Letter Agreement, dated February 1, 2025, by and between Brent Shafer and the Company
Exhibit 10.2
February 1, 2025
Mr. Brent Shafer
At the address on file with the Company
Dear Brent,
On behalf of the Board of Directors (the Board) of Baxter International Inc. (the Company), we are pleased to confirm the terms of your service as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board (Interim CEO/Chair), effective February 3, 2025 (the Start Date).
| Duties; Term. As Interim CEO/Chair, you will report directly to the Board and will perform such duties, consistent with the Interim CEO/Chair position, as will reasonably be assigned to you by the Board. This is intended to be a temporary position with a term ending on the earlier of the six (6)-month anniversary of the Start Date or the first date of employment of your successor as Chief Executive Officer (the Term). You and the Board may elect to extend the Term upon mutually agreed terms. During the Term, you will remain a member of the Board, and immediately following the Term you will return to being a non-employee member of the Board. |
| Base Salary. You will receive compensation at the rate of $108,333.33 per month (equivalent to annualized compensation of $1,300,000) payable in accordance with the Companys normal payroll practices. If you and the Board elect to extend the Term, your base compensation rate shall be mutually agreed between you and the Board. |
| Bonus Eligibility. You will be eligible for a bonus equal to $600,000, which shall be earned and payable upon the first regular payroll date following completion of, and subject to your continued employment as Interim CEO/Chair through, the Term. You will not otherwise be eligible to participate in any bonus program of the Company. |
| Equity Award. You will receive a one-time grant of restricted stock units with a target grant value of $2,500,000 (the RSUs) under the Companys 2021 Incentive Plan, as soon as administratively practicable after the Start Date. The RSUs will vest upon the end of the Term, subject to your continued employment with the Company through such date. The RSUs will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Companys 2021 Incentive Plan and applicable award agreement. |
| Other Benefits. During your service as Interim CEO/Chair, you will be eligible for reimbursement of reasonable business expenses in accordance with the Companys policies as in effect from time to time. In addition, you will be eligible to use the Company aircraft or, if unavailable, charter aircraft, for any required business and commuting travel to Company offices. The Company will reimburse you to make you whole for any taxes you incur in connection with taxable income allocated to you based on your commuting travel (which includes any taxes payable in connection with any tax gross up paid to you). |
You will not be eligible to participate in the Companys severance plans, and during the Term, you will not be eligible for compensation (either in cash or equity) under the Companys non-employee director compensation program.
| Related Events and Agreements. You hereby resign from your position as Lead Independent Director of the Board and as a member of any committee of the Board on which you currently serve. The Company expects that, upon request following the Start Date, you will enter into a standard time sharing agreement and confidentiality agreement, with such terms consistent with your interim and limited employment with the Company. |
| No Conflicts. The Company acknowledges that you are currently serving as a member of the board of directors of Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. and Veracyte, Inc. and agrees that your service of the board of directors of these companies may continue during your service as Interim CEO/Chair. |
| At-Will Employment. The term of your employment is at will, which means that you or the Company may end your employment at any time and for any reason or no reason. |
| Withholding; Recoupment. All payments to you from the Company will be subject to tax and other withholding and deductions, as required or permitted by applicable law and Company policies, and all payments and awards to you from the Company will be subject to Baxters Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy and any such other applicable policy for clawback or recoupment of incentive compensation as may subsequently be approved from time to time. |
| Legal Fees. The Company will reimburse you up to $30,000 for the legal fees reasonably incurred by you in connection with the negotiation and documentation of this offer letter; provided that, upon request by the Company, you provide the Company with reasonable documentation of such fees. |
| Entire Agreement. This offer letter constitutes the full and entire understanding and agreement between you and the Company with regard to the subject matters hereof and supersedes all prior understandings and agreements, written or oral, relating to the matters set forth herein. |
| Choice of Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this offer letter shall be governed by the laws of the State of Illinois. |
| Counterparts. This offer letter may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument. |
We are confident that you will make a significant contribution to the Company during this period of transition. Please indicate your acceptance by signing this offer letter.
Sincerely, |
Baxter Board of Directors by |
Nancy M. Schlichting, Compensation and Human Capital Committee Chair |
/s/ Nancy M. Schlichting |
Cathy R. Smith, Nominating, Corporate Governance & Public Policy Committee Chair |
/s/ Cathy R. Smith |
Accepted by: |
Brent Shafer |
/s/ Brent Shafer |
[Signature Page to Interim CEO Letter]