Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Transactions with Officers and Directors

v3.3.1.900
Transactions with Officers and Directors
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Transactions with Officers and Directors [Abstract]  
Transactions with Officers and Directors

(14)Transactions with Officers and Directors

 

Chief Executive Officer Compensation Arrangement

 

In December 2014, the Compensation Committee (the "Committee") of Liberty approved a compensation arrangement, including term options discussed in note 15, for its President and Chief Executive Officer (the "CEO"). The arrangement provides for a five year employment term beginning January 1, 2015 and ending December 31, 2019, with an annual base salary of $960,750, increasing annually by 5% of the prior year's base salary, and an annual target cash bonus equal to 250% of the applicable year's annual base salary. The arrangement also provides that, in the event the CEO is terminated for "cause," he will be entitled only to his accrued base salary and any amounts due under applicable law and he will forfeit all rights to his unvested term options. If, however, the CEO is terminated by Liberty without cause or if he terminates his employment for “good reason,” the arrangement provides for him to receive his accrued base salary, his accrued but unpaid bonus and any amounts due under applicable law, a severance payment of 1.5 times his base salary during the year of his termination, a payment equal to $11,750,000 pro rated based upon the elapsed number of days in the calendar year of termination, a payment equal to $17.5 million, and for his unvested term options to generally vest pro rata based on the portion of the term elapsed through the termination date plus 18 months and for all vested and accelerated options to remain exercisable until their respective expiration dates. If the CEO terminates his employment without “good reason,” he will be entitled to his accrued base salary, his accrued but unpaid bonus and any amounts due under applicable law and a payment of the $11,750,000 and for his unvested term options to generally vest pro rata based on the portion of the term elapsed through the termination date and all vested and accelerated options to remain exercisable until their respective expiration dates.  Lastly, in the case of the CEO's death or his disability, the arrangement provides that he will be entitled only to his accrued base salary and any amounts due under applicable law, a payment of 1.5 times his base salary during that year, a payment equal to $11,750,000 pro rated based upon the elapsed number of days in the calendar year of termination, a payment equal to $17.5 million and for his unvested term options to fully vest and for his vested and accelerated term options to remain exercisable until their respective expiration dates.

 

In addition, beginning in 2015, the CEO will receive annual performance-based options to purchase shares of QVCB and LVNTB with a term of 7 years (the “Performance Options”) and performance-based restricted stock units with respect to QVCB and LVNTB (the “Performance RSUs” and together with the Performance Options, the “Performance Awards”) during the employment term.  Grants of Performance Awards will be allocated between Liberty and Liberty Media Corporation. The aggregate target amount to be allocated between Liberty and Liberty Media was $16 million with respect to calendar year 2015, and will be $17 million with respect to calendar year 2016, $18 million with respect to calendar year 2017, $19 million with respect to calendar year 2018 and $20 million with respect to calendar year 2019.  Vesting of the Performance Awards will be determined based on satisfaction of performance metrics that will be set by Liberty and Liberty Media’s respective compensation committees in the first quarter of each applicable year, except that the CEO will forfeit his unvested Performance Awards if his employment is terminated for any reason before the end of the applicable year.  In addition, Liberty and Liberty Media’s compensation committees may grant additional Performance Awards, with a value of up to 50% of the target amount allocated to Liberty for the relevant year (the “Above Target Awards”), and the compensation committees may determine to establish additional performance metrics with respect to such Above Target Awards.