, neither Ctrip nor, to the best of its knowledge, any
of the persons listed in Schedule A hereto, has effected any transaction in the Shares
during the past 60 days.
To the best knowledge of Ctrip, no other person has the right to receive or the power to
direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the Shares beneficially
owned by Ctrip.
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the
Issuer.
The information set forth in Items 3 and 4 is hereby incorporated by reference in this Item 6.
5
Except as described above or elsewhere in this Schedule 13D or incorporated by reference in
this Schedule 13D, there are no contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships (legal or
otherwise) between Ctrip or, to the best of its knowledge, any of the persons named in Schedule
A hereto and any other person with respect to any securities of the Company, including, but not
limited to, transfer or voting of any securities, finders fees, joint ventures, loan or option
arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees of profits, division of profits or losses, or the giving or
withholding of proxies.
Item 7. Material to Be Filed as Exhibits.
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Exhibit No. |
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Description |
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A
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Subscription Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China Lodging Group, Limited |
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B
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Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and the selling shareholders
named therein |
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C
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Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March
12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China
Lodging Group, Limited |
6
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the
information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: April 9, 2010
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CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
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By: |
/s/ Min Fan
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Name: |
Min Fan |
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Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
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7
SCHEDULE A
Ctrip Directors and Executive Officers
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Name |
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Present Principal Occupation |
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Business Address |
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Citizenship |
James Jianzhang
Liang
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Co-founder; Chairman of the
Board
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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USA |
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Min Fan
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Co-founder; President; Chief Executive
Officer; Director
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Jane Jie Sun
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Chief Financial Officer
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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USA |
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Neil Nanpeng Shen
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Co-founder; Director
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Suite 2215, Two Pacific
Place, 88 Queensway Road,
Hong Kong.
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Hong Kong SAR, PRC |
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Qi Ji
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Co-founder; Director
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5th Floor, Block 57, No. 461
Hongcao Road, Xuhui District,
Shanghai, PRC
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Singapore |
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Gabriel Li
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Deputy Chairman of the Board
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Suite 6110, 61/F, The Center,
99 Queens Road, Central,
Hong Kong
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USA |
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JP Gan
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Director
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Room3906 Jinmao Tower, 88
Century Boulevard, Shanghai,
PRC
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USA |
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Suyang Zhang
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Director
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Room 1105, Aetna Tower, No
107 Zunyi Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Jianmin Zhu
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Senior Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Tao Yang
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Senior Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Maohua Sun
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Senior Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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James Lan Tang
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Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Shaw Xiaoliang Ding
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Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Cindy Xiaofan Wang
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Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Yuxiang Zhuang
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Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Dongjie Guo
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Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
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Hao Jiang
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Vice President
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99 Fu Quan Road, Shanghai, PRC
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PRC |
EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit No. |
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Description |
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A
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Subscription Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China Lodging Group, Limited |
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B
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Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2010, between
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and the Selling Shareholders |
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C
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Investor and Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March
12, 2010, between Ctrip.com International, Ltd. and China
Lodging Group, Limited |
Exhibit A
Exhibit A
Execution Version
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This Subscription Agreement (this Agreement) is made as of March 12, 2010 by and
between:
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(1) |
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China Lodging Group, Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman
Islands (the Company); and |
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(2) |
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Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman
Islands (the Purchaser). The Purchaser and the Company are sometimes
herein referred to each as a Party, and collectively as the
Parties. |
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company has filed a registration statement on Form F-1 as of March 5, 2010 (the
Registration Statement) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the
SEC) in connection with the initial public offering (the Offering) by the
Company of American Depositary Shares (ADS), each representing four ordinary shares
(Ordinary Shares) of the Company as specified in the Registration Statement; and
WHEREAS, the Purchaser wishes to invest in the Company by acquiring Ordinary Shares in the
Company in a transaction exempt from registration pursuant to Regulation S of the U.S. Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (Regulation S and the Securities Act, respectively);
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the mutual promises hereinafter
set forth, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
PURCHASE AND SALE
Section 1.1 Issuance, Sale and Purchase of Ordinary Shares. Upon the terms and subject
to the conditions of this Agreement, at each of the Closings (as defined below), as applicable, the
Purchaser hereby agrees to purchase, and the Company hereby agrees to issue, sell and deliver to
the Purchaser, subject to and concurrent with the Offering, at the Offer Price, certain number (as
such number is determined pursuant to Section 1.2 below) of Ordinary Shares (the Purchased
Shares), free and clear of all liens or encumbrances (other than those created by
virtue of this Agreement). The Offer Price means the price per ADS set forth on the
cover of the Companys final prospectus in connection with the Offering (the Final Prospectus)
divided by the number of Ordinary Shares represented by one ADS. All such sales shall be made (i)
on the same terms as the ADSs being offered in the Offering and (ii) pursuant to and in reliance
upon Regulation S.
Section 1.2 Closing.
(a) Initial Closing. Subject to Section 1.3, the initial closing (the Initial
Closing) of the sale and purchase of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to Section 1.1 shall take
place concurrently with the closing of the offering of the underwritten ADSs representing Ordinary
Shares (the Firm Share Offering) at the same offices for the closing of the Firm Share
Offering or at such other place as the Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree. The total
number of the Ordinary Shares that the Purchaser shall purchase at the Initial Closing shall be
7,202,482. The date and time of the Initial Closing are referred to herein as the Initial
Closing Date.
(b) Additional Closing. Subject to Section 1.3, if the Company grants the underwriters
an over-allotment option to purchase additional ADSs representing Ordinary Shares (the
Optional Shares), then:
(i) if the underwriters purchase any such Optional Shares, and, solely as a result of (x) the
issuance of ADSs by the Company in the Offering in excess of 9,000,000 ADSs; or (y) the issuance of
the Optional Shares (the Greenshoe Offering); or (z) a combination of (x) and (y), the
Purchasers shareholding of the Companys total outstanding Ordinary Shares will be below 8% of the
Companys total outstanding Ordinary Shares upon the closing of the Greenshoe Offering, then the
additional closing (the Additional Closing) of the sale and purchase of additional
Ordinary Shares pursuant to Section 1.1 shall take place concurrently with the closing of the
Greenshoe Offering at the same office for the closing of the Greenshoe Offering or at such other
place as the Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree. The Company shall promptly issue a
notice to the Purchaser if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option, and the Purchaser
shall promptly issue a notice to the Company with respect to the Purchasers shareholding in the
Company. The total number of additional Ordinary Shares that the Purchaser will purchase at the
Additional Closing shall be such that, together with the Ordinary Shares (whether or not
represented by ADSs) the Purchaser has acquired, will result in the Purchaser holding 8% of the
Companys total outstanding Ordinary Shares upon the Additional Closing.
(ii) if the underwriters do not exercise such option, and, solely as a result of the issuance
of ADSs by the Company in the Offering in excess of 9,000,000 ADSs, the Purchasers shareholding of
the Companys total outstanding Ordinary Shares will be below 8% of the Companys total outstanding
Ordinary Shares on
2
the 30th day following the Initial Closing, then the Additional Closing of the sale
and purchase of the Ordinary Shares pursuant to Section 1.1 shall take place on such
30th day following the Initial Closing at the same office for the Initial Closing or at
such other place as the Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree. The Purchaser shall issue a
notice to the Company with respect to the Purchasers shareholding in the Company as of such
30th day following the Initial Closing. The total number of additional Ordinary Shares
that the Purchaser will purchase at the Additional Closing shall be such that, together with the
Ordinary Shares and ADSs the Purchaser has acquired, will result in the Purchaser holding 8% of the
Companys total outstanding Ordinary Shares upon the Additional Closing.
(iii) The Additional Closing and the Initial Closing are referred to herein collectively as
the Closings and individually a Closing. The date and time of the Additional Closing are
referred to herein as the Additional Closing Date. The Additional Closing Date and the Initial
Closing Date are referred to herein collectively as the Closing Dates and individually as a
Closing Date. For the avoidance of doubt and solely for the purpose of shareholding calculation
in this Subsection 1.2(b), the Companys total outstanding Ordinary Shares shall exclude Ordinary
Shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options after the applicable date of
calculation.
(c) Payment and Delivery. At each of the Closings, as applicable, the Purchaser
shall pay and deliver the total consideration to the Company in U.S. dollars by wire transfer, or
by such other method mutually agreeable to the parties, of immediately available funds to such bank
account designated in writing by the Company, and the Company shall deliver one or more duly
executed share certificates in original form, registered in the name of the Purchaser, together
with a certified true copy of the register of the members of the Company, evidencing the Ordinary
Shares being issued and sold to the Purchaser.
(d) Restrictive Legend. Each certificate representing the Purchased Shares shall be
endorsed with the following legend:
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (AS AMENDED, THE
ACT) OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED,
SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED: (A) IN THE ABSENCE OF (1) AN EFFECTIVE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT, (2) AN EXEMPTION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER APPLICABLE
SECURITIES LAWS OR (3) DELIVERY TO THE COMPANY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY
SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED; AND (B) WITHIN THE
UNITED STATES OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON, AS EACH OF THOSE TERMS IS DEFINED IN REGULATION S
UNDER
3
THE ACT, DURING THE 40 DAYS FOLLOWING CLOSING OF THE PURCHASE. ANY ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER,
SELL, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS SECURITY IN VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS SHALL BE
VOID.
Section 1.3 Closing Conditions.
(a) Conditions of the Purchaser for the Closing. The obligation of the Purchaser to
purchase and pay for the Purchased Shares as contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the
satisfaction, on or before the applicable Closing Date, of the following conditions, any of which
may be waived by the Purchaser in its sole discretion:
(i) The Investor and Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the Purchaser
substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the Investor and Registration
Rights Agreement), shall have been executed and delivered to the Purchaser.
(ii) The Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company
substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto shall have been adopted and become
effective as of the Closing Date.
(iii) All corporate and other actions required to be taken by the Company in connection with
the issuance and sale of the Purchased Shares shall have been completed.
(iv) The Company shall have provided to the Purchaser a legal opinion of Cayman Islands
counsel dated as of the applicable Closing Date to the Company substantially in the form attached
as Exhibit C.
(v) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 2.1 of this
Agreement shall have been true and correct on the date of this Agreement and on and as of the
applicable Closing Date; and the Company shall have performed and complied with all, and not be in
breach or default under any, agreements, covenants, conditions and obligations contained in this
Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with on or before the applicable Closing
Date.
(vi) No governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued,
promulgated, enforced or entered any law (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that is in
effect and restrains, enjoins, prevents, prohibits, imposes any damages or penalties that are
substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and no action, suit, proceeding or investigation shall
have been instituted by a governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or threatened that seeks
to restrain, enjoin, prevent, prohibit, impose any damages
4
or penalties that are substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(vii) The Offering shall have been successfully completed by no later than June 30, 2010.
(viii) The ADSs shall have been listed on the NASDAQ Global Market subject to official notice
of issuance.
(ix) The underwriting agreement relating to the Offering shall have been entered into and have
become effective.
(x) The board of directors of the Company is constituted in accordance with the Investor and
Registration Rights Agreement
(b) Conditions of the Company. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell the
Purchased Shares to be sold to and purchased by the Purchaser as contemplated by this Agreement are
subject to the satisfaction, on or before the applicable Closing Date, of each of the following
conditions, any of which may be waived in writing by the Company in its sole discretion:
(i) The Investor and Registration Rights Agreement shall have been executed and delivered by
the Purchaser.
(ii) All corporate and other actions required to be taken by the Purchaser in connection with
the purchase of the Purchased Shares shall have been completed.
(iii) The representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained in Section 2.2 of this
Agreement shall have been true and correct in all material respects on the date of this Agreement
and on and as of the applicable Closing Date; and the Purchaser shall have performed and complied
in all material respects with all, and not be in breach or default in any material respect under
any, agreements, covenants, conditions and obligations contained in this Agreement that are
required to be performed or complied with on or before the applicable Closing Date.
(iv) No governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued,
promulgated, enforced or entered any law (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) that is in
effect and restrains, enjoins, prevents, prohibits, imposes any damages or penalties that are
substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and no action, suit, proceeding or investigation shall
have been instituted by a governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or threatened that seeks
to restrain, enjoin, prevent, prohibit, impose any damages
5
or penalties that are substantial in relation to the Company, or otherwise makes illegal the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Section 2.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby
represents and warrants to the Purchaser, as of the date hereof and as of the applicable Closing
Date, as follows:
(a) Organization and Authority.
(i) The Company is a company duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Company has all
requisite power and authority to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted.
(ii) The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement
and to perform its obligations hereunder. The execution and delivery by the Company of this
Agreement and the performance of its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all
requisite action on the part of the Company and its shareholders. This Agreement constitutes the
valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its respective
terms and conditions, except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors rights
generally, and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance,
injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies.
(b) Capitalization.
(i) The authorized share capital, option plans and issuance and warrant issuance of the
Company shall be as set forth in the Registration Statement. Schedule I of this Agreement sets
forth all the authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company. All issued
and outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(ii) All outstanding Ordinary Shares and all outstanding awards under the Companys stock
option plans and all outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Companys subsidiaries and
consolidated affiliates (each a Subsidiary and collectively Subsidiaries) have
been issued and granted in compliance with (i) all applicable Securities Laws and other applicable
laws and (ii) all requirements set forth in applicable contracts, without violation of the
preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights. Except as set forth in the
Registration Statement, no equity securities of the Company are or may
6
become required to be issued by reason of any notes, bonds or other debt securities, or any
option, warrant or other agreements to which the Company is a party. Securities Laws
means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), the
Exchange Act, the listing rules of, or any listing agreement with Nasdaq Global Market and any
other applicable law regulating securities or takeover matters.
(c) Due Issuance of the Purchased Shares. The Purchased Shares have been duly
authorized and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Purchaser pursuant to this
Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free and clear of any pledge,
mortgage, security interest, encumbrance, lien, charge, assessment, right of first refusal, right
of pre-emption, third party right or interest, claim or restriction of any kind or nature, except
for restrictions arising under the Securities Act and upon delivery and entry into the register of
members of the Company will transfer to the Purchaser good and valid title to the Purchased Shares.
(d) Noncontravention. Neither the execution and the delivery of this Agreement, nor
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, will (i) violate any provision of the
Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association or other constitutional documents of
the Company or its Subsidiaries or violate any constitution, statute, regulation, rule, injunction,
judgment, order, decree, ruling, charge, or other restriction of any government, governmental
entity or court to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is subject, or (ii) conflict with, result
in a breach of, constitute a default under, result in the acceleration of or creation of an
encumbrance under, create in any party the right to accelerate, terminate, modify, or cancel, or
require any notice under, any agreement, contract, lease, license, instrument, or other arrangement
to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or its Subsidiaries is
bound or to which any of the Companys or its Subsidiaries assets are subject. There is no action,
suit or proceeding, pending or threatened against the Company or its Subsidiaries that questions
the validity of this Agreement or the right of the Company to enter into this Agreement or to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
(e) Consents and Approvals. Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of this
Agreement, nor the consummation by the Company of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor
the performance by the Company of this Agreement in accordance with its terms requires the consent,
approval, order or authorization of, or registration with, or the giving notice to, any
governmental or public body or authority or any third party, except such as have been obtained,
made or given.
(f) Compliance with Laws. The business of the Company or its Subsidiaries is not being
conducted in violation of any law or government order applicable to the Company except for
violations which do not and would not
7
reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
As used herein, Material Adverse Effect shall mean any event, fact, circumstance or
occurrence that, individually or in the aggregate with any other events, facts, circumstances or
occurrences, results in or would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change in
or a material adverse effect on any of (i) the financial condition, assets, liabilities, results of
operations, business, or operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except to
the extent that any such Material Adverse Effect results from (x) the public disclosure of the
transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (y) changes in
generally accepted accounting principles that are generally applicable to comparable companies, or
(z) changes in general economic and market conditions; or (ii) the ability of the Company to
consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and to timely perform its material
obligations under the Agreement.
(g) SEC Filings; Financial Statements.
(i) Prior to the Initial Closing, the Registration Statement shall have been filed with the
SEC. The Registration Statement conforms and will conform, in all material respects to the
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder and does not
and will not, as of the applicable effective date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading.
(ii) The audited consolidated financial statement (including any notes thereto) contained in
the Registration Statement was prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted
accounting principles (GAAP) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods
indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and each fairly presents, in all
material respects, the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective
periods indicated therein.
(iii) Except as and to the extent set forth in the Registration Statement and on the audited
consolidated balance sheets of the Company and the consolidated Subsidiaries as at December 31,
2007, 2008 and 2009, including the notes thereto (the Balance Sheets), neither the
Company nor any subsidiary has any liability or obligation of any nature (whether accrued,
absolute, contingent or otherwise) that would be required to be disclosed in accordance with GAAP,
except for liabilities and obligations, incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice since December 31, 2009, which would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent
or materially delay consummation of any of the transactions or otherwise prevent or materially
delay the Company from performing its obligations under this Agreement and would not reasonably be
expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
8
None of the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract or any commitment providing
for an interest rate, currency or commodity swap, derivative, forward purchase or sale or other
transaction similar in nature or effect or involving any off-balance sheet financing.
(h) Events Subsequent to Most Recent Fiscal Period. Except as set forth in the
Registration Statement, since December 31, 2009, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Effect
or any event, fact, circumstance or occurrence that would reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(i) PFIC. The Company does not expect to be a passive foreign investment company for
U.S. federal income tax purposes for its 2009 taxable year and it does not expect to become one in
the foreseeable future.
(j) Litigation. There are no actions by or against the Company or its Subsidiaries or
affecting the business or any of the assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries pending before any
governmental authority, or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened to be brought by or before any
governmental authority that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(k) Investment Company. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
and sale of the Company Shares, the consummation of the Public Offering and the application of the
proceeds hereof thereof, will not be an investment company, as such term is defined in the U.S.
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(l) Regulation S. No directed selling efforts (as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S
under the Securities Act) have been made by any of the Company, any of its affiliates or any person
acting on its behalf with respect to any Purchased Shares that are not registered under the
Securities Act; and none of such persons has taken any actions that would result in the sale of the
Purchased Shares to the Purchaser under this Agreement requiring registration under the Securities
Act; and the Company is a foreign issuer (as defined in Regulation S).
Section 2.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser. The Purchaser hereby
represents and warrants to the Company as of the date hereof and as of the applicable Closing Date,
as follows:
(a) Due Formation. The Purchaser is a company duly incorporated as an exempted company
with limited liability, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands,
with full power and authority to own and operate and to carry on its business in the places and in
the manner as currently conducted.
9
(b) Authority. The Purchaser has full power and authority to enter into, execute and
deliver this Agreement and each agreement, certificate, document and instrument to be executed and
delivered by the Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder. The
execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the performance by the Purchaser of
its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all requisite actions on its part.
(c) Valid Agreement. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Purchaser and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable
against it in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting enforcement
of creditors rights generally, and (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of
specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable remedies.
(d) Consents. Neither the execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement
nor the consummation by it of any of the transactions contemplated hereby nor the performance by
the Purchaser of this Agreement in accordance with its terms requires the consent, approval, order
or authorization of, or registration with, or the giving of notice to, any governmental or public
body or authority or any third party, except as have been obtained, made or given.
(e) No Conflict. Neither the execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this
Agreement, nor the consummation by it of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor
compliance by the Purchaser with any of the terms and conditions hereof will contravene any
existing agreement, federal, state, county or local law, rule or regulation or any judgment, decree
or order applicable to, or binding upon, the Purchaser.
(f) Status and Investment Intent.
(i) Experience. The Purchaser has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and
business matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of its investment in the
Purchased Shares. The Purchaser is capable of bearing the economic risks of such investment,
including a complete loss of its investment.
(ii) Purchase Entirely for Own Account. The Purchaser is acquiring the Purchased
Shares that it is purchasing pursuant to this Agreement for investment for its own account for
investment purposes only and not with the view to, or with any intention of, resale, distribution
or other disposition thereof. The Purchaser does not have any direct or indirect arrangement, or
understanding with any other persons to distribute, or regarding the distribution of the Purchased
Shares in violation of the Securities Act or any other applicable state securities law.
10
(iii) Restricted Securities. The Purchaser acknowledges that the Purchased Shares are
restricted securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable
state securities law. The Purchaser further acknowledges that, absent an effective registration
under the Securities Act, the Purchased Shares may only be offered, sold or otherwise transferred
(x) to the Company, (y) outside the United States in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under
the Securities Act or (z) pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act.
(iv) Information. The Purchaser has been furnished access to all materials such
Purchaser has requested relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries and other due diligence
information and documents, and the Purchaser has been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of
and receive answers from representatives of the Company concerning the foregoing, including the
terms and conditions of this Agreement; provided, however, neither such inquiries nor any other
investigation conducted by or on behalf of such Purchaser or by its representatives or counsel
shall modify, amend or affect such Purchasers right to rely on the truth, accuracy and
completeness of the disclosure materials provided by the Company under this Agreement. The
Purchaser has consulted to the extent deemed appropriate by such Purchaser with such Purchasers
own advisers as to the financial, tax, legal and related matters concerning an investment in the
Purchased Securities and on that basis believes that an investment in the Purchased Securities is
suitable and appropriate for such Purchaser.
(v) Not U.S. Person. The Purchaser is not a U.S. person as defined in Rule 902 of
Regulation S.
(vi) Offshore Transaction. The Purchaser has been advised and acknowledges that in
issuing the Purchased Shares to the Purchaser pursuant hereto, the Company is relying upon the
exemption from registration provided by Regulation S.
(vii) FINRA. The Purchaser does not, directly or indirectly, own more than five per
cent of the outstanding common stock (or other voting securities) of any member of the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) or a holding company for a FINRA member, and
is not otherwise a restricted person for the purposes of the Free-Riding and Withholding
Interpretation of FINRA.
ARTICLE III
COVENANTS
11
Section 3.1 Lock-Up. The Purchaser agrees that it will not, during the period
specified in the following paragraph (the Lock-Up Period), without the prior written
consent of the Company, (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase,
purchase any option or contract to sell, make any short sale, lend or otherwise dispose of any ADSs
or Ordinary Shares (including without limitation the Purchased Shares and Ordinary Shares that the
Purchaser purchases from certain existing shareholders of the Company pursuant to a Shares Purchase
Agreement dated as of the date hereof (the Secondary Shares)) or any securities of the
Company that are substantially similar to the ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any
options or warrants to purchase any ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any securities
convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive ADSs or Ordinary Shares
of the Company, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the Purchaser
(including holding as a custodian) or with respect to which the Purchaser has beneficial ownership
within the rules and regulations of the SEC (collectively the Purchasers Shares), or
(ii) make any demand for or exercise any right (including registration rights) with respect to the
registration of any securities of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for any securities of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser may
transfer the Purchasers Shares to a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Purchaser
that shall be bound by this Agreement as if such subsidiary were a party.
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Agreement and continue for 180
days after the public offering date set forth on the Final Prospectus; provided, however, that if
(1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or
announces material news or a material event or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up
Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 15-day period
following the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be
automatically extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release
of the earnings results or the announcement of the material news or material event, as applicable,
unless the Company waives, in writing, such extension.
Section 3.2 Standstill.
(a) The Purchaser hereby agrees that, without the prior written approval of the Company, the
Purchaser and its affiliates will not, for a period of 180 days from the date of this Agreement,
acquire more than an additional 5% of the total outstanding Ordinary Shares of Voting Securities
(as defined below) of the Company, calculated on a basis that includes all Shares actually
outstanding. Voting Securities shall mean the Shares (including Ordinary Shares
represented by the Companys American depositary shares) and any other securities entitled to vote
generally for the election of directors of the Company. For the avoidance
12
of doubt, the Purchased Shares acquired by the Purchaser on the Closing Dates are not
additional Ordinary Shares for purposes of this Section 3.2(a).
(b) The Purchaser hereby agrees that, without the prior written approval of the Company, the
Purchaser will not, and will use its reasonable efforts to cause its affiliates not to, for a
period of 180 days from the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, acting alone or with
others, assist, support, encourage, finance, participate with or advise any other persons or
entitys efforts to:
(i) propose a merger, business combination, tender or exchange offer, share exchange,
recapitalization, consolidation or other similar transaction involving the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(ii) propose or offer to purchase, lease or otherwise acquire all or a substantial portion of
the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;
(iii) form, join or in any way participate in a group (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act), or act in concert with any person with respect to the securities of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries in an attempt to circumvent the provisions of this Agreement;
(iv) solicit or participate in the solicitation of any proxies or consents with respect to the
voting securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or
(v) enter into any substantial discussions or arrangements with any third party with respect
to any of the foregoing.
Section 3.3 Further Assurances. From the date of this Agreement until the applicable
Closing Date, the Parties shall use their best efforts to fulfill or obtain the fulfillment of the
conditions precedent to the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 3.4 Business Operation. Between the date of this Agreement and the applicable
Closing Date, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall operate their respective businesses only in
the ordinary course consistent with past practice.
ARTICLE IV
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 4.1 Indemnification. Each of the Company and the Purchaser (an
Indemnifying Party) shall indemnify and hold each other and their directors, officers and
agents (collectively, the Indemnified Party) harmless from and against any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, obligations, expenses and liabilities of any kind
or nature whatsoever, including but not limited to any investigative, legal and other expenses
incurred in connection with,
13
and any amounts paid in settlement of, any pending or threatened legal action or proceeding,
and (ii) any taxes or levies that may be payable by such person by reason of the indemnification of
any indemnifiable loss hereunder (collectively, Losses) resulting from or arising out of:
(i) the breach of any representation or warranty of such Indemnifying Party contained in this
Agreement or in any schedule or exhibit hereto; or (ii) the violation or nonperformance, partial or
total, of any covenant or agreement of such Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement for
reasons other than gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. In
calculating the amount of any Losses of an Indemnified Party hereunder, there shall be subtracted
the amount of any insurance proceeds and third-party payments received by the Indemnified Party
with respect to such Losses, if any.
Section 4.2 Notice of Claims; Procedures. If an Indemnified Party makes any claim
against an Indemnifying Party for indemnification, the claim shall be in writing and shall state in
general terms the facts upon which such Indemnified Party makes the claim. In the event of any
claim or demand asserted against an Indemnified Party by a third party upon which the Indemnified
Party may claim indemnification, the Indemnifying Party shall give written notice to the
Indemnified Party within 30 days after receipt from the Indemnified Party of the claim referred to
above, indicating whether such Indemnifying Party intends to assume the defense of the claim or
demand. If an Indemnifying Party assumes the defense, such Indemnifying Party shall have the right
to fully control and settle the proceeding, provided, that, any such settlement or compromise shall
be permitted hereunder only with the written consent of the Indemnified Party. If the Indemnifying
Party elects not to assume the defense, fails to make such an election within the 30-day period or
fails to actively and diligently conduct the defense, the Indemnified Party may, at its option,
defend, settle, compromise or pay such action or claim at the expense of the Indemnifying Party;
provided, that, any such settlement or compromise shall be permitted hereunder only with the
written consent of the Indemnifying Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.
Section 4.3 Cap. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Party shall have no
liability (for indemnification or otherwise) with respect to any Losses in excess of the aggregate
total of the Purchase Price.
Section 4.4 Third Party Claims.
(a) If any third party shall notify any Indemnified Party in writing with respect to any
matter involving a claim by such third party (a Third Party Claim) which such Indemnified
Party believes would give rise to a claim for indemnification against the Indemnifying Party under
this Article IV, then the Indemnified Party shall promptly (i) notify the Indemnifying
Party thereof in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt of notice of such claim and (ii)
transmit to the Indemnifying Party a written notice (Claim Notice) describing in
14
reasonable detail the nature of the Third Party Claim, a copy of all papers served with
respect to such claim (if any), and the basis of the Indemnified Partys request for
indemnification under this Agreement; provided, however, that no delay on the part of the
Indemnified Party in so notifying the Company shall relieve the Company of any obligation under
Section 4.1 with respect thereto unless (and then solely to the extent) the Company is
prejudiced thereby.
(b) Subject to Section 4.4(d) below, upon receipt of a Claim Notice with respect to a
Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense of any Third
Party Claim by notifying the Indemnified Party in writing that the Indemnifying Party elects to
assume the defense of such Third Party Claim, and upon delivery of such notice by the Indemnifying
Party, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to defend such Third Party Claim with counsel,
selected by it, who is reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, by all appropriate
proceedings, which proceedings shall be prosecuted actively and diligently by the Indemnifying
Party to a final conclusion or settled. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Party shall
not be entitled to consent to the entry of a judgment or enter into any compromise or settlement
with respect to such Third Party Claim without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party
(which shall not be unreasonably withheld).
(c) If requested by the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnified Party agrees, at the sole cost and
expense of the Indemnifying Party, to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party and its counsel in
contesting any Third Party Claim which the Indemnifying Party elects to contest, including the
making of any related counterclaim against the person asserting the Third Party Claim or any cross
complaint against any person. The Indemnified Party shall have the right to receive copies of all
pleadings, notices and communications with respect to any Third Party Claim, other than any
privileged communications between the Indemnifying Party and its counsel, and shall be entitled, at
its sole cost and expense, to retain separate co-counsel and participate in, but not control, any
defense or settlement of any Third Party Claim assumed by the Indemnifying Party pursuant to
Section 4.4(b); provided, however, if, based on written advice of counsel, the Indemnified
Party concludes that there is a reasonable likelihood of a conflict of interest between the
Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party with respect to such Third Party Claim, the
Indemnifying Party shall bear the reasonable costs and expenses of counsel retained by the
Indemnified Party in connection with such defense.
(d) If (i) the Indemnifying Party fails to notify the Indemnified Party within the thirty (30)
days after receipt of any Claim Notice that the Indemnifying Party elects to assume the defense of
any Third Party Claim pursuant to Section 4.4(b), (ii) the Indemnifying Party elects to
assume the defense of any Third Party Claim pursuant to Section 4.4(b) but fails to
diligently prosecute or settle such Third Party Claim, (iii) the Indemnifying Party and the
Indemnified Party are parties to the same proceeding (or, assuming the veracity of the facts
alleged by
15
the party bringing the Third Party Claim, the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party may
become parties to the same proceeding) and the Indemnified Party determines in good faith that a
conflict of interest exists between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party, (iv) the
Indemnified Party determines in good faith that there is a reasonable possibility that it will be
prejudiced in any material respect beyond the ambit of such Third Party Claim by the Indemnifying
Partys control of the defense and proceedings with respect to any Third Party Claim, or (v) such
Third Party Claim is a claim by a governmental tax authority, then (A) the Indemnified Party shall
have the right to assume full control of the defense and proceedings with respect to such Third
Party Claim, and the Indemnified Party may compromise or settle such Third Party Claim without
consulting with, or obtaining consent from, the Indemnifying Party in connection therewith (it
being understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Party shall not be bound by any such compromise
or settlement entered into without its consent) and (B) the Indemnifying Party shall reimburse the
Indemnified Party promptly and periodically for the costs of defending against the Third Party
Claim (including fees and disbursements of no more than one counsel per jurisdiction (such counsel
reasonably acceptable to the Indemnifying Party) reasonably incurred in connection with such Third
Party Claim). The Indemnified Party shall have full control of such defense and proceedings,
although the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate in any defense or settlement
controlled by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section 4.4(d) at its sole expense.
Any compromise or settlement of a Third Party Claim effected by the Indemnified Party without the
Indemnifying Partys consent shall not be dispositive of the amount of any Losses with respect to
such Third Party Claim.
(e) In the event any Indemnified Party should have a claim against the Indemnifying Party
hereunder which does not involve a Third Party Claim, the Indemnified Party shall promptly transmit
to the Indemnifying Party a written notice (the Indemnity Notice) describing in
reasonable detail the nature of the claim, the Indemnified Partys best estimate of the amount of
Losses attributable to such claim and the basis of the Indemnified Partys request for
indemnification under this Agreement; provided that no delay on the part of the Indemnified Party
in delivering the Indemnity Notice pursuant to this Section 4.4(e) shall relieve the
Indemnifying Party of any obligation hereunder unless (and then solely to the extent) the
Indemnifying Party is prejudiced thereby. If the Indemnifying Party does not notify the Indemnified
Party within thirty (30) days from its receipt of the Indemnity Notice that the Indemnifying Party
disputes such claim (the Dispute Notice), the Indemnifying Party shall be deemed to have
accepted and agreed with such claim.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
16
Section 5.1 Survival of the Representations and Warranties. All representations and
warranties made by any Party shall survive for two years and shall terminate and be without further
force or effect on the second anniversary of the date hereof, except as to (i) any claims
thereunder which have been asserted in writing pursuant to Section 4.1 against the Party
making such representations and warranties on or prior to such second anniversary, and (ii) the
Companys representations contained in Section 2.1(a), (b) and (c) hereof, each of which
shall survive indefinitely.
Section 5.2 Governing Law; Arbitration. This Agreement shall be governed and
interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to the
conflicts of law principles thereof. Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement,
including any question regarding its existence, validity or termination (Dispute) shall
be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration
Centre in accordance with the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Administered Arbitration
Rules then in force. There shall be three arbitrators. The language to be used in the arbitration
proceedings shall be English. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any immunity to
jurisdiction to which it may be entitled or become entitled (including without limitation sovereign
immunity, immunity to pre-award attachment, post-award attachment or otherwise) in any arbitration
proceedings and/or enforcement proceedings against it arising out of or based on this Agreement or
the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 5.3 Amendment. This Agreement shall not be amended, changed or modified,
except by another agreement in writing executed by the Parties hereto.
Section 5.4 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be
binding upon, each of the Company and the Purchaser and their respective heirs, successors and
permitted assigns and legal representatives.
Section 5.5 Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, duties or
obligations hereunder may be assigned by the Company or the Purchaser without the express written
consent of the other Parties, except that the Purchaser may assign all or any of its rights and
obligations hereunder to any affiliate of Purchaser without the consent of the other Parties,
provided that no such assignment shall relieve the Purchaser of its obligations hereunder if such
assignee does not perform such obligations. Any purported assignment in violation of the foregoing
sentence shall be null and void.
Section 5.6 Notices. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given on the date of
actual delivery if delivered personally to the Party or Parties to whom notice is to be given, on
the date sent if sent by telecopier, tested telex or prepaid telegram, on the next business day
following
17
delivery to Federal Express properly addressed or on the day of attempted delivery by the U.S.
Postal Service if mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage paid,
and properly addressed as follows:
|
|
|
If to Purchaser, at:
|
|
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. |
|
|
6F, Ctrip Building |
|
|
No. 99 Fu Quan Road |
|
|
Shanghai 200335, PRC |
|
|
Fax: +86-21 6239-8855 |
|
|
Attn: Chief Executive Officer |
|
|
|
With copy to:
|
|
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom |
|
|
42/F Edinburgh Tower |
|
|
The Landmark |
|
|
15 Queens Road Central |
|
|
Fax: +852-3910-4850 |
|
|
Attn: Z. Julie Gao |
|
|
|
If to the Company, at:
|
|
China Lodging Group, Limited |
|
|
5th Floor, Block 57, No. 461 Hongcao Road |
|
|
Xu Hui District |
|
|
Shanghai 200233, PRC |
|
|
Fax: +86-21-6485-6019 |
|
|
Attn: Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
|
With copy to:
|
|
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP |
|
|
26/F, Twin Towers (West) |
|
|
B12 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue, Chaoyang District |
|
|
Beijing |
|
|
Fax: +8610-8567-5123 |
|
|
Attn: Howard Zhang |
Any Party may change its address for purposes of this Section 5.6 by giving the other
Parties hereto written notice of the new address in the manner set forth above.
Section 5.7 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and
agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to the matters covered hereby, and all prior
agreements and understandings, oral or in writing, if any, between the Parties with respect to the
matters covered hereby are merged and superseded by this Agreement.
Section 5.8 Severability. If any provisions of this Agreement shall be adjudicated to
be illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any action or proceeding whether in its entirety or in any
portion, then such provision shall be deemed
18
amended, if possible, or deleted, as the case may be, from the Agreement in order to render
the remainder of the Agreement and any provision thereof both valid and enforceable, and all other
provisions hereof shall be given effect separately therefrom and shall not be affected thereby.
Section 5.9 Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the
Company and the Purchaser will bear their respective expenses incurred in connection with the
negotiation, preparation and execution of this Agreement.
Section 5.10 Public Announcements. None of the Parties to this Agreement shall make,
or cause to be made, any press release or public announcement in respect of this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise communicate with any news media without
the prior written consent of the Purchaser and the Company unless otherwise required by Securities
Law or other applicable law, and the Parties to this Agreement shall cooperate as to the timing and
contents of any such press release, public announcement or communication.
Section 5.11 Specific Performance. The Parties hereto agree that irreparable damage
would occur in the event any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the
terms hereof and that the Parties shall be entitled to specific performance of the terms hereof, in
addition to any other remedy at law or equity.
Section 5.12 Purchaser Description.
(a) The Company shall afford the Purchaser a reasonable opportunity in which to review and
comment on any description of the Purchaser and/or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
that is to be included in the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof. The Purchaser
hereby consents and undertakes to promptly provide a description of its organization and business
activities to the Company (the Purchaser Description), and hereby represents that the
Purchaser Description will be true and accurate in all material respects and will not be
misleading, as may be reasonably required by the Company for the purpose of satisfying the
disclosure obligations in connection with the Registration Statement and the prospectus therein
under applicable laws, regulations and the listing rules of the NASDAQ Global Market. The Purchaser
also consents to the inclusion of the Purchaser Description, the Purchasers name as well as the
matters relating to the Purchasers subscription of the Purchased Shares in the Registration
Statement and the prospectus therein, and in press releases and other marketing materials for the
Offering. Additionally, the Purchaser hereby consents to the filing of this Agreement and the
Investor and Registration Rights Agreement as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
19
(b) The Purchaser acknowledges that the Company will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the
Purchaser Description, and it agrees to notify the Company promptly in writing if any of the
content contained therein ceases to be accurate and complete or becomes misleading.
Section 5.13 Distribution Compliance Period. The Purchaser agrees not to resell,
pledge or transfer any Purchased Shares within the United States or to any U.S. Person, as each of
those terms is defined in Regulation S, during the 40 days following the applicable Closing Date.
Section 5.14 Reliance by Underwriters. The Parties acknowledge and agree that
underwriters to the Offering are third-party beneficiaries of and may rely upon the Purchasers
representations and warranties and covenants contained in Section 2.2(d)(iv), (v) and (vi) and
Sections 5.12 and 5.13 of this Agreement.
Section 5.15 Strategic Cooperation. The Parties agree to facilitate strategic
cooperation between the two companies to develop mutually beneficial and long-term relations.
Section 5.16 Termination. In the event that the Initial Closing shall not have
occurred by June 30, 2010, this Agreement shall be terminated unless the Parties mutually agree by
June 30, 2010 to renegotiate.
Section 5.17 Headings. The headings of the various articles and sections of this
Agreement are inserted merely for the purpose of convenience and do not expressly or by implication
limit, define or extend the specific terms of the section so designated.
Section 5.18 Execution in Counterparts. For the convenience of the Parties and to
facilitate execution, this Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute but one and the same
instrument.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
20
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the day and
year first above written.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CHINA LODGING GROUP, LIMITED
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Min (Jenny) Zhang
|
|
|
|
Name: |
Min (Jenny) Zhang |
|
|
|
Title: |
Chief Financial Officer |
|
|
21
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the day and
year first above written.
|
|
|
|
|
|
CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Min Fan
|
|
|
|
Name: |
Min Fan |
|
|
|
Title: |
Chief Executive Officer and President |
|
|
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT]
22
Schedule I
Capitalization of the Company
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Series A |
|
|
Series B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary |
|
|
Preferred |
|
|
Preferred |
|
|
|
|
|
|
% of |
|
Shareholders |
|
Shares |
|
|
Shares* |
|
|
Shares** |
|
|
Total Shares |
|
|
Total |
|
|
Winner Crown Holdings Limited |
|
|
34,822,510 |
|
|
|
20,000,000 |
|
|
|
25,937,339 |
|
|
|
80,759,849 |
|
|
|
41.97 |
% |
John Jiong Wu |
|
|
4,000,000 |
|
|
|
4,000,000 |
|
|
|
1,633,333 |
|
|
|
9,633,333 |
|
|
|
5.01 |
% |
East Leader International Limited |
|
|
15,000,000 |
|
|
|
20,000,000 |
|
|
|
3,920,000 |
|
|
|
38,920,000 |
|
|
|
20.23 |
% |
Chengwei Partners, L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
516,910 |
|
|
|
516,910 |
|
|
|
0.27 |
% |
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Fund,
L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,684,242 |
|
|
|
12,684,242 |
|
|
|
6.59 |
% |
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen
Advisors Fund, LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,567,716 |
|
|
|
1,567,716 |
|
|
|
0.81 |
% |
CDH Courtyard Limited |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,768,868 |
|
|
|
14,768,868 |
|
|
|
7.68 |
% |
Pinpoint Capital 2006 A Limited |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,139,134 |
|
|
|
2,139,134 |
|
|
|
1.11 |
% |
Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,769,269 |
|
|
|
4,769,269 |
|
|
|
2.48 |
% |
Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
523,720 |
|
|
|
523,720 |
|
|
|
0.27 |
% |
Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,047,439 |
|
|
|
1,047,439 |
|
|
|
0.54 |
% |
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,590,216 |
|
|
|
6,590,216 |
|
|
|
3.42 |
% |
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,346,774 |
|
|
|
1,346,774 |
|
|
|
0.70 |
% |
IDG-Accel China Investors L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
613,959 |
|
|
|
613,959 |
|
|
|
0.32 |
% |
Jihua Ma |
|
|
211,365 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
211,365 |
|
|
|
0.11 |
% |
Shengli Wang |
|
|
325,842 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
325,842 |
|
|
|
0.17 |
% |
Rongying Xue |
|
|
143,394 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
143,394 |
|
|
|
0.07 |
% |
Crown Horse |
|
|
2,357,951 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,357,951 |
|
|
|
1.23 |
% |
Qinghua Cai |
|
|
554,241 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
554,241 |
|
|
|
0.29 |
% |
Huiqiu Cheng |
|
|
162,308 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
162,308 |
|
|
|
0.08 |
% |
Ge Feng |
|
|
358,435 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
358,435 |
|
|
|
0.19 |
% |
Global Crystal Consultants Limited |
|
|
81,154 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
81,154 |
|
|
|
0.04 |
% |
Jacob International Limited |
|
|
252,176 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
252,176 |
|
|
|
0.13 |
% |
Bo Li |
|
|
482,866 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
482,866 |
|
|
|
0.25 |
% |
Hei Ho Tong |
|
|
405,770 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
405,770 |
|
|
|
0.21 |
% |
Hui Wan |
|
|
811,539 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
811,539 |
|
|
|
0.42 |
% |
Jun Zhu |
|
|
243,462 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
243,462 |
|
|
|
0.13 |
% |
Richtime Dev. Limited |
|
|
735,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
735,000 |
|
|
|
0.38 |
% |
Prospect Resources Group Limited |
|
|
949,375 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
949,375 |
|
|
|
0.49 |
% |
JMJ Investing Limited |
|
|
857,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
857,500 |
|
|
|
0.45 |
% |
Sea Pearl Worldwide Holding Limited |
|
|
1,470,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,470,000 |
|
|
|
0.76 |
% |
Main See Limited |
|
|
1,470,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,470,000 |
|
|
|
0.76 |
% |
Other Individuals (through
Exercise of Options in March 2010) |
|
|
2,961,790 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,961,790 |
|
|
|
1.54 |
% |
Everlasting Investment Management
Co., Ltd |
|
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
|
0.78 |
% |
Tongren Investment Holdings Limited |
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
0.10 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
70,356,678 |
|
|
|
44,000,000 |
|
|
|
78,058,919 |
|
|
|
192,415,597 |
|
|
|
100.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
Each Series A preferred share will automatically convert into one ordinary share upon the closing of the Companys IPO. |
|
** |
|
Each Series B preferred share will automatically convert into one ordinary share upon the closing of the Companys IPO. |
23
Exhibit A
Investor and Registration Rights Agreement
24
Exhibit B
Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company
The Companies Law (Revised)
Company Limited by Shares
THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
China Lodging Group, Limited
(Adopted
by way of a special resolution passed on March 12, 2010 and
effective immediately
upon the
consummation of the Companys initial public offering on the
Designated Stock Exchange)
|
1. |
|
The name of the Company is China Lodging Group, Limited. |
|
2. |
|
The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Cricket Square,
Hutchins Drive, P.O.Box 2681, Grand Cayman KY1-1111, Cayman Islands. |
|
3. |
|
Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the objects for which the
Company is established are unrestricted. |
|
4. |
|
Subject to the following provisions of this Memorandum, the Company shall have and
be capable of exercising all the functions of a natural person of full capacity
irrespective of any question of corporate benefit, as provided by Section 27(2) of the
Companies Law. |
|
5. |
|
Nothing in this Memorandum shall permit the Company to carry on a business for
which a licence is required under the laws of the Cayman Islands unless duly licensed. |
|
6. |
|
The Company shall not trade in the Cayman Islands with any person, firm or
corporation except in furtherance of the business of the Company carried on outside the
Cayman Islands; provided that nothing in this clause shall be construed as to prevent
the Company effecting and concluding contracts in the Cayman Islands, and exercising in
the Cayman Islands all of its powers necessary for the carrying on of its business
outside the Cayman Islands. |
|
7. |
|
The liability of each member is limited to the amount from time to time unpaid on
such members shares. |
|
8. |
|
The authorized share capital of the Company is US$900,000 divided into
8,000,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each and 1,000,000,000 preferred
shares of par value US$0.0001 each, with the power for the Company, insofar as is
permitted by law, to redeem or purchase any of its shares and to increase or reduce the
said capital subject to the provisions of the Companies Law and the Articles of
Association and to issue any part of its capital, whether original, redeemed or
increased with or without any preference, priority or special privilege or subject to
any postponement of rights or to any conditions or restrictions and so that unless the
conditions of issue shall otherwise expressly declare every issue of shares whether
declared to be preference or otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore
contained. |
|
9. |
|
The Company may exercise the power contained in the Companies Law to deregister in
the Cayman Islands and be registered by way of continuation in another jurisdiction. |
The Companies Law (Revised)
Company Limited by Shares
THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
China Lodging Group, Limited
(Adopted by way of a special resolution passed on March 12, 2010 and effective immediately upon the
consummation of the Companys initial public offering on the Designated Stock Exchange)
I N D E X
|
|
|
|
|
SUBJECT |
|
Article No. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Table A |
|
|
1 |
|
Interpretation |
|
|
1 |
|
Share Capital |
|
|
4 |
|
Alteration Of Capital |
|
|
5-6 |
|
Share Rights |
|
|
6 |
|
Variation Of Rights |
|
|
6-7 |
|
Shares |
|
|
7-8 |
|
Share Certificates |
|
|
8-9 |
|
Lien |
|
|
9-10 |
|
Calls On Shares |
|
|
10-11 |
|
Forfeiture Of Shares |
|
|
11-13 |
|
Register Of Members |
|
|
13 |
|
Record Dates |
|
|
14 |
|
Transfer Of Shares |
|
|
14-16 |
|
Transmission Of Shares |
|
|
16 |
|
Untraceable Members |
|
|
16-17 |
|
General Meetings |
|
|
17 |
|
Notice Of General Meetings |
|
|
18 |
|
Proceedings At General Meetings |
|
|
18-19 |
|
Voting |
|
|
20-22 |
|
Proxies |
|
|
22-23 |
|
Corporations Acting By Representatives |
|
|
23-24 |
|
No Action By Written Resolutions Of Members |
|
|
24 |
|
Board Of Directors |
|
|
24-25 |
|
Disqualification Of Directors |
|
|
25-26 |
|
Executive Directors |
|
|
26 |
|
Alternate Directors |
|
|
26-27 |
|
Directors Fees And Expenses |
|
|
27-28 |
|
Directors Interests |
|
|
28-30 |
|
General Powers Of The Directors |
|
|
30-32 |
|
Borrowing Powers |
|
|
32 |
|
Proceedings Of The Directors |
|
|
32-34 |
|
Audit Committee |
|
|
34 |
|
Officers |
|
|
35 |
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Register of Directors and Officers |
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35 |
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Minutes |
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35-36 |
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Seal |
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36 |
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Authentication Of Documents |
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36-37 |
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Destruction Of Documents |
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37-38 |
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Dividends And Other Payments |
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38-42 |
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Reserves |
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42 |
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Capitalisation |
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42-43 |
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Subscription Rights Reserve |
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43-45 |
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Accounting Records |
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45-46 |
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Audit |
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46-47 |
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SUBJECT |
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Article No. |
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Notices |
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47-49 |
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Signatures |
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49 |
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Winding Up |
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49-50 |
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Indemnity |
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50-51 |
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Amendment To Memorandum and Articles of
Association And Name of Company |
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51 |
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Information |
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51 |
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Discontinuance |
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51 |
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TABLE A
1. The regulations in Table A in the Schedule to the Companies Law (Revised) do not apply to the
Company.
INTERPRETATION
2. (1) In these Articles, unless the context otherwise requires, the words standing in the first
column of the following table shall bear the meaning set opposite them respectively in the second
column.
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WORD |
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MEANING |
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Audit Committee
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|
the audit committee of the Company formed by the Board pursuant to Article
121) hereof, or any successor audit committee. |
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Auditor
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the independent auditor of the Company which shall be an internationally
recognized firm of independent accountants. |
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Articles
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these Articles in their present form or as supplemented or amended or substituted
from time to time. |
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Board or Directors
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the board of directors of the Company or the directors present at a
meeting of directors of the Company at which a quorum is present. |
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capital
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|
the share capital from time to time of the Company. |
|
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clear days
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in relation to the period of a notice, that period excluding the day when the
notice is given or deemed to be given and the day for which it is given or on which it
is to take effect. |
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clearing house
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|
a clearing house recognised by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the
shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on a stock
exchange or interdealer quotation system in such jurisdiction. |
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Company
|
|
China Lodging Group, Limited. |
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|
|
competent regulatory authority
|
|
a
competent regulatory authority in the territory where the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted
on a stock exchange or interdealer quotation system in such territory. |
- 1 -
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WORD |
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MEANING |
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debenture and debenture holder
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include debenture stock and debenture stockholder respectively. |
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Designated Stock Exchange
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the Global Select Market of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. |
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|
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dollars and $
|
|
dollars, the legal currency of the United States of America. |
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|
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Exchange Act
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the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
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head office
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such office of the Company as the Directors may from time to time
determine to be the principal office of the Company. |
|
|
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Law
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The Companies Law, Cap. 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) of the
Cayman Islands. |
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Member
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a duly registered holder from time to time of the shares in the capital of the
Company. |
|
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month
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a calendar month. |
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Notice
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written notice unless otherwise specifically stated and as further defined in these
Articles. |
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Office
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the registered office of the Company for the time being. |
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ordinary resolution
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|
a resolution shall be an ordinary resolution when it has been passed
by a simple majority of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled so to do, vote in
person or, in the case of any Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised
representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which
not less than five (5) clear days Notice has been duly given; |
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paid up
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paid up or credited as paid up. |
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Register
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the principal register and where applicable, any branch register of Members to be
maintained at such place within or outside the Cayman Islands as the Board shall
determine from time to time. |
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Registration Office
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in respect of any class of share capital such place as the Board may
from time to time determine to keep a |
- 2 -
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|
WORD |
|
MEANING |
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|
|
branch register of Members in respect of that class of share
capital and where (except in cases where the Board otherwise
directs) the transfers or other documents of title for such
class of share capital are to be lodged for registration and
are to be registered. |
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|
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SEC
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the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. |
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Seal
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common seal or any one or more duplicate seals of the Company (including a
securities seal) for use in the Cayman Islands or in any place outside the Cayman
Islands. |
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|
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Secretary
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|
any person, firm or corporation appointed by the Board to perform any of the
duties of secretary of the Company and includes any assistant, deputy, temporary or
acting secretary. |
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special resolution
|
|
a resolution shall be a special resolution when it has been passed by a
majority of not less than two-thirds of votes cast by such Members as, being entitled
so to do, vote in person or, in the case of such Members as are corporations, by their
respective duly authorised representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a
general meeting of which not less than five (5) clear days Notice, specifying (without
prejudice to the power contained in these Articles to amend the same) the intention to
propose the resolution as a special resolution, has been duly given. Provided that,
except in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so agreed by a majority in
number of the Members having the right to attend and vote at any such meeting, being a
majority together holding not less than ninety-five per cent. (95%) in nominal value of
the shares giving that right and in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so
agreed by all Members entitled to attend and vote thereat, a resolution may be proposed
and passed as a special resolution at a meeting of which less than five (5) clear days
Notice has been given; |
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|
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a special resolution shall be effective for any purpose for
which an ordinary resolution is expressed to be required
under any provision of these Articles or the Statutes. |
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Statutes
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the Law and every other law of the Legislature of the Cayman Islands for the time
being in force applying to or affecting the Company, its Memorandum of Association
and/or these Articles. |
- 3 -
|
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WORD |
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MEANING |
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year
|
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a calendar year. |
(2) In these Articles, unless there be something within the subject or context
inconsistent with such construction:
|
(a) |
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words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; |
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(b) |
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words importing a gender include both gender and the neuter; |
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(c) |
|
words importing persons include companies, associations and bodies of persons
whether corporate or not; |
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(d) |
|
the words: |
|
(i) |
|
may shall be construed as permissive; |
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|
(ii) |
|
shall or will shall be construed as imperative; |
|
(e) |
|
expressions referring to writing shall, unless the contrary intention appears,
be construed as including printing, lithography, photography and other modes of
representing words or figures in a visible form, and including where the representation
takes the form of electronic display, provided that both the mode of service of the
relevant document or notice and the Members election comply with all applicable
Statutes, rules and regulations; |
|
|
(f) |
|
references to any law, ordinance, statute or statutory provision shall be
interpreted as relating to any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof for the
time being in force; |
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(g) |
|
save as aforesaid words and expressions defined in the Statutes shall bear the
same meanings in these Articles if not inconsistent with the subject in the context; |
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|
(h) |
|
references to a document being executed include references to it being executed
under hand or under seal or by electronic signature or by any other method and
references to a notice or document include a notice or document recorded or stored in
any digital, electronic, electrical, magnetic or other retrievable form or medium and
information in visible form whether having physical substance or not. |
SHARE CAPITAL
3. (1) The share capital of the Company at the date on which these Articles come into effect shall
be divided into shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each.
(2) Subject to the Law, the Companys Memorandum and Articles of Association and, where
applicable, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and/or any competent
- 4 -
regulatory authority, the Company shall have the power to purchase or otherwise acquire its
own shares and such power shall be exercisable by the Board in such manner, upon such terms and
subject to such conditions as it in its absolute discretion thinks fit and any determination by the
Board of the manner of purchase shall be deemed authorised by these Articles for purposes of the
Law.
(3) No share shall be issued to bearer.
ALTERATION OF CAPITAL
4. The Company may from time to time by ordinary resolution in accordance with the Law alter the
conditions of its Memorandum of Association to:
|
(a) |
|
increase its capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such amounts, as
the resolution shall prescribe; |
|
(b) |
|
consolidate and divide all or any of its capital into shares of larger amount
than its existing shares; |
|
(c) |
|
without prejudice to the powers of the Board under Article 12, divide its
shares into several classes and without prejudice to any special rights previously
conferred on the holders of existing shares attach thereto respectively any
preferential, deferred, qualified or special rights, privileges, conditions or such
restrictions which in the absence of any such determination by the Company in general
meeting, as the Directors may determine provided always that, for the avoidance of
doubt, where a class of shares has been authorized by the Company no resolution of the
Company in general meeting is required for the issuance of shares of that class and the
Directors may issue shares of that class and determine such rights, privileges,
conditions or restrictions attaching thereto as aforesaid, and further provided that
where the Company issues shares which do not carry voting rights, the words
non-voting shall appear in the designation of such shares and where the equity
capital includes shares with different voting rights, the designation of each class of
shares, other than those with the most favourable voting rights, must include the words
restricted voting or limited voting; |
|
(d) |
|
sub-divide its shares, or any of them, into shares of smaller amount than is
fixed by the Companys Memorandum of Association (subject, nevertheless, to the Law),
and may by such resolution determine that, as between the holders of the shares
resulting from such sub-division, one or more of the shares may have any such
preferred, deferred or other rights or be subject to any such restrictions as compared
with the other or others as the Company has power to attach to unissued or new shares;
and |
|
(e) |
|
cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not
been taken, or agreed to be taken, by any person, and diminish the amount of its
capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled or, in the case of shares, |
- 5 -
without par value, diminish the number of shares into which its capital is divided.
5. The Board may settle as it considers expedient any difficulty which arises in relation to any
consolidation and division under the last preceding Article and in particular but without prejudice
to the generality of the foregoing may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares or
arrange for the sale of the shares representing fractions and the distribution of the net proceeds
of sale (after deduction of the expenses of such sale) in due proportion amongst the Members who
would have been entitled to the fractions, and for this purpose the Board may authorise some person
to transfer the shares representing fractions to their purchaser or resolve that such net proceeds
be paid to the Company for the Companys benefit. Such purchaser will not be bound to see to the
application of the purchase money nor will his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity
or invalidity in the proceedings relating to the sale.
6. The Company may from time to time by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent
required by the Law, reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve or other
undistributable reserve in any manner permitted by law.
7. Except so far as otherwise provided by the conditions of issue, or by these Articles, any
capital raised by the creation of new shares shall be treated as if it formed part of the original
capital of the Company, and such shares shall be subject to the provisions contained in these
Articles with reference to the payment of calls and instalments, transfer and transmission,
forfeiture, lien, cancellation, surrender, voting and otherwise.
SHARE RIGHTS
8. Subject to the provisions of the Law, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange and the
Companys Memorandum and Articles of Association and to any special rights conferred on the holders
of any shares or class of shares, and without prejudice to Article 12 hereof, any share in the
Company (whether forming part of the present capital or not) may be issued with or have attached
thereto such rights or restrictions whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or
otherwise as the Board may determine, including without limitation on terms that they may be, or at
the option of the Company or the holder are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such
manner, including out of capital, as the Board may deem fit.
9. Subject to the Law, any preferred shares may be issued or converted into shares that, at a
determinable date or at the option of the Company or the holder, are liable to be redeemed on such
terms and in such manner as the Company before the issue or conversion may by ordinary resolution
of the Members determine. Where the Company purchases for redemption a redeemable share, purchases
not made through the market or by tender shall be limited to a maximum price as may from time to
time be determined by the Board, either generally or with regard to specific purchases. If
purchases are by tender, tenders shall comply with applicable laws.
VARIATION OF RIGHTS
- 6 -
10. Subject to the Law and without prejudice to Article 8, all or any of the special rights for the
time being attached to the shares or any class of shares may, unless otherwise provided by the
terms of issue of the shares of that class, from time to time (whether or not the Company is being
wound up) be varied, modified or abrogated with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a
separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. To every such separate
general meeting all the provisions of these Articles relating to general meetings of the Company
shall, mutatis mutandis, apply, but so that:
|
(a) |
|
the necessary quorum (whether at a separate general meeting or at its adjourned
meeting) shall be a person or persons or (in the case of a Member being a corporation)
its duly authorized representative together holding or representing by proxy not less
than one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of that class; |
|
(b) |
|
every holder of shares of the class shall be entitled on a poll to one vote for
every such share held by him; and |
|
(c) |
|
any holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy or authorised
representative may demand a poll. |
11. The special rights conferred upon the holders of any shares or class of shares shall not,
unless otherwise expressly provided in the rights attaching to or the terms of issue of such
shares, be deemed to be varied, modified or abrogated by the creation or issue of further shares
ranking pari passu therewith.
SHARES
12. (1) Subject to the Law, these Articles and, where applicable, the rules of the Designated Stock
Exchange and without prejudice to any special rights or restrictions for the time being attached to
any shares or any class of shares, the unissued shares of the Company (whether forming part of the
original or any increased capital) shall be at the disposal of the Board, which may offer, allot,
grant options over or otherwise dispose of them to such persons, at such times and for such
consideration and upon such terms and conditions as the Board may in its absolute discretion
determine but so that no shares shall be issued at a discount. In particular and without prejudice
to the generality of the foregoing, the Board is hereby empowered to authorize by resolution or
resolutions from time to time the issuance of one or more classes or series of preferred shares and
to fix the designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other
rights, if any, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, if any, including,
without limitation, the number of shares constituting each such class or series, dividend rights,
conversion rights, redemption privileges, voting powers, full or limited or no voting powers, and
liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease the size of any such class or series (but not
below the number of shares of any class or series of preferred shares then outstanding) to the
extent permitted by Law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or
resolutions providing for the establishment of any class or series of preferred shares may, to the
extent permitted by law, provide that such class or series shall be superior to, rank equally with
or be junior to the preferred shares of any other class or series.
- 7 -
(2) Neither the Company nor the Board shall be obliged, when making or granting any allotment
of, offer of, option over or disposal of shares, to make, or make available, any such allotment,
offer, option or shares to Members or others with registered addresses in any particular territory
or territories being a territory or territories where, in the absence of a registration statement
or other special formalities, this would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or
impracticable. Members affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be, or be deemed
to be, a separate class of members for any purpose whatsoever. Except as otherwise expressly
provided in the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any class or series of
preferred shares, no vote of the holders of preferred shares of or ordinary shares shall be a
prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any class or series of the preferred shares
authorized by and complying with the conditions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
(3) The Board may issue options, warrants or convertible securities or securities of similar
nature conferring the right upon the holders thereof to subscribe for, purchase or receive any
class of shares or securities in the capital of the Company on such terms as it may from time to
time determine.
13. The Company may in connection with the issue of any shares exercise all powers of paying
commission and brokerage conferred or permitted by the Law. Subject to the Law, the commission may
be satisfied by the payment of cash or by the allotment of fully or partly paid shares or partly in
one and partly in the other.
14. Except as required by law, no person shall be recognised by the Company as holding any share
upon any trust and the Company shall not be bound by or required in any way to recognise (even when
having notice thereof) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any share or any
fractional part of a share or (except only as otherwise provided by these Articles or by law) any
other rights in respect of any share except an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the
registered holder.
15. Subject to the Law and these Articles, the Board may at any time after the allotment of shares
but before any person has been entered in the Register as the holder, recognise a renunciation
thereof by the allottee in favour of some other person and may accord to any allottee of a share a
right to effect such renunciation upon and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board
considers fit to impose.
SHARE CERTIFICATES
16. Every share certificate shall be issued under the Seal or a facsimile thereof or with the Seal
printed thereon and shall specify the number and class and distinguishing numbers (if any) of the
shares to which it relates, and the amount paid up thereon and may otherwise be in such form as the
Directors may from time to time determine. No certificate shall be issued representing shares of
more than one class. The Board may by resolution determine, either generally or in any particular
case or cases, that any signatures on any such certificates (or certificates in respect of other
securities) need not be autographic but may be affixed to such certificates by some mechanical
means or may be printed thereon.
- 8 -
17. (1) In the case of a share held jointly by several persons, the Company shall not be bound to
issue more than one certificate therefor and delivery of a certificate to one of several joint
holders shall be sufficient delivery to all such holders.
(2) Where a share stands in the names of two or more persons, the person first named in the
Register shall as regards service of notices and, subject to the provisions of these Articles, all
or any other matters connected with the Company, except the transfer of the shares, be deemed the
sole holder thereof.
18. Every person whose name is entered, upon an allotment of shares, as a Member in the Register
shall be entitled, without payment, to receive one certificate for all such shares of any one class
or several certificates each for one or more of such shares of such class upon payment for every
certificate after the first of such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as the Board from time to
time determines.
19. Share certificates shall be issued within the relevant time limit as prescribed by the Law or
as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine, whichever is the shorter, after
allotment or, except in the case of a transfer which the Company is for the time being entitled to
refuse to register and does not register, after lodgment of a transfer with the Company.
20. (1) Upon every transfer of shares the certificate held by the transferor shall be given up to
be cancelled, and shall forthwith be cancelled accordingly, and a new certificate shall be issued
to the transferee in respect of the shares transferred to him at such fee as is provided in
paragraph (2) of this Article. If any of the shares included in the certificate so given up shall
be retained by the transferor a new certificate for the balance shall be issued to him at the
aforesaid fee payable by the transferor to the Company in respect thereof.
(2) The fee referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be an amount not exceeding the relevant
maximum amount as the Designated Stock Exchange may from time to time determine provided that the
Board may at any time determine a lower amount for such fee.
21. If a share certificate shall be damaged or defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or
destroyed a new certificate representing the same shares may be issued to the relevant Member upon
request and on payment of such fee as the Company may determine and, subject to compliance with
such terms (if any) as to evidence and indemnity and to payment of the costs and reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses of the Company in investigating such evidence and preparing such indemnity
as the Board may think fit and, in case of damage or defacement, on delivery of the old certificate
to the Company provided always that where share warrants have been issued, no new share warrant
shall be issued to replace one that has been lost unless the Board has determined that the original
has been destroyed.
LIEN
22. The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a fully paid share)
for all moneys (whether presently payable or not) called or payable at a fixed time in respect of
that share. The Company shall also have a first and paramount lien on every share (not being a
fully paid share) registered in the name of a Member (whether or
- 9 -
not jointly with other Members) for all amounts of money presently payable by such Member or his
estate to the Company whether the same shall have been incurred before or after notice to the
Company of any equitable or other interest of any person other than such member, and whether the
period for the payment or discharge of the same shall have actually arrived or not, and
notwithstanding that the same are joint debts or liabilities of such Member or his estate and any
other person, whether a Member or not. The Companys lien on a share shall extend to all dividends
or other moneys payable thereon or in respect thereof. The Board may at any time, generally or in
any particular case, waive any lien that has arisen or declare any share exempt in whole or in
part, from the provisions of this Article.
23. Subject to these Articles, the Company may sell in such manner as the Board determines any
share on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless some sum in respect of
which the lien exists is presently payable, or the liability or engagement in respect of which such
lien exists is liable to be presently fulfilled or discharged nor until the expiration of fourteen
(14) clear days after a notice in writing, stating and demanding payment of the sum presently
payable, or specifying the liability or engagement and demanding fulfilment or discharge thereof
and giving notice of the intention to sell in default, has been served on the registered holder for
the time being of the share or the person entitled thereto by reason of his death or bankruptcy.
24. The net proceeds of the sale shall be received by the Company and applied in or towards payment
or discharge of the debt or liability in respect of which the lien exists, so far as the same is
presently payable, and any residue shall (subject to a like lien for debts or liabilities not
presently payable as existed upon the share prior to the sale) be paid to the person entitled to
the share at the time of the sale. To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some
person to transfer the shares sold to the purchaser thereof. The purchaser shall be registered as
the holder of the shares so transferred and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the
purchase money, nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in
the proceedings relating to the sale.
CALLS ON SHARES
25. Subject to these Articles and to the terms of allotment, the Board may from time to time make
calls upon the Members in respect of any moneys unpaid on their shares (whether on account of the
nominal value of the shares or by way of premium), and each Member shall (subject to being given at
least fourteen (14) clear days Notice specifying the time and place of payment) pay to the Company
as required by such notice the amount called on his shares. A call may be extended, postponed or
revoked in whole or in part as the Board determines but no Member shall be entitled to any such
extension, postponement or revocation except as a matter of grace and favour.
26. A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Board
authorising the call was passed and may be made payable either in one lump sum or by instalments.
27. A person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon him notwithstanding
the subsequent transfer of the shares in respect of which the call was
- 10 -
made. The joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls and
instalments due in respect thereof or other moneys due in respect thereof.
28. If a sum called in respect of a share is not paid before or on the day appointed for payment
thereof, the person from whom the sum is due shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day
appointed for payment thereof to the time of actual payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per
cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board may determine, but the Board may in its absolute discretion
waive payment of such interest wholly or in part.
29. No Member shall be entitled to receive any dividend or bonus or to be present and vote (save as
proxy for another Member) at any general meeting either personally or by proxy, or be reckoned in a
quorum, or exercise any other privilege as a Member until all calls or instalments due by him to
the Company, whether alone or jointly with any other person, together with interest and expenses
(if any) shall have been paid.
30. On the trial or hearing of any action or other proceedings for the recovery of any money due
for any call, it shall be sufficient to prove that the name of the Member sued is entered in the
Register as the holder, or one of the holders, of the shares in respect of which such debt accrued,
that the resolution making the call is duly recorded in the minute book, and that notice of such
call was duly given to the Member sued, in pursuance of these Articles; and it shall not be
necessary to prove the appointment of the Directors who made such call, nor any other matters
whatsoever, but the proof of the matters aforesaid shall be conclusive evidence of the debt.
31. Any amount payable in respect of a share upon allotment or at any fixed date, whether in
respect of nominal value or premium or as an instalment of a call, shall be deemed to be a call
duly made and payable on the date fixed for payment and if it is not paid the provisions of these
Articles shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call duly made and
notified.
32. On the issue of shares the Board may differentiate between the allottees or holders as to the
amount of calls to be paid and the times of payment.
33. The Board may, if it thinks fit, receive from any Member willing to advance the same, and
either in money or moneys worth, all or any part of the moneys uncalled and unpaid or instalments
payable upon any shares held by him and upon all or any of the moneys so advanced (until the same
would, but for such advance, become presently payable) pay interest at such rate (if any) as the
Board may decide. The Board may at any time repay the amount so advanced upon giving to such
Member not less than one (1) months Notice of its intention in that behalf, unless before the
expiration of such notice the amount so advanced shall have been called up on the shares in respect
of which it was advanced. Such payment in advance shall not entitle the holder of such share or
shares to participate in respect thereof in a dividend subsequently declared.
FORFEITURE OF SHARES
34. (1) If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Board may give to the
person from whom it is due not less than fourteen (14) clear days Notice:
- 11 -
|
(a) |
|
requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with any interest which may
have accrued and which may still accrue up to the date of actual payment; and |
|
(b) |
|
stating that if the Notice is not complied with the shares on which the call
was made will be liable to be forfeited. |
(2) If the requirements of any such Notice are not complied with, any share in respect of
which such Notice has been given may at any time thereafter, before payment of all calls and
interest due in respect thereof has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Board to that
effect, and such forfeiture shall include all dividends and bonuses declared in respect of the
forfeited share but not actually paid before the forfeiture.
35. When any share has been forfeited, notice of the forfeiture shall be served upon the
person who was before forfeiture the holder of the share. No forfeiture shall be invalidated by
any omission or neglect to give such Notice.
36. The Board may accept the surrender of any share liable to be forfeited hereunder and, in such
case, references in these Articles to forfeiture will include surrender.
37. Any share so forfeited shall be deemed the property of the Company and may be sold, re-allotted
or otherwise disposed of to such person, upon such terms and in such manner as the Board
determines, and at any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition the forfeiture may be
annulled by the Board on such terms as the Board determines.
38. A person whose shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of the
forfeited shares but nevertheless shall remain liable to pay the Company all moneys which at the
date of forfeiture were presently payable by him to the Company in respect of the shares, with (if
the Directors shall in their discretion so require) interest thereon from the date of forfeiture
until payment at such rate (not exceeding twenty per cent. (20%) per annum) as the Board
determines. The Board may enforce payment thereof if it thinks fit, and without any deduction or
allowance for the value of the forfeited shares, at the date of forfeiture, but his liability shall
cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all such moneys in respect of
the shares. For the purposes of this Article any sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, is
payable thereon at a fixed time which is subsequent to the date of forfeiture, whether on account
of the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, shall notwithstanding that time has not yet
arrived be deemed to be payable at the date of forfeiture, and the same shall become due and
payable immediately upon the forfeiture, but interest thereon shall only be payable in respect of
any period between the said fixed time and the date of actual payment.
39. A declaration by a Director or the Secretary that a share has been forfeited on a specified
date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated as against all persons claiming to be
entitled to the share, and such declaration shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of
transfer by the Company if necessary) constitute a good title to the share, and the person to whom
the share is disposed of shall be registered as the holder of the share and shall not be bound to
see to the application of the consideration (if any), nor shall his title to the share be affected
by any irregularity in or invalidity of the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale or
disposal of the share. When any share shall have been forfeited, notice of
- 12 -
the declaration shall be given to the Member in whose name it stood immediately prior to the
forfeiture, and an entry of the forfeiture, with the date thereof, shall forthwith be made in the
register, but no forfeiture shall be in any manner invalidated by any omission or neglect to give
such notice or make any such entry.
40. Notwithstanding any such forfeiture as aforesaid the Board may at any time, before any shares
so forfeited shall have been sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of, permit the shares
forfeited to be bought back upon the terms of payment of all calls and interest due upon and
expenses incurred in respect of the share, and upon such further terms (if any) as it thinks fit.
41. The forfeiture of a share shall not prejudice the right of the Company to any call already made
or instalment payable thereon.
42. The provisions of these Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any
sum which, by the terms of issue of a share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of
the nominal value of the share or by way of premium, as if the same had been payable by virtue of a
call duly made and notified.
REGISTER OF MEMBERS
43. (1) The Company shall keep in one or more books a Register of its Members and shall enter
therein the following particulars, that is to say:
|
(a) |
|
the name and address of each Member, the number and class of shares held by him
and the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid on such shares; |
(b) the date on which each person was entered in the Register; and
(c) the date on which any person ceased to be a Member.
(2) The Company may keep an overseas or local or other branch register of Members resident in
any place, and the Board may make and vary such regulations as it determines in respect of the
keeping of any such register and maintaining a Registration Office in connection therewith.
44. The Register and branch register of Members, as the case may be, shall be open to inspection
for such times and on such days as the Board shall determine by Members without charge or by any
other person, upon a maximum payment of $2.50 or such other sum specified by the Board, at the
Office or such other place at which the Register is kept in accordance with the Law or, if
appropriate, upon a maximum payment of $1.00 or such other sum specified by the Board at the
Registration Office. The Register including any overseas or local or other branch register of
Members may, after notice has been given by advertisement in an appointed newspaper or any other
newspapers in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange or by any
electronic means in such manner as may be accepted by the Designated Stock Exchange to that effect,
be closed at such times or for such periods not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in each
year as the Board may determine and either generally or in respect of any class of shares.
- 13 -
RECORD DATES
45. (1) For the purpose of determining the Members entitled to notice of or to vote at any general
meeting, or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing
without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or
allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or
exchange of shares or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix, in advance, a
date as the record date for any such determination of Members, which date shall not be more than
sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty
(60) days prior to any other such action.
(2) If the Board does not fix a record date for any general meeting, the record date for
determining the Members entitled to a notice of or to vote at such meeting shall be at the close of
business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if in accordance with
these Articles notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on
which the meeting is held. If corporate action without a general meeting is to be taken, the
record date for determining the Members entitled to express consent to such corporate action in
writing, when no prior action by the Board is necessary, shall be the first date on which a signed
written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Company
by delivery to its head office. The record date for determining the Members for any other purpose
shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating
thereto.
(3) A determination of the Members of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of
the Members shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may
fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
TRANSFER OF SHARES
46. Subject to these Articles, any Member may transfer all or any of his shares by an instrument of
transfer in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the Designated Stock Exchange or in
any other form approved by the Board and may be under hand or, if the transferor or transferee is a
clearing house or its nominee(s), by hand or by machine imprinted signature or by such other manner
of execution as the Board may approve from time to time.
47. The instrument of transfer shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and the
transferee provided that the Board may dispense with the execution of the instrument of transfer by
the transferee in any case which it thinks fit in its discretion to do so. Without prejudice to
the last preceding Article, the Board may also resolve, either generally or in any particular case,
upon request by either the transferor or transferee, to accept mechanically executed transfers.
The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of the share until the name of the transferee
is entered in the Register in respect thereof. Nothing in these Articles shall preclude the Board
from recognising a renunciation of the allotment or provisional allotment of any share by the
allottee in favour of some other person.
- 14 -
48. (1) The Board may, in its absolute discretion, and without giving any reason therefor, refuse
to register a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person of whom it does
not approve, or any share issued under any share incentive scheme for employees upon which a
restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, and it may also, without prejudice to the
foregoing generality, refuse to register a transfer of any share to more than four joint holders or
a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) on which the Company has a lien.
(2) The Board in so far as permitted by any applicable law may, in its absolute discretion, at
any time and from time to time transfer any share upon the Register to any branch register or any
share on any branch register to the Register or any other branch register. In the event of any
such transfer, the shareholder requesting such transfer shall bear the cost of effecting the
transfer unless the Board otherwise determines.
(3) Unless the Board otherwise agrees (which agreement may be on such terms and subject to
such conditions as the Board in its absolute discretion may from time to time determine, and which
agreement the Board shall, without giving any reason therefor, be entitled in its absolute
discretion to give or withhold), no shares upon the Register shall be transferred to any branch
register nor shall shares on any branch register be transferred to the Register or any other branch
register and all transfers and other documents of title shall be lodged for registration, and
registered, in the case of any shares on a branch register, at the relevant Registration Office,
and, in the case of any shares on the Register, at the Office or such other place at which the
Register is kept in accordance with the Law.
49. Without limiting the generality of the last preceding Article, the Board may decline to
recognise any instrument of transfer unless:-
|
(a) |
|
a fee of such maximum sum as the Designated Stock Exchange may determine to be
payable or such lesser sum as the Board may from time to time require is paid to the
Company in respect thereof; |
(b) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of share;
|
(c) |
|
the instrument of transfer is lodged at the Office or such other place at which
the Register is kept in accordance with the Law or the Registration Office (as the case
may be) accompanied by the relevant share certificate(s) and such other evidence as the
Board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer
(and, if the instrument of transfer is executed by some other person on his behalf, the
authority of that person so to do); and |
(d) if applicable, the instrument of transfer is duly and properly stamped.
50. If the Board refuses to register a transfer of any share, it shall, within two months after the
date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, send to each of the transferor and
transferee notice of the refusal.
51. The registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may, after notice has been
given by advertisement in any newspapers or by any other means in accordance with the requirements
of the Designated Stock Exchange to that effect be
- 15 -
suspended at such times and for such periods (not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in any
year) as the Board may determine.
TRANSMISSION OF SHARES
52. If a Member dies, the survivor or survivors where the deceased was a joint holder, and his
legal personal representatives where he was a sole or only surviving holder, will be the only
persons recognised by the Company as having any title to his interest in the shares; but nothing in
this Article will release the estate of a deceased Member (whether sole or joint) from any
liability in respect of any share which had been solely or jointly held by him.
53. Any person becoming entitled to a share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up
of a Member may, upon such evidence as to his title being produced as may be required by the Board,
elect either to become the holder of the share or to have some person nominated by him registered
as the transferee thereof. If he elects to become the holder he shall notify the Company in
writing either at the Registration Office or Office, as the case may be, to that effect. If he
elects to have another person registered he shall execute a transfer of the share in favour of that
person. The provisions of these Articles relating to the transfer and registration of transfers of
shares shall apply to such notice or transfer as aforesaid as if the death or bankruptcy of the
Member had not occurred and the notice or transfer were a transfer signed by such Member.
54. A person becoming entitled to a share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a
Member shall be entitled to the same dividends and other advantages to which he would be entitled
if he were the registered holder of the share. However, the Board may, if it thinks fit, withhold
the payment of any dividend payable or other advantages in respect of such share until such person
shall become the registered holder of the share or shall have effectually transferred such share,
but, subject to the requirements of Article 75(2) being met, such a person may vote at meetings.
UNTRACEABLE MEMBERS
55. (1) Without prejudice to the rights of the Company under paragraph (2) of this Article, the
Company may cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants by post if such
cheques or warrants have been left uncashed on two consecutive occasions. However, the Company may
exercise the power to cease sending cheques for dividend entitlements or dividend warrants after
the first occasion on which such a cheque or warrant is returned undelivered.
(2) The Company shall have the power to sell, in such manner as the Board thinks fit, any
shares of a Member who is untraceable, but no such sale shall be made unless:
|
(a) |
|
all cheques or warrants in respect of dividends of the shares in question,
being not less than three in total number, for any sum payable in cash to the holder of
such shares in respect of them sent during the relevant period in the manner authorised
by the Articles have remained uncashed; |
- 16 -
|
(b) |
|
so far as it is aware at the end of the relevant period, the Company has not at
any time during the relevant period received any indication of the existence of the
Member who is the holder of such shares or of a person entitled to such shares by
death, bankruptcy or operation of law; and |
|
(c) |
|
the Company, if so required by the rules governing the listing of shares on the
Designated Stock Exchange, has given notice to, and caused advertisement in newspapers
to be made in accordance with the requirements of, the Designated Stock Exchange of its
intention to sell such shares in the manner required by the Designated Stock Exchange,
and a period of three (3) months or such shorter period as may be allowed by the
Designated Stock Exchange has elapsed since the date of such advertisement. |
For the purpose of the foregoing, the relevant period means the period commencing twelve
(12) years before the date of publication of the advertisement referred to in paragraph (c) of this
Article and ending at the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph.
(3) To give effect to any such sale the Board may authorise some person to transfer the said
shares and an instrument of transfer signed or otherwise executed by or on behalf of such person
shall be as effective as if it had been executed by the registered holder or the person entitled by
transmission to such shares, and the purchaser shall not be bound to see to the application of the
purchase money nor shall his title to the shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in
the proceedings relating to the sale. The net proceeds of the sale will belong to the Company and
upon receipt by the Company of such net proceeds it shall become indebted to the former Member for
an amount equal to such net proceeds. No trust shall be created in respect of such debt and no
interest shall be payable in respect of it and the Company shall not be required to account for any
money earned from the net proceeds which may be employed in the business of the Company or as it
thinks fit. Any sale under this Article shall be valid and effective notwithstanding that the
Member holding the shares sold is dead, bankrupt or otherwise under any legal disability or
incapacity.
GENERAL MEETINGS
56. An annual general meeting of the Company shall be held in each year other than the year of the
Companys incorporation at such time and place as may be determined by the Board.
57. Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be called an extraordinary
general meeting. General meetings may be held at such times and in any location in the world as
may be determined by the Board.
58. Only a majority of the Board or the Chairman of the Board may call extraordinary general
meetings, which extraordinary general meetings shall be held at such times and locations (as
permitted hereby) as such person or persons shall determine.
- 17 -
NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
59. (1) An annual general meeting and any extraordinary general meeting may be called by not less
than five (5) clear days Notice but a general meeting may be called by shorter notice, subject to
the Law, if it is so agreed:
|
(a) |
|
in the case of a meeting called as an annual general meeting, by all the
Members entitled to attend and vote thereat; and |
|
(b) |
|
in the case of any other meeting, by a majority in number of the Members having
the right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less
than ninety-five per cent. (95%) in nominal value of the issued shares giving that
right. |
(2) The notice shall specify the time and place of the meeting and, in case of special
business, the general nature of the business. The notice convening an annual general meeting shall
specify the meeting as such. Notice of every general meeting shall be given to all Members other
than to such Members as, under the provisions of these Articles or the terms of issue of the shares
they hold, are not entitled to receive such notices from the Company, to all persons entitled to a
share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or winding-up of a Member and to each of the
Directors and the Auditors.
60. The accidental omission to give Notice of a meeting or (in cases where instruments of proxy are
sent out with the Notice) to send such instrument of proxy to, or the non-receipt of such Notice or
such instrument of proxy by, any person entitled to receive such Notice shall not invalidate any
resolution passed or the proceedings at that meeting.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
61. (1) All business shall be deemed special that is transacted at an extraordinary general
meeting, and also all business that is transacted at an annual general meeting, with the exception
of:
|
(a) |
|
the declaration and sanctioning of dividends; |
|
|
(b) |
|
consideration and adoption of the accounts and balance sheet and the reports of
the Directors and Auditors and other documents required to be annexed to the balance
sheet; |
|
|
(c) |
|
the election of Directors; |
|
|
(d) |
|
appointment of Auditors (where special notice of the intention for such
appointment is not required by the Law) and other officers; |
|
|
(e) |
|
the fixing of the remuneration of the Auditors, and the voting of remuneration
or extra remuneration to the Directors; |
- 18 -
|
(f) |
|
the granting of any mandate or authority to the Directors to offer, allot,
grant options over or otherwise dispose of the unissued shares in the capital of the
Company representing not more than twenty per cent. (20%) in nominal value of its
existing issued share capital; and |
|
(g) |
|
the granting of any mandate or authority to the Directors to repurchase
securities of the Company. |
(2) No business other than the appointment of a chairman of a meeting shall be transacted at
any general meeting unless a quorum is present at the commencement of the business. At any general
meeting of the Company, one (1) Member entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy or (in
the case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative representing not
less than one-third in nominal value of the total issued voting shares in the Company throughout
the meeting shall form a quorum for all purposes.
62. If within thirty (30) minutes (or such longer time not exceeding one hour as the chairman of
the meeting may determine to wait) after the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not
present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and
place or to such time and place as the Board may determine. If at such adjourned meeting a quorum
is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the meeting
shall be dissolved.
63. The chairman of the Company shall preside as chairman at every general meeting. If at any
meeting the chairman is not present within fifteen (15) minutes after the time appointed for
holding the meeting, or is not willing to act as chairman, the Directors present shall choose one
of their number to act, or if one Director only is present he shall preside as chairman if willing
to act. If no Director is present, or if each of the Directors present declines to take the chair,
or if the chairman chosen shall retire from the chair, the Members present in person or (in the
case of a Member being a corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and
entitled to vote shall elect one of their number to be chairman.
64. The chairman may adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business
shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business which might lawfully have been
transacted at the meeting had the adjournment not taken place. When a meeting is adjourned for
fourteen (14) days or more, at least five (5) clear days notice of the adjourned meeting shall be
given specifying the time and place of the adjourned meeting but it shall not be necessary to
specify in such notice the nature of the business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting and the
general nature of the business to be transacted. Save as aforesaid, it shall be unnecessary to
give notice of an adjournment.
65. If an amendment is proposed to any resolution under consideration but is in good faith ruled
out of order by the chairman of the meeting, the proceedings on the substantive resolution shall
not be invalidated by any error in such ruling. In the case of a resolution duly proposed as a
special resolution, no amendment thereto (other than a mere clerical amendment to correct a patent
error) may in any event be considered or voted upon.
- 19 -
VOTING
66. Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any
shares by or in accordance with these Articles, at any general meeting on a show of hands every
Member present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorised representative),
or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll every Member present in person or by proxy or, in the
case of a Member being a corporation, by its duly authorised representative shall have one vote for
every fully paid share of which he is the holder but so that no amount paid up or credited as paid
up on a share in advance of calls or instalments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid up
on the share. Notwithstanding anything contained in these Articles, where more than one proxy is
appointed by a Member which is a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), each such proxy shall have one
vote on a show of hands. A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided on a show of
hands unless voting by way of a poll is required by he rules of the Designated Stock Exchange or
(before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands or on the withdrawal of any other
demand for a poll) a poll is demanded:
|
(a) |
|
by the chairman of such meeting; or |
|
(b) |
|
by at least three Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a
corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy for the time being
entitled to vote at the meeting; or |
|
(c) |
|
by a Member or Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a
corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and representing not
less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all Members having the right to vote
at the meeting; or |
|
(d) |
|
by a Member or Members present in person or (in the case of a Member being a
corporation) by its duly authorised representative or by proxy and holding shares in
the Company conferring a right to vote at the meeting being shares on which an
aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid
up on all shares conferring that right; or |
|
(e) |
|
if required by the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, by any Director or
Directors who, individually or collectively, hold proxies in respect of shares
representing five per cent. (5%) or more of the total voting rights at such meeting. |
A demand by a person as proxy for a Member or in the case of a Member being a corporation by
its duly authorised representative shall be deemed to be the same as a demand by a Member.
67. Unless a poll is duly demanded and the demand is not withdrawn, a declaration by the chairman
that a resolution has been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or not
carried by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect made in the minute book of
the Company, shall be conclusive evidence of the facts without proof of the number or proportion of
the votes recorded for or against the resolution.
- 20 -
68. If a poll is duly demanded the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the
meeting at which the poll was demanded. The Company shall only be required to disclose the voting
figures on a poll if such disclosure is required by the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange.
69. A poll demanded on the election of a chairman, or on a question of adjournment, shall be
taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken in such manner (including
the use of ballot or voting papers or tickets) and either forthwith or at such time (being not
later than thirty (30) days after the date of the demand) and place as the chairman directs. It
shall not be necessary (unless the chairman otherwise directs) for notice to be given of a poll not
taken immediately.
70. The demand for a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting or the transaction of any
business other than the question on which the poll has been demanded, and, with the consent of the
chairman, it may be withdrawn at any time before the close of the meeting or the taking of the
poll, whichever is the earlier.
71. On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy.
72. A person entitled to more than one vote on a poll need not use all his votes or cast all the
votes he uses in the same way.
73. All questions submitted to a meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes except
where a greater majority is required by these Articles or by the Law. In the case of an equality of
votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of such meeting shall be entitled to a
second or casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.
74. Where there are joint holders of any share any one of such joint holders may vote, either in
person or by proxy, in respect of such share as if he were solely entitled thereto, but if more
than one of such joint holders be present at any meeting the vote of the senior holder who tenders
a vote, whether in person or by proxy, shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other
joint holders, and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names
stand in the Register in respect of the joint holding. Several executors or administrators of a
deceased Member in whose name any share stands shall for the purposes of this Article be deemed
joint holders thereof.
75. (1) A Member who is a patient for any purpose relating to mental health or in respect of whom
an order has been made by any court having jurisdiction for the protection or management of the
affairs of persons incapable of managing their own affairs may vote, whether on a show of hands or
on a poll, by his receiver, committee, curator bonis or other person in the nature of a receiver,
committee or curator bonis appointed by such court, and such receiver, committee, curator bonis or
other person may vote on a poll by proxy, and may otherwise act and be treated as if he were the
registered holder of such shares for the purposes of general meetings, provided that such evidence
as the Board may require of the authority of the person claiming to vote shall have been deposited
at the Office, head office or Registration Office, as appropriate, not less than forty-eight (48)
hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting, or adjourned meeting or poll, as the case
may be.
- 21 -
(2) Any person entitled under Article 53 to be registered as the holder of any shares may vote
at any general meeting in respect thereof in the same manner as if he were the registered holder of
such shares, provided that forty-eight (48) hours at least before the time of the holding of the meeting or adjourned meeting, as the case may be, at which he proposes to vote,
he shall satisfy the Board of his entitlement to such shares, or the Board shall have previously
admitted his right to vote at such meeting in respect thereof.
76. No Member shall, unless the Board otherwise determines, be entitled to attend and vote and to
be reckoned in a quorum at any general meeting unless he is duly registered and all calls or other
sums presently payable by him in respect of shares in the Company have been paid.
77. If:
|
(a) |
|
any objection shall be raised to the qualification of any voter; or |
|
(b) |
|
any votes have been counted which ought not to have been counted or which might
have been rejected; or |
|
|
(c) |
|
any votes are not counted which ought to have been counted; |
the objection or error shall not vitiate the decision of the meeting or adjourned meeting on
any resolution unless the same is raised or pointed out at the meeting or, as the case may be, the
adjourned meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered or at which the error occurs.
Any objection or error shall be referred to the chairman of the meeting and shall only vitiate the
decision of the meeting on any resolution if the chairman decides that the same may have affected
the decision of the meeting. The decision of the chairman on such matters shall be final and
conclusive.
PROXIES
78. Any Member entitled to attend and vote at a meeting of the Company shall be entitled to appoint
another person as his proxy to attend and vote instead of him. A Member who is the holder of two
or more shares may appoint more than one proxy to represent him and vote on his behalf at a general
meeting of the Company or at a class meeting. A proxy need not be a Member. In addition, a proxy
or proxies representing either a Member who is an individual or a Member which is a corporation
shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the Member which he or they represent as
such Member could exercise.
79. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his
attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under its seal or
under the hand of an officer, attorney or other person authorised to sign the same. In the case of
an instrument of proxy purporting to be signed on behalf of a corporation by an officer thereof it
shall be assumed, unless the contrary appears, that such officer was duly authorised to sign such
instrument of proxy on behalf of the corporation without further evidence of the facts.
- 22 -
80. The instrument appointing a proxy and (if required by the Board) the power of attorney or other
authority (if any) under which it is signed, or a certified copy of such power or authority, shall
be delivered to such place or one of such places (if any) as may be specified for that purpose in
or by way of note to or in any document accompanying the notice convening the meeting (or, if no
place is so specified at the Registration Office or the Office, as may be appropriate) not less
than forty-eight (48) hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting
at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote or, in the case of a poll taken
subsequently to the date of a meeting or adjourned meeting, not less than twenty-four (24) hours
before the time appointed for the taking of the poll and in default the instrument of proxy shall
not be treated as valid. No instrument appointing a proxy shall be valid after the expiration of
twelve (12) months from the date named in it as the date of its execution, except at an adjourned
meeting or on a poll demanded at a meeting or an adjourned meeting in cases where the meeting was
originally held within twelve (12) months from such date. Delivery of an instrument appointing a
proxy shall not preclude a Member from attending and voting in person at the meeting convened and
in such event, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to be revoked.
81. Instruments of proxy shall be in any common form or in such other form as the Board may approve
(provided that this shall not preclude the use of the two-way form) and the Board may, if it thinks
fit, send out with the notice of any meeting forms of instrument of proxy for use at the meeting.
The instrument of proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll
and to vote on any amendment of a resolution put to the meeting for which it is given as the proxy
thinks fit. The instrument of proxy shall, unless the contrary is stated therein, be valid as well
for any adjournment of the meeting as for the meeting to which it relates.
82. A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid
notwithstanding the previous death or insanity of the principal, or revocation of the instrument of
proxy or of the authority under which it was executed, provided that no intimation in writing of
such death, insanity or revocation shall have been received by the Company at the Office or the
Registration Office (or such other place as may be specified for the delivery of instruments of
proxy in the notice convening the meeting or other document sent therewith) two (2) hours at least
before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting, or the taking of the poll, at which
the instrument of proxy is used.
83. Anything which under these Articles a Member may do by proxy he may likewise do by his duly
appointed attorney and the provisions of these Articles relating to proxies and instruments
appointing proxies shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to any such attorney and the instrument
under which such attorney is appointed.
CORPORATIONS ACTING BY REPRESENTATIVES
84. (1) Any corporation which is a Member may by resolution of its directors or other
governing body authorise such person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting
of the Company or at any meeting of any class of Members. The person so authorised shall be
entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of such corporation as the corporation could
exercise if it were an individual Member and such corporation shall for the
- 23 -
purposes of these Articles be deemed to be present in person at any such meeting if a person so
authorised is present thereat.
(2) If a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), being a corporation, is a Member, it may
authorise such persons as it thinks fit to act as its representatives at any meeting of the Company
or at any meeting of any class of Members provided that the authorisation shall specify the number
and class of shares in respect of which each such representative is so authorised. Each person so
authorised under the provisions of this Article shall be deemed to have been duly authorised
without further evidence of the facts and be entitled to exercise the same rights and powers on
behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) as if such person was the registered holder of the
shares of the Company held by the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) including the right to vote
individually on a show of hands.
(3) Any reference in these Articles to a duly authorised representative of a Member being a
corporation shall mean a representative authorised under the provisions of this Article.
NO ACTION BY WRITTEN RESOLUTIONS OF MEMBERS
85. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or extraordinary general meetings of
the Company may be taken only upon the vote of the Members at an annual or extraordinary general
meeting duly noticed and convened in accordance with these Articles and the Law and may not be
taken by written resolution of Members without a meeting.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
86. (1) Unless otherwise determined by the Company in general meeting, the number of Directors
shall not be less than two (2). There shall be no maximum number of Directors unless otherwise
determined from time to time by the Members in general meeting. The Directors shall be elected or
appointed in the first place by the subscribers to the Memorandum of Association or by a majority
of them and thereafter in accordance with these Articles such purpose and who shall hold office
until their successors are elected or appointed or their office is otherwise vacated.
(2) Subject to the Articles and the Law, the Company may by ordinary resolution elect any
person to be a Director either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the existing Board.
(3) The Directors shall have the power from time to time and at any time to appoint any
person as a Director to fill a casual vacancy on the Board or as an addition to the existing Board.
Any Director appointed by the Board to fill a casual vacancy shall hold office until the first
general meeting of Members after his appointment and be subject to re-election at such meeting and
any Director appointed by the Board as an addition to the existing Board shall hold office only
until the next following annual general meeting of the Company and shall then be eligible for
re-election.
- 24 -
(4) No Director shall be required to hold any shares of the Company by way of qualification
and a Director who is not a Member shall be entitled to receive notice of and to attend and speak
at any general meeting of the Company and of all classes of shares of the Company.
(5) Subject to any provision to the contrary in these Articles, a Director may be removed by
way of (i) an ordinary resolution of the Members or (ii) the consent of a majority of the Directors
then in office at any time before the expiration of his period of office notwithstanding anything
in these Articles or in any agreement between the Company and such Director (but without prejudice
to any claim for damages under any such agreement).
(6) A vacancy on the Board created by the removal of a Director under the provisions of
subparagraph (5) above may be filled by the election or appointment by ordinary resolution of the
Members at the meeting at which such Director is removed or by the affirmative vote of a simple
majority of the remaining Directors present and voting at a Board meeting.
(7) The Company may from time to time in general meeting by ordinary resolution increase or
reduce the number of Directors but so that the number of Directors shall never be less than two
(2).
86(1A) (i) For a period of three (3) years from the closing of the Companys initial public
offering of American depositary shares and so long as Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (Ctrip),
together with its affiliates as defined in Rule 405 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, continues to hold at least 5% of the Companys outstanding ordinary shares and (ii)
thereafter for so long as Ctrip, together with its affiliates, continues to hold at least 8% of the
Companys outstanding ordinary shares:
|
(a) |
|
Ctrip shall have the right to appoint one (1) Director to the Board (the Ctrip
Director); |
|
|
(b) |
|
the Ctrip Director may only be removed or replaced by Ctrip; and |
|
(c) |
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person nominated by Ctrip to serve as the
Ctrip Director must be accepted by a majority of the Board, in their reasonable
discretion, before such nomination becomes effective. |
(ii) Any amendment or revocation of this Article 86(1A) shall require the prior written
consent of Ctrip as long as Ctrip has the right to appoint the Ctrip Director according to this
Article 86(1A).
DISQUALIFICATION OF DIRECTORS
87. The office of a Director shall be vacated if the Director:
(1) resigns his office by notice in writing delivered to the Company at the Office or tendered
at a meeting of the Board;
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(2) becomes of unsound mind or dies;
(3) without special leave of absence from the Board, is absent from meetings of the Board for
six consecutive months and the Board resolves that his office be vacated;
(4) becomes bankrupt or has a receiving order made against him or suspends payment or
compounds with his creditors;
(5) is prohibited by law from being a Director; or
(6) ceases to be a Director by virtue of any provision of the Statutes or is removed from
office pursuant to these Articles.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
88. The Board may from time to time appoint any one or more of its body to be a managing director,
joint managing director or deputy managing director or to hold any other employment or executive
office with the Company for such period (subject to their continuance as Directors) and upon such
terms as the Board may determine and the Board may revoke or terminate any of such appointments.
Any such revocation or termination as aforesaid shall be without prejudice to any claim for damages
that such Director may have against the Company or the Company may have against such Director. A
Director appointed to an office under this Article shall be subject to the same provisions as to
removal as the other Directors of the Company, and he shall (subject to the provisions of any
contract between him and the Company) ipso facto and immediately cease to hold such office if he
shall cease to hold the office of Director for any cause.
89. Notwithstanding Articles 94, 95, 96 and 97, an executive director appointed to an office
under Article 88 hereof shall receive such remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission,
participation in profits or otherwise or by all or any of those modes) and such other benefits
(including pension and/or gratuity and/or other benefits on retirement) and allowances as the Board
may from time to time determine, and either in addition to or in lieu of his remuneration as a
Director.
ALTERNATE DIRECTORS
90. Any Director may at any time by Notice delivered to the Office or head office or at a meeting
of the Directors appoint any person (including another Director) to be his alternate Director. Any
person so appointed shall have all the rights and powers of the Director or Directors for whom such
person is appointed in the alternative provided that such person shall not be counted more than
once in determining whether or not a quorum is present. An alternate Director may be removed at
any time by the body which appointed him and, subject thereto, the office of alternate Director
shall continue until the happening of any event which, if we were a Director, would cause him to
vacate such office or if his appointer ceases for any reason to be a Director. Any appointment or
removal of an alternate Director shall be effected by Notice signed by the appointor and delivered
to the Office or head office or tendered at a meeting of the Board. An alternate Director may also
be a Director in his
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own right and may act as alternate to more than one Director. An alternate Director shall, if his
appointor so requests, be entitled to receive notices of meetings of the Board or of committees of
the Board to the same extent as, but in lieu of, the Director appointing him and shall be entitled
to such extent to attend and vote as a Director at any such meeting at which the Director
appointing him is not personally present and generally at such meeting to exercise and discharge
all the functions, powers and duties of his appointor as a Director and for the purposes of the
proceedings at such meeting the provisions of these Articles shall apply as if he were a Director
save that as an alternate for more than one Director his voting rights shall be cumulative.
91. An alternate Director shall only be a Director for the purposes of the Law and shall only be
subject to the provisions of the Law insofar as they relate to the duties and obligations of a
Director when performing the functions of the Director for whom he is appointed in the alternative
and shall alone be responsible to the Company for his acts and defaults and shall not be deemed to
be the agent of or for the Director appointing him. An alternate Director shall be entitled to
contract and be interested in and benefit from contracts or arrangements or transactions and to be
repaid expenses and to be indemnified by the Company to the same extent mutatis mutandis as if he
were a Director but he shall not be entitled to receive from the Company any fee in his capacity as
an alternate Director except only such part, if any, of the remuneration otherwise payable to his
appointor as such appointor may by Notice to the Company from time to time direct.
92. Every person acting as an alternate Director shall have one vote for each Director for whom he
acts as alternate (in addition to his own vote if he is also a Director). If his appointor is for
the time being absent from the Peoples Republic of China or otherwise not available or unable to
act, the signature of an alternate Director to any resolution in writing of the Board or a
committee of the Board of which his appointor is a member shall, unless the notice of his
appointment provides to the contrary, be as effective as the signature of his appointor.
93. An alternate Director shall ipso facto cease to be an alternate Director if his appointor
ceases for any reason to be a Director, however, such alternate Director or any other person may be
re-appointed by the Directors to serve as an alternate Director PROVIDED always that, if at any
meeting any Director retires but is re-elected at the same meeting, any appointment of such
alternate Director pursuant to these Articles which was in force immediately before his retirement
shall remain in force as though he had not retired.
DIRECTORS FEES AND EXPENSES
94. The Directors shall receive such remuneration as the Board may from time to time determine.
Each Director shall be entitled to be repaid or prepaid all traveling, hotel and incidental
expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending meetings of the Board
or committees of the board or general meetings or separate meetings of any class of shares or of
debenture of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director.
95. Each Director shall be entitled to be repaid or prepaid all travelling, hotel and incidental
expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred by him in attending
- 27 -
meetings of the Board or committees of the Board or general meetings or separate meetings of any
class of shares or of debentures of the Company or otherwise in connection with the discharge of
his duties as a Director.
96. Any Director who, by request, goes or resides abroad for any purpose of the Company or who
performs services which in the opinion of the Board go beyond the ordinary duties of a Director may
be paid such extra remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission, participation in profits or
otherwise) as the Board may determine and such extra
remuneration shall be in addition to or in substitution for any ordinary remuneration provided for
by or pursuant to any other Article.
DIRECTORS INTERESTS
97. A Director may:
|
(a) |
|
hold any other office or place of profit with the Company (except that of
Auditor) in conjunction with his office of Director for such period and upon such terms
as the Board may determine. Any remuneration (whether by way of salary, commission,
participation in profits or otherwise) paid to any Director in respect of any such
other office or place of profit shall be in addition to any remuneration provided for
by or pursuant to any other Article; |
|
(b) |
|
act by himself or his firm in a professional capacity for the Company
(otherwise than as Auditor) and he or his firm may be remunerated for professional
services as if he were not a Director; |
|
(c) |
|
continue to be or become a director, managing director, joint managing
director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other officer or
member of any other company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be
interested as a vendor, shareholder or otherwise and (unless otherwise agreed) no such
Director shall be accountable for any remuneration, profits or other benefits received
by him as a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing
director, executive director, manager or other officer or member of or from his
interests in any such other company. Subject as otherwise provided by these Articles
the Directors may exercise or cause to be exercised the voting powers conferred by the
shares in any other company held or owned by the Company, or exercisable by them as
Directors of such other company in such manner in all respects as they think fit
(including the exercise thereof in favour of any resolution appointing themselves or
any of them directors, managing directors, joint managing directors, deputy managing
directors, executive directors, managers or other officers of such company) or voting
or providing for the payment of remuneration to the director, managing director, joint
managing director, deputy managing director, executive director, manager or other
officers of such other company and any Director may vote in favour of the exercise of
such voting rights in manner aforesaid notwithstanding that he may be, or about to be,
appointed a director, managing director, joint managing director, deputy managing
director, executive director, manager or other officer of such |
- 28 -
a company, and that as such he is or may become interested in the exercise of such
voting rights in manner aforesaid.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Independent Director as defined in the NASDAQ Listing
Rules or in Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, and with respect of whom the Board has determined
constitutes an Independent Director for purposes of compliance with applicable law or the
Companys listing requirements, shall without the consent of the Audit Committee take any of the
foregoing actions or any other action that would reasonably be likely to affect such Directors
status as an Independent Director of the Company.
98. Subject to the Law and to these Articles, no Director or proposed or intending Director shall
be disqualified by his office from contracting with the Company, either with regard to his tenure
of any office or place of profit or as vendor, purchaser or in any other manner whatsoever, nor
shall any such contract or any other contract or arrangement in which any Director is in any way
interested be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be
liable to account to the Company or the Members for any remuneration, profit or other benefits
realised by any such contract or arrangement by reason of such Director holding that office or of
the fiduciary relationship thereby established provided that such Director shall disclose the
nature of his interest in any contract or arrangement in which he is interested in accordance with
Article 99 herein. Any such transaction that would reasonably be likely to affect a Directors
status as an Independent Director, or that would constitute a related party transaction as
defined by Item 7.N of Form 20F promulgated by the SEC, shall require the approval of the Audit
Committee.
99. A Director who to his knowledge is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a
contract or arrangement or proposed contract or arrangement with the Company shall declare the
nature of his interest at the meeting of the Board at which the question of entering into the
contract or arrangement is first considered, if he knows his interest then exists, or in any other
case at the first meeting of the Board after he knows that he is or has become so interested. For
the purposes of this Article, a general Notice to the Board by a Director to the effect that:
|
(a) |
|
he is a member or officer of a specified company or firm and is to be regarded
as interested in any contract or arrangement which may after the date of the Notice be
made with that company or firm; or |
|
(b) |
|
he is to be regarded as interested in any contract or arrangement which may
after the date of the Notice be made with a specified person who is connected with him; |
shall be deemed to be a sufficient declaration of interest under this Article in relation to
any such contract or arrangement, provided that no such Notice shall be effective unless either it
is given at a meeting of the Board or the Director takes reasonable steps to secure that it is
brought up and read at the next Board meeting after it is given.
100. Following a declaration being made pursuant to the last preceding two Articles, subject to any
separate requirement for Audit Committee approval under applicable law or the listing rules of the
Companys Designated Stock Exchange, and unless disqualified by the chairman of the relevant Board
meeting, a Director may vote in respect of any contract or
- 29 -
proposed contract or arrangement in which such Director is interested and may be counted in the
quorum at such meeting.
GENERAL POWERS OF THE DIRECTORS
101. (1) The business of the Company shall be managed and conducted by the Board, which may pay all
expenses incurred in forming and registering the Company and may exercise all powers of the Company
(whether relating to the management of the business of the Company or otherwise) which are not by
the Statutes or by these Articles required to be exercised by the Company in general meeting,
subject nevertheless to the provisions of the Statutes and of these Articles and to such
regulations being not inconsistent with such provisions, as may be prescribed by the Company in
general meeting, but no regulations made by the Company in general meeting shall invalidate any
prior act of the Board which would have been valid if such regulations had not been made. The
general powers given by this Article shall not be limited or restricted by any special authority or
power given to the Board by any other Article.
(2) Any person contracting or dealing with the Company in the ordinary course of business
shall be entitled to rely on any written or oral contract or agreement or deed, document or
instrument entered into or executed as the case may be by any two of the Directors acting jointly
on behalf of the Company and the same shall be deemed to be validly entered into or executed by the
Company as the case may be and shall, subject to any rule of law, be binding on the Company.
(3) Without prejudice to the general powers conferred by these Articles it is hereby expressly
declared that the Board shall have the following powers:
|
(a) |
|
to give to any person the right or option of requiring at a future date that an
allotment shall be made to him of any share at par or at such premium as may be agreed; |
|
(b) |
|
to give to any Directors, officers or employees of the Company an interest in
any particular business or transaction or participation in the profits thereof or in
the general profits of the Company either in addition to or in substitution for a
salary or other remuneration; and |
|
(c) |
|
to resolve that the Company be deregistered in the Cayman Islands and continued
in a named jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands subject to the provisions of the
Law. |
102. The Board may establish any regional or local boards or agencies for managing any of the
affairs of the Company in any place, and may appoint any persons to be members of such local
boards, or any managers or agents, and may fix their remuneration (either by way of salary or by
commission or by conferring the right to participation in the profits of the Company or by a
combination of two or more of these modes) and pay the working expenses of any staff employed by
them upon the business of the Company. The Board may delegate to any regional or local board,
manager or agent any of the powers, authorities and discretions vested in or exercisable by the
Board (other than its powers to
- 30 -
make calls and forfeit shares), with power to sub-delegate, and may authorise the members of any of
them to fill any vacancies therein and to act notwithstanding vacancies. Any such appointment or
delegation may be made upon such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board may think fit,
and the Board may remove any person appointed as aforesaid, and may revoke or vary such delegation,
but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of any such revocation or variation shall be
affected thereby.
103. The Board may by power of attorney appoint any company, firm or person or any fluctuating body
of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Board, to be the attorney or attorneys
of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding
those vested in or exercisable by the Board under these Articles) and for such period and subject
to such conditions as it may think fit, and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions
for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Board may think
fit, and may also authorise any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities
and discretions vested in him. Such attorney or attorneys may, if so authorised under the Seal of
the Company, execute any deed or instrument under their personal seal with the same effect as the
affixation of the Companys Seal.
104. The Board may entrust to and confer upon a managing director, joint managing director, deputy
managing director, an executive director or any Director any of the powers exercisable by it upon
such terms and conditions and with such restrictions as it thinks fit, and either collaterally
with, or to the exclusion of, its own powers, and may from time to time revoke or vary all or any
of such powers but no person dealing in good faith and without notice of such revocation or
variation shall be affected thereby.
105. All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other instruments, whether
negotiable or transferable or not, and all receipts for moneys paid to the Company shall be signed,
drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, in such manner as the Board
shall from time to time by resolution determine. The Companys banking accounts shall be kept with
such banker or bankers as the Board shall from time to time determine.
106. (1) The Board may establish or concur or join with other companies (being subsidiary companies
of the Company or companies with which it is associated in business) in establishing and making
contributions out of the Companys moneys to any schemes or funds for providing pensions, sickness
or compassionate allowances, life assurance or other benefits for employees (which expression as
used in this and the following paragraph shall include any Director or ex-Director who may hold or
have held any executive office or any office of profit under the Company or any of its subsidiary
companies) and ex-employees of the Company and their dependants or any class or classes of such
person.
(2) The Board may pay, enter into agreements to pay or make grants of revocable or irrevocable
pensions or other benefits to employees and ex-employees and their dependants, or to any of such
persons, including pensions or benefits additional to those, if any, to which such employees or
ex-employees or their dependants are or may become entitled under any such scheme or fund as
mentioned in the last preceding paragraph. Any such pension or benefit may, as the Board considers
desirable, be granted to an employee
- 31 -
either before and in anticipation of or upon or at any time after his actual retirement, and
may be subject or not subject to any terms or conditions as the Board may determine.
BORROWING POWERS
107. The Board may exercise all the powers of the Company to raise or borrow money and to mortgage
or charge all or any part of the undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled
capital of the Company and, subject to the Law, to issue debentures, bonds and other securities,
whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or
of any third party.
108. Debentures, bonds and other securities may be made assignable free from any equities between
the Company and the person to whom the same may be issued.
109. Any debentures, bonds or other securities may be issued at a discount (other than shares),
premium or otherwise and with any special privileges as to redemption, surrender, drawings,
allotment of shares, attending and voting at general meetings of the Company, appointment of
Directors and otherwise.
110. (1) Where any uncalled capital of the Company is charged, all persons taking any subsequent
charge thereon shall take the same subject to such prior charge, and shall not be entitled, by
notice to the Members or otherwise, to obtain priority over such prior charge.
(2) The Board shall cause a proper register to be kept, in accordance with the
provisions of the Law, of all charges specifically affecting the property of the Company and of any
series of debentures issued by the Company and shall duly comply with the requirements of the Law
in regard to the registration of charges and debentures therein specified and otherwise.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE DIRECTORS
111. The Board may meet for the despatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings
as it considers appropriate. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of
votes. In the case of any equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have an additional
or casting vote.
112. A meeting of the Board may be convened by the Secretary on request of a Director or by any
Director. The Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Board. Notice of a meeting of the Board
shall be deemed to be duly given to a Director if it is given to such Director in writing or
verbally (including in person or by telephone) or via electronic mail or by telephone or in such
other manner as the Board may from time to time determine whenever he shall be required so to do by
any Director.
113. (1) The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the Board may be fixed by the
Board and, unless so fixed at any other number, shall be two (2). An alternate Director shall be
counted in a quorum in the case of the absence of a Director for whom he is
- 32 -
the alternate provided that he shall not be counted more than once for the purpose of determining
whether or not a quorum is present.
(2) Directors may participate in any meeting of the Board by means of a conference telephone
or other communications equipment through which all persons participating in the meeting can
communicate with each other simultaneously and instantaneously and, for the purpose of counting a
quorum, such participation shall constitute presence at a meeting as if those participating were
present in person.
(3) Any Director who ceases to be a Director at a Board meeting may continue to be present and
to act as a Director and be counted in the quorum until the termination of such Board meeting if no
other Director objects and if otherwise a quorum of Directors would not be present.
114. The continuing Directors or a sole continuing Director may act notwithstanding any vacancy in
the Board but, if and so long as the number of Directors is reduced below the minimum number fixed
by or in accordance with these Articles, the continuing Directors or Director, notwithstanding that
the number of Directors is below the number fixed by or in accordance with these Articles as the
quorum or that there is only one continuing Director, may act for the purpose of filling vacancies
in the Board or of summoning general meetings of the Company but not for any other purpose.
115. The Chairman of the Board shall be the chairman of all meetings of the Board. If the
Chairman of the Board is not present at any meeting within five (5) minutes after the time
appointed for holding the same, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman
of the meeting.
116. A meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all the
powers, authorities and discretions for the time being vested in or exercisable by the Board.
117. (1) The Board may delegate any of its powers, authorities and discretions to committees
(including, without limitation, the Audit Committee), consisting of such Director or Directors and
other persons as it thinks fit, and they may, from time to time, revoke such delegation or revoke
the appointment of and discharge any such committees either wholly or in part, and either as to
persons or purposes. Any committee so formed shall, in the exercise of the powers, authorities and
discretions so delegated, conform to any regulations which may be imposed on it by the Board.
(2) All acts done by any such committee in conformity with such regulations, and in fulfilment
of the purposes for which it was appointed, but not otherwise, shall have like force and effect as
if done by the Board, and the Board (or if the Board delegates such power, the committee) shall
have power to remunerate the members of any such committee, and charge such remuneration to the
current expenses of the Company.
118. The meetings and proceedings of any committee consisting of two or more members shall be
governed by the provisions contained in these Articles for regulating the meetings and proceedings
of the Board so far as the same are applicable and are not superseded by any regulations imposed by
the Board under the last preceding Article,
- 33 -
indicating, without limitation, any committee charter adopted by the Board for purposes or in
respect of any such committee.
119. A resolution in writing signed by all the Directors except such as are temporarily unable to
act through ill-health or disability shall (provided that such number is sufficient to constitute a
quorum and further provided that a copy of such resolution has been given or the contents thereof
communicated to all the Directors for the time being entitled to receive notices of Board meetings
in the same manner as notices of meetings are required to be given by these Articles) be as valid
and effectual as if a resolution had been passed at a meeting of the Board duly convened and held.
Such resolution may be contained in one document or in several documents in like form each signed
by one or more of the Directors and for this purpose a facsimile signature of a Director shall be
treated as valid.
120. All acts bona fide done by the Board or by any committee or by any person acting as a
Director or members of a committee, shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that
there was some defect in the appointment of any member of the Board or such committee or person
acting as aforesaid or that they or any of them were disqualified or had vacated office, be as
valid as if every such person had been duly appointed and was qualified and had continued to be a
Director or member of such committee.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
121. Without prejudice to the freedom of the Directors to establish any other committees, for so
long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the
Designated Stock Exchange, the Board shall establish and maintain an Audit Committee as a committee
of the Board, the composition and responsibilities of which shall comply with the NASDAQ Listing
Rules and the rules and regulations of the SEC.
122. (1) The Board shall adopt a formal written audit committee charter and review and assess the
adequacy of the formal written charter on an annual basis.
(2) The Audit Committee shall meet at least once every financial quarter, or more frequently
as circumstances dictate.
123. For so long as the shares of the Company (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or
quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company shall conduct an appropriate review of all
related party transactions on an ongoing basis and shall utilize the Audit Committee for the review
and approval of potential conflicts of interest. Specially, the Audit Committee shall approve any
transaction or transactions between the Company and any of the following parties: (i) any
shareholder owning an interest in the voting power of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company
that gives such shareholder significant influence over the Company or any subsidiary of the
Company, (ii) any director or executive officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company and
any relative of such director or executive officer, (iii) any person in which a substantial
interest in the voting power of the Company is owned, directly or indirectly, by any person
described in (i) or (ii) or over which such a person is able to exercise significant influence, and
(iv) any affiliate (other than a subsidiary) of the Company.
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OFFICERS
124. (1) The officers of the Company shall consist of the Chairman of the Board, the Directors and
Secretary and such additional officers (who may or may not be Directors) as the Board may from time
to time determine, all of whom shall be deemed to be officers for the purposes of the Law and these
Articles.
(2) The Directors shall, as soon as may be after each appointment or election of Directors,
elect amongst the Directors a chairman and if more than one Director is proposed for this office,
the election to such office shall take place in such manner as the Directors may determine.
(3) The officers shall receive such remuneration as the Directors may from time to time
determine.
125. (1) The Secretary and additional officers, if any, shall be appointed by the Board and shall
hold office on such terms and for such period as the Board may determine. If thought fit, two or
more persons may be appointed as joint Secretaries. The Board may also appoint from time to time
on such terms as it thinks fit one or more assistant or deputy Secretaries.
(2) The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Members and shall keep correct minutes of
such meetings and enter the same in the proper books provided for the purpose. He shall perform
such other duties as are prescribed by the Law or these Articles or as may be prescribed by the
Board.
126. The officers of the Company shall have such powers and perform such duties in the
management, business and affairs of the Company as may be delegated to them by the Directors from
time to time.
127. A provision of the Law or of these Articles requiring or authorising a thing to be done by or
to a Director and the Secretary shall not be satisfied by its being done by or to the same person
acting both as Director and as or in place of the Secretary.
REGISTER OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
128. The Company shall cause to be kept in one or more books at its Office a Register of Directors
and Officers in which there shall be entered the full names and addresses of the Directors and
Officers and such other particulars as required by the Law or as the Directors may determine. The
Company shall send to the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands a copy of such register, and
shall from time to time notify to the said Registrar of any change that takes place in relation to
such Directors and Officers as required by the Law.
MINUTES
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129. (1) The Board shall cause minutes to be duly entered in books provided for the purpose:
|
(a) |
|
of all elections and appointments of officers; |
|
|
(b) |
|
of the names of the Directors present at each meeting of the Directors and of
any committee of the Directors; |
|
(c) |
|
of all resolutions and proceedings of each general meeting of the Members,
meetings of the Board and meetings of committees of the Board and where there are
managers, of all proceedings of meetings of the managers. |
(2) Minutes shall be kept by the Secretary at the Office.
SEAL
130. (1) The Company shall have one or more Seals, as the Board may determine. For the
purpose of sealing documents creating or evidencing securities issued by the Company, the Company
may have a securities seal which is a facsimile of the Seal of the Company with the addition of the
word Securities on its face or in such other form as the Board may approve. The Board shall
provide for the custody of each Seal and no Seal shall be used without the authority of the Board
or of a committee of the Board authorised by the Board in that behalf. Subject as otherwise
provided in these Articles, any instrument to which a Seal is affixed shall be signed
autographically by one Director and the Secretary or by two Directors or by such other person
(including a Director) or persons as the Board may appoint, either generally or in any particular
case, save that as regards any certificates for shares or debentures or other securities of the
Company the Board may by resolution determine that such signatures or either of them shall be
dispensed with or affixed by some method or system of mechanical signature. Every instrument
executed in manner provided by this Article shall be deemed to be sealed and executed with the
authority of the Board previously given.
(2) Where the Company has a Seal for use abroad, the Board may by writing under the Seal
appoint any agent or committee abroad to be the duly authorised agent of the Company for the
purpose of affixing and using such Seal and the Board may impose restrictions on the use thereof as
may be thought fit. Wherever in these Articles reference is made to the Seal, the reference
shall, when and so far as may be applicable, be deemed to include any such other Seal as aforesaid.
AUTHENTICATION OF DOCUMENTS
131. Any Director or the Secretary or any person appointed by the Board for the purpose may
authenticate any documents affecting the constitution of the Company and any resolution passed by
the Company or the Board or any committee, and any books, records, documents and accounts relating
to the business of the Company, and to certify copies thereof or extracts therefrom as true copies
or extracts, and if any books, records, documents
- 36 -
or accounts are elsewhere than at the Office or the head office the local manager or other officer
of the Company having the custody thereof shall be deemed to be a person so appointed by the Board.
A document purporting to be a copy of a resolution, or an extract from the minutes of a meeting,
of the Company or of the Board or any committee which is so certified shall be conclusive evidence
in favour of all persons dealing with the Company upon the faith thereof that such resolution has
been duly passed or, as the case may be, that such minutes or extract is a true and accurate record
of proceedings at a duly constituted meeting.
DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
132. (1) The Company shall be entitled to destroy the following documents at the following times:
|
(a) |
|
any share certificate which has been cancelled at any time after the expiry of
one (1) year from the date of such cancellation; |
|
(b) |
|
any dividend mandate or any variation or cancellation thereof or any
notification of change of name or address at any time after the expiry of two (2)
years from the date such mandate variation cancellation or notification was recorded by
the Company; |
|
(c) |
|
any instrument of transfer of shares which has been registered at any time
after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of registration; |
|
(d) |
|
any allotment letters after the expiry of seven (7) years from the date of issue
thereof; and |
|
(e) |
|
copies of powers of attorney, grants of probate and letters of administration
at any time after the expiry of seven (7) years after the account to which the relevant
power of attorney, grant of probate or letters of administration related has been
closed; |
and it shall conclusively be presumed in favour of the Company that every entry in the
Register purporting to be made on the basis of any such documents so destroyed was duly and
properly made and every share certificate so destroyed was a valid certificate duly and properly
cancelled and that every instrument of transfer so destroyed was a valid and effective instrument
duly and properly registered and that every other document destroyed hereunder was a valid and
effective document in accordance with the recorded particulars thereof in the books or records of
the Company. Provided always that: (1) the foregoing provisions of this Article shall apply only
to the destruction of a document in good faith and without express notice to the Company that the
preservation of such document was relevant to a claim; (2) nothing contained in this Article shall
be construed as imposing upon the Company any liability in respect of the destruction of any such
document earlier than as aforesaid or in any case where the conditions of proviso (1) above are not
fulfilled; and (3) references in this Article to the destruction of any document include references
to its disposal in any manner.
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(2) Notwithstanding any provision contained in these Articles, the Directors may, if permitted
by applicable law, authorise the destruction of documents set out in sub-paragraphs (a) to (e) of
paragraph (1) of this Article and any other documents in relation to share registration which have
been microfilmed or electronically stored by the Company or by the share registrar on its behalf
provided always that this Article shall apply only to the destruction of a document in good faith
and without express notice to the Company and its share registrar that the preservation of such
document was relevant to a claim.
DIVIDENDS AND OTHER PAYMENTS
133. Subject to the Law, the Company in general meeting or the Board may from time to time declare
dividends in any currency to be paid to the Members but no dividend shall be declared in excess of
the amount recommended by the Board.
134. Dividends may be declared and paid out of the profits of the Company, realised or unrealised,
or from any reserve set aside from profits which the Directors determine is no longer needed. The
Board may also declare and pay dividends out of share premium account or any other fund or account
which can be authorised for this purpose in accordance with the Law.
135. Except in so far as the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any share otherwise
provide:
|
(a) |
|
all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the
shares in respect of which the dividend is paid, but no amount paid up on a share in
advance of calls shall be treated for the purposes of this Article as paid up on the
share; and |
|
(b) |
|
all dividends shall be apportioned and paid pro rata according to the amounts
paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which
the dividend is paid. |
136. The Board may from time to time pay to the Members such interim dividends as appear to the
Board to be justified by the profits of the Company and in particular (but without prejudice to the
generality of the foregoing) if at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into
different classes, the Board may pay such interim dividends in respect of those shares in the
capital of the Company which confer on the holders thereof deferred or non-preferential rights as
well as in respect of those shares which confer on the holders thereof preferential rights with
regard to dividend and provided that the Board acts bona fide the Board shall not incur any
responsibility to the holders of shares conferring any preference for any damage that they may
suffer by reason of the payment of an interim dividend on any shares having deferred or
non-preferential rights and may also pay any fixed dividend which is payable on any shares of the
Company half-yearly or on any other dates, whenever such profits, in the opinion of the Board,
justifies such payment.
137. The Board may deduct from any dividend or other moneys payable to a Member by the Company on
or in respect of any shares all sums of money (if any) presently payable by him to the Company on
account of calls or otherwise.
- 38 -
138. No dividend or other moneys payable by the Company on or in respect of any share shall bear
interest against the Company.
139. Any dividend, interest or other sum payable in cash to the holder of shares may be paid by
cheque or warrant sent through the post addressed to the holder at his registered address or, in
the case of joint holders, addressed to the holder whose name stands first in the Register in
respect of the shares at his address as appearing in the Register or addressed to such person and
at such address as the holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant
shall, unless the holder or joint holders otherwise direct, be made payable to the order of the
holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the order of the holder whose name stands first on the
Register in respect of such shares, and shall be sent at his or their risk and payment of the
cheque or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall constitute a good discharge to the Company
notwithstanding that it may subsequently appear that the same has been stolen or that any
endorsement thereon has been forged. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual
receipts for any dividends or other moneys payable or property distributable in respect of the
shares held by such joint holders.
140. All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for one (1) year after having been declared may be invested
or otherwise made use of by the Board for the benefit of the Company until claimed. Any dividend
or bonuses unclaimed after a period of six (6) years from the date of declaration shall be
forfeited and shall revert to the Company. The payment by the Board of any unclaimed dividend or
other sums payable on or in respect of a share into a separate account shall not constitute the
Company a trustee in respect thereof.
141. Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid or
declared, the Board may further resolve that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part by the
distribution of specific assets of any kind and in particular of paid up shares, debentures or
warrants to subscribe securities of the Company or any other company, or in any one or more of such
ways, and where any difficulty arises in regard to the distribution the Board may settle the same
as it thinks expedient, and in particular may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares,
disregard fractional entitlements or round the same up or down, and may fix the value for
distribution of such specific assets, or any part thereof, and may determine that cash payments
shall be made to any Members upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights
of all parties, and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to the
Board and may appoint any person to sign any requisite instruments of transfer and other documents
on behalf of the persons entitled to the dividend, and such appointment shall be effective and
binding on the Members. The Board may resolve that no such assets shall be made available to
Members with registered addresses in any particular territory or territories where, in the absence
of a registration statement or other special formalities, such distribution of assets would or
might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable and in such event the only
entitlement of the Members aforesaid shall be to receive cash payments as aforesaid. Members
affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of
Members for any purpose whatsoever.
142. (1) Whenever the Board or the Company in general meeting has resolved that a dividend be paid
or declared on any class of the share capital of the Company, the Board may further resolve either:
- 39 -
|
(a) |
|
that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part in the form of an allotment
of shares credited as fully paid up, provided that the Members entitled thereto will be
entitled to elect to receive such dividend (or part thereof if the Board so determines)
in cash in lieu of such allotment. In such case, the following provisions shall apply: |
|
(i) |
|
the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the
Board; |
|
(ii) |
|
the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give
not less than ten (10) days Notice to the holders of the relevant shares of
the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of
election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and
the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be
lodged in order to be effective; |
|
(iii) |
|
the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole
or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of
election has been accorded; and |
|
(iv) |
|
the dividend (or that part of the dividend to be satisfied by
the allotment of shares as aforesaid) shall not be payable in cash on shares in
respect whereof the cash election has not been duly exercised (the non-elected
shares) and in satisfaction thereof shares of the relevant class shall be
allotted credited as fully paid up to the holders of the non-elected shares on
the basis of allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board
shall capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the
Company (including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves
or other special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve
other than the Subscription Rights Reserve) as the Board may determine, such
sum as may be required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of
the relevant class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of
the non-elected shares on such basis; or |
|
(b) |
|
that the Members entitled to such dividend shall be entitled to elect to
receive an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up in lieu of the whole or such
part of the dividend as the Board may think fit. In such case, the following
provisions shall apply: |
|
(i) |
|
the basis of any such allotment shall be determined by the
Board; |
|
(ii) |
|
the Board, after determining the basis of allotment, shall give
not less than ten (10) days Notice to the holders of the relevant shares of
the right of election accorded to them and shall send with such notice forms of
election and specify the procedure to be followed and the place at which and
the latest date and time by which duly completed forms of election must be
lodged in order to be effective; |
- 40 -
|
(iii) |
|
the right of election may be exercised in respect of the whole
or part of that portion of the dividend in respect of which the right of
election has been accorded; and |
|
(iv) |
|
the dividend (or that part of the dividend in respect of which
a right of election has been accorded) shall not be payable in cash on shares
in respect whereof the share election has been duly exercised (the elected
shares) and in lieu thereof shares of the relevant class shall be allotted
credited as fully paid up to the holders of the elected shares on the basis of
allotment determined as aforesaid and for such purpose the Board shall
capitalise and apply out of any part of the undivided profits of the Company
(including profits carried and standing to the credit of any reserves or other
special account, share premium account, capital redemption reserve other than
the Subscription Rights Reserve) as the Board may determine, such sum as may be
required to pay up in full the appropriate number of shares of the relevant
class for allotment and distribution to and amongst the holders of the elected
shares on such basis. |
|
(2) |
|
(a) |
|
The shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this
Article shall rank pari passu in all respects with shares of the same class (if any)
then in issue save only as regards participation in the relevant dividend or in any
other distributions, bonuses or rights paid, made, declared or announced prior to or
contemporaneously with the payment or declaration of the relevant dividend unless,
contemporaneously with the announcement by the Board of their proposal to apply the
provisions of sub-paragraph (a) or (b) of paragraph (2) of this Article in relation to
the relevant dividend or contemporaneously with their announcement of the distribution,
bonus or rights in question, the Board shall specify that the shares to be allotted
pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article shall rank for
participation in such distribution, bonus or rights. |
|
(b) |
|
The Board may do all acts and things considered necessary or
expedient to give effect to any capitalisation pursuant to the provisions of
paragraph (1) of this Article, with full power to the Board to make such
provisions as it thinks fit in the case of shares becoming distributable in
fractions (including provisions whereby, in whole or in part, fractional
entitlements are aggregated and sold and the net proceeds distributed to those
entitled, or are disregarded or rounded up or down or whereby the benefit of
fractional entitlements accrues to the Company rather than to the Members
concerned). The Board may authorise any person to enter into on behalf of all
Members interested, an agreement with the Company providing for such
capitalisation and matters incidental thereto and any agreement made pursuant
to such authority shall be effective and binding on all concerned. |
(3) The Company may upon the recommendation of the Board by ordinary resolution resolve in
respect of any one particular dividend of the Company that
- 41 -
notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Article a dividend may be satisfied
wholly in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up without offering any right
to shareholders to elect to receive such dividend in cash in lieu of such allotment.
(4) The Board may on any occasion determine that rights of election and the allotment of
shares under paragraph (1) of this Article shall not be made available or made to any shareholders
with registered addresses in any territory where, in the absence of a registration statement or
other special formalities, the circulation of an offer of such rights of election or the allotment
of shares would or might, in the opinion of the Board, be unlawful or impracticable, and in such
event the provisions aforesaid shall be read and construed subject to such determination. Members
affected as a result of the foregoing sentence shall not be or be deemed to be a separate class of
Members for any purpose whatsoever.
(5) Any resolution declaring a dividend on shares of any class, whether a resolution of
the Company in general meeting or a resolution of the Board, may specify that the same shall be
payable or distributable to the persons registered as the holders of such shares at the close of
business on a particular date, notwithstanding that it may be a date prior to that on which the
resolution is passed, and thereupon the dividend shall be payable or distributable to them in
accordance with their respective holdings so registered, but without prejudice to the rights inter
se in respect of such dividend of transferors and transferees of any such shares. The provisions
of this Article shall mutatis mutandis apply to bonuses, capitalisation issues, distributions of
realised capital profits or offers or grants made by the Company to the Members.
RESERVES
143. (1) The Board shall establish an account to be called the share premium account and shall
carry to the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the
premium paid on the issue of any share in the Company. Unless otherwise provided by the provisions
of these Articles, the Board may apply the share premium account in any manner permitted by the
Law. The Company shall at all times comply with the provisions of the Law in relation to the share
premium account.
(2) Before recommending any dividend, the Board may set aside out of the profits of the
Company such sums as it determines as reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Board, be
applicable for any purpose to which the profits of the Company may be properly applied and pending
such application may, also at such discretion, either be employed in the business of the Company or
be invested in such investments as the Board may from time to time think fit and so that it shall
not be necessary to keep any investments constituting the reserve or reserves separate or distinct
from any other investments of the Company. The Board may also without placing the same to reserve
carry forward any profits which it may think prudent not to distribute.
CAPITALISATION
144. The Company may, upon the recommendation of the Board, at any time and from time to time pass
an ordinary resolution to the effect that it is desirable to capitalise all
- 42 -
or any part of any amount for the time being standing to the credit of any reserve or fund
(including a share premium account and capital redemption reserve and the profit and loss account)
whether or not the same is available for distribution and accordingly that such amount be set free
for distribution among the Members or any class of Members who would be entitled thereto if it were
distributed by way of dividend and in the same proportions, on the footing that the same is not
paid in cash but is applied either in or towards paying up the amounts for the time being unpaid on
any shares in the Company held by such Members respectively or in paying up in full unissued
shares, debentures or other obligations of the Company, to be allotted and distributed credited as
fully paid up among such Members, or partly in one way and partly in the other, and the Board shall
give effect to such resolution provided that, for the purposes of this Article, a share premium
account and any capital redemption reserve or fund representing unrealised profits, may be applied
only in paying up in full unissued shares of the Company to be allotted to such Members credited as
fully paid.
145. The Board may settle, as it considers appropriate, any difficulty arising in regard to
any distribution under the last preceding Article and in particular may issue certificates in
respect of fractions of shares or authorise any person to sell and transfer any fractions or may
resolve that the distribution should be as nearly as may be practicable in the correct proportion
but not exactly so or may ignore fractions altogether, and may determine that cash payments shall
be made to any Members in order to adjust the rights of all parties, as may seem expedient to the
Board. The Board may appoint any person to sign on behalf of the persons entitled to participate
in the distribution any contract necessary or desirable for giving effect thereto and such
appointment shall be effective and binding upon the Members.
SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS RESERVE
146. The following provisions shall have effect to the extent that they are not prohibited by and
are in compliance with the Law:
|
(1) |
|
If, so long as any of the rights attached to any warrants issued by the Company
to subscribe for shares of the Company shall remain exercisable, the Company does any
act or engages in any transaction which, as a result of any adjustments to the
subscription price in accordance with the provisions of the conditions of the warrants,
would reduce the subscription price to below the par value of a share, then the
following provisions shall apply: |
|
(a) |
|
as from the date of such act or transaction the Company shall establish and
thereafter (subject as provided in this Article) maintain in accordance with the
provisions of this Article a reserve (the Subscription Rights Reserve) the amount of
which shall at no time be less than the sum which for the time being would be required
to be capitalised and applied in paying up in full the nominal amount of the additional shares required to be issued and allotted credited as fully
paid pursuant to sub-paragraph (c) below on the exercise in full of all the
subscription rights outstanding and shall apply the Subscription Rights Reserve in
paying up such additional shares in full as and when the same are allotted; |
- 43 -
|
(b) |
|
the Subscription Rights Reserve shall not be used for any purpose other than
that specified above unless all other reserves of the Company (other than share premium
account) have been extinguished and will then only be used to make good losses of the
Company if and so far as is required by law; |
|
(c) |
|
upon the exercise of all or any of the subscription rights represented by any
warrant, the relevant subscription rights shall be exercisable in respect of a nominal
amount of shares equal to the amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is
required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or, as the
case may be the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial exercise of the
subscription rights) and, in addition, there shall be allotted in respect of such
subscription rights to the exercising warrantholder, credited as fully paid, such
additional nominal amount of shares as is equal to the difference between: |
|
(i) |
|
the said amount in cash which the holder of such warrant is
required to pay on exercise of the subscription rights represented thereby (or,
as the case may be, the relevant portion thereof in the event of a partial
exercise of the subscription rights); and |
|
(ii) |
|
the nominal amount of shares in respect of which such subscription
rights would have been exercisable having regard to the provisions of the
conditions of the warrants, had it been possible for such subscription rights
to represent the right to subscribe for shares at less than par and immediately
upon such exercise so much of the sum standing to the credit of the
Subscription Rights Reserve as is required to pay up in full such additional
nominal amount of shares shall be capitalised and applied in paying up in full
such additional nominal amount of shares which shall forthwith be allotted
credited as fully paid to the exercising warrantholders; and |
|
(d) |
|
if, upon the exercise of the subscription rights represented by any warrant,
the amount standing to the credit of the Subscription Rights Reserve is not sufficient
to pay up in full such additional nominal amount of shares equal to such difference as
aforesaid to which the exercising warrantholder is entitled, the Board shall apply any
profits or reserves then or thereafter becoming available (including, to the extent
permitted by law, share premium account) for such purpose until such additional nominal
amount of shares is paid up and allotted as aforesaid and until then no dividend or
other distribution shall be paid or made on the fully paid shares of the Company then
in issue. Pending such payment and allotment, the exercising warrantholder shall be
issued by the Company with a certificate evidencing his right to the allotment of such
additional nominal amount of shares. The rights represented by any such certificate
shall be in registered form and shall be transferable in whole or in part in units of
one share in the like manner as the shares for the time being are transferable, and the
Company shall make such arrangements in relation to the maintenance of a register
therefor and other matters in relation thereto as the |
- 44 -
Board may think fit and adequate particulars thereof shall be made known to each
relevant exercising warrantholder upon the issue of such certificate.
(2) Shares allotted pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall rank pari passu in all
respects with the other shares allotted on the relevant exercise of the subscription rights
represented by the warrant concerned. Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph (1) of this
Article, no fraction of any share shall be allotted on exercise of the subscription rights.
(3) The provision of this Article as to the establishment and maintenance of the Subscription
Rights Reserve shall not be altered or added to in any way which would vary or abrogate, or which
would have the effect of varying or abrogating the provisions for the benefit of any warrantholder
or class of warrantholders under this Article without the sanction of a special resolution of such
warrantholders or class of warrantholders.
(4) A certificate or report by the auditors for the time being of the Company as to
whether or not the Subscription Rights Reserve is required to be established and maintained and if
so the amount thereof so required to be established and maintained, as to the purposes for which
the Subscription Rights Reserve has been used, as to the extent to which it has been used to make
good losses of the Company, as to the additional nominal amount of shares required to be allotted
to exercising warrantholders credited as fully paid, and as to any other matter concerning the
Subscription Rights Reserve shall (in the absence of manifest error) be conclusive and binding upon
the Company and all warrantholders and shareholders.
ACCOUNTING RECORDS
147. The Board shall cause true accounts to be kept of the sums of money received and expended by
the Company, and the matters in respect of which such receipt and expenditure take place, and of
the property, assets, credits and liabilities of the Company and of all other matters required by
the Law or necessary to give a true and fair view of the Companys affairs and to explain its
transactions.
148. The accounting records shall be kept at the Office or, at such other place or places as the
Board decides and shall always be open to inspection by the Directors. No Member (other than a
Director) shall have any right of inspecting any accounting record or book or document of the
Company except as conferred by law or authorised by the Board or the Company in general meeting.
149. Subject to Article 150, a printed copy of the Directors report, accompanied by the balance
sheet and profit and loss account, including every document required by law to be annexed thereto,
made up to the end of the applicable financial year and containing a summary of the assets and
liabilities of the Company under convenient heads and a statement of income and expenditure,
together with a copy of the Auditors report, shall be sent to each person entitled thereto at
least ten (10) days before the date of the general meeting and laid before the Company at the
annual general meeting held in accordance with Article 56 provided that this Article shall not
require a copy of those documents to be sent to any person whose address the Company is not aware
or to more than one of the joint holders of any shares or debentures.
- 45 -
150. Subject to due compliance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including,
without limitation, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, and to obtaining all necessary
consents, if any, required thereunder, the requirements of Article 149 shall be deemed satisfied in
relation to any person by sending to the person in any manner not prohibited by the Statutes,
summarised financial statements derived from the Companys annual accounts and the directors
report which shall be in the form and containing the information required by applicable laws and
regulations, provided that any person who is otherwise entitled to the annual financial statements
of the Company and the directors report thereon may, if he so requires by notice in writing served
on the Company, demand that the Company sends to him, in addition to summarised financial
statements, a complete printed copy of the Companys annual financial statement and the directors
report thereon.
151. The requirement to send to a person referred to in Article 149 the documents referred to in
that article or a summary financial report in accordance with Article 150 shall be deemed satisfied
where, in accordance with all applicable Statutes, rules and regulations, including, without
limitation, the rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Company publishes copies of the
documents referred to in Article 149 and, if applicable, a summary financial report complying with
Article 150, on the Companys computer network or in any other permitted manner (including by
sending any form of electronic communication), and that person has agreed or is deemed to have
agreed to treat the publication or receipt of such documents in such manner as discharging the
Companys obligation to send to him a copy of such documents.
AUDIT
152. Subject to applicable law and rules of the Designated Stock Exchange, the Board may appoint an
Auditor of the Company to audit the accounts of the Company for such period and on such terms as
the Board may think fit. Such auditor may be a Member but no Director or officer or employee of
the Company shall, during his continuance in office, be eligible to act as an auditor of the
Company.
- 46 -
153. Subject to the Law the accounts of the Company shall be audited at least once in every year.
154. The remuneration of the Auditor shall be determined by the Audit Committee or, in the absence
of such an Audit Committee, by the Board.
155. The Auditor shall at all reasonable times have access to all books kept by the Company and to
all accounts and vouchers relating thereto; and he may call on the Directors or officers of the
Company for any information in their possession relating to the books or affairs of the Company.
156. The statement of income and expenditure and the balance sheet provided for by these Articles
shall be examined by the Auditor and compared by him with the books, accounts and vouchers relating
thereto; and he shall make a written report thereon stating whether such statement and balance
sheet are drawn up so as to present fairly the financial position of the Company and the results of
its operations for the period under review and, in case information shall have been called for from
Directors or officers of the Company, whether the same has been furnished and has been
satisfactory. The financial statements of the Company shall be audited by the Auditor in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The Auditor shall make a written report
thereon in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the report of the Auditor
shall be submitted to the Members in general meeting. The generally accepted auditing standards
referred to herein may be those of a country or jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. If so,
the financial statements and the report of the Auditor should disclose this fact and name such
country or jurisdiction.
NOTICES
157. Any Notice or document, whether or not, to be given or issued under these Articles from the
Company to a Member shall be in writing or by cable, telex or facsimile transmission message or
other form of electronic transmission or communication and any such Notice and document may be
served or delivered by the Company on or to any Member either personally or by sending it through
the post in a prepaid envelope addressed to such Member at his registered address as appearing in
the Register or at any other address supplied by him to the Company for the purpose or, as the case
may be, by transmitting it to any such address or transmitting it to any telex or facsimile
transmission number or electronic number or address or website supplied by him to the Company for
the giving of Notice to him or which the person transmitting the notice reasonably and bona fide
believes at the relevant time will result in the Notice being duly received by the Member or may
also be served by advertisement in appropriate newspapers in accordance with the requirements of
the Designated Stock Exchange or, to the extent permitted by the applicable laws, by placing it on
the Companys website and giving to the member a notice stating that the notice or other document
is available there (a notice of availability). The notice of availability may be given to the
Member by any of the
- 47 -
means set out above. In the case of joint holders of a share all notices shall be given to that
one of the joint holders whose name stands first in the Register and notice so given shall be
deemed a sufficient service on or delivery to all the joint holders.
158. Any Notice or other document:
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(a) |
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if served or delivered by post, shall where appropriate be sent by airmail and
shall be deemed to have been served or delivered on the day following that on which the
envelope containing the same, properly prepaid and addressed, is put into the post; in
proving such service or delivery it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope or
wrapper containing the notice or document was properly addressed and put into the post
and a certificate in writing signed by the Secretary or other officer of the Company or
other person appointed by the Board that the envelope or wrapper containing the Notice
or other document was so addressed and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence
thereof; |
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(b) |
|
if sent by electronic communication, shall be deemed to be given on the day on
which it is transmitted from the server of the Company or its agent. A Notice placed
on the Companys website is deemed given by the Company to a Member on the day
following that on which a notice of availability is deemed served on the Member; |
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(c) |
|
if served or delivered in any other manner contemplated by these Articles,
shall be deemed to have been served or delivered at the time of personal service or
delivery or, as the case may be, at the time of the relevant despatch or transmission;
and in proving such service or delivery a certificate in writing signed by the
Secretary or other officer of the Company or other person appointed by the Board as to
the act and time of such service, delivery, despatch or transmission shall be
conclusive evidence thereof; and |
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(d) |
|
may be given to a Member either in the English language or the Chinese
language, subject to due compliance with all applicable Statutes, rules and
regulations. |
159. (1) Any Notice or other document delivered or sent by post to or left at the registered
address of any Member in pursuance of these Articles shall, notwithstanding that such Member is
then dead or bankrupt or that any other event has occurred, and whether or not the Company has
notice of the death or bankruptcy or other event, be deemed to have been duly served or delivered
in respect of any share registered in the name of such Member as sole or joint holder unless his
name shall, at the time of the service or delivery of the Notice or document, have been removed
from the Register as the holder of the share, and such service or delivery shall for all purposes
be deemed a sufficient service or delivery of such Notice or document on all persons interested
(whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the share.
- 48 -
(2) A Notice may be given by the Company to the person entitled to a share in consequence of
the death, mental disorder or bankruptcy of a Member by sending it through the post in a prepaid
letter, envelope or wrapper addressed to him by name, or by the title of representative of the
deceased, or trustee of the bankrupt, or by any like description, at the address, if any, supplied
for the purpose by the person claiming to be so entitled, or (until such an address has been so
supplied) by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death,
mental disorder or bankruptcy had not occurred.
(3) Any person who by operation of law, transfer or other means whatsoever shall become
entitled to any share shall be bound by every Notice in respect of such share which prior to his
name and address being entered on the Register shall have been duly given to the person from whom
he derives his title to such share.
SIGNATURES
160. For the purposes of these Articles, a cable or telex or facsimile or electronic transmission
message purporting to come from a holder of shares or, as the case may be, a Director, or, in the
case of a corporation which is a holder of shares from a director or the secretary thereof or a
duly appointed attorney or duly authorised representative thereof for it and on its behalf, shall
in the absence of express evidence to the contrary available to the person relying thereon at the
relevant time be deemed to be a document or instrument in writing signed by such holder or Director
in the terms in which it is received.
WINDING UP
161. (1) The Board shall have power in the name and on behalf of the Company to present a petition
to the court for the Company to be wound up.
(2) A resolution that the Company be wound up by the court or be wound up voluntarily shall be
a special resolution.
162. (1) Subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to the distribution of
available surplus assets on liquidation for the time being attached to any class or classes of
shares (i) if the Company shall be wound up and the assets available for distribution amongst the
Members shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement
of the winding up, the excess shall be distributed pari passu amongst such members in proportion to
the amount paid up on the shares held by them respectively and (ii) if the Company shall be wound
up and the assets available for distribution amongst the Members as such shall be insufficient to
repay the whole of the paid-up capital such assets shall be distributed so that, a nearly as may
be, the losses shall be borne by the Members in proportion to the capital paid up, or which ought
to have been paid up, at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them
respectively.
- 49 -
(2) If the Company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary or by the court)
the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution and any other sanction required by
the Law, divide among the Members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of the
Company and whether or not the assets shall consist of properties of one kind or shall consist of
properties to be divided as aforesaid of different kinds, and may for such purpose set such value
as he deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property and may determine how such
division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members. The
liquidator may, with the like authority, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts
for the benefit of the Members as the liquidator with the like authority shall think fit, and the
liquidation of the Company may be closed and the Company dissolved, but so that no contributory
shall be compelled to accept any shares or other property in respect of which there is a liability.
(3) In the event of winding-up of the Company in the Peoples Republic of China, every Member
who is not for the time being in the Peoples Republic of China shall be bound, within fourteen
(14) days after the passing of an effective resolution to wind up the Company voluntarily, or the
making of an order for the winding-up of the Company, to serve notice in writing on the Company
appointing some person resident in the Peoples Republic of China and stating that persons full
name, address and occupation upon whom all summonses, notices, process, orders and judgements in
relation to or under the winding-up of the Company may be served, and in default of such nomination
the liquidator of the Company shall be at liberty on behalf of such Member to appoint some such
person, and service upon any such appointee, whether appointed by the Member or the liquidator,
shall be deemed to be good personal service on such Member for all purposes, and, where the
liquidator makes any such appointment, he shall with all convenient speed give notice thereof to
such Member by advertisement as he shall deem appropriate or by a registered letter sent through
the post and addressed to such Member at his address as appearing in the register, and such notice
shall be deemed to be service on the day following that on which the advertisement first appears or
the letter is posted.
INDEMNITY
163. (1) The Directors, Secretary and other officers and every Auditor for the time being of the
Company and the liquidator or trustees (if any) for the time being acting in relation to any of the
affairs of the Company and everyone of them, and everyone of their heirs, executors and
administrators, shall be indemnified and secured harmless out of the assets and profits of the
Company from and against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses which they or
any of them, their or any of their heirs, executors or administrators, shall or may incur or
sustain by or by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in or about the execution of their
duty, or supposed duty, in their respective offices or trusts; and none of them shall be answerable
for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of the other or others of them or for joining in any
receipts for the sake of conformity, or for any bankers or other persons with whom any moneys or
effects belonging to the Company shall or may be lodged or deposited for safe custody, or for
- 50 -
insufficiency or deficiency of any security upon which any moneys of or belonging to the Company
shall be placed out on or invested, or for any other loss, misfortune or damage which may happen in
the execution of their respective offices or trusts, or in relation thereto; PROVIDED THAT this
indemnity shall not extend to any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to
any of said persons.
(2) Each Member agrees to waive any claim or right of action he might have, whether
individually or by or in the right of the Company, against any Director on account of any action
taken by such Director, or the failure of such Director to take any action in the performance of
his duties with or for the Company; PROVIDED THAT such waiver shall not extend to any matter in
respect of any fraud or dishonesty which may attach to such Director.
AMENDMENT TO MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
AND NAME OF COMPANY
164. No Article shall be rescinded, altered or amended and no new Article shall be made until the
same has been approved by a special resolution of the Members. A special resolution shall be
required to alter the provisions of the Memorandum of Association or to change the name of the
Company.
INFORMATION
165. No Member shall be entitled to require discovery of or any information respecting any detail
of the Companys trading or any matter which is or may be in the nature of a trade secret or secret
process which may relate to the conduct of the business of the Company and which in the opinion of
the Directors it will be inexpedient in the interests of the members of the Company to communicate
to the public.
DISCONTINUANCE
166. The Board may exercise all the powers of the Company to transfer by way of continuation the
Company to a named country or jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands pursuant to the Companies
Law.
- 51 -
Exhibit C
Cayman Legal Opinion
[], 2010
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Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
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DIRECT LINE: 2842 9550 |
6F, Ctrip Building
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E-MAIL: Brian.Lee@conyersdillandpearman.com |
No. 99 Fu Quan Road
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OUR REF: BLHK/rc/320305 (M#874249) |
Shanghai 200335, PRC
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YOUR REF: |
Dear Sirs,
China Lodging Group, Limited (the Company)
We have acted as special legal counsel in the Cayman Islands to the Company in connection with the
issue and sale of certain number of new ordinary shares to Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (the
Purchaser).
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined the following documents:
(i) |
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a copy of the subscription agreement (the Subscription Agreement) made as of [] March,
2010 by and between the Company and the Purchaser; |
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(ii) |
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a copy of the investor and registration rights agreement (the IRR Agreement) made as of []
March, 2010 by and among the Company, Winner Crown Holdings Limited and the Purchaser as
investor; and |
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(iii) |
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a copy of a shares purchase agreement (the Shares Purchase Agreement) made as of []
March, 2010 by and among the Purchaser as investor and certain selling shareholders set out
therein (Selling Shareholders). |
The documents listed in items (i) through (iii) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to
as the Documents and the documents listed in items (i) and (ii) above are herein sometimes
collectively referred to as the Transaction Documents (which term does not include any other
instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit
or schedule thereto).
We have also reviewed the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, each certified by
the [Secretary] of the Company on [], 2010, resolutions in writing of all of the members of the
Board of Directors of the Company dated [], 2010 and minutes of an extraordinary general meeting
of the shareholders of the Company approving, inter alia, the adoption of the Amended and Restated
Memorandum and Articles of Association which will become effective at the consummation of the
Companys initial public offering the [Global Select Market of the NASDAQ Omx Group, Inc.] (IPO)
(the Minutes), a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in relation to
the Company on [], 2010 (the Certificate Date) and such other documents and made such enquiries
as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We have assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the
originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and
completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; (b) that where a document has been
examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where
a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or
otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to
the Documents, other than the Company, to enter into and perform its respective obligations under
the Documents; (d) the due execution and delivery of the Documents by each of the parties thereto,
other than the Company, and the physical delivery thereof by the Company with an intention to be
bound thereby; (e) the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the
Documents and other documents reviewed by us (except to the extent that we expressly opine herein
on matters of Cayman Islands law); (f) that the resolutions contained in the Minutes were passed at
one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions,
remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended; (g) that there is no
provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman Islands, which would have any
implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein; (h) the validity and binding effect under
the laws of the State of New York (the Foreign Laws) of the Documents which are expressed to be
governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with their respective terms; (i) the validity and
binding effect under the Foreign Laws of the submission by the Company pursuant to the Documents to
arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the Hong Kong
International Arbitration Centre Administered Arbitration Rules then in force; (j) that on the date
of entering into the Documents the Company is and after entering into the Documents will be able to
pay its liabilities as they become due.
The obligations of the Company under the Documents (a) will be subject to the laws from time to
time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set
off, reorganisation, amalgamation, moratorium or any other laws or legal procedures, whether of a
similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors; (b) will be subject to
statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought; (c) will be subject to
general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief, being
equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect to by a Cayman Islands court,
whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the
payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty and not in the nature of liquidated
damages; (e) may not be given effect by a Cayman Islands court to the extent that they are to be
performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and such performance would be illegal under
the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the jurisdiction of
specific courts, a Cayman Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the
Cayman Islands against the Company under the Documents if there are other proceedings in respect of
those Documents simultaneously underway against the Company in another jurisdiction. Under Cayman
Islands law, a person who is not one of the parties to an agreement is, in general, unable to
enforce it.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Documents which provides for
the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after the date of
judgement.
We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction
other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and
practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and is not to be
relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. |
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As at the Certificate Date, the Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of
the Cayman Islands in good standing (meaning solely that it has not failed to make any filing
with any Cayman Islands government authority or to pay any Cayman Islands government fee which
would make it liable to be struck off by the Registrar of Companies and thereby cease to exist
under the laws of the Cayman Islands). |
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2. |
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The Company has the necessary corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its
obligations under the Transaction Documents. The execution and delivery of the Transaction
Documents by the Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder will
not violate the Memorandum or Articles of Association of the Company Amended and Restated
Memorandum and Articles of Association nor any applicable law, regulation, order or decree in
the Cayman Islands. |
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3. |
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The Company has taken all corporate action required to authorise its execution, delivery and
performance of the Transaction Documents. The Transaction Documents have been duly executed
and delivered by or on behalf of the Company, and constitute the valid and binding obligations
of the Company in accordance with the terms thereof. |
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4. |
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No order, consent, approval, licence, authorisation or validation of or exemption by any
government or public body or authority of the Cayman Islands or any sub-division thereof is
required to authorise or is required in connection with the execution, delivery, |
performance and enforcement of the Documents, except such as have been duly obtained in
accordance with Cayman Islands law.
5. |
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Based solely on the review of the Minutes, the authorised share capital of the Company on the
consummation of the Companys IPO shall be US$900,000 divided into 8,000,000,000 ordinary
shares of par value of US$0.0001 each and 1,000,000,000 preferred shares of par value of
US$0.0001. The ordinary shares of the Company will have the rights, preferences, privileges
and restrictions set forth in the Companys Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of
Association. |
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6. |
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The Purchased Shares (as defined in the Subscription Agreement) to be issued and sold by the
Company under the Subscription Agreement have been duly authorised and when issued by the
Company in accordance with the terms of the Subscription Agreement against payment in full of
the consideration thereof set forth in the Subscription Agreement and the appropriate entries
made on the register of members of the Company, the Purchased Shares will be validly issued
and allotted as fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that no further sums are payable to the
Company on such shares) and will not be subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights under
Cayman Islands Companies law or the Companys Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of
Association. |
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7. |
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The Secondary Shares (as defined in the Shares Purchase Agreement) have been duly authorized,
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that no further sums are payable to the
Company on such shares) and the Secondary Shares are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar
rights under Cayman Islands Companies law or the Companys Amended and Restated Memorandum and
Articles of Association. |
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8. |
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The register of members of the Company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein
and a member registered in the register of members will be deemed, as a matter of Cayman
Islands law, to have prima facie legal title to those Purchased Shares and Secondary Shares
(as defined in the Purchase Agreement) as set against its name in the register of members. |
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9. |
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The form of share certificate used to evidence the Purchased Shares and Secondary Shares is
admissible in evidence as proof of the title of that member to the shares set out therein. |
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10. |
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It is not necessary or desirable to ensure the enforceability in the Cayman Islands of the
Documents that they be registered in any register kept by, or filed with, any governmental
authority or regulatory body in the Cayman Islands. However, to the extent that any of the
Documents creates a charge over assets of the Company, the Company and its Directors are under
an obligation to enter such charge in the Register of Mortgages and Charges of the Company in
accordance with section 54 of the Companies Law. While there is no exhaustive definition of a
charge under Cayman Islands law, a charge normally has the following characteristics: |
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(i) |
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it is a proprietary interest granted by way of security which entitles the
chargee to resort to the charged property only for the purposes of satisfying some
liability due to the chargee (whether from the chargor or a third party); and |
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(ii) |
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the chargor retains an equity of redemption to have the property restored to
him when the liability has been discharged. |
However, as the Documents are governed by the Foreign Laws, the question of whether they
would possess these particular characteristics would be determined under the Foreign Laws.
11. |
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The Documents will be subject to nominal stamp duty if they are executed in or brought into
the Cayman Islands but will otherwise not be subject to stamp duty. |
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12. |
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The choice of the Foreign Laws as the governing law of the Documents is a valid choice of law
and would be recognised and given effect to in any action brought before a court of competent
jurisdiction in the Cayman Islands, except for those laws (i) which such court considers to be
procedural in nature, (ii) which are revenue or penal laws or (iii) the application of which
would be inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted under the laws of the
Cayman Islands. |
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13. |
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Foreign arbitration awards may be enforced in the Cayman Islands under the Foreign Arbitral
Awards Enforcement Law, which applies where the arbitration award to be enforced (the Award)
was made in pursuance of an arbitration agreement in a state which is a party to the New York
Convention on the Recognition of Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards adopted by the 1958
United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration (the Convention). In
general, the courts of the Cayman Islands will enforce an Award made under the Convention
unless it is proved by the party against whom the Award was made that: |
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(i) |
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a party to the arbitration agreement was under some incapacity; |
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(ii) |
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the arbitration agreement was not valid under the law to which the parties
subjected it or, in default, under the law of the jurisdiction where the Award was
made; |
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(iii) |
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the Award was made in circumstances contrary to natural justice; |
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(iv) |
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the Award dealt with a matter or matters not contemplated by or falling within
the terms of the submission to arbitration or contained decisions on matters beyond the
scope of such submission; or |
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(v) |
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the composition of the arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was not in
accordance with the agreement of the parties or, in default of such agreement, with the
laws of the jurisdiction where the arbitration took place. |
Enforcement of an Award made under the Convention may also be refused by the courts of the
Cayman Islands where the Award is in respect of a matter which is not capable of settlement
by arbitration or where it would be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands to
enforce such an Award.
A foreign arbitration award may also be enforced in the Cayman Islands pursuant to common
law principles by action on the Award or pursuant to the Arbitration Law by leave of the
Cayman Islands court.
14. |
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The Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association are consistent and in
compliance with the Companies Law and do not conflict with any other applicable law,
regulation, order or decree currently in force in the Cayman Islands. |
Yours faithfully
Conyers Dill & Pearman
Exhibit B
Exhibit B
EXECUTION VERSION
SHARES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS SHARES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is made as of March 12, 2010, by and among:
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(1) |
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Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands
(the Investor); |
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(2) |
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Each of the selling shareholders listed on Schedule I hereto (each a Selling
Shareholder and collectively, the Selling Shareholders). |
The parties listed above are collectively referred to herein collectively as the Parties and
individually as a Party.
RECITALS
(A) |
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China Lodging Group, Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the Company)
desires to engage in a public offering (the Public Offering) by the Company of American
Depositary Shares (ADS), each representing such number of ordinary shares, par value
US$0.0001 per share, of the Company (Ordinary Shares); and |
(B) |
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at the Closing (as defined below) and subject to terms and the conditions of this Agreement,
the Investor wishes to purchase certain number of Ordinary Shares from each of the Selling
Shareholders. |
WITNESSETH
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the mutual promises hereinafter
set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale.
1.1 Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the Investor hereby agrees
to purchase, and each of the Selling Shareholders hereby agrees to sell and deliver to the
Investor, severally but not jointly, at the Closing, at the Offer Price Per Share (as defined
below) that number of Ordinary Shares (as adjusted for any share splits, share dividends, share
combinations, share reclassifications, capitalization issue or like transactions affecting such
Ordinary Share between the date hereof and the Closing Date (as defined below)) (the Secondary
Shares) set forth opposite the name of such Selling Shareholder on Schedule I hereto.
1.2 The Offer Price Per Share means the public offering price per ADS set forth on the
cover of the Companys final prospectus (the Final Prospectus) filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) in connection with the Public
Offering divided by the number of Ordinary Shares represented by one ADS as set forth in the Final
Prospectus.
2. Closing.
2.1 Subject to Section 6, the closing (the Closing) of the sale and purchase of the
Secondary Shares pursuant to Section 1 shall take place upon and concurrently with the closing of
the Public Offering at the same offices for the closing of the Public Offering or at such other
time and place as the Selling Shareholders holding a majority of the Secondary Shares and the
Investor may mutually agree. The date and time of the Closing are referred to herein as the
Closing Date.
2.2 At the Closing, the Investor shall pay and deliver the total purchase price to each of the
Selling Shareholders in U.S. dollars by wire transfer, or by such other method mutually agreeable
to the parties, of immediately available funds to such bank account designated in writing by such
Selling Shareholder and each Selling Shareholder shall cause the Company to deliver one or more
duly executed share certificates in original form, registered in the name of the Investor, together
with a certified true copy of the register of the members of the Company, evidencing the Secondary
Shares being transferred to the Investor. For the avoidance of doubt, the failure by one or more
Selling Shareholders to perform their respective obligations or to fulfill or waive any condition
precedent to the Closing hereunder shall not affect the ability of any other Selling Shareholder to
consummate or not to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder in accordance with this
Agreement.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Shareholders.
Each of the Selling Shareholders hereby severally but not jointly represents and warrants to,
and agrees with the Investor that:
3.1 Such Selling Shareholder, if an entity, has been duly organized and is validly existing as
a limited liability company or a limited partnership, as the case may be, in good standing in its
jurisdiction of formation.
2
3.2 This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Selling
Shareholders and constitutes valid, legal and binding obligations of such Selling Shareholders,
enforceable against the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general
application affecting enforcement of creditors rights generally, and (ii) as limited by laws
relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other equitable
remedies.
3.3 Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the performance by each of the Selling
Shareholders of its respective obligations under this Agreement (A) violates or will violate such
Selling Shareholders organizational documents, if any, (B) conflicts
with or results in a breach of any agreement of such Selling Shareholders or to which such
Selling Shareholders or any of its respective assets are bound or will be bound.
3.4 Subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investor in Section 4
hereof, no consent or approval of, or filing with, any governmental authority or other person is
required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Selling Shareholders or consummation of
the transaction contemplated by this Agreement, other than those have been duly obtained and are in
full force and effect or will be duly obtained prior to the Closing.
3.5 Such Selling Shareholder has good and valid title to the Secondary Shares to be sold by
such Selling Shareholder hereunder. Each of the Secondary Shares, when sold in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement will have been fully paid and non-assessable, will be free from any
mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, option, restriction, right of first refusal, right of pre-emption,
third party right or interest, other encumbrance or security interest of any kind or another type
of preferential arrangement.
3.6 No directed selling efforts (as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the Securities
Act) have been made by any of the Selling Shareholders, any of its affiliates or any person acting
on its behalf with respect to any Secondary Shares that are not registered under the Securities
Act; and none of such persons has taken any actions that would result in the sale of the Secondary
Shares to the Investor under this Agreement requiring registration under the Securities Act.
4. Representations and Warranties of the Investor.
The Investor hereby represents and warrants to each of the Selling Shareholders that:
4.1 The Investor has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing in the jurisdiction of its incorporation.
3
4.2 This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Investor and constitutes the
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Investor, enforceable against it in accordance with its
terms, except (i) as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and
other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors rights generally, and (ii) as
limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief, or other
equitable remedies.
4.3 Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the performance by the Investor of its
obligations under this Agreement (A) violates or will violate the Investors organizational
documents, (B) conflicts with or results in a breach of any agreement of the Investor or to which
the Investor or any of its respective assets are bound or will be bound.
4.4 The Investor is an Accredited Investor as defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D under the
Securities Act. The Investor has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business
matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits
and risks of its investment in the Secondary Shares. The Investor is capable of bearing the
economic risks of such investment, including a complete loss of its investment. The Secondary
Shares purchased hereunder, and to be received by the Investor will be acquired for investment
purposes for the Investors own account, not as a nominee or agent, and not with a view to the
resale or distribution, and the Investor does not have any present intention of selling, granting
any participation in, or otherwise distributing the same. The Investor does not have any direct or
indirect arrangement, or understanding with any other persons to distribute, or regarding the
distribution of the Secondary Shares in violation of the Securities Act or any other applicable
state securities law. The Investor understands that the Secondary Shares have not been qualified
or registered under the Securities Act or laws of any other jurisdiction and therefore may be
viewed as restricted securities under any or all of such other applicable securities laws.
4.5 The Investor is not a U.S. person as defined in Rule 902 of Regulation S under the
Securities Act. The Investor has been advised and acknowledges that in selling the Secondary Shares
to the Investor pursuant hereto, the Selling Shareholders are relying upon the exemption from
registration provided by Regulation S under the Securities Act.
4.6 The Investor has received and reviewed the Companys registration statement on Form F-1
filed with the Commission on March 5, 2010, including the related prospectus and exhibits attached
thereto, with respect to the Public Offering. The Investor is not relying on any statements or
representations of any Selling Shareholder made in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby other than statements and representations contained in this Agreement.
4
5. Restrictive Legend.
Each certificate representing the Secondary Shares shall be endorsed with the following legend
(in addition to any legend required under applicable state securities laws):
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (AS
AMENDED, THE ACT) OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THIS SECURITY MAY
NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED: (A) IN THE
ABSENCE OF (1) AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT, (2) AN EXEMPTION
OR QUALIFICATION UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OR (3) DELIVERY TO THE COMPANY
OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH
REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED; AND (B) WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO ANY U.S.
PERSON, AS EACH OF THOSE TERMS IS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE ACT, DURING
THE 40 DAYS FOLLOWING CLOSING OF THE PURCHASE. ANY ATTEMPT TO TRANSFER, SELL,
PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS SECURITY IN VIOLATION OF THESE RESTRICTIONS SHALL BE
VOID.
6. Conditions Precedent to Closing.
6.1 Conditions to Investors Obligations. The obligations of the Investor to purchase the
Secondary Shares from the Selling Shareholders are subject to the satisfaction, or the waiver by
the Investor, on or prior to the Closing Date, of the following conditions:
(i) successful completion of the Public Offering and the listing of the ADSs on the NASDAQ
Global Market by June 30, 2010;
(ii) the representations and warranties of the Selling Shareholders contained herein shall be
true and complete when made and shall be true and complete on and as of the Closing Date with the
same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the Closing
Date, except in either case for those representations and warranties that address matters only as
of a particular date, which representations will have been true and complete as of such particular
date;
(iii) the Selling Shareholders shall have performed in all material respects all of their
covenants and agreements required to be performed by them under this Agreement on or prior to the
Closing;
5
(iv) the underwriting agreement relating to the Public Offering shall have been entered into
and become effective; and
(v) the Investor shall have received legal opinion letters, dated as of the Closing Date, of
Conyers Dill & Pearman, the Cayman and British Virgin Islands counsel for the Selling Shareholders,
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.
6.2 Conditions to the Selling Shareholders Obligations. The obligations of each of the
Selling Shareholders to sell the Secondary Shares to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement are
subject to the satisfaction, or the waiver of such Selling Shareholder at or prior to the Closing
Date, of the following conditions:
(i) successful completion of the Public Offering and the listing of the ADSs on the NASDAQ
Global Market by June 30, 2010;
(ii) the representations and warranties of the Investor contained herein shall be true and
complete when made and shall be true and complete on and as of the Closing Date with the same
effect as though such representations and warranties had been made on and as of the Closing Date,
except in either case for those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a
particular date, which representations will have been true and complete as of such particular date;
(iii) all of the Series A preferred shares and Series B preferred shares of the Company shall
have been converted into Ordinary Shares pursuant to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and
Articles of Association of the Company adopted on January 18, 2008; and
(iv) the Investor shall have performed and complied with all agreements required by this
Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Investor on or prior to the Closing Date.
7. Indemnity.
For a period of eight months commencing the Closing Date, each of the Selling Shareholders
shall severally but not jointly, and the Investor (each an Indemnifying Party) shall, indemnify
and hold each other and their respective directors, officers and agents (collectively, the
Indemnified Party) harmless from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments,
fines, obligations, expenses and liabilities of any kind or nature whatsoever, including but not
limited to any investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amounts
paid in settlement of, any pending or threatened legal action or proceeding, and (ii) any taxes or
levies that may be payable by such person by reason of the indemnification of any indemnifiable
loss hereunder (collectively, Losses) resulting from or arising out of: (i) the breach of any
representation or warranty of such Indemnifying Party
6
contained in this Agreement or in any
schedule or exhibit hereto; or (ii) the violation or nonperformance, partial or total, of any
covenant or agreement of such Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement for reasons other than
gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. In calculating the amount of any
Losses of an Indemnified Party hereunder, there shall be subtracted the amount of any insurance
proceeds and third-party payments received by the Indemnified Party with respect to such Losses, if
any. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnifying Party shall have no liability (for
indemnification or otherwise) with respect to any Losses in excess of the aggregate total purchase
price (and with respect to each Selling Shareholder, its proportionate share of such total purchase
price).
8. Lock-Up.
Each Party agrees that it shall enter into a lock-up agreement (the Lock-up Agreement) with
the underwriters in the Public Offering substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
B. The Investor agrees that it shall not seek any waiver from the underwriters to waive any
restrictions set forth in the Lock-Agreement without the prior written consent of each of the
Selling Shareholders. Each Selling Shareholder agrees that it shall not seek any waiver from the
underwriters to waive any restrictions set forth in the Lock-Agreement without the prior written
consent of the Investor.
9. Amendment and Termination.
9.1 This Agreement may not be amended or varied without the prior written consent of the
Parties hereto.
9.2 In the event that the Closing shall not have occurred by June 30, 2010, this Agreement
shall be terminated unless the Parties mutually agree by June 30, 2010 to renegotiate.
9.3 Upon termination, except this Section 9.3 and Section 10 (Miscellaneous), this Agreement
shall be of no more force and effect.
10. Miscellaneous.
10.1 (i) Unless otherwise notified by the relevant parties, all notices delivered hereunder
shall be in writing and may be delivered by hand or given by facsimile to the related addresses
listed beneath each partys signature hereto.
(ii) Any notice delivered by hand shall be deemed to have been received when physically
received by the person referred to in this Section 10.1 (including receipt by facsimile).
7
10.2 This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the Parties
hereto with respect to the matters covered hereby, and all prior agreements and understandings,
oral or in writing, if any, between the Parties with respect to the matters covered hereby are
merged and superseded by this Agreement.
10.3 Each Party hereto acknowledges that the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and all
schedules, exhibits, restatements and amendments hereto and thereto, including their existence,
shall be considered confidential information and shall not be disclosed by it to any third party
without the prior written consent of the other Parties, unless such disclosure is required by
applicable laws, regulations or securities exchange rules.
10.4 Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations under this
Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise by any of the
parties without the prior written consent of the other parties. Subject to the preceding sentence,
this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties
and their respective successors and assigns.
10.5 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New
York, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.
10.6 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including any question
regarding its existence, validity or termination (Dispute) shall be referred to and finally
resolved by arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the
UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. There shall be three arbitrators. The language to be used in the
arbitration proceedings shall be English. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any
immunity to jurisdiction to which it may be entitled or become entitled (including without
limitation sovereign immunity, immunity to pre-award attachment, post-award attachment or
otherwise) in any arbitration proceedings and/or enforcement proceedings against it arising out of
or based on this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
10.7 This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an
original and which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
10.8 The parties acknowledge that money damages will not be a sufficient remedy for breach of
this Agreement and that the parties hereto may obtain specific
performance or other injunctive relief, without the necessity of posting a bond or security
therefor.
10.9 The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not
to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
8
10.10 If one or more provisions of this Agreement are held to be unenforceable under
applicable law, such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement and the remainder of this
Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were excluded and shall be enforceable in
accordance with its terms.
10.11 Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further
acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments
and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and
accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
[Signature page to follow]
9
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first
set forth above.
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CHENGWEI PARTNERS, L.P.
CHENGWEI VENTURES EVERGREEN FUND, L.P.
CHENGWEI VENTURES EVERGREEN
ADVISORS FUND, LLC
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By: |
/s/ Aline Moulia
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Name: |
Aline Moulia |
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Title: |
Authorized signer |
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Address:
58 West Portal Av. #146,
San Francisco, CA, 94127
CDH Courtyard Limited
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By: |
/s/ Huang Yan
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Name: |
Huang Yan |
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Title: |
Director |
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Address:
Attn: Huang Yan / Wang Jun
1503 Level 15, International Commerce Centre
1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 3518 8000
Fax: +852 2810 7083
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[signature page to the share purchase agreement]
S-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first set
forth above.
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IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P.
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P.
IDG-Accel China Investors L.P.
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By: |
/s/ Authorized Signatory
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Name: |
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Title: |
Authorized Signatory |
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Address:
C/o IDG VC Management Ltd.
Unit 1509, The Center
99 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong
Fax: (852) 2529 1619
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Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P.
Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P.
Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P.
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By: |
/s/ Jin Wang
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Name: |
Jin Wang |
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Title: |
an authorized signatory |
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Address:
Pinpoint Capital 2006 A Limited
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By: |
/s/ Jiyi Weng
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Name: |
Jiyi Weng |
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Title: |
Director |
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Address:
299 Bisheng Road, Suite 13-101
Zhangjiang, Shanghai 201204
Peoples Republic of China
Tel: +86 21 5080 7651
Fax: +86 21 5080 1333
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[signature page to the share purchase agreement]
S-2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has duly executed this Agreement as of the date first set
forth above.
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CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
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By: |
/s/ Min Fan
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Name: |
Min Fan |
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Title: |
Chief Executive Officer and President |
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Address:
99 Fu Quan Road,
Shanghai 200335
Peoples Republic of China
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
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[signature page to the share purchase agreement]
S-3
Schedule I
Selling Shareholder
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Number of Shares |
Names of Selling Shareholders |
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to be Sold |
Chengwei Partners, L.P.
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110,619 |
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Fund, L.P.
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2,714,428 |
Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Advisors Fund, LLC
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335,491 |
CDH Courtyard Limited
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3,160,538 |
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund L.P.
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1,410,306 |
IDG-Accel China Growth Fund-A L.P.
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288,210 |
IDG-Accel China Investors L.P.
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131,387 |
Northern Light Venture Fund, L.P.
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1,020,623 |
Northern Light Partners Fund, L.P.
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112,076 |
Northern Light Strategic Fund, L.P.
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224,152 |
Pinpoint Capital 2006 A Limited
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2,139,134 |
Total
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11,646,964 |
Exhibit A-2
Exhibit A
Form of Legal Opinions from Conyers Dill & Pearman
[], 2010
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Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
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DIRECT LINE:
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2842 9550 |
6F, Ctrip Building
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E-MAIL:
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Brian.Lee@conyersdillandpearman.com |
No. 99 Fu Quan Road
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OUR REF:
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BLHK/rc/320307 (M#874249) |
Shanghai 200335, PRC
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YOUR REF: |
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Dear Sirs,
Names of Selling Shareholders (collectively, the Companies)
We have acted as special legal counsel in the Cayman Islands to the Companies in connection with
the sale of certain number of shares of China Lodging Group, Limited by the Companies to Ctrip.com
International, Ltd. (the Purchaser).
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined a copy of a shares purchase agreement
(the Shares Purchase Agreement) made as of [] March, 2010 by and among the Purchaser as investor
and each of the Companies as selling shareholders. (which term does not include any other
instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit
or schedule thereto).
We have also reviewed the Memorandum and Articles of Association of each of the Companies, each
certified by the [Secretary] of each of the Companies on [], 2010, minutes of a meeting of its
directors of each of the Companies(the Minutes), Certificates of Good Standing issued by the
Registrar of Companies in relation to each of the Companies on [], 2010 (the Certificate Dates)
and such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary
in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We have assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the
originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and
completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; (b) that where a document has been
examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where
a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or
otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to
the Shares Purchase Agreement, other than the Companies, to enter into and perform its respective
obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement; (d) the due execution and delivery of the Shares
Purchase Agreement by each of the parties thereto, other than the Companies, and the physical
delivery thereof by each of the Companies with an intention to be bound thereby; (e) the accuracy
and completeness of all factual representations made in the Shares Purchase Agreement and other
documents reviewed by us (except to the extent that we expressly opine herein on matters of Cayman
Islands law); (f) that the resolutions contained in the Minutes were passed at one or more duly
convened, constituted and
quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not
been rescinded or amended; (g) that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other
than the Cayman
Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed
herein; (h) the validity and binding effect under the laws of the State of New York (the Foreign
Laws) of the Shares Purchase Agreement which are expressed to be governed by such Foreign Laws in
accordance with their respective terms; (i) the validity and binding effect under the Foreign Laws
of the submission by each of the Companies pursuant to the Shares Purchase Agreement to arbitration
at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the UNCITRAL Arbitration
Rules; (j) that on the date of entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement the Companies is and
after entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement will be able to pay its liabilities as they
become due.
The obligations of each of the Companies under the Shares Purchase Agreement (a) will be subject to
the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory
liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, amalgamation, moratorium or any other laws or legal
procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors;
(b) will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought;
(c) will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and
injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect to
by a Cayman Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent
they constitute the payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty and not in the nature
of liquidated damages; (e) may not be given effect by a Cayman Islands court to the extent that
they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and such performance would be
illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the
jurisdiction of specific courts, a Cayman Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow
proceedings in the Cayman Islands against each of the Companies under the Shares Purchase Agreement
if there are other proceedings in respect of those Shares Purchase Agreement simultaneously
underway against each of the Companies in another jurisdiction. Under Cayman Islands law, a person
who is not one of the parties to an agreement is, in general, unable to enforce it.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Shares Purchase Agreement
which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after
the date of judgement. We express no opinion in respect of the enforceability of any provision in
the Shares Purchase Agreement which purports to fetter the statutory powers of each of the
Companies.
We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction
other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and
practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and is not to be
relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. |
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As at the Certificate Dates, each of the Companies is duly incorporated and existing under
the laws of the Cayman Islands in good standing (meaning solely that it has not failed to make
any filing with any Cayman Islands government authority or to pay any |
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Cayman Islands
government fee which would make it liable to be struck off by the Registrar of Companies and
thereby cease to exist under the laws of the Cayman Islands). |
2. |
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Each of the Companies has the necessary corporate power and authority to enter into and
perform its obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement. The execution and delivery of
the Shares Purchase Agreement by each of the Companies and the performance by each of the
Companies of its obligations thereunder will not violate the Memorandum or Articles of
Association of each of the Companies nor any applicable law, regulation, order or decree in
the Cayman Islands. |
3. |
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Each of the Companies has taken all corporate action required to authorise its execution,
delivery and performance of the Shares Purchase Agreement. The Shares Purchase Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Companies, and constitutes the
valid and binding obligations of each of the Companies in accordance with the terms thereof. |
4. |
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No order, consent, approval, licence, authorisation or validation of or exemption by any
government or public body or authority of the Cayman Islands or any sub-division thereof is
required to authorise or is required in connection with the execution, delivery, performance
and enforcement of the Shares Purchase Agreement, except such as have been duly obtained in
accordance with Cayman Islands law. |
5. |
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It is not necessary or desirable to ensure the enforceability in the Cayman Islands of the
Shares Purchase Agreement that it be registered in any register kept by, or filed with, any
governmental authority or regulatory body in the Cayman Islands. However, to the extent that
the Shares Purchase Agreement creates a charge over assets of each of the Companies, each of
the Companies and its Directors are under an obligation to enter such charge in the Register
of Mortgages and Charges of each of the Companies in accordance with section 54 of the
Companies Law. While there is no exhaustive definition of a charge under Cayman Islands law,
a charge normally has the following characteristics: |
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(i) |
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it is a proprietary interest granted by way of security which entitles the
chargee to resort to the charged property only for the purposes of satisfying some
liability due to the chargee (whether from the chargor or a third party); and |
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(ii) |
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the chargor retains an equity of redemption to have the property restored to
him when the liability has been discharged. |
However, as the Shares Purchase Agreement is governed by the Foreign Laws, the question of
whether they would possess these particular characteristics would be determined under the
Foreign Laws.
6. |
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The Shares Purchase Agreement will be subject to nominal stamp duty if it is executed in or
brought into the Cayman Islands but will otherwise not be subject to stamp duty. |
7. |
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The choice of the Foreign Laws as the governing law of the Shares Purchase Agreement is a
valid choice of law and would be recognised and given effect to in any action brought before a
court of competent jurisdiction in the Cayman Islands, except for those laws (i) which such
court considers to be procedural in nature, (ii) which are revenue or penal laws or (iii) the
application of which would be inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted
under the laws of the Cayman Islands. |
8. |
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Foreign arbitration awards may be enforced in the Cayman Islands under the Foreign Arbitral
Awards Enforcement Law, which applies where the arbitration award to be enforced (the Award)
was made in pursuance of an arbitration agreement in a state which is a party to the New York
Convention on the Recognition of Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards adopted by the 1958
United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration (the Convention). In
general, the courts of the Cayman Islands will enforce an Award made under the Convention
unless it is proved by the party against whom the Award was made that: |
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a party to the arbitration agreement was under some incapacity; |
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(ii) |
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the arbitration agreement was not valid under the law to which the parties
subjected it or, in default, under the law of the jurisdiction where the Award was
made; |
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(iii) |
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the Award was made in circumstances contrary to natural justice; |
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(iv) |
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the Award dealt with a matter or matters not contemplated by or falling
within the terms of the submission to arbitration or contained decisions on matters
beyond the scope of such submission; or |
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(v) |
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the composition of the arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was not
in accordance with the agreement of the parties or, in default of such agreement, with
the laws of the jurisdiction where the arbitration took place. |
Enforcement of an Award made under the Convention may also be refused by the courts of the
Cayman Islands where the Award is in respect of a matter which is not capable of settlement
by arbitration or where it would be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands to
enforce such an Award.
A foreign arbitration award may also be enforced in the Cayman Islands pursuant to common
law principles by action on the Award or pursuant to the Arbitration Law by leave of the
Cayman Islands court.
Yours faithfully
Conyers Dill & Pearman
[], 2010
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Ctrip.com International, Ltd.
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DIRECT LINE:
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2842 9550 |
6F, Ctrip Building
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E-MAIL:
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Brian.Lee@conyersdillandpearman.com |
No. 99 Fu Quan Road
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OUR REF:
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BLHK/rc/320291 (M#874249) |
Shanghai 200335, PRC
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YOUR REF: |
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Dear Sirs,
Names of Selling Shareholders (collectively, the Companies)
We have acted as special legal counsel in the British Virgin Islands to the Companies in connection
with the sale of certain number of shares of China Lodging Group, Limited by the Companies to
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. (the Purchaser).
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined a copy of a shares purchase agreement
(the Shares Purchase Agreement) made as of [] March, 2010 by and among the Purchaser as investor
and each of the Companies as selling shareholders (which term does not include any other instrument
or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule
thereto).
We have also reviewed the memorandum of association and the articles of association of each of the
Companies, as obtained from the Registrar of Corporate Affairs on [], 2010, [resolutions in
writing signed by all the directors of each of the Companies and dated [], 2010, ] [minutes of a
meeting of its directors] [Options:] [and minutes of a meeting of its shareholders[, each] ] held
on [], 2010, (the Minutes), and such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of
law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We have assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the
originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and
completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; (b) that where a document has been
examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where
a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or
otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to
the Shares Purchase Agreement, other than the Companies, to enter into and perform its respective
obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement; (d) the due execution and delivery of the Shares
Purchase Agreement by each of the parties thereto, other than the Companies, and the physical
delivery thereof by each of the Companies with an intention to be bound thereby; (e) the accuracy
and completeness of all factual representations made in the Shares Purchase Agreement and other
documents reviewed by us (except to the extent that we expressly opine herein on matters of
British Virgin Islands law); (f) that the resolutions contained in the Minutes were passed at one
or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain
in full
force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended; (g) that there is no provision of the law
of any jurisdiction, other than the British Virgin Islands, which would have any implication in
relation to the opinions expressed herein;
(h) the validity and binding effect under the laws of
the State of New York (the Foreign Laws) of the Shares Purchase Agreement which are expressed to
be governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with its terms; (i) the validity and binding effect
under the Foreign Laws of the submission by each of the Companies pursuant to the Shares Purchase
Agreement to arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the
UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules; and (j) that on the date of entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement
each of the Companies is and after entering into the Shares Purchase Agreement will be able to pay
its liabilities as they become due.
The obligations of each of the Companies under the Shares Purchase Agreement (a) will be subject to
the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory
liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, merger, consolidation, moratorium or any other laws or
legal procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of
creditors; (b) will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be
brought; (c) will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance
and injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect
to by a British Virgin Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to
the extent they constitute the payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty and not in
the nature of liquidated damages; and (e) may not be given effect by a British Virgin Islands
court to the extent that they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the British Virgin
Islands and such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding
any contractual submission to the jurisdiction of specific courts, a British Virgin Islands court
has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the British Virgin Islands courts.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Shares Purchase Agreement
which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after
the date of judgment or which purports to fetter the statutory powers of each of the Companies.
We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction
other than the British Virgin Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the British Virgin Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis
of the current law and practice in the British Virgin Islands. This opinion is issued solely for
your benefit and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any
other matter.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. |
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Each of the Companies is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the British Virgin
Islands. |
2. |
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Each of the Companies has the necessary corporate power and authority to enter into and
perform its obligations under the Shares Purchase Agreement. The execution and delivery of
the Shares Purchase Agreement by each of the Companies and the performance by each of the
Companies of its obligations thereunder will not violate the respective memorandum of
association or articles of association of each of the Companies nor any applicable law,
regulation, order or decree in the British Virgin Islands. |
3. |
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Each of the Companies has taken all corporate action required to authorise its execution,
delivery and performance of the Shares Purchase Agreement. The Shares Purchase Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Companies, and constitutes the
valid and binding obligations of each of the Companies in accordance with the terms thereof. |
4. |
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No order, consent, approval, licence, authorisation or validation of or exemption by any
government or public body or authority of the British Virgin Islands or any sub-division
thereof is required to authorise or is required in connection with the execution, delivery,
performance and enforcement of the Shares Purchase Agreement, except such as have been duly
obtained in accordance with British Virgin Islands law. |
5. |
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Except as set out in this paragraph, it is not necessary or desirable to ensure the
enforceability in the British Virgin Islands of the Shares Purchase Agreement that it be
registered in any register kept by, or filed with, any governmental authority or regulatory
body in the British Virgin Islands. Each of the Companies is required to keep a register of
all charges [created on or after the date that each of the Companies re-registered as a BVI
business company under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004] (relevant charges). To the
extent that the Shares Purchase Agreement creates a relevant charge over assets of each of the
Companies, particulars of the charge must be entered in the register and a copy of the
register shall be kept at the registered office of each of the Companies or at the office of
its registered agent. Where the Shares Purchase Agreement creates a relevant charge, it may
be desirable to ensure the priority in the British Virgin Islands of the charge that the
particulars of the charge be registered at the office of the Registrar of Corporate Affairs
pursuant to Section 163(1) of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004. On registration, to the
extent that British Virgin Islands law governs the priority of a charge, such charge will have
priority in the British Virgin Islands over a relevant charge on the property that is
subsequently registered in accordance with section 163 and a relevant charge on the property
that is not registered in accordance with that section, provided that a registered floating
charge is postponed to a subsequently registered fixed charge unless the floating charge
contains a prohibition or restriction on the power of the company to create any future charge
ranking in priority to or equally with the charge. A registration fee of [$100.00] will be
payable in respect of the registration. |
[It should be noted that charges created before the date that each of the Companies
re-registered as a BVI business company under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 will
continue to rank in the order in which they would have ranked had the relevant section of
the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 not come into force and thus may have priority over
any of the Shares Purchase Agreement which creates a relevant charge.]
Under British Virgin Islands law, charge means any form of security interest, whether
fixed or floating, over property, wherever situated, other than an interest arising by
operation of law.
However, as the Shares Purchase Agreement is governed by the Foreign Laws, the question of
whether they would constitute a charge would be determined under the Foreign Laws.
6. |
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The Shares Purchase Agreement will not be subject to stamp duty in the British Virgin
Islands. |
7. |
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The choice of the Foreign Laws as the governing law of the Shares Purchase Agreement is a
valid choice of law and would be recognised and given effect to in any action brought before a
court of competent jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands, except for those laws (i) which
such court considers to be procedural in nature, (ii) which are revenue or penal laws or (iii)
the application of which would be inconsistent with public policy, as such term is interpreted
under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. |
8. |
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An award granted pursuant to arbitration proceedings in Hong Kong and conducted in accordance
with the Foreign Laws against each of the Companies based upon the Shares Purchase Agreement
would be enforceable in the British Virgin Islands under the Arbitration Act Cap. 6 (which
incorporates the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards
adopted by the United Nations Conference on International Commercial Arbitration on 10th June,
1958) either by action or by leave of the Supreme Court or a judge thereof, in the same manner
as a judgment or order to the same effect, and where leave is so given, judgment may be
entered in the terms of the award. Enforcement of an award may be refused if the person
against whom it is invoked proves: |
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(a) |
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that a party to the arbitration agreement was (under the law applicable to
him) under some incapacity; or |
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(b) |
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that the arbitration agreement was not valid under the law to which the
parties subjected it or, failing any indication thereof, under the law of the country
where the award was made; or |
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(c) |
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that he was not given proper notice of the appointment of the arbitrator or
of the arbitration proceedings or was otherwise unable to present his case; or |
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(d) |
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that the award deals with a difference not contemplated by or not falling
within the terms of the submission to arbitration or contains decisions on matters
beyond the scope of the submission to arbitration; or |
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(e) |
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that the composition of the arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was
not in accordance with the agreement of the parties or, failing such agreement, with
the law of the country where the arbitration took place; or |
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(f) |
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that the award has not yet become binding on the parties, or has been set
aside or suspended by a competent authority of the country in which, or under the law
of which, it was made. |
Enforcement may also be refused if the award is in respect of a matter which is not capable
of settlement by arbitration, or if it would be contrary to public policy to enforce the
award.
Yours faithfully
Conyers Dill & Pearman
Exhibit B
Form of Lock-up Agreement
[___],
2010
Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C.,
68th Floor, Cheung Kong Center
2 Queens Road Central
Hong Kong
Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc
25 Cobot Square, Canary Wharf
London E14 4QA
United Kingdom
Re: China Lodging Group, Limited Lock-Up Agreement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as representatives (the Representatives), propose to
enter into an Underwriting Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I to
such agreement (collectively, the Underwriters), with China Lodging Group, Limited, a Cayman
Islands corporation (the Company), providing for a public offering of American Depositary Shares
(the ADSs) representing ordinary shares of the Company, par value US$0.001 per share (the
Ordinary Shares), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-165247) and a
Registration Statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-[]) to be filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (the SEC).
In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to offer and sell the ADSs, and of other
good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the
undersigned agrees that, during the period specified in the following paragraph (the Lock-Up
Period), the undersigned will not (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to
purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, make any short sale, lend or otherwise dispose
of any ADSs or Ordinary Shares or any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to
the ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any options or warrants to purchase any ADSs or
Ordinary Shares of the Company, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that
represent the right to receive ADSs or Ordinary Shares of the Company, whether now owned or
hereinafter acquired, owned directly by the undersigned (including holding as a custodian) or with
respect to which the undersigned has beneficial ownership within the rules and regulations of the
SEC (collectively the Undersigneds Shares), or (ii) make any demand for or exercise any right
with respect to the registration of any securities of the Company or any securities convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable for any
securities of the Company; provided, however, that the restrictions in clause (1) shall not
apply to (x) transactions relating to ADSs acquired in open market transactions after the
completion of the Public
Offering or to ADSs, if any, acquired as part of the Directed Share
Program, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the Exchange Act), shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with
subsequent sales of ADSs, Shares or other securities acquired in such open market transactions, or
(y) if applicable, the sale of Shares to Ctrip.com International Ltd. (Ctrip) in connection with
a private placement pursuant to a Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of March [ ], 2010, among
Ctrip and certain shareholders of the Company. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to
preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to or
which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the
Undersigneds Shares even if such Shares would be disposed of by someone other than the
undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include without limitation any
short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including without limitation any put or
call option) with respect to any of the Undersigneds Shares or with respect to any security that
includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from such Shares.
The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continue
for 180 days after the public offering date set forth on the final prospectus used to sell the ADSs
(the Public Offering Date) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; provided, however, that if (1)
during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or
announces material news or a material event or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up
Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 15-day period
following the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be
automatically extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release
of the earnings results or the announcement of the material news or material event, as applicable,
unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement
to provide written notice of any event that would result in an extension of the Lock-Up Period
pursuant to the previous paragraph to the undersigned (in accordance with Section 13 of the
Underwriting Agreement) and agrees that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have
been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned hereby further agrees that, prior
to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this
Lock-Up Agreement during the period from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement to and including the
34th day following the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the
Company and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received
written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as such may have been extended
pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigneds Shares (i) as a
bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be
bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect
benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of
the trust agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, and provided further
that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, or (iii) with the prior written
consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters. For purposes of this Lock-Up
Agreement, immediate family shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more
remote than first cousin. In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, if the undersigned is a
corporation,
the corporation may transfer the capital stock of the Company to any wholly-owned
subsidiary of such corporation; provided, however, that in any such case, it shall
be a condition to the transfer that the transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee
is receiving and holding such capital stock subject to the provisions of this Agreement and there
shall be no further transfer of such capital stock except in accordance with this Agreement, and
provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value. The undersigned
now has, and, except as contemplated by clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above, for the duration of this
Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the Undersigneds Shares, free and clear
of all liens, encumbrances, and claims whatsoever. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the
entry of stop transfer instructions with the Companys transfer agent and registrar against the
transfer of the Undersigneds Shares except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this
Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the offering. The undersigned further
understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigneds
heirs, legal representatives, successors, and assigns.
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Very truly yours, |
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Exact Name of Shareholder
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Authorized Signature
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Title
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Exhibit C
Exhibit C
Execution Version
INVESTOR AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS INVESTOR REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is made as of March 12, 2010,
by and among:
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(1) |
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China Lodging Group, Limited, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (the
Company); |
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(2) |
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Ctrip.com International, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands
(the Investor). |
The parties listed above are referred to herein collectively as Parties and individually as
a Party.
RECITALS
A. |
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The Company and the Investor have entered into a Subscription Agreement dated as of the date
hereof (the Subscription Agreement); and |
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B. |
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In connection with the Subscription Agreement and in order to induce the Investor to
consummate the transactions contemplated under the Subscription Agreement, the Company and the
Investors have agreed to enter into this Agreement. |
WITNESSETH
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth above, the mutual promises and
covenants set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of
which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
1. Interpretation
1.1 Definitions. The following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them below:
Affiliate means, with respect to a specified person, a person that directly or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with,
the person specified.
Applicable Securities Laws means the securities law of the United States, including the
Exchange Act and the Securities Act, and any applicable securities law of any state of the United
States.
Board or Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company.
Business Day means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, public holiday or other day on
which commercial banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in the PRC, the Cayman
Islands or the City of New York.
Commission means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States or any other
federal agency at the time administering the Securities Act.
Ordinary Shares means the ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001, of the Company.
Exchange Act means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Existing Registration Right Holder means any holder of Registrable Securities other than the
Investor.
Form F-3 means Form F-3 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act or any
successor form or substantially similar form then in effect.
Form S-3 means Form S-3 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act or any
successor form or substantially similar form then in effect.
Governmental Authority means any nation or government or any nation, province or state or
any other political subdivision thereof; any entity, authority or body exercising executive,
legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government,
including any government authority, agency, department, board, commission or instrumentality of the
PRC or any other country, or any political subdivision thereof, any court, tribunal or arbitrator,
and any self-regulatory organization.
Holder means any holder of the Registrable Securities.
2
IPO means the Companys underwritten registered initial public offering.
Law means any constitutional provision, statute or other law, rule, regulation, official
policy or interpretation of any Governmental Authority and any injunction, judgment, order, ruling,
assessment or writ issued by any Governmental Authority.
Person means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, proprietorship,
association, limited liability company, firm, trust, estate or other enterprise or entity.
PRC means the Peoples Republic of China, but solely for the purposes of this Agreement,
excluding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region and
Taiwan.
Registration means a registration effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement
and the declaration or ordering of the effectiveness of that Registration Statement; and the terms
Register and Registered have meanings concomitant with the foregoing.
Registrable Securities means (i) all of the Ordinary Shares acquired by the Investor,
pursuant to the Subscription Agreement and the Shares Purchase Agreement.
Registration Statement means a registration statement prepared on Form F-1, F-3, S-1 or S-3
under the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415 under the Securities Act).
Securities Act means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Shareholder Agreement means the Amended and Restated Shareholder Agreement dated as of June
20, 2007 by and among the Company and other parties thereof, as such agreement may be amended and
restated.
Shares Purchase Agreement means the share purchase agreement dated as of the date hereof by
and among the Investor and certain selling shareholders of the Company.
U.S. means the United States of America.
1.2 Interpretation. For all purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly
provided, (i) the terms defined in this Section 1 shall have the meanings assigned to them
in this Section 1 and include the plural as well as the singular, (ii) all references in
this Agreement to
3
designated Sections and other subdivisions are to the designated Sections and other
subdivisions of the body of this Agreement, (iii) pronouns of either gender or neuter shall
include, as appropriate, the other pronoun forms, (iv) the words herein, hereof and hereunder
and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
Section or other subdivision, (v) all references in this Agreement to designated schedules,
exhibits and annexes are to the schedules, exhibits and annexes attached to this Agreement unless
explicitly stated otherwise, (vi) or is not exclusive, (vii) the term including will be deemed
to be followed by , but not limited to, (viii) the terms shall, will, and agrees are
mandatory, and the term may is permissive, and (ix) the term day means calendar day.
2. Corporate Governance.
2.1 Board of Directors.
(i) (a) For a period of three (3) years from the closing of the Companys initial public
offering of American depositary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market and so long as the Investor,
together with its affiliates as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, continues to hold at
least 5% of the Companys outstanding ordinary shares and (b) thereafter for so long as the
Investor, together with its affiliates, continues to hold at least 8% of the Companys outstanding
ordinary shares: (a) the Investor shall have the right to appoint one (1) director to the Board of
Directors of the Company (the Ctrip Director); and the Ctrip Director may only be removed or
replaced by the Investor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person nominated by the Investor to
serve as the Ctrip Director must be accepted by a majority of the Board of Directors of the
Company, in their reasonable discretion before such nomination becomes effective.
2.2 D&O Insurance. The Company shall, as promptly as practicable and in any event prior to the
completion of the IPO, purchase, and thereafter shall maintain, directors and officers insurance
on terms approved by the Investor, in relation to any person who is or was a director, against any
liability asserted against the person and incurred by the person in that capacity. The Memorandum
and Articles shall at all times provide that the Company shall indemnify the members of the Board
to the maximum extent permitted by the law of the jurisdiction in which the Company is organized.
2.3 Additional Covenants. The Company shall ensure that the rights granted hereunder are
effective and that the Investor enjoys the benefits thereof. Such actions include, without
limitation, to cause the nomination and election of the director as provided above and the
amendment of the Companys memorandum and articles of association.
3. Registration Rights.
3.1 Demand Registration.
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Request by Holders. |
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If the Company shall, at any time or from time to time after the date that is six
(6) months after the closing of the IPO, receive a written request from the Investor
that the Company file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act covering the
registration of at least fifty percent (50%) of the Registrable Securities held by
the Investor, then the Company shall, within ten (10) Business Days of the receipt
of such written request, give written notice of such request to all Existing
Registration Right Holders, and use its best efforts to effect, as soon as
practicable, the registration under the Securities Act of all Registrable Securities
that the Holders request to be registered and included in such registration;
provided that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such
registration if the Company has, within the six (6) month period preceding the date
of such request, already effected a registration under the Securities Act pursuant
to this Section 3.1 or Section 3.3 or in which the Holders had an
opportunity to participate pursuant to Section 3.2, other than a
registration from which the Registrable Securities of the Investor has been excluded
(with respect to all or any portion of the Registrable Securities the Investor
requested be included in such registration) pursuant to Section 3.2(a). The
Company shall not be obligated to effect more than three (3) such demand
registrations for the Investor pursuant to this Section 3.1(a). |
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Underwriting. If the Investor who initiates the registration request
under this Section 3.1 (such Investor, the Initiating Holder) intends to
distribute the Registrable Securities covered by its request by means of an
underwriting, then it shall so advise the Company as a part of its request made
pursuant to this Section 3.1(a) and the Company shall include such information
in the Request Notice. In such event, the right of any Holder to include its
Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such Holders
participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holders Registrable
Securities in the underwriting (unless otherwise mutually agreed by a majority in
voting power of the Initiating Holder and other Holders) to the extent provided herein.
All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall
enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter or
underwriters selected for such underwriting by the Holders representing a majority in
voting power of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Section 3.1, if the underwriter(s) advise(s) the
Company in writing that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of
securities to be underwritten, then the Company shall so advise all Holders of
Registrable Securities which would otherwise be registered and underwritten pursuant
hereto, and the number of Registrable Securities that may be included in the
underwriting shall be reduced as required by the underwriter(s) and allocated among the
Holders of Registrable Securities on a pro rata basis according to the number of
Registrable Securities then outstanding held by each Holder requesting registration
(including the Initiating Holder); provided, however, that the number
of Registrable Securities held by the Investor to be |
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included in such underwriting and registration shall not be reduced unless all other
securities (other than Registrable Securities held by Existing Registration Right
Holders) are first excluded from the underwriting and registration (including,
without limitation, any securities which the Company may seek to include in the
underwriting for its own account); provided further, that at least 25% of any
Registrable Securities requested by the Investor to be included in such
underwriting and registration shall be so included. If the Investor disapproves of
the terms of any such underwriting, the Investor may elect to withdraw therefrom by
written notice to the Company and the underwriter(s), delivered at least ten (10)
Business Days prior to the effective date of the registration statement. Any
Registrable Securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be
excluded and withdrawn from the registration. |
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(c) |
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Deferral. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company shall furnish
to the Investor requesting registration pursuant to this Section 3.1(a), a
certificate signed by its Chief Executive Officer stating that in the good faith
judgment of the Board, it would be materially detrimental to the Company and its
shareholders for such Registration Statement to be filed at such time, then the Company
shall have the right to defer such filing for a period of not more than ninety (90)
days after receipt of the request of the Initiating Holder; provided,
however, that the Company may not utilize this right more than once in any
twelve (12) month period; provided, further, that the Company shall not
register any other of its Ordinary Shares during such twelve (12) month period. A
demand right shall not be deemed to have been exercised until such deferred
registration shall have been effected. |
3.2 Piggyback Registrations.
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(a) |
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The Company shall notify the Investor in writing at least thirty (30) days
prior to filing any Registration Statement under the Securities Act for purposes of
effecting a public offering of securities of the Company (including, but not limited
to, registration statements relating to secondary offerings of securities of the
Company, but excluding registration statements filed under Section 3.3 of this
Agreement or relating to any employee benefit plan or a corporate reorganization), and
shall afford the Investor an opportunity to include in such Registration Statement all
or any part of the Registrable Securities then held by the Investor. If the Investor
desires to include in any such registration statement all or any part of the
Registrable Securities held by it, it shall within twenty (20) days after receipt of
the above-described notice from the Company so notify the Company in writing and in
such notice shall inform the Company of the number of Registrable Securities the
Investor wishes to include in such registration statement. If the Investor decides not
to include all of its Registrable Securities in any registration statement thereafter
filed by the Company, the Investor shall nevertheless continue to have the right to
include any Registrable Securities in any subsequent |
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registration statement or registration statements as may be filed by the Company
with respect to offerings of its securities, all upon the terms and conditions set
forth herein. |
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(b) |
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Underwriting. If a registration statement under which the Company gives
notice under this Section 3.2(a) is for an underwritten offering, then the
Company shall so advise the Investor. In such event, the right of any the Investors
Registrable Securities to be included in a registration pursuant to this Section
3.2(a) shall be conditioned upon the Investors participation in such underwriting
and the inclusion of the Investors Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the
extent provided herein. If the Investor proposes to distribute its Registrable
Securities through such underwriting shall enter into an underwriting agreement in
customary form with the managing underwriter or underwriters selected for such
underwriting. If the managing underwriter(s) determine(s) in good faith that marketing
factors require a limitation of the number of Ordinary Shares to be underwritten, then
the managing underwriter(s) may exclude Ordinary Shares from the registration and the
underwriting, and the number of Ordinary Shares that may be included in the
registration and the underwriting shall be allocated, first, to the Company,
second, to the Investor, and thereafter to the Existing Registration
Right Holders according to the Shareholder Agreement. If the Investor disapproves of
the terms of any such underwriting, the Investor may elect to withdraw therefrom by
written notice to the Company and the underwriter(s), delivered at least ten (10)
Business Days prior to the effective date of the registration statement. Any
Registrable Securities excluded or withdrawn from such underwriting shall be excluded
and withdrawn from the registration. |
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(c) |
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Not Demand Registration. Registration pursuant to this Section
3.2 shall not be deemed to be a demand registration as described in Section
3.1 above. There shall be no limit on the number of times the Holders may request
registration of Registrable Securities under this Section 3.2. |
3.3 Form F-3 Registration.
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(a) |
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In case the Company shall receive from the Investor a written request or
requests that the Company effect a registration on Form F-3 (and any related
qualification or compliance) with respect to all or any part of the Registrable
Securities owned by the Investor, then the Company shall promptly give written notice
of the proposed registration and the Investors request therefor, and any related
qualification or compliance, to all other Holders of Registrable Securities; and as
soon as practicable, effect such registration and all such qualifications and
compliances as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the sale and
distribution of such Registrable Securities of the Investor as are specified in such
request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other |
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Holders joining in such request as are specified in a written request given within
twenty (20) days after the Company provides the notice contemplated above. |
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(b) |
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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided above, the Company shall not
be obligated to effect any such registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to
this Section 3.3: |
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(1) |
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if Form F-3 is not available for such offering by the Holders; |
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(2) |
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if the aggregate anticipated price to the public of any
Registrable Securities which such Holders propose to sell pursuant to such
registration, together with the aggregate anticipated price to the public of
any other securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such registration,
is less than US$500,000 (or the equivalent thereof in other currencies); |
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(3) |
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if the Company shall furnish to the Holders a certificate
signed by the Chief Executive Officer stating that in the good faith judgment
of the Board, it would be materially detrimental to the Company and its
shareholders for such Form F-3 Registration to be effected at such time, in
which event the Company shall have the right to defer the filing of the Form
F-3 registration statement no more than once during any twelve (12) month
period for a period of not more than ninety (90) days after receipt of the
request of the Investor or other Holders under this Section 3.3(a);
provided, that the Company shall not register any of its other Shares
during such ninety (90) day period; or |
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(4) |
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if the Company has, within the six (6) month period preceding
the date of such request, already effected a registration under the Securities
Act other than a registration from which the Registrable Securities of Holders
have been excluded (with respect to all or any portion of the Registrable
Securities the Holders requested be included in such registration) pursuant to
Section 3.1(b) or Section 3.2(b). |
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(c) |
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Not Demand Registration. Form F-3 registrations shall not be deemed to
be demand registrations as described in Section 3.1 above. Except as otherwise
provided herein, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holders may request
registration of Registrable Securities under this Section 3.3. |
3.4 Expenses. All expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and selling commissions
(which shall be borne by the Holders requesting Registration on a pro rata basis in proportion to
their respective numbers of Registrable Securities sold in such Registration)
8
applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement, incurred in
connection with Registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to this Agreement, including
(without limitation) all Registration, filing and qualification fees, printers and accounting
fees, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and reasonable fees and disbursement of the
Investors counsel, shall be borne by the Company. The Company shall not, however, be required to
pay for any expenses of any Registration proceeding begun pursuant to this Agreement if the
Registration request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of a majority-in-interest of the
Holders requesting such Registration (in which case all participating Holders shall bear such
expenses pro rata based upon the number of Registrable Securities that were to be thereby
Registered in the withdrawn Registration).
3.5 Obligations of the Company. Whenever required to effect the registration of any
Registrable Securities under this Agreement the Company shall, as expeditiously as reasonably
possible:
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(a) |
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Registration Statement. Prepare and file with the SEC a Registration
Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to cause
such Registration Statement to become effective and keep such Registration Statement
effective for a period of up to 120 days or, in the case of Registrable Securities
registered under Form F-3 in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act or a
successor rule, until the distribution contemplated in the registration statement has
been completed; provided, however, that (i) such 120 day period shall
be extended for a period of time equal to the period any Holder refrains from selling
any securities included in such registration at the request of the underwriter(s), and
(ii) in the case of any registration of Registrable Securities on Form F-3 which are
intended to be offered on a continuous or delayed basis, such 120 day period shall be
extended, if necessary, to keep the registration statement effective until all such
Registrable Securities are sold. |
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(b) |
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Amendments and Supplements. Prepare and file with the SEC such
amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in
connection with such registration statement as may be necessary to comply with the
provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities
covered by such registration statement. |
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(c) |
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Prospectuses. Furnish to the Investor such number of copies of a
prospectus, including a preliminary prospectus, in conformity with the requirements of
the Securities Act, and such other documents as they may reasonably request in order to
facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by them that are
included in such registration. |
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(d) |
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Blue Sky. Use its best efforts to register and qualify the securities
covered by such registration statement under such other securities or blue sky laws
of such |
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jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Investor, provided that the
Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to
qualify to do business or to file a general consent to service of process in any
such states or jurisdictions, unless the Company is already subject to service in
such jurisdiction and except as may be required by the Securities Act. |
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(e) |
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Underwriting. In the event of any underwritten public offering, enter
into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement in usual and customary
form, with the managing underwriter(s) of such offering. If the Investor participates
in such underwriting, the Investor shall also enter into and perform its obligations
under such an agreement. |
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(f) |
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Notification. Notify the Investor if the Investor has Registrable
Securities covered by such Registration Statement at any time when a prospectus
relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of (i) the
issuance of any stop order by the SEC in respect of such Registration Statement, or
(ii) the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then
existing, and at the request of the Investor, prepare and furnish to the Investor a
reasonable number of copies of a supplement or amendment of such prospectus as may be
necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Ordinary Shares,
such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or incomplete in light of the circumstances then existing. |
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(g) |
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Opinion and Comfort Letter. Furnish, at the request of the Investor, on
the date that such Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriter(s) for sale,
if such securities are being sold through underwriters, or, if such securities are not
being sold through underwriters, on the date that the registration statement with
respect to such securities becomes effective, (i) opinion letters, dated as of such
date, of the counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such registration, in
form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters in an underwritten public
offering and reasonably satisfactory to the Investor, addressed to the underwriters, if
any, and to the Investor and (ii) a comfort letter, dated as of such date, from the
independent certified public accountants of the Company, in form and substance as is
customarily given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an
underwritten public offering and reasonably satisfactory to the Investor, addressed to
the underwriters, if any, and to the Investor. |
10
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(h) |
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Transfer Agent and CUSIP. Provide a transfer agent and registrar for
all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement and held by the
Investor and, where applicable, a CUSIP number for all those Registrable Securities, in
each case not later than the effective date of the Registration. |
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(i) |
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Further Actions. Take all reasonable action necessary to list the
Registrable Securities on the primary exchange upon which the Companys securities are
traded. |
3.6 Furnish Information. It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company
to take any action pursuant to this Section 3 that the Investor shall furnish to the Company such
information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities held by it and the intended method of
disposition of such securities as shall be required to timely effect the Registration of its
Registrable Securities.
3.7 Indemnification. In the event any Registrable Securities are included in a registration
statement under this Section 3:
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(a) |
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Indemnification by the Company. To the extent permitted by law, the
Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Investor, its partners, officers,
directors, legal counsel, any underwriter (as defined in the Securities Act) for the
Investor and each Person, if any, who controls the Investor or underwriter within the
meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against all losses, claims, damages
and liabilities (joint or several; or actions, proceedings or settlements in respect
thereof) to which they may become subject under laws which are applicable to the
Company and relate to action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any
registration, qualification or compliance, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions, proceedings or settlements in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon any of the following statements, omissions or violations (collectively a
Violation): |
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(i) |
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any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in such registration statement, including any preliminary
prospectus or final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or
supplements thereto; |
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(ii) |
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the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; or |
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(iii) |
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any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the
Applicable Securities Law, or any rule or regulation promulgated under the
Applicable Securities Law; |
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and the Company shall reimburse the Investor, and its respective partners, officers,
directors, legal counsel, underwriter and controlling Person for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by them, as such expenses are incurred, in connection
with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action;
provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained in this
Section 3.7(a) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without the
consent of the Company (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), nor shall
the Company be liable in any such case for any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action to the extent that it arises out of or is based upon a Violation which
occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
expressly for use in connection with such registration by the Investor, partner,
officer, director, legal counsel, underwriter or controlling Person of such
Investor. |
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(b) |
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Indemnification by the Investor. To the extent permitted by law, the
Investor shall, if Registrable Securities held by the Investor are included in the
securities as to which such registration, qualifications or compliance is being
effected, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who has signed the registration statement, each Person, if any, who controls
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and any underwriter, against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (joint or several) to which the Company or any
such director, officer, legal counsel, controlling Person underwriter may become
subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other United States federal or
state law, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereto) arise out of or are based upon any of the following statements,
omissions or Violations, in each case to the extent (and only to the extent) that such
statement, omission or Violation occurs in sole reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished by the Investor expressly for use in connection with such
registration: |
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(i) |
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untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in such registration statement, including any preliminary prospectus
or final prospectus contained therein or any amendments or supplements thereto;
or |
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(ii) |
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omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, |
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and the Investor shall reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
the Company or any such director, officer, controlling Person or underwriter in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action; provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained
in this Section 3.7(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action if such settlement is effected without
the consent of the Investor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; and
provided, further, that except for liability for willful fraud or
misrepresentation, in no event shall any indemnity under this Section 3.7(b)
exceed the net proceeds received by the Investor in such registration. |
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(c) |
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Notice. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the
commencement of any action (including any governmental action), such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party,
deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the commencement thereof and the
indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the
indemnifying party so desires, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
noticed, to assume the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the
parties; provided, however, that an indemnified party shall have the
right to retain its own counsel, with the fees and expenses to be paid by the
indemnifying party, as incurred, if representation of such indemnified party by the
counsel retained by the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential conflict of interests between such indemnified party and any other party
represented by such counsel in such proceeding. |
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(d) |
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Survival; Consents to Judgments and Settlements. The obligations of the
Company and Holders under this Section 3.7 shall survive the completion of any
offering of Registrable Securities in a registration statement, regardless of the
expiration of any statutes of limitation or extensions of such statutes. No
indemnifying party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation, shall, except with
the consent of each indemnified party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into
any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by
the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in
respect to such claim or litigation. |
3.8 No Registration Rights to Third Parties. Without the prior written consent of the
Investor, the Company covenants and agrees that it shall not grant, or cause or permit to be
created, for the benefit of any Person any registration rights of any kind relating to any
securities of the Company that is more favorable to such third-party that those have been granted
to the Investor.
3.9 Rule 144 Reporting. With a view to making available to the Investor the benefits of
certain rules and regulations of the SEC which may at any time permit the sale of the
13
Registrable Securities to the public without registration or pursuant to a registration on
Form F-3, after such time as a public market exists for the Ordinary Shares, the Company agrees to:
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(a) |
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Make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and
defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, at all times after the effective date of
the first registration under the Securities Act filed by the Company for an offering of
its securities to the general public; |
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(b) |
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File with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required
of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has
become subject to such reporting requirements); and |
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(c) |
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So long as the Investor owns any Registrable Securities, to furnish to the
Investor forthwith upon request (i) a written statement by the Company as to its
compliance with the reporting requirements of Rule 144 (at any time after ninety (90)
days after the effective date of the Companys initial public offering), the Securities
Act and the Exchange Act (at any time after it has become subject to such reporting
requirements), or its qualification as a registrant whose securities may be resold
pursuant to Form F-3 (at any time after it so qualifies), (ii) a copy of the most
recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and (iii) such other reports and
documents of the Company as the Investor may reasonably request in availing itself of
any rule or regulation of the SEC that permits the selling of any such securities
without registration or pursuant to Form F-3. |
3.10 Termination. The Company shall have no obligations to register any Registrable Securities
proposed to be sold by the Investor if, in the written opinion of counsel to the Company (with such
opinion to be addressed to the Investor), all such Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by
the Investor may then be freely sold without registration and without restriction (including,
volume limitations) pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
4. Miscellaneous.
4.1 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the Laws of the
State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of law thereunder.
4.2 Dispute Resolution.
(a) Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including any question regarding
its existence, validity or termination (Dispute) shall be referred to and finally resolved by
arbitration at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in accordance with the
14
Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Administered Arbitration Rules
then in force. There shall be three arbitrators. The language to be used in the arbitration
proceedings shall be English. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably waives any immunity to
jurisdiction to which it may be entitled or become entitled (including without limitation sovereign
immunity, immunity to pre-award attachment, post-award attachment or otherwise) in any arbitration
proceedings and/or enforcement proceedings against it arising out of or based on this Agreement or
the transactions contemplated hereby.
4.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument. Facsimile and e-mailed copies of signatures shall be deemed to be originals for
purposes of the effectiveness of this Agreement.
4.4 Notices. Any notice required or permitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in
writing and shall be given either personally or by sending it by next-day or second-day courier
service, fax, electronic mail or similar means to such Party. Where a notice is sent by next-day or
second-day courier service, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly
addressing, pre-paying and sending by next-day or second-day service through an
internationally-recognized courier a letter containing the notice, with a confirmation of delivery,
and to have been effected at the expiration of two days after the letter containing the same is
sent as aforesaid. Where a notice is sent by fax or electronic mail, service of the notice shall be
deemed to be effected by properly addressing, and sending such notice through a transmitting
organization, with a written confirmation of delivery, and to have been effected on the day the
same is sent as aforesaid.
4.5 Headings and Titles. Headings and titles used in this Agreement are used for convenience
only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
4.6 Expenses. If any action at law or in equity is necessary to enforce or interpret the terms
of this Agreement, the prevailing Party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys fees, costs and
necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such Party may be entitled.
4.7 Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers. This Agreement (including any Schedules or
Exhibits hereto) constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement among the Parties with
regard to the subjects hereof and thereof, and supersedes all other agreements between or among any
of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended
and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived (either generally or in a particular
instance and either retroactively or prospectively) only with the written consent of both Parties.
4.8 Severability. If a provision of this Agreement is held to be unenforceable under
applicable Laws, such provision shall be excluded from this Agreement and the remainder of the
15
Agreement shall be interpreted as if such provision were so excluded and shall be enforceable
in accordance with its terms.
4.9 Further Assurances. The Parties agree to execute such further instruments and to take such
further action as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the intent of this Agreement.
4.10 Rights Cumulative. Each and all of the various rights, powers and remedies of a Party
hereto will be considered to be cumulative with and in addition to any other rights, powers and
remedies which such Party may have at law or in equity in the event of the breach of any of the
terms of this Agreement. The exercise or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy will
neither constitute the exclusive election thereof nor the waiver of any other right, power or
remedy available to such Party.
4.11 No Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants, or
conditions hereof will not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant, or condition, nor will any
waiver or relinquishment of, or failure to insist upon strict compliance with, any right, power or
remedy power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right,
power or remedy at any other time or times.
4.12 No Presumption. The Parties acknowledge that any applicable Law that would require
interpretation of any claimed ambiguities in this Agreement against the Party that drafted it has
no application and is expressly waived. If any claim is made by a Party relating to any conflict,
omission or ambiguity in the provisions of this Agreement, no presumption or burden of proof or
persuasion will be implied because this Agreement was prepared by or at the request of any Party or
its counsel.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
16
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first
written above.
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CHINA LODGING GROUP, LIMITED
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By: |
/s/ Min (Jenny) Zhang
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Name: |
Min (Jenny) Zhang |
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Title: |
Chief Financial Officer |
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[Signature page to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement]
S-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first
written above.
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CTRIP.COM INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
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By: |
/s/ Min Fan
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Name: |
Min Fan |
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Title: |
Chief Executive Officer and President |
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[Signature page to the Investor and Registration Rights Agreement]
S-2