Exhibit 10.3
CERTAIN INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN OMITTED BY MEANS OF REDACTING A PORTION OF THE TEXT AND REPLACING IT WITH [***] BECAUSE IT IS BOTH: (I) NOT MATERIAL AND (II) THE TYPE THAT THE REGISTRANT TREATS AS PRIVATE OR CONFIDENTIAL.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Indemnification Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated as of October __, 2026, by and between Penske Automotive Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the director listed on the signature page hereto (“Indemnitee”).
WHEREAS, qualified persons are reluctant to serve, or to continue to serve, corporations as directors or officers unless they are provided with broad indemnification and insurance against claims arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the applicable corporation; and
WHEREAS, the Company has determined that attracting and retaining such persons is in the best interests of the Company and the business enterprise it operates, taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances and its stakeholders, and that it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to provide reasonable assurance regarding insurance.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. Defined Terms; Construction.
(a) Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (or a member of any committee of a board of directors) or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or of any predecessor thereof, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director (or a member of any committee of a board of directors), officer, employee or agent of another entity, or of any predecessor thereof, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan.
“DGCL” means the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time.
“Determination” means a determination that either (x) there is a reasonable basis for the conclusion that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper under the relevant circumstances because Indemnitee met a particular standard of conduct (a “Favorable Determination”) or (y) there is no reasonable basis for the conclusion that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper under the relevant circumstances because Indemnitee met a particular standard of conduct (an “Adverse Determination”).
“Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, retainers, court, arbitration and mediation costs, transcript costs, fees and expenses of experts, witnesses, bonds, costs of collecting and producing documents, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, appealing or otherwise participating in a Proceeding.
“Independent Legal Counsel” means an attorney or firm of attorneys competent to render an opinion under the applicable law, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 6(e), who has not performed any material services (other than services similar to those contemplated to be performed by Independent Legal Counsel under this Agreement) for the Company or any of its subsidiaries or for Indemnitee within the last three years.
“Proceeding” means a threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including without limitation a claim, demand, discovery request, formal or informal investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing, arbitration or other form of alternative dispute resolution, including an appeal from any of the foregoing.
(b) Construction. For purposes of this Agreement,
(i) References to the Company and any of its “subsidiaries” shall include any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise that before or after the date of this Agreement is party to a merger or consolidation with the Company or any such subsidiary or that is a successor to the Company as contemplated by Section 9(e) (whether or not such successor has executed and delivered the written agreement contemplated by Section 9(e)).
(ii) References to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan.
(iii) References to a “witness” in connection with a Proceeding shall include any interviewee or person called upon to produce documents in connection with such Proceeding.
2. Agreement to Serve.
Indemnitee agrees to serve, or continue to serve, as a director of the Company and/or one or more of the Company’s subsidiaries and in such other capacities as Indemnitee may serve at the request of the Company from time to time, and by its execution of this Agreement the Company confirms its request that Indemnitee serve, or continue to serve, as a director of the Company and/or one or more of the Company’s subsidiaries and in such other capacities. Indemnitee shall be entitled to resign or otherwise terminate service as a Director with immediate effect at any time, and neither such resignation or termination (nor the termination of the Indemnitee’s services or dismissal of the Indemnitee, in each case by the Company and/or one or more of the Company’s subsidiaries), nor the length of such service shall affect Indemnitee’s accrued rights under this Agreement at the point of such resignation or termination. This Agreement shall not constitute an employment agreement, supersede any employment agreement to which Indemnitee is a party or create any right of Indemnitee to continued employment or appointment.
3. Indemnification.
(a) General Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in effect on the date hereof or as amended to increase the scope of permitted indemnification, against Expenses, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, taxes, assessments and other charges in connection therewith) incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with any Proceeding in any way connected with, resulting from or relating to Indemnitee’s current or former Corporate Status.
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(b) **Additional Indemnification Regarding Expenses. Without limiting the foregoing, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in the event any Proceeding is initiated by Indemnitee in any way connected with, resulting from or relating to Indemnitee’s current or former Corporate Status, the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any other person to enforce or interpret this Agreement or any rights of Indemnitee to indemnification or advancement of Expenses (or related obligations of Indemnitee) under the Company’s or any such subsidiary’s organizational documents (including limited liability company agreement, limited partnership agreement, certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents ), any vote of members, stockholders, directors or managers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the DGCL, any applicable law or any liability insurance policy, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding if, in the case of indemnification, Indemnitee is successful on all of the underlying claims; if Indemnitee is not successful on all of the underlying claims but is successful as to one or more of such claims, then such indemnification shall be only to the extent related to the successfully resolved claims.
(c) Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of any Expenses, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement incurred by Indemnitee, but not for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for such portion.
(d) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the certificate of incorporation, bylaws, limited liability company agreement or other organizational agreement or instrument of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders, members, directors or managers, the DGCL, any applicable law or any liability insurance policy, provided that to the extent that Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified by the Company under this Agreement and by any stockholder of the Company or any affiliate of any such stockholder (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries) under any other agreement or instrument, or by any insurer under a policy maintained by any such stockholder or any affiliate of any such stockholder (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries), the subsidiaries of the Company which have indemnification obligations as a result of the Indemnitee’s Corporate Status shall be the indemnitor(s) of first resort, the Company shall be the indemnitor of second resort, and such stockholder, or any affiliate of such stockholder (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries) shall be the indemnitor(s) of third resort (i.e., the obligations of the Company and its subsidiaries, as applicable, hereunder shall be primary (with the priority set forth above), and the obligations of such stockholder, any affiliate of such stockholder (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries) or any insurer under a policy maintained by any such stockholder or any affiliate of such stockholder (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries) shall be secondary).
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(e) Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee (i) for Expenses or liabilities incurred in connection with Proceedings initiated or brought voluntarily by the Indemnitee and not by way of defense, counterclaim or crossclaim, except (x) as contemplated by Section 3(b), (y) in specific cases if the board of directors of the Company has approved the initiation or bringing of such Proceeding, and (z) as may be required by applicable law, (ii) for Expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such amounts under any insurance policy (provided that the Indemnitee is not required to pursue such amounts under any insurance policy), or (iii) for any claim as to which a final, nonappealable judgment is made that Indemnitee’s conduct was in bad faith, knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest or constituted willful misconduct (but only to the extent of such specific determination).
(f) Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Indemnitee, who shall execute such documents and do such acts as the Company may reasonably request to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights, provided that (i) the Company shall be subrogated only to the extent that it has fulfilled its obligations to pay valid claims of the Indemnitee’s rights of recovery under this Agreement in full, (ii) the Company will not be subrogated to the extent of any such payments to Indemnitee that are clawed back from Indemnitee in a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding and (iii) the Company shall not be entitled to contribution or indemnification from or subrogation against any stockholder of the Company, any affiliate of any such stockholder (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries) or any insurer under a policy maintained by any such stockholder or any affiliate of such stockholder (other than the Company or any of its subsidiaries).
4. Contribution.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in respect of any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount of any judgment or settlement of such Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have against Indemnitee.
(b) Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding subparagraph and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding in which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and all officers, directors, managers or employees of the Company and any such subsidiaries, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction or events from which such Proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and all officers, directors, managers or employees of the Company or any such subsidiary other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the transaction or events that resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well as any other equitable considerations which applicable law may require to be considered. The relative fault of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and all officers, directors, managers or employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.
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(c) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers, directors, managers or employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than Indemnitee, who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
(d) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (and its directors, officers, managers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
5. Advancement of Expenses.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company shall pay all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding in any way connected with, resulting from or relating to Indemnitee’s current or former Corporate Status, other than a Proceeding initiated by Indemnitee for which the Company would not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee pursuant to Section 3(e), in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding and without regard to whether Indemnitee will ultimately be entitled to be indemnified for such Expenses and without regard to whether an Adverse Determination has been made, except as contemplated by the last sentence of Section 6(f). Indemnitee shall repay such amounts advanced only if and to the extent that it shall ultimately be determined in a decision by a court of competent jurisdiction from which no appeal (or further appeal) can be taken that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company for such Expenses. Such repayment obligation shall be unsecured and shall not bear interest. Except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company shall not impose on Indemnitee additional conditions to advancement or require from Indemnitee additional undertakings regarding repayment.
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6. Indemnification Procedure.
(a) Notice of Proceeding; Cooperation. Indemnitee shall give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any Proceeding for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement, provided that any failure or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Company of its obligations under this Agreement unless and to the extent that the Company is materially prejudiced by such failure.
(b) **Settlement. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which may be provided or withheld in Indemnitee’s sole discretion, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee unless such settlement requires no payment of money by Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if such settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(c) Request for Payment; Timing of Payment. To obtain indemnification payments or advances under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, together with such invoices or other supporting information as may be reasonably requested by the Company and reasonably available to Indemnitee. The Company shall make advances to Indemnitee no later than 30 days after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee and shall make indemnification payments to Indemnitee no later than the later of (i) 30 days after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee and (ii) 10 days after a Determination, if required pursuant to Section 6(d), has been made.
(d) Determination. The Company intends that Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law as provided in Section 3 and that no Determination shall be required in connection with such indemnification. In no event shall a Determination be required in connection with advancement of Expenses pursuant to Section 5 or in connection with indemnification for Expenses incurred as a witness or incurred in connection with any Proceeding or portion thereof with respect to which Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise. Any decision that a Determination is required by law in connection with any other indemnification of Indemnitee, and any such Determination, shall be made within 30 days after receipt of Indemnitee’s written request for indemnification; provided, however, that such 30 day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 30 days, if the person, persons or entity making such Determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and/or information relating thereto, as follows:
(i) Unless otherwise requested by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 6(d)(ii) below, (w) by a majority vote of the directors of the Company who are not parties to such Proceeding, even though less than a quorum, with the advice of Independent Legal Counsel, or (x) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, with the advice of Independent Legal Counsel, or (y) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by Independent Legal Counsel in a written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee, or (z) by the stockholders of the Company.
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(ii) If requested by written notice of Indemnitee to the Company, by Independent Legal Counsel in a written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee.
The Company shall pay all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with a Determination.
(e) Independent Legal Counsel. Independent Legal Counsel shall be selected by the board of directors of the Company and approved by Indemnitee. The Company shall pay the fees and expenses of Independent Legal Counsel and indemnify Independent Legal Counsel against any and all expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to its engagement.
(f) Consequences of Determination; Remedies of Indemnitee. The Company shall be bound by and shall have no right to challenge a Favorable Determination. If an Adverse Determination is made, or if for any other reason the Company does not make timely indemnification payments or advances of Expenses, Indemnitee shall have the right to commence a Proceeding before a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge such Adverse Determination and/or to require the Company to make such payments or advances. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be indemnified for all Expenses incurred in connection with such a Proceeding in accordance with Section 3(b) and to have such Expenses advanced by the Company in accordance with Section 5. If Indemnitee fails to timely challenge an Adverse Determination, or if Indemnitee challenges an Adverse Determination and such Adverse Determination has been upheld by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction from which no appeal can be taken, then, to the extent and only to the extent required by such Adverse Determination or final judgment, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee under this Agreement.
7. Directors and Officers Liability Insurance.
(a) Maintenance of Insurance. So long as the Company or any of its subsidiaries maintains liability insurance for any managers, directors, officers, employees or agents of any such person, the Company shall ensure that Indemnitee is covered by such insurance in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ then current directors, managers and officers.
(b) Notice to Insurers. Upon receipt of notice of a Proceeding pursuant to Section 6(a), the Company shall give or cause to be given prompt notice of such Proceeding to all insurers providing liability insurance in accordance with the procedures set forth in all applicable or potentially applicable policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary action to cause such insurers to pay all amounts payable in accordance with the terms of such policies.
8. Miscellaneous.
(a) **Non-Circumvention. The Company shall not seek or agree to any order of any court or other governmental authority that would prohibit or otherwise interfere, and shall not take or fail to take any other action if such action or failure would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or otherwise interfering, with the performance of the Company’s indemnification, advancement or other obligations under this Agreement.
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(b) Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (ii) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (iii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
(c) Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) on the date of delivery if delivered personally or email, or by facsimile, upon confirmation of receipt, (ii) on the first business day following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized next-day courier service or (iii) on the third business day following the date of mailing if delivered by domestic registered or certified mail, properly addressed, or on the fifth business day following the date of mailing if sent by airmail from a country outside of North America, to Indemnitee or the Company at the address set forth below, or in either case as subsequently modified by written notice.
If to Indemnitee:
at the last known address on the records of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
If to the Company:
Penske Automotive Group, Inc.
2555 Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI
48302-0954
Attention: Shane M. Spradlin
Email:[***]
(d) Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing signed by all the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
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(e) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its respective successors and assigns, including without limitation any acquiror of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or business and any survivor of any merger or consolidation to which the Company is party, and shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s estate, spouses, heirs, executors, personal or legal representatives, administrators and assigns. The Company shall require and cause any such successor, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement as if it were named as the Company herein, and the Company shall not permit any such purchase of assets or business, acquisition of securities or merger or consolidation to occur until such written agreement has been executed and delivered. No such assumption and agreement shall relieve the Company of any of its obligations hereunder, and this Agreement shall not otherwise be assignable by the Company.
(f) Choice of Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Delaware, without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware for all purposes in connection with any Proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of the State of Delaware.
(g) Integration and Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto, provided that the provisions hereof shall not supersede the provisions of the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational agreement or instrument, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or directors, the DGCL or other applicable law, to the extent any such provisions shall be more favorable to Indemnitee than the provisions hereof.
(h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
| \ | PENSKE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC. | |
| \ | \ | \ |
| \ | By: | |
| \ | Name: | Shane Spradlin |
| \ | Title: | Executive Vice President |
| AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED: | \ |
| \ | \ |
| INDEMNITEE: | \ |
| \ | \ |
| \ | \ |
| Name: | \ |
| Title: Director | \ |
[Signature Page to Director Indemnification Agreement]