Exhibit 10.1
OPTION CERTIFICATE
INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION (Non-Assignable)
For XXXX Shares
To Purchase Common Stock of Forrester Research, Inc.
Issued Pursuant to the Forrester Research, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (“Plan”)
THIS CERTIFIES that on ___XX, 200___(
“Issuance Date”) First Last (the
“Holder”), an
employee of Forrester Research, Inc. (the
“Company”) or an Affiliate that is also a
“subsidiary
corporation” (as defined in Section 424 of the Code) with respect to
the Company, was granted an
option (the
“Option” or this
“Option”) to purchase all or any part of X,XXX fully paid and
non-assessable shares (
“Shares”) of Common Stock (par value of $.01 per share) of
the Company at
the option price $XX.XX per share, which is not less than the fair market value of the Shares on
the date of grant of this Option, upon and subject to the following terms and conditions:
1.
Nature of Option. The Option is intended to constitute an
“incentive stock option”
within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. Any portion of this Option that does not constitute
an
“incentive stock option” shall constitute a non-qualified option. The right and option to
purchase shares hereby granted shall be exercisable as provided in Paragraph 3 hereof, in
accordance with the determination made by the Compensation and Nominating Committee (the
“Committee”) of
the Company’s Board of Directors administering the Plan.
2. Expiration. This Option shall expire on X, 20___(“Expiration Date”).
3. Vesting and Exercise. This Option shall not be transferable by the Holder
otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and during the lifetime of the
Holder may be exercised only by the Holder.
Except as provided below in this Paragraph 3, this Option will not vest and may not be
exercised unless the Holder shall have been continuously employed by
the Company or any of its
subsidiaries for a period of twelve (12) months after the Issuance Date with regard to one-fourth
of the total Shares that can be purchased under the Option (rounded to the nearest whole Share),
for twenty-four (24) months after the Issuance Date with regard to an additional one-fourth of the
total Shares under the Option (rounded to the nearest whole Share), for thirty-six (36) months
after the Issuance Date with regard to an additional one-fourth of the total Shares under the
Option (rounded to the nearest whole Share), and for forty-eight (48) months after the Issuance
Date for the balance of the total Shares under the Option. Upon and after such dates, the
applicable portion of this Option shall vest and shall be exercisable. Except as otherwise
permitted herein, if the Holder’s employment is terminated prior to the full vesting of the Option,
all rights with respect to any unvested portion shall be forfeited and the remaining
portion shall remain exercisable, if at all, in accordance with Paragraph 6 below.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the unvested portion of this Option shall vest to the extent,
if any, provided in and in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(a) of the Plan (pertaining
to “Covered Transactions”) in the circumstances described in said Section 7(a).
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This Option shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice duly signed by the Holder,
together with this Option certificate, and the full purchase price of the Shares purchased pursuant
to the exercise of this Option, to the Committee or an officer of
the Company appointed by the
Committee for the purpose of receiving the same. This Option may not be exercised at any time when
such Option, or the exercise or payment thereof, may result in the violation of any law or
governmental order or regulation.
Payment for the Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of this Option shall be made in full
at the time of the exercise of the Option (a) by check payable to
the Company, or (b) by delivery
of an unconditional and irrevocable undertaking by a broker to deliver promptly to
the Company
sufficient funds to pay the exercise price.
4. Delivery of Shares. Within a reasonable time after the exercise of the Option, the
Company shall cause to be delivered to the person entitled thereto the number of Shares purchased
pursuant to the exercise of the Option.
5.
Withholding. In the event that the Holder elects to exercise this Option or any
part thereof, and if
the Company or its
subsidiaries shall be required to withhold any amount by
reason of any federal, state, or local tax rules or regulations in respect of the issuance of
Shares to the Holder pursuant to the Option or upon the disposition of any such Shares,
the Company
or any such subsidiary shall be entitled to satisfy such withholding obligations in accordance with
the terms of Section 6 of the Plan.
6. Termination. Notwithstanding Paragraph 3 above, this Option, to the extent
unexercised, shall terminate immediately upon the earliest to occur of the following:
(a) The Expiration Date of the Option;
(b) The expiration of three months from the date of termination of the Holder’s employment by
the Company or any of its
subsidiaries (other than a termination described in subparagraph (c),
(d), or (e) below); provided, that if the Holder shall die during such three-month period, the time
of termination of the unexercised portion of the Option shall be determined under the provisions of
subparagraph (d) below, subject to subparagraph (a) above;
(c) The expiration of one year from the date of termination of the employment of the Holder
due to permanent and total disability within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (other than a termination described in subparagraph (e) below);
(d) The expiration of one year following the Holder’s death if it occurs while Holder is
employed by
the Company or its
subsidiaries; or
(e) The termination of the Holder’s employment by
the Company or any of its
subsidiaries if
such termination constitutes or is attributable to a breach by the Holder of an employment
agreement with
the Company or its
subsidiaries, or if the Holder is discharged for cause. The
Committee shall have the right to determine whether the Holder has been discharged for breach or
for cause and the date of such discharge, and such determination of the Committee shall be final
and conclusive.
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7.
Reservation of Shares.
The Company hereby agrees that at all times there shall be
reserved for issuance and/or delivery upon exercise of the Option such number of Shares as shall be
required for issuance or delivery upon exercise hereof.
8.
Rights of Holder. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to confer upon the
Holder any right to be continued in the employ of
the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, or
derogate from the right of
the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to retire, request the
resignation of, or discharge the Holder at any time, with or without cause. The Holder shall not,
by virtue hereof, be entitled to any rights of a stockholder in
the Company or its
subsidiaries,
either at law or equity, and the rights of the Holder are limited to those expressed herein and in
the Plan and are not enforceable against
the Company or its
subsidiaries, except to the extent set
forth herein.
9.
Exclusion from Pension Computations. By acceptance of the grant of the Option, the
Holder hereby agrees that any income realized upon the receipt or exercise hereof, or upon the
disposition of the Shares received upon its exercise, is special incentive compensation and will
not be taken into account as
“wages,” “salary,” or
“compensation” in determining the amount of any
payment under any pension, retirement, incentive, profit-sharing, bonus, or deferred compensation
plan of
the Company, or its
subsidiaries.
10.
Registration; Legend. Without limiting the generality of Section 8 of the Plan,
the Company may postpone the issuance and delivery of Shares upon any exercise of the Option until
(a) the admission of such Shares to listing on any stock exchange or exchanges on which Shares of
the Company of the same classes are then listed and (b) the completion of such registration or
other qualification of such Shares under any state or federal law, rule or regulation as the
Company shall determine to be necessary or advisable. The Holder shall make such representations
and furnish such information as, in the opinion of counsel for
the Company, may be appropriate to
permit
the Company to issue the Shares in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or any comparable act.
The Company may cause an appropriate legend to be set
forth on each certificate representing Shares or any other security issued or issuable upon
exercise of the Option unless counsel for
the Company is of the opinion as to any such certificate
that a legend is unnecessary.
11. Amendment. The Committee may, with the consent of the Holder in the case of an
amendment that adversely affects the Holder’s rights under the Option, at any time or from time to
time, amend the terms and conditions of the Option.
12.
Notices. Any notice which either party hereto may be required or permitted to
give to the other shall be in writing, and may be delivered personally or by mail, postage prepaid,
addressed as follows: to
the Company, at its office at 400 Technology Square,
Cambridge,
Massachusetts 02139, or at such other address as
the Company by notice to the Holder may designate
in writing from time to time; to the Holder, at the address shown below his signature on this
Option certificate, or at such other address as the Holder by notice to
the Company may designate
in writing from time to time. Notices shall be effective upon receipt.
13. Incorporation of Plan; Interpretation. The Option and this Option certificate are
issued pursuant to and are subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Plan, the terms,
conditions, and definitions of which are hereby incorporated as though set forth at length, and the
receipt of a copy of which the Holder hereby acknowledges by his signature below. A determination
of the Committee as to any questions which may arise with respect to the
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interpretation of the provisions of this Option and of the Plan shall be final. The Committee
may authorize and establish such rules, regulations, and revisions thereof not inconsistent with
the provisions of the Plan, as it may deem advisable.
Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary herein, defined terms used in this Option
certificate shall have the same meaning as used in the Plan.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this certificate on the date first above written.
Forrester Research, Inc.
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:
First Last
Date
Address
City State Postal Code
Country
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