Third Amended and Restated Global Share Incentive Plan (2006)

EX-10.1 2 exhibit101-thirdamendedand.htm EXHIBIT 10.1 Document


MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED GLOBAL SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN (2006)
 
 
1.
NAME AND PURPOSE.
1.1    This plan shall be known as the Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. Third Amended and Restated Global Share Incentive Plan (2006) (the “Plan”).
The Board of Directors adopted the Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. Global Share Incentive Plan (2006) (the “2006 Plan”) on October 26, 2006, and the 2006 Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders on December 5, 2006. The 2006 Plan was amended and restated by the Board as of March 14, 2016 (the “First Restated Plan”), and the First Restated Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders on May 9, 2016. The First Restated Plan was amended and restated by the Board of Directors as of February 14, 2017 (the “Second Restated Plan”), and the Second Restated Plan was approved by the Company’s shareholders on April 25, 2017. The Second Restated Plan is hereby amended and restated by the Board effective as of May 5, 2018 (the “Effective Date”), subject to the approval by the Company’s shareholders within twelve months of the date it is approved by the Board of Directors.
1.2    The purposes of the Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, to provide additional incentive to Service Providers of the Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries, if any, and to promote the Company’s business by providing such individuals with opportunities to receive Awards pursuant to the Plan and to strengthen the sense of common interest between such individuals and the Company’s shareholders.
1.3    Awards granted under the Plan to Service Providers in various jurisdictions may be subject to specific terms and conditions for such grants may be set forth in one or more separate appendix to the Plan, as may be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company from time to time.
 
 
2.
DEFINITIONS.
Administrator” shall mean the Board of Directors or a Committee.
Appendix” shall mean any appendix to the Plan adopted by the Board of Directors containing country-specific or other special terms relating to Awards.
Award” shall mean a grant of Options, Restricted Shares (or Restricted Stock), Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units or Other Equity-Based Awards or allotment of Shares hereunder (including under any Appendix). All Awards shall be confirmed by an Award Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions of such Award Agreement.
Award Agreement” shall mean a written or electronic instrument setting forth the terms applicable to a particular Award.
Board of Directors” shall mean the board of directors of the Company.
Cause” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term or a similar term as set forth in the Participant’s employment agreement or the agreement governing the provision of services by a non-employee Service Provider, or, in the absence of such a definition: (i) conviction (or plea of nolo contendere) of any felony or crime involving moral turpitude or affecting the Company; (ii) repeated and unreasonable refusal to carry out a reasonable and lawful directive of the Company or of Participant’s supervisor which involves the business of the Company or its affiliates and was capable of being lawfully performed; (iii) fraud or embezzlement of funds of the Company or its affiliates; (iv) any breach by a director of his / her fiduciary duties or duties of care towards the Company; and (v) any disclosure of confidential information of the Company or breach of any obligation not to compete with the Company or not to violate a restrictive covenant.
Change in Control” shall mean and includes each of the following:
(a)    A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Shares to the general public through a registration statement filed under the laws of any applicable jurisdiction) whereby any person or related group of





persons (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or a person that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or
(b)     During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board of Directors together with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Subsections (a) or (c) hereof) whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
(c)    The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or shares of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:
(i)    Which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and
(ii)    After which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Subsection (c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or
(d)    The Company’s shareholders approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or any portion of an Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b), (c) or (d) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).
The Administrator shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, and the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto; provided that any exercise of authority in conjunction with a determination of whether a Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) shall be consistent with such regulation.
Code” shall mean the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Any reference to any section of the Code shall also be a reference to any successor provision and any Treasury Regulation promulgated thereunder.
Committee” shall mean the compensation committee or other committee as may be appointed and maintained by the Board of Directors, in its discretion, to administer the Plan, to the extent permissible under applicable law, as amended from time to time.
 
Company” shall mean Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., an Israeli company, and its successors and assigns.
Companies Law” shall mean the Israeli Companies Law 5759-1999, as amended from time to time.

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Consultant” shall mean any natural person who (either directly or through his or her employer) is an advisor or consultant providing bona fide services to the Company or any affiliate thereof, other than an individual who provides services in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital raising transaction or who directly or indirectly promotes or maintains a market for the Company’s securities.
Corporate Charter” shall mean the Articles of Association of the Company, and any subsequent amendments or replacements thereto.
Disability” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term or a similar term in the Participant’s employment agreement (where applicable), or in the absence of such a definition, the inability of the Participant, in the opinion of a qualified physician acceptable to the Company, to perform the major duties of the Participant’s position with the Company because of the sickness or injury of the Participant for a consecutive period of 180 days.
Effective Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.1 hereof.
Equity Restructuring” shall mean a non-reciprocal transaction between the Company and its shareholders, such as a share dividend, share split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Shares (or other securities) and causes a change in the per share value of the Shares underlying outstanding Awards.
Exchange Act” shall mean the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any references to any section of the Exchange Act shall also be a reference to any successor provision.
Non-Employee Director” shall mean a member of the Board of Directors who is not an employee of the Company or any of its affiliates.
Options” shall mean options to purchase Shares awarded under the Plan.
Other Equity-Based Award” shall mean any right that relates to or is valued by reference to Shares that is not otherwise described by the terms of the Plan (including the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted Shares) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine, including, without limitation, the attainment of Performance Goals.
Outstanding Qualified Performance-Based Awards” shall mean any Awards granted prior to and that are outstanding as of the Effective Date and that are intended to constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code prior to its amendment by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, P.L. 115-97. For the avoidance of any doubt, all provisions of the Plan governing Outstanding Qualified Performance Awards that were in effect prior to the Effective Date shall continue in effect with respect to Outstanding Qualified Performance-Based Awards, notwithstanding the elimination of such provisions from the Plan as of the Effective Date.
Participant” shall mean a recipient of an Award hereunder who executes an Award Agreement.
Performance Criteria” means the criteria that the Administrator selects for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Participant for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish Performance Goals may include, but are not limited to, the following: net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), economic value-added, sales or revenue, net income (either before or after taxes), operating earnings, cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), cash flow return on capital, return on net assets, return on shareholders’ equity, return on assets, return on capital, shareholder returns, return on sales, gross or net profit margin, productivity, expense, margins, operating efficiency, customer satisfaction, working capital, earnings per Share, price per Share, and market share, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or as compared to results of a peer group.
Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the goals established by the Administrator for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a division, a business or functional unit, or an individual, or in any other manner determined appropriate by the Administrator. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide that one or more adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals. Such adjustments may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in applicable accounting standards; (ii) items relating to financing activities;

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(iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) other non-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; (vii) items related to the sale or disposition of a business or segment of a business; (viii) items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under applicable accounting standards; (ix) items attributable to any share dividend, share split, combination or exchange of shares occurring during the Performance Period; (x) any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments; (xi) items relating to unusual or extraordinary corporate transactions, events or developments, (xii) items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; (xiii) items that are outside the scope of the Company’s core, on-going business activities; (xiv) items related to acquired in-process research and development; (xv) items relating to changes in tax laws; (xvi) items relating to major licensing or partnership arrangements; (xvii) items relating to asset impairment charges; (xviii) items relating to gains or losses for litigation, arbitration and contractual settlements; (xix) items attributable to expenses incurred in connection with a reduction in force or early retirement initiative; (xx) items relating to non-cash income or expense or (xxi) items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in applicable law, applicable accounting standards or business conditions.
Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Administrator may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, an Award that is subject to the attainment of Performance Goals.
Performance Share Unit” means an Award that shall be evidenced by a bookkeeping entry representing the equivalent of such number of Shares that may become issuable under an Award pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Award and that shall be subject to such terms, conditions, restrictions and vesting requirements as determined by the Administrator, including, without limitation, a Participant’s continued service for a specified period and/or the attainment of Performance Goals or other performance conditions.
Prior Plans” shall mean the Company 1999 United States Equity Incentive Plan, the Company 1999 Israeli Share Option Plan, the Company 2003 Israeli Share Option Plan, the Voltaire Ltd. 2007 Incentive Compensation Plan, the Voltaire Ltd. Section 102 Stock Option/Stock Purchase Plan, the Voltaire, Ltd. 2001 Section 102 Stock Option/Stock Purchase Plan, the Voltaire Ltd. 2001 Stock Option Plan, the Kotura, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2003 Stock Plan, the IPtronics, Inc. 2013 Restricted Stock Unit Plan, the EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. 2003 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan, the EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. 2007 U.S. Equity Incentive Plan and the Amended and Restated EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, and the Company Global Share Incentive Assumption Plan (2010).
Restricted Share” or “Restricted Stock” means Shares awarded to a Participant that are subject to certain restrictions and other terms as determined by the Administrator, and that may be subject to a risk of forfeiture which may lapse based on a Participant’s continued service for a specified period, the attainment of Performance Goals or such other vesting conditions as determined by the Administrator.
Restricted Share Unit” means an Award that shall be evidenced by a bookkeeping entry representing the equivalent of one Share and that shall be subject to such terms, conditions, restrictions and vesting requirements as determined by the Administrator, including, without limitation, a Participant’s continued service for a specified period or the attainment of Performance Goals.
Section 162(m)” means Section 162(m) of the Code as in effect prior to its amendment by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, P.L. 115-97.
Service Provider” shall mean an employee, member of the Board of Directors, office holder or Consultant of the Company or any affiliate thereof.
Shares” shall mean Ordinary Shares, nominal value NIS 0.01 per share, of the Company.

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3.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN
3.1    The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator. If the Administrator is a Committee, such Committee shall consist of such number of members of the Board of Directors of the Company (not less than two in number), as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall appoint such members of the Committee, may from time to time remove members from, or add members to, the Committee, and shall fill vacancies in the Committee however caused.
3.2    To the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code (with respect to Outstanding Qualified Performance-Based Awards), Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or to the extent required by any other applicable rule or regulation, the Plan shall be administered jointly by the Board of Directors and a Committee consisting solely of two or more members of the Board of Directors each of whom is an “outside director,” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, a member of the Board of Directors who qualifies as a “Non-Employee Director” as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3) under the Exchange Act or any successor rule and an “independent director” under The NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”) rules (or other principal securities market on which Shares are traded). Without limiting the application of this Section 3.2, to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code (with respect to Outstanding Qualified Performance-Based Awards) and Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, Awards shall be granted by a Committee consisting of members who satisfy the requirements specified in the foregoing sentence and shall be ratified by the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to Section 4.1 hereof, the full Board of Directors, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to all Awards granted to a member of the Board of Directors who is not an employee of the Company or any affiliate thereof, and for purposes of such Awards the term “Committee” as used in this Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board of Directors. In its sole discretion, the Board of Directors may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or Section 162(m) of the Code, or any regulations or rules issued thereunder, are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.
3.3    The Committee, if appointed, shall select one of its members as its Chairman and shall hold its meetings at such times and places as it shall determine. Actions at a meeting of the Committee at which a majority of its members are present or acts approved in writing by all members of the Committee, shall be the valid acts of the Committee. The Committee shall appoint a Secretary, who shall keep records of its meetings and shall make such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business and the implementation of the Plan, as it shall deem advisable, subject to the directives of the Board of Directors and in accordance with applicable law.
3.4    Subject to the general terms and conditions of the Plan, and in particular Section 3.5 below, the Administrator shall have full authority in its discretion, from time to time and at any time, to determine (i) eligible Participants, (ii) the number of Options or Shares to be covered by each Award, (iii) the time or times at which the Award shall be granted, (iv) the vesting schedule and other terms and conditions applying to Awards, including accelerations or waivers of restrictions, (v) the form(s) of Award Agreements, and (vi) any other matter which is necessary or desirable for, or incidental to, the administration of the Plan. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, delegate some or all of the powers listed above to the Committee, to the extent permitted by the Companies Law, its Corporate Charter or other applicable law, rules or regulations to which the Company is subject.
3.5    In the event that the Administrator is a Committee, the Committee shall not be entitled to grant Options to the Participants (unless permitted to do so by the Companies Law). However, in the event that the Committee is authorized to do so by the Board of Directors, it may issue Shares underlying Options which have been granted by the Board of Directors and duly exercised pursuant to the provisions hereof, in accordance with Sections 112(a)(5) and 288 of the Companies Law.
3.6    No member of the Board of Directors or of the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award granted hereunder. Subject to the Company’s decision and to

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all approvals legally required, each member of the Board of Directors or the Committee shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) reasonably incurred by him, or any liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the approval of the Company) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan unless arising out of such member’s own willful misconduct or bad faith, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Such indemnification shall be in addition to any rights of indemnification the member may have as a director or otherwise under the Company’s Corporate Charter, any agreement, any vote of shareholders or disinterested directors, any insurance policy or otherwise.
3.7    The interpretation and construction by the Administrator of any provision of the Plan or of any Option hereunder shall be final and conclusive. In the event that the Board of Directors appoints a Committee, the interpretation and construction by the Committee of any provision of the Plan or of any Option hereunder shall upon ratification by the Board of Directors, be final and conclusive unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors. To avoid doubt, subject to Section 3.2 hereof, the Board of Directors may at any time exercise any powers of the Administrator, notwithstanding the fact that a Committee has been appointed.
3.8    The Administrator shall have the authority to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the Plan and perform all acts, including the delegation of its responsibilities (to the extent permitted by applicable law and applicable stock exchange rules), as it shall, from time to time, deem advisable; to construe and interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award issued under the Plan (and any agreements relating thereto); and to otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan. The Administrator may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any agreement relating thereto in the manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary to effectuate the purpose and intent of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no action of the Administrator under this Section 3.8 shall reduce the rights of any Participant without the Participant’s consent.
3.9    Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator may adopt special Appendices and/or guidelines and provisions for persons who are residing in or employed in, or subject to, the taxes of, any domestic or foreign jurisdictions, to comply with applicable laws, regulations, or accounting, listing or other rules with respect to such domestic or foreign jurisdictions.
 
 
4.
ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS.
4.1    No Award may be granted pursuant to the Plan to any person serving as a member of the Committee or to any other member of the Board of Directors at the time of the grant, unless such grant is approved in the manner prescribed for the approval of compensation of directors under Section 273 of the Companies Law. To avoid doubt, such Awards require approval of the audit committee of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors and the shareholders of the Company.
4.2    Subject to the limitation set forth in Section 4.1 above and any restriction imposed by applicable law, Awards may be granted to any Service Provider of the Company, whether or not the Service Provider is a member of the Board of Directors or a member of the board of directors of an affiliate of the Company. The grant of an Award to a Participant hereunder shall neither entitle such Participant to receive an additional Award or participate in other incentive plans of the Company, nor disqualify such Participant from receiving an additional Award or participating in other incentive plans of the Company.
 
 
5.
RESERVED SHARES.
5.1    Subject to Section 11.1 hereof, as of the Effective Date, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be the sum of (i) 4,467,000 Shares and (ii) any Shares which as of the effective date of the First Restated Plan are subject to awards outstanding under the Prior Plans that expire, are cancelled or otherwise terminate unexercised, or Shares that otherwise would have reverted to the share reserve of the Prior Plans following the effective date of the First Restated Plan. Anything to the contrary herein

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notwithstanding, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan or any Appendix thereto during the term of the Plan, including pursuant to the exercise of “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code), shall not exceed 10,517,000 Shares, subject to Section 11.1 hereof. Subject to Section 13.2 hereof, the Company shall determine the number of Shares reserved hereunder from time to time, and such number may be increased or decreased by the Company from time to time.
5.2    Any Shares subject to an Award that shall for any reason terminate, expire or otherwise lapse shall again be available for grant as Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under Section 5.1 and shall not be available for future grants of Awards: (i) Shares tendered by a Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (ii) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; and (iii) Shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of Options. Any Shares repurchased by the Company at the same price paid by the Participant so that such Shares are returned to the Company shall again be available for Awards. To the extent permitted by applicable law or any exchange rule, Shares issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity acquired in any form of combination by the Company or any affiliate (“Substitute Awards”) shall not be counted against Shares available for grant pursuant to this Plan. Any Shares that remain unissued and are not subject to Awards at the termination of the Plan shall cease to be reserved for purposes of the Plan. Until termination of the Plan the Company shall at all times reserve a sufficient number of Shares to meet the requirements of the Plan.
 
5.3    Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Section 11.1 hereof, the maximum number of Shares with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one Participant during any calendar year (measured from the date of any grant) shall be four million (4,000,000) Shares (not including Substitute Awards). Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, the grant date fair value of Awards granted to a Non-Employee Director during any calendar year shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) (the “Director Limit”).
5.4    Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Section 11.1 hereof, Awards granted under the Plan (other than Substitute Awards) shall vest no earlier than the first anniversary of the date the Award is granted and no Award Agreement shall reduce or eliminate such minimum vesting requirement; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) Awards that result in the issuance of an aggregate of up to 5% of the Shares available pursuant to Section 5.1 may be granted to any one or more Participants without respect to such minimum vesting provisions and (ii)  an Award may provide that such minimum vesting restrictions may lapse or be waived upon the Participant’s termination of status as a Service Provider. For purposes of Awards to Non-Employee Directors, a vesting period will be deemed to be one year if it runs from the date of one annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders to the next annual meeting of the Company’s shareholders.
5.5    Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, except in connection with a spin-off or other similar event or as otherwise permitted under Section 11.1, dividends which are paid in respect of any Shares underlying an Award prior to the vesting of such Award shall only be paid out to the Participant to the extent that the vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Award vests.
 
 
6.
AWARD AGREEMENT.
6.1    The Board of Directors, and to the extent contemplated under Section 3.2 hereof, a Committee and the Board of Directors, in their discretion may award to Participants Awards available under the Plan. The terms of the Award will be set forth in the Award Agreement. The date of grant of each Award shall be the date specified by the Board of Directors, and the Committee, as applicable, at the time such award is made, or in the absence of such specification, the date of approval of the award by the Board of Directors, and the Committee, as applicable.
6.2    The Award Agreement shall state, inter alia, the number of Options or Shares covered thereby, the type of Option or other Award, any special terms applying to such Award (if any), including the terms of any country-specific or other Appendix, as determined by the Board of Directors, and the Committee, as applicable.

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7.
OPTION PRICES.
7.1    The exercise price for each Share to be issued upon exercise of an Option shall be such price as is determined by the Board of Directors in its discretion, provided that the price per Share is not less than Fair Market Value (as defined in the applicable Appendix) (except in the case of Substitute Awards), and subject to any further restrictions set forth in an applicable Appendix.

8.    EXERCISE OF OPTION.
8.1    Options shall be exercisable pursuant to the terms under which they were awarded and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and any applicable Appendix, as specified in the Award Agreement.
8.2    An Option, or any part thereof, shall be exercisable by the Participant’s signing and returning to the Company at its principal office (and to the Trustee, where applicable), a “Notice of Exercise” in such form and substance as may be prescribed by the Administrator from time to time, together with full payment for the Shares underlying such Option.
8.3    Each payment for Shares under an Option shall be in respect of a whole number of Shares, shall be effected in (i) cash, (ii) by check payable to the order of the Company, (iii) Shares held for such period of time as may be required by the Administrator in order to avoid adverse accounting consequences and having a fair market value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof, or (iv) such other method of payment acceptable to the Company as determined by the Administrator, and shall be accompanied by a notice stating the number of Shares being paid for thereby.
8.4    Until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry in the share register of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) a Participant shall have no right to vote or right to receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder shall exist with respect to such Shares, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company shall issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares promptly after the Option is exercised. No adjustment shall be made for a dividend or other right the record date for which is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 11.1 of the Plan.
8.5    To the extent permitted by law, if the Shares are traded on a national securities exchange, NASDAQ or quoted on a national quotation system or otherwise publicly traded or quoted, payment for the Shares underlying an Option may be made all or in part by the delivery (on a form prescribed by the Company) of an irrevocable direction to a securities broker approved by the Company to sell Shares and to deliver all or part of the sales proceeds to the Company in payment of the exercise price (or the relevant portion thereof, as applicable) and any withholding taxes, or on such other terms and conditions as may be acceptable to the Administrator. No Shares shall be issued until payment therefor, as provided herein, has been made or provided for.

9.    PROHIBITION ON REPRICING.
Subject to Section 11, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option to reduce its price per Share, or (b) cancel any Option in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option price per Share exceeds the fair market value of the underlying Shares (i.e., the Option is “underwater”). Furthermore, for purposes of this Section 9, except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any share dividend, share split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares), the terms of outstanding Options may not be amended to reduce the exercise price per Share or cancel outstanding underwater Options in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options with an exercise price per Share that is less than the exercise price per Share of the original Options without the approval of the shareholders of the Company.



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10.     TERMINATION OF RELATIONSHIP AS SERVICE PROVIDER.
10.1    Effect of Termination; Exercise After Termination.    Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, if a Participant ceases to be a Service Provider, such Participant may exercise any outstanding Options within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement or the Plan to the extent that the Options are vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). If, on the date of termination, any Options or other Awards are unvested, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option or other Award shall revert to the Plan. If, after termination, the Participant does not exercise the vested Options within the time specified in the Award Agreement or the Plan, the Option shall terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan. In the absence of a provision specifying otherwise in the relevant Award Agreement, then:
(a)    in the event that the Participant ceases to be a Service Provider for any reason other than termination for Cause or as a result of the Participant’s death or Disability, the vested Options shall remain exercisable for a period of three (3) months from the effective date of termination of the Participant’s status as a Service Provider;
(b)    in the event that the Participant ceases to be a Service Provider for Cause, any outstanding unexercised Option (whether vested or unvested) will immediately expire and terminate, and the Participant shall not have any rights in connection with such Options.
(c)    in the event that the Participant ceases to be a Service Provider as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Option shall remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following the Participant’s date of termination for Disability.
(d)    in the event that the Participant dies while a Service Provider, the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant’s estate or by a person who acquires the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance for twelve (12) months following the Participant’s date of death.
10.2    Date of Termination.    For purposes of the Plan and any Option or Option Agreement, the date of termination (whether for Cause or otherwise) shall be the effective date of termination of the Participant’s employment or engagement as a Service Provider.
10.3     Leave of Absence.    Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, vesting of Options granted hereunder shall be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence. A Service Provider shall not cease to be considered as such in the case of any (a) leave of absence approved by the Company, or (b) transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, and its parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or any successor thereof; or (c) changes in status (employee to member of the Board of Directors, employee to Consultant, etc.), provided that such change does not affect the specific terms applying to the Service Provider’s Award.


11.    CHANGE IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE.
Upon the occurrence of any of the following described events, a Participant’s rights to purchase Shares under the Plan shall be adjusted as hereinafter provided:
11.1    Adjustments.
(a)    In the event of any dividend or other distribution, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares (other than an Equity Restructuring) occurs such that an adjustment is determined by the Administrator (in its sole and absolute discretion) to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Administrator shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust: (a) the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 5; (b) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (c) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan.
(b)    In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 11.1(a) hereof or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any affiliate of the Company, or the financial statements

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of the Company or any affiliate, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, the Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event and either automatically or upon the Participant’s request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:
(i)    To provide for either (A) termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 11.1(b), the Administrator determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion;
(ii)    To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;
(iii)    To make adjustments in the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding options, rights and awards and options, rights and awards which may be granted in the future;
(iv)    To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement; and
(v)    To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.
 
(c)    In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 11.1(a) or 11.1(b) hereof:
(i)    The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, will be proportionately adjusted. The adjustments provided under this Section 11.1(c) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company.
(ii)    The Administrator shall make such proportionate adjustment, if any, as the Administrator in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and type of securities that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustment of the limitations in Section 5).
11.2    Change in Control.
(a)    Anything to the contrary in Section 11.1 hereof notwithstanding, in the event of a Change in Control, the unexercised or restricted portion of each outstanding Award shall be assumed or an equivalent Award or right substituted, by the successor corporation or an affiliate of the successor corporation, as shall be determined by such entity, subject to the terms hereof. In the event that the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the successor corporation does not provide for such an assumption or substitution of Awards (in circumstances in which the Company is not the successor entity), all Awards shall become exercisable in full and all forfeiture restrictions on such Awards shall lapse, provided that unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the exercise of all Options that otherwise would not have been exercisable and the lapsing of all forfeiture restrictions that would not have otherwise lapsed in the absence of a Change in Control, shall be contingent upon the actual consummation of the Change in Control. Upon, or in anticipation of, a Change in Control, the Administrator may cause any and all Awards outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future, including but not limited to the date of such Change in Control, and shall give each Participant the right to exercise such Awards during a period of time as the Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine.

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(b)    For the purposes of this Section 11.2, an Award shall be considered assumed if, following a Change in Control, the option confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether shares, cash, or other securities or property) received in the merger or sale of assets by holders of Shares of the Company for each Share held on the effective date of the Change in Control (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration determined by the Administrator, at its sole discretion); provided, however, that if the consideration received in the Change in Control is not solely ordinary shares (or the equivalent) of the successor corporation or its direct or indirect parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the per share consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Option or upon the lapsing of the forfeiture restrictions to be solely ordinary shares (or the equivalent) of the successor corporation or its direct or indirect parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Shares in the Change in Control, as determined by the Administrator.
(c)    In the event that the Board of Directors determines in good faith that, in the context of a Change in Control, certain Options have no monetary value and thus do not entitle the holders of such Options to any consideration under the terms of the Change in Control, the Board of Directors may determine that such Options shall terminate effective as of the effective date of the Change in Control.
(d)    It is the intention that the Administrator’s authority to make determinations, adjustments and clarifications in connection with the treatment of Awards shall be interpreted as widely as possible, to allow the Administrator maximal power and flexibility to interpret and implement the provisions of the Plan in the event of Change in Control.


12.    NON-TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS, OTHER AWARDS AND SHARES.
12.1    Except as may be permitted under an applicable Appendix, no Option or other Award may be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and during the Participant’s lifetime an Option may be exercised only by such Participant.
 
12.2    Except as may be permitted under an applicable Appendix, Shares for which full payment has not been made, may not be assigned, transferred, pledged or mortgaged, other than by will or laws of descent and distribution. For avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not be deemed to restrict the transfer of an Participant’s rights in respect of Options or Shares purchasable pursuant to the exercise thereof upon the death of such Participant to such Participant’s estate or other successors by operation of law or will, whose rights therein shall be governed by Section 10.1(d) hereof, and as may otherwise be determined by the Administrator.


13.    TERM AND AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN.
13.1    The Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date. The Plan shall expire on February 14, 2027 (except as to Options or other Awards outstanding on that date). For avoidance of doubt, this third amendment and restatement of the Plan shall not affect the terms or conditions of any Outstanding Qualified Performance-Based Award to the extent that it would result in a material modification of such Award within the meaning of P.L. 115-97, Section 13601(e)(2).
13.2    Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Board of Directors (or a duly authorized Committee thereof) may at any time, and from time to time, amend, in whole or in part, any or all of the provisions of the Plan (including any amendment deemed necessary to ensure that the Company may comply with any regulatory requirement), or suspend or terminate it entirely, retroactively or otherwise; provided, however, that (a) to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with any applicable law, regulation, or stock exchange rule, or as contemplated in any Appendix, the Company shall obtain shareholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required, and (b) shareholder approval is required for any amendment to the Plan that (i) increases the number of Shares available under the Plan (other than any adjustment as provided by Section 11.1 hereof), (ii) constitutes a prohibited

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action under Section 9 or (iii) permits the Administrator to extend the exercise period for an Option beyond ten years from the date of grant; and provided further, however, that, except (x) to correct obvious drafting errors or as otherwise required to comply with or facilitate compliance with law or (y) as specifically provided herein, the rights of a Participant with respect to Awards granted prior to such amendment, suspension or termination, may not be reduced without the consent of such Participant. The Administrator may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, but except (x) to correct obvious drafting errors or as otherwise required to comply with or facilitate compliance with law or by applicable accounting rules, or (y) as specifically provided herein, no such amendment or other action by the Administrator shall reduce the rights of any Participant without the Participant’s consent.


14.    TERM OF OPTION.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, but without derogating from the provisions of Section 10 and Section 13.2(b)(iii) (reflecting the Administrator’s ability to extend the term of an Option within a period of ten years from the date of grant) hereof, if any Option, or any part thereof, has not been exercised and the Shares covered thereby not paid for within seven (7) years after the date on which the Option was granted, as set forth in the Award Agreement (or any other period set forth in the instrument granting such Option pursuant to Section 6 hereof), such Option, or such part thereof, and the right to acquire such Shares shall terminate, all interests and rights of the Participant in and to the same shall expire, and, in the event that in connection therewith any Shares are held in trust as aforesaid, such trust shall expire.


15.    CONTINUANCE OF ENGAGEMENT; ENTITLEMENT TO AWARDS.
15.1    Neither the Plan nor any offer of Shares or Awards to a Participant shall impose any obligation on the Company or a related company thereof, to continue the employment or engagement of any Participant as a Service Provider, and nothing in the Plan or in any Award granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve as a Service Provider of the Company or a related company thereof or restrict the right of the Company or a related company thereof to terminate such employment or engagement at any time.
15.2    Neither the Plan nor any offer of Shares or Awards to a Participant shall impose any obligation on the Company or a related company thereof, to make any future offer of Shares or Awards to any Participant, and nothing in the Plan or in any Award granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Participant any right or entitlement to receive any future offer of shares or Awards under the Plan, or any successor plan, by virtue of being a Service Provider to the Company or a related company thereof.


 
16.    GOVERNING LAW.
The Plan and all instruments issued thereunder or in connection therewith, shall be governed by, and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Israel.


17.    APPLICATION OF FUNDS.
The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Shares pursuant to Options granted under the Plan will be used for general corporate purposes of the Company or any related company thereof.


18.    TAXES.
18.1    Any tax consequences arising from the grant, vesting or exercise of any Award, from the payment for Shares covered thereby, or from any other event or act (of the Company, and/or its affiliates, or the Participant), hereunder

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shall be borne solely by the Participant. The Company and/or its affiliates shall withhold taxes according to the requirements under the applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including withholding taxes at source. Furthermore, the Participant shall agree to indemnify the Company and/or its affiliates and hold them harmless against and from any and all liability for any such tax or interest or penalty thereon, including without limitation, liabilities relating to the necessity to withhold, or to have withheld, any such tax from any payment made to the Participant. The Company or any of its affiliates may make such provisions and take such steps as it may deem necessary or appropriate for the withholding of all taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to Awards granted under the Plan and the exercise thereof, including, but not limited, to (i) deducting the amount so required to be withheld from any other amount (or Shares issuable) then or thereafter to be provided to the Participant, including by deducting any such amount from a Participant’s salary or other amounts payable to the Participant, to the maximum extent permitted under law and/or (ii) requiring the Participant to pay to the Company or any of its affiliates the amount so required to be withheld as a condition of the issuance, delivery, distribution or release of any Shares and/or (iii) by causing the exercise and sale of any Awards or Shares held by on behalf of the Participant to cover such liability, up to the amount required to satisfy applicable statutory withholding requirements, as determined by the Company. In addition, the Participant will be required to pay any amount due in excess of the tax withheld and transferred to the tax authorities, pursuant to applicable tax laws, regulations and rules.
18.2    The receipt of an Award and/or the acquisition of Shares issued upon the exercise of the Options may result in tax consequences. The description of tax consequences set forth in the Plan or any Appendix hereto does not purport to be complete, up to date or to take into account any special circumstances relating to a Participant.
18.3    THE PARTICIPANT IS ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH A TAX ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF RECEIVING OR EXERCISING ANY AWARD IN LIGHT OF HIS OR HER PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.


19.    CONDITIONS UPON ISSUANCE OF SHARES.
Shares shall not be issued pursuant to an Award unless the issuance and delivery of such Shares shall comply with applicable laws and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.


20.    MISCELLANEOUS.
Whenever applicable in the Plan, the singular and the plural, and the masculine, feminine and neuter shall be freely interchangeable, as the context requires. The Section headings or titles shall not in any way control the construction of the language herein, such headings or titles having been inserted solely for the purpose of simplified reference. Words such as “herein”, “hereof”, “hereto”, “hereinafter”, “hereby”, and “hereinabove” when used in the Plan refer to the Plan as a whole, including any applicable Appendices, unless otherwise required by context.
* * *

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APPENDIX - ISRAELI TAXPAYERS
MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD. THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED GLOBAL SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN (2006)

1.    SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR ISRAELI TAX PAYERS
1.1    This Appendix (the “Appendix”) to the Third Amended and Restated Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. Share Incentive Plan (2006) (the “Plan”) is effective as of the date the Plan, as amended and restated, becomes effective (the “Effective Date”).
1.2    The provisions specified hereunder apply only to persons who are deemed to be residents of the State of Israel for tax purposes, or are otherwise subject to taxation in Israel with respect to Awards.
1.3    This Appendix applies with respect to Awards granted under the Plan. The purpose of this Appendix is to establish certain rules and limitations applicable to Awards that may be granted or issued under the Plan from time to time, in compliance with the securities and other applicable laws currently in force in the State of Israel. Except as otherwise provided by this Appendix, all grants made pursuant to this Appendix shall be governed by the terms of the Plan. This Appendix is applicable only to grants made after the Effective Date. This Appendix complies with, and is subject to the ITO and Section 102.
1.4    The Plan and this Appendix shall be read together. In any case of contradiction, whether explicit or implied, between the provisions of this Appendix and the Plan, the provisions of this Appendix shall govern.

2.    DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Plan. The following additional definitions will apply to grants made pursuant to this Appendix:
3(i) Option” means an Option, Restricted Share Unit or Performance Share Unit which is subject to taxation pursuant to Section 3(i) of the ITO which has been granted to any person who is not an Eligible 102 Participant.
102 Capital Gains Track” means the tax alternative set forth in Section 102(b)(2) of the ITO pursuant to which income resulting from the sale of Shares derived from Options, Restricted Share Units or Performance Share Units is taxed as a capital gain.
102 Capital Gains Track Grant” means a 102 Trustee Grant qualifying for the special tax treatment under the 102 Capital Gains Track.
102 Ordinary Income Track” means the tax alternative set forth in Section 102(b)(1) of the ITO pursuant to which income resulting from the sale of Shares derived from Options, Restricted Share Units or Performance Share Unit is taxed as ordinary income.
102 Ordinary Income Track Grant” means a 102 Trustee Grant qualifying for the ordinary income tax treatment under the 102 Ordinary Income Track.
102 Trustee Grant” means an Award made pursuant to Section 102(b) of the ITO and held in trust by a Trustee for the benefit of the Participant, and includes both 102 Capital Gains Track Grants and 102 Ordinary Income Track Grants.
Award” means an Option, a Restricted Share Unit award, Performance Share Unit award or other award or allotment of Shares under the Plan and this Appendix.
Affiliate” means any “employing company” within the meaning of Section 102(a) of the ITO.
Controlling Shareholder” as defined under Section 32(9) of the Ordinance, means an employee who prior to the grant or as a result of the exercise of any Option or grant or vesting of any Restricted Share Unit or Performance Share Unit or Shares, holds or would hold, directly or indirectly, in his name or with a relative (as defined in the Ordinance) (i) 10% of the outstanding shares of the Company, (ii) 10% of the voting power of the Company, (iii) the right to hold or purchase 10% of the outstanding equity or voting power, (iv) the right to obtain 10% of the “profit” of the Company (as defined in the Ordinance), or (v) the right to appoint a director of the Company.
 

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Election” means the Company’s choice of the type (as between capital gains track or ordinary income track) of 102 Trustee Grants it will make under the Plan, as filed with the ITA.
Eligible 102 Participant” means a person who is employed by the Company or its Affiliates, including an individual who is serving as a director or an office holder, who is not a Controlling Shareholder.
Fair Market Value” shall mean with respect to 102 Capital Gains Track Grants only, for the sole purpose of determining tax liability pursuant to Section 102(b)(3) of the ITO, if at the date of grant the Company’s shares are listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system or if the Company’s shares will be registered for trading within ninety (90) days following the date of grant, the fair market value of the Shares at the date of grant shall be determined in accordance with the average value of the Company’s shares on the thirty (30) trading days preceding the date of grant or on the thirty (30) trading days following the date of registration for trading, as the case may be.
ITA” means the Israeli Tax Authorities.
ITO” means the Israeli Income Tax Ordinance (New Version) 1961 and the rules, regulations, orders or procedures promulgated thereunder and any amendments thereto, including specifically the Rules, all as may be amended from time to time.
Non-Trustee Grant” means an Award granted to an Eligible 102 Participant pursuant to Section 102(c) of the ITO and not held in trust by a Trustee.
Performance Share Unit” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
Required Holding Period” means the requisite period prescribed by the ITO and the Rules, or such other period as may be required by the ITA, with respect to 102 Trustee Grants, during which Options, Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units or Shares granted by the Company must be held by the Trustee for the benefit of the person to whom it was granted.
Restricted Share Unit” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 3 hereof.
Rules” means the Income Tax Rules (Tax benefits in Stock Issuance to Employees) 5763-2003.
Section 102” shall mean the provisions of Section 102 of the ITO, as amended from time to time, including by the Law Amending the Income Tax Ordinance (Number 132), 2002, effective as of January 1, 2003 and by the Law Amending the Income Tax Ordinance (Number 147), 2005.
“Shares” means Ordinary Shares, nominal value NIS 0.01 per share, of the Company, including restricted or unrestricted Shares issued upon exercise of Options or the vesting of Restricted Share Units or Performance Share Units granted pursuant to the Plan and this Appendix.
Trustee” means a person or entity designated by the Board of Directors to serve as a trustee and approved by the ITA in accordance with the provisions of Section 102(a) of the ITO.

3.    SPECIAL TERMS FOR RESTRICTED SHARE UNITS
3.1    Grant of Restricted Share Units.    The Administrator is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Share Units to any Participant selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Share Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Share Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the grantee. On the maturity date, the Company shall transfer to either: (a) in the case of an Award that is not a 102 Trustee Grant, the Participant of record as issued to the Participant in the books of the Company (or, if applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator), or (b) in the case of a 102 Trustee Grant, the Trustee (for the benefit of such Participant), pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 below, one unrestricted, fully transferable Share for each Restricted Share Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited.
3.2    Forfeiture.    Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or status of Service Provider, any Restricted Share Units that have not fully

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vested shall be forfeited; provided, however, that the Administrator may provide for the accelerated vesting of Restricted Share Units, in its sole discretion.

4.    SPECIAL TERMS FOR PERFORMANCE SHARE UNITS
4.1    Grant of Performance Share Units.    The Administrator is authorized to make Awards of Performance Share Units to any Participant selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall such performance or other conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, the achievement of one or more Performance Goals, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods to be determined by the Administrator. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Performance Share Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the grantee. On the maturity date, the Company shall transfer to either: (a) in the case of an Award that is not a 102 Trustee Grant, the Participant of record as issued to the Participant in the books of the Company (or, if applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator), or (b) in the case of a 102 Trustee Grant, the Trustee (for the benefit of such Participant), pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 below, such number of unrestricted, fully transferable Shares for each Performance Share Unit determined pursuant to the applicable terms and conditions of the Award scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited.
4.2    Forfeiture.    Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or status of Service Provider, any Performance Share Units that have not fully vested shall be forfeited; provided, however, that the Administrator may provide for the accelerated vesting of Performance Share Units, in its sole discretion.

5.    TYPES OF AWARDS AND SECTION 102 ELECTION
5.1    Awards made pursuant to Section 102, whether as grants of Options, Restricted Share Units or Performance Share Units or as issuances of Shares under the Plan shall be made pursuant to either (a) Section 102(b)(2) of the ITO as 102 Capital Gains Track Grants or (b) Section 102(b)(1) of the ITO as 102 Ordinary Income Track Grants. The Company’s Election regarding the type of 102 Trustee Grant it chooses to make shall be filed with the ITA. Once the Company has filed such Election, it may change the type of 102 Trustee Grant that it chooses to make only after the passage of at least 12 months from the end of the calendar year in which the first grant was made in accordance with the previous Election, in accordance with Section 102. For the avoidance of doubt, such Election shall not prevent the Company from granting Non-Trustee Grants to Eligible 102 Participants at any time.
5.2    Eligible 102 Participants may receive only 102 Trustee Grants or Non-Trustee Grants under this Appendix. Participants who are not Eligible 102 Participants may be granted only 3(i) Options under this Appendix.
5.3    No 102 Trustee Grants may be made effective pursuant to this Appendix until 30 days after the requisite filings required by the ITO and the Rules have been made with the ITA.
5.4    The Award Agreement evidencing the Award made pursuant to the Plan and this Appendix shall indicate whether the Award is a 102 Trustee Grant, a Non-Trustee Grant or a 3(i) Grant; and, if the grant is a 102 Trustee Grant, whether it is a 102 Capital Gains Track Grant or a 102 Ordinary Income Track Grant.

6.    TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF 102 TRUSTEE OPTIONS, RESTRICTED SHARE UNITS AND PERFORMANCE SHARE UNITS
6.1    Each 102 Trustee Grant will be deemed granted on the date stated in a written notice by the Company, provided that on or before such date (i) the Company has provided such notice to the Trustee and (ii) the Participant has signed all documents required pursuant to this Section 5.
6.2    Each 102 Trustee Grant granted to an Eligible 102 Participant and each certificate for a Share acquired pursuant to the exercise of a Option, vesting of a Restricted Share Unit or Performance Share Unit or issued directly as Share shall be issued to and registered in the name of a Trustee and shall be held in trust for the benefit of the

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Participant for the Required Holding Period. After termination of the Required Holding Period, the Trustee may release such Option, Restricted Share Unit, Performance Share Unit and any such Shares, provided that (i) the Trustee has received an acknowledgment from the Israeli Income Tax Authority that the Eligible 102 Participant has paid any applicable tax due pursuant to the ITO or (ii) the Trustee and/or the Company or its Affiliate withholds any applicable tax due pursuant to the ITO. The Trustee shall not release any 102 Trustee Options, Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units or shares issued upon exercise of such Option or vesting of such Restricted Share Unit or Performance Share Unit prior to the full payment of the Eligible 102 Participant’s tax liabilities.
6.3    Each 102 Trustee Grant (whether a 102 Capital Gains Track Grant or a 102 Ordinary Income Track Grant, as applicable) shall be subject to the relevant terms of Section 102 and the ITO, which shall be deemed an integral part of the 102 Trustee Option, Restricted Share Unit or Performance Share Unit and shall prevail over any term contained in the Plan, this Appendix or any agreement that is not consistent therewith. Any provision of the ITO and any approvals by the Income Tax Commissioner not expressly specified in this Plan, Appendix or Award Agreement which are necessary to receive or maintain any tax benefit pursuant to the Section 102 shall be binding on the Eligible 102 Participant. The Trustee and the Eligible 102 Participant granted a 102 Trustee Grant shall comply with the ITO, and the terms and conditions of the Trust Agreement entered into between the Company and the Trustee. For avoidance of doubt, it is reiterated that compliance with the ITO specifically includes compliance with the Rules. Further, the Eligible 102 Participant agrees to execute any and all documents which the Company or the Trustee may reasonably determine to be necessary in order to comply with the provision of any applicable law, and, particularly, Section 102.
6.4    During the Required Holding Period, the Eligible 102 Participant shall not require the Trustee to release or sell the Options, Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units or Shares and other shares received subsequently following any realization of rights derived from Shares, Options, Restricted Share Units or Performance Share Units (including share dividends) to the Eligible 102 Participant or to a third party, unless permitted to do so by applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee may, pursuant to a written request and subject to applicable law, release and transfer such Shares to a designated third party, provided that both of the following conditions have been fulfilled prior to such transfer: (i) all taxes required to be paid upon the release and transfer of the shares have been withheld for Transfer to the tax authorities and (ii) the Trustee has received written confirmation from the Company that all requirements for such release and transfer have been fulfilled according to the terms of the Company’s corporate documents, the Plan, any applicable agreement and any applicable law. To avoid doubt, such sale or release during the Required Holding Period will result in different tax ramifications to the Eligible 102 Participant under Section 102 of the ITO and the Rules and/or any other regulations or orders or procedures promulgated thereunder, which shall apply to and shall be borne solely by such Eligible 102 Participant.
6.5    In the event a share dividend is declared on Shares which derive from Awards granted as 102 Trustee Grants, such dividend shall also be subject to the provisions of this Section 6 and the Required Holding Period for such dividend shares shall be measured from the commencement of the Required Holding Period for the Options, Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units or Shares with respect to which the dividend was declared. In the event of a cash dividend on Shares, the Trustee shall transfer the dividend proceeds to the Eligible 102 Participant after deduction of taxes and mandatory payments in compliance with applicable withholding requirements.
6.6    If an Option, Restricted Share Unit or Performance Share Unit granted as a 102 Trustee Grant is exercised or vests during the Required Holding Period, the Shares issued upon such exercise or vesting shall be issued in the name of the Trustee for the benefit of the Eligible 102 Participant. If such an Option, Restricted Share Unit or Performance Share Unit is exercised or vests after the Required Holding Period ends, the Shares issued upon such exercise or vesting shall, at the election of the Eligible 102 Participant, either (i) be issued in the name of the Trustee, or (ii) be transferred to the Eligible 102 Participant directly, provided that the Participant first complies with all applicable provisions of the Plan.
6.7    For as long as Shares are registered in the name of the Trustee for the benefit of a Participant, the Trustee shall provide to the Participant prompt written notice of all shareholder meetings or other communications to

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shareholders of the Company received by the Trustee, and if so requested in writing by the Participant, the Trustee shall execute a proxy in a form acceptable to the Company to enable the Participant to vote such Shares.

7.    ASSIGNABILITY
As long as Options, Restricted Share Units, Performance Share Units or Shares are held by the Trustee on behalf of the Eligible 102 Participant, all rights of the Eligible 102 Participant over the shares are personal, cannot be transferred, assigned, pledged or mortgaged, other than by will or laws of descent and distribution.

8.    TAX CONSEQUENCES
8.1    Any tax consequences arising from the grant, sale, vesting or exercise of any Award, from the payment for Shares covered thereby, or from any other event or act (of the Company, and/or its affiliates and/or the Trustee or the Participant), hereunder shall be borne solely by the Participant. The Company and/or its affiliates and/or the Trustee shall withhold taxes according to the requirements under the applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including withholding taxes at source. Furthermore, the Participant shall agree to indemnify the Company and/or its affiliates and/or the Trustee and hold them harmless against and from any and all liability for any such tax or interest or penalty thereon, including without limitation, liabilities relating to the necessity to withhold, or to have withheld, any such tax from any payment made to the Participant. The Company an/or any of its affiliates and/or the Trustee may make such provisions and take such steps as it may deem necessary or appropriate for the withholding of all taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to Awards granted under the Plan and the exercise thereof, including, but not limited, to (i) deducting the amount so required to be withheld from any other amount (or Shares issuable) then or thereafter to be provided to the Participant, including by deducting any such amount from a Participant’s salary or other amounts payable to the Participant, to the maximum extent permitted under law and/or (ii) requiring the Participant to pay to the Company or any of its affiliates the amount so required to be withheld as a condition of the issuance, delivery, distribution or release of any Shares and/or (iii) by causing the exercise and sale of any Options or Shares held by on behalf of the Participant to cover such liability, up to the amount required to satisfy minimum statutory withholding requirements. In addition, the Participant will be required to pay any amount due in excess of the tax withheld and transferred to the tax authorities, pursuant to applicable tax laws, regulations and rules.
8.2    With respect to Non-Trustee Grants, if the Participant ceases to be employed by the Company or any Affiliate, the Eligible 102 Participant shall extend to the Company and/or its Affiliate a security or guarantee for the payment of tax due at the time of sale of Shares to the satisfaction of the Company, all in accordance with the provisions of Section 102 of the ITO and the Rules.

9.    GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, with respect to Participants subject to this Appendix, the Plan and all instruments issued thereunder or in connection therewith shall be governed by, and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Israel applicable to contracts made and to be performed therein.
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APPENDIX-U.S. TAXPAYERS
MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED GLOBAL SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN (2006)

1.     Special Provisions for Persons who are U.S. Taxpayers.
1.1    This Appendix (the “Appendix”) to the Mellanox Technologies, Ltd. Third Amended and Restated Global Share Incentive Plan (2006) (the “Plan”) is effective as of the date that the Plan becomes effective (the “Effective Date”).
1.2    The provisions specified hereunder apply only to persons who are subject to U.S. federal income tax (any such person, a “U.S. Taxpayer”).
1.3    This Appendix applies with respect to Awards granted under the Plan. The purpose of this Appendix is to establish certain rules and limitations applicable to Awards that may be granted or issued under the Plan from time to time, in compliance with applicable tax, securities and other applicable laws currently in force. Except as otherwise provided by this Appendix, all grants made pursuant to this Appendix shall be governed by the terms of the Plan (including, without limitation, its provisions regarding adjustments). This Appendix is applicable only to grants made after the Effective Date.
1.4    The Plan and this Appendix shall be read together. In any case of an irreconcilable contradiction (as determined by the Administrator) between the provisions of this Appendix and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall govern unless expressly stated otherwise in this Appendix.
1.5    To the extent required by applicable law, the Plan and this Appendix shall be submitted to the Company’s shareholders for approval within twelve (12) months after the Effective Date.

2.    Definitions.
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Plan. The following additional definitions will apply to grants made pursuant to this Appendix:

Disability” means, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, a “permanent and total disability” within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
Fair Market Value” means, for purposes of this Appendix, unless otherwise required by any applicable provision of the Code or any regulations issued thereunder, as of any date and except as provided below, (a) if the Shares are listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, the closing sales price for such Shares (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system for such date, or if no bids or sales were reported for such date, then the closing sales price (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) on the trading date immediately prior to such date during which a bid or sale occurred, in each case, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; (b) if the Shares are regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the mean of the closing bid and asked prices for the Shares on such date, or if no closing bid and asked prices were reported for such date, the date immediately prior to such date during which closing bid and asked prices were quoted for the Shares, in each case, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or (c) in the absence of an established market for the Shares, the Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Administrator. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, with respect to Non-Qualified Stock Options, the “Fair Market Value” of the Shares shall be determined in a manner that satisfies the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A, and with respect to Incentive Stock Options, such Fair Market Value shall be determined in a manner that satisfies the applicable requirements of Code Section 422, and subject to Code Section 422(c)(7).
 
Family Member” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, any person sharing the employee’s household (other than a tenant or employee),

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a trust in which these persons have more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons (or the employee) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the employee) own more than 50% of the voting interests or in Section A(1)(a)(5) of the general instructions of Form S-8, as applicable.
Incentive Stock Option” means any Option awarded to an eligible Participant under the Plan and this Appendix intended to be and designated in the Award Agreement as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
Non-Qualified Stock Option” means any Option awarded under this Plan that is not an Incentive Stock Option.
Parent” means any parent corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code.
Performance Share Unit” shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan and shall include an Award granted pursuant to Section 8 hereof.
Restricted Shares” or “Restricted Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan and shall include Shares awarded to a Participant pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
Restricted Share Unit” shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan and shall include an Award granted pursuant to Section 7 hereof.
Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Any reference to any section of the Securities Act shall also be a reference to any successor provision.
Subsidiary” means any subsidiary corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.
Ten Percent Shareholder” means a person owning shares possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company, its Subsidiaries or its Parent.

3.    Shares Reserved under Appendix for Incentive Stock Options.
The maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options is 10,517,000 Shares, and such reserve of Shares for grants of Incentive Stock Options shall not be increased without the approval of the shareholders of the Company as required pursuant to Section 421 et seq. of the Code. The number of Shares stated in this Section 3 shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11.1 of the Plan. To the extent that an Incentive Stock Option terminates, expires, or lapses for any reason, any Shares subject to the Award shall again be available for the grant of an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to the Plan and this Appendix. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Shares tendered or withheld to satisfy the grant or exercise price or tax withholding obligation pursuant to any Incentive Stock shall not again be available for the grant of an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to the Plan and this Appendix. In addition, Shares purchased on the open market with cash proceeds from the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall not be available for the grant of an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to the Plan and this Appendix. To the extent permitted by applicable law or any exchange rule, Shares issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity acquired in any form of combination by the Company or any affiliate shall not be counted against Shares available for grant as Incentive Stock Options pursuant to the Plan and this Appendix. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3 hereof, no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

4.     Grants of Options.
4.1    Generally.    The Administrator shall have full authority to grant Options to Service Providers pursuant to the terms of this Appendix and the Plan. All Options shall be granted by, confirmed by, and subject to the terms of, an Award Agreement to be executed by the Company and the Participant. In particular, the Administrator shall have the authority to determine whether an Option is an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
 
4.2    Eligibility.    All Service Providers are eligible to be granted Non-Qualified Stock Options under this Appendix, and only employees of the Company, a Subsidiary or a Parent are eligible to be granted Incentive Stock Options under this Appendix, if so employed on the grant date of such Incentive Stock Option, although it is anticipated

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that grants hereunder will be granted solely or primarily to U.S. Taxpayers. Eligibility for the grant of an Option and actual participation in this Appendix and the Plan shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

5.    Special Terms for Incentive Stock Options.
5.1    Disqualification.     To the extent that any Option does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option (whether because of its provisions or the time or manner of its exercise or otherwise), such Option or the portion thereof that does not qualify shall constitute a separate Non-Qualified Stock Option.
5.2     Exercise Price.    The exercise price per Share subject to an Incentive Stock Option shall be determined by the Administrator at the time of grant of such Incentive Stock Option; provided that the per share exercise price of an Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Share at the time of grant of such Incentive Stock Option (except in the case of Substitute Awards); and provided, further, that if an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder, the exercise price per Share shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Share at the time of the grant of such Incentive Stock Option (except in the case of Substitute Awards).
5.3    Option Term.    The term of each Incentive Stock Option shall be fixed by the Administrator; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable more than seven (7) years after the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted; and further provided that the term of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder shall not exceed five (5) years.
5.4    Incentive Stock Option Limitations.    To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time of grant) of Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by an employee during any calendar year under this Plan and/or any other stock option plan of the Company, any Subsidiary or any Parent exceeds $100,000, such Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options. In addition, if an employee does not remain employed by the Company, any Subsidiary or any Parent at all times from the time an Incentive Stock Option is granted until three (3) months prior to the date of exercise thereof (or such other period as required by Section 422 of the Code), such Incentive Stock Option shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option. Should any provision of this Appendix not be necessary in order for the Options to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, or should any additional provisions be required, the Administrator may amend this Appendix accordingly, without the necessity of obtaining the approval of the shareholders of the Company, unless required by applicable law.
5.5     Effect of Termination.    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Appendix, and in the absence of a provision specifying otherwise in the relevant Award Agreement, then with respect to Incentive Stock Options, the following provisions must be met in order for the Award to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under the Code:
(a)    in the event that the Participant ceases to be an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary or Parent for any reason other than the Participant’s death or Disability, the vested Options must be exercised within three (3) months from the effective date of termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company, any Subsidiary or Parent;
(b)    in the event that the Participant’s employment with the Company, a Subsidiary or Parent terminates as a result of the Participant’s death or Disability, the Option must be exercised within twelve (12) months following the Participant’s date of termination for death or Disability. To avoid doubt, the provisions of Section 10 of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect and apply to Awards granted as Incentive Stock Options. The restrictions set forth above represent special additional limitations that apply to qualify as Incentive Stock Options under the provisions of the Code. To avoid doubt, a Participant may choose to exercise Options in accordance with the terms of Section 10 of the Plan and the relevant Award Agreement, and not in compliance with the provisions of the Code relating to “incentive stock options”. In that case such Option will not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option and will be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
5.6    Notice of Disposition.    The Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within (i) two (2) years from the date of grant of such Incentive Stock Option or (ii) one (1) year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant.

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5.7    Right to Exercise.    During a Participant’s lifetime, an Incentive Stock Option may be exercised only by the Participant.

6.    Special Terms for Restricted Stock.
6.1    Grant of Restricted Stock.    The Administrator is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Stock to any Participant selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator. All Awards of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
6.2    Issuance and Restrictions.    Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Administrator may impose (including, without limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Administrator determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.
6.3     Forfeiture.    Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or status of Service Provider during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited; provided, however, that the Administrator may (a) provide in any Restricted Stock Award Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and (b) in other cases waive in whole or in part restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock.
6.4    Certificates for Restricted Stock.    Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator shall determine. If certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, and the Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of the certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.
6.5     Taxes.    In accordance with the terms of the Code, a Participant shall be responsible for payment of all taxes incurred in connection with the grant of Restricted Stock. A Participant shall make provision for the payment of all required withholding to the Company in accordance with Section 18.1 of the Plan.

7.    Restricted Share Units.
The Administrator is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Share Units to any Participant selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Share Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the settlement date applicable to each grant of Restricted Share Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the grantee, subject to compliance with Section 409A of the Code. On the settlement date, the Company shall transfer to the Participant or record as issued to the Participant in the books of the Company (or, if applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator) one unrestricted, fully transferable Share for each Restricted Share Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited.

8.    Performance Share Units.
The Administrator is authorized to make Awards of Performance Share Units to any Participant selected by the Administrator in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall such performance or other conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, the achievement of one or more Performance Goals, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods to be determined by the Administrator. At the time of grant, the Administrator shall specify the settlement date applicable to each grant of Performance Share Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the grantee, subject to compliance with Section 409A

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of the Code. On the settlement date, the Company shall transfer to the Participant or record as issued to the Participant in the books of the Company (or, if applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator) such number of unrestricted, fully transferable Shares for each Performance Share Unit determined pursuant to the applicable terms and conditions of the Award scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited.

 
9.    Amendment of Appendix and Individual Awards.
9.1    This Appendix may be amended or terminated in accordance with the terms governing the amendment or termination of the Plan; provided, however, that without the approval of the shareholders of the Company entitled to vote in accordance with applicable law, no amendment may be made that would: (i) increase the aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under this Appendix; (ii) change the classification of individuals eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under this Appendix; (iii) decrease the minimum exercise price of any Option below the amounts specified herein; (iv) extend the term of the Plan under Section 13.1 of the Plan or the maximum Option period under Section 5.3 of this Appendix; or (v) require shareholder approval in order for the Appendix to continue to comply with Section 422 of the Code to the extent applicable to Incentive Stock Options or require shareholder approval to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with applicable law, regulations or under the rules of any exchange or system on which the Company’s securities are listed or traded at the request of the Company.
9.2    The Administrator may, to the extent permitted by the Plan and this Appendix, amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, but, subject to the Plan or as otherwise specifically provided herein, no such amendment or other action by the Administrator shall materially impair the previously accrued rights of any holder of such Award without the holder’s consent.
9.3    Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan or this Appendix to the contrary, (a) the Administrator may amend the Plan, this Appendix or any Award without the consent of the holder thereof if the Administrator determines that such amendment is required or advisable for the Company, the Plan, this Appendix or any Award to satisfy, comply with or meet the requirements of any law, regulation, rule or accounting standard, and (b) neither the Company nor the Administrator shall take any action pursuant to Section 9 or Section 11 of this Appendix or Section 13.2 of the Plan, or otherwise, that would cause an Award that is otherwise exempt under Code Section 409A to become subject to Code Section 409A, or that would cause an Award that is subject to Code Section 409A to fail to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A.

10.    Limits on Transfer.
No Award shall be assigned, transferred or otherwise disposed of by a Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and all Awards shall be exercisable, during the Participant’s lifetime, only by the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may determine, in its sole discretion, at the time of grant or thereafter that an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option) granted under this Appendix that is otherwise not transferable pursuant to this Section 10 is transferable to a Family Member in whole or in part and in such circumstances, and under such conditions, as specified by the Administrator. An Award that is transferred to a Family Member pursuant to the preceding sentence (i) may not be subsequently transferred otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and (ii) remains subject to the terms of the Plan, the Appendix and the applicable Award Agreement. Any Shares acquired upon the exercise of an Award by a permissible transferee of an Award or a permissible transferee pursuant to a transfer after the exercise of, or issuance of Shares under, an Award shall be subject to the terms of the Plan, the Appendix and the applicable Award Agreement.

11.    Deferred Compensation.
To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan and this Appendix is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code. To the extent applicable, the Plan, this Appendix and the Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other

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interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or this Appendix to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance (including such Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the Effective Date), the Administrator may adopt such amendments to the Plan or the Appendix and the applicable Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Award from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance. The Administrator may permit deferrals of compensation pursuant to the terms of a Participant’s Award Agreement, a separate plan, or an Appendix that (in each case) meets the requirements of Code Section 409A.
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