Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
LEO HOLDINGS III CORP
ARTICLE I
The name of this corporation is Leo Holdings III Corp (the Corporation).
ARTICLE II
The address of the Corporations registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, New Castle County, Wilmington, DE 19808. The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.
ARTICLE III
The name and address of the sole incorporator is as follows:
Robert A. Jannusch
300 North LaSalle Drive
Chicago, IL 60654
ARTICLE IV
The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the General Corporation Law).
ARTICLE V
Section 1. Total Authorized.
1.1 The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation has authority to issue is 500,000,000 shares, consisting of two (2) classes: 400,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (Common Stock) and 100,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (Preferred Stock).
1.2 Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of capital stock representing a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law, and no vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor.
Section 2. Preferred Stock.
2.1 The Corporations Board of Directors (the Board) is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by the law of the State of Delaware, by resolution or resolutions adopted
from time to time, to provide for the issuance of shares of Preferred Stock in one (1) or more series, and, by filing a certificate of designation pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (the Certificate of Designation), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the designation, vesting, powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights (and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) of the shares of each such series and to increase (but not above the total number of authorized shares of the class) or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any such series. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may also be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, without a separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock or any series thereof, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the General Corporation Law, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any Certificate of Designation designating a series of Preferred Stock.
2.2 Except as otherwise expressly provided in any Certificate of Designation designating any series of Preferred Stock pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Article V, (i) any new series of Preferred Stock may be designated, fixed and determined as provided herein by the Board without approval of the holders of Common Stock or the holders of Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, and (ii) any such new series may have powers, preferences and rights, including, without limitation, voting rights, dividend rights, liquidation rights, redemption rights and conversion rights, senior to, junior to or pari passu with the rights of the Common Stock, the Preferred Stock or any future class or series of Preferred Stock or Common Stock.
Section 3. Rights of Common Stock. Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Certificate of Incorporation or as provided by law, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall (a) at all times vote together as a single class on all matters (including the election of directors) submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation, (b) be entitled to notice of any stockholders meeting in accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation (as amended and/or restated from time to time, the Bylaws) and (c) be entitled to vote upon such matters and in such manner as may be provided by applicable law; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of shares of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one (1) or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one (1) or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock). Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or required by applicable law, each holder of Common Stock shall have the right to one (1) vote per share of Common Stock held of record by such holder.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws, the directors of the Corporation are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.
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Section 2. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the total number of directors constituting the Whole Board (as defined below) shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by resolution duly adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. For purposes of this Certificate of Incorporation, the term Whole Board shall mean the total number of authorized directors of the board of directors of the Corporation whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships.
Section 3. Subject to the special rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors shall be divided, with respect to the time for which they severally hold office, into three (3) classes designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, respectively (the Classified Board). The Board is authorized to assign members of the Board already in office to such classes of the Classified Board, which assignments shall become effective at the same time the Classified Board becomes effective. Directors shall be assigned to each class in accordance with a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board, with the number of directors in each class to be divided as nearly equal as reasonably possible. The initial term of office of the Class I directors shall expire at the Corporations first annual meeting of stockholders following the date of the filing of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the Effectiveness Date), the initial term of office of the Class II directors shall expire at the Corporations second annual meeting of stockholders following the Effectiveness Date and the initial term of office of the Class III directors shall expire at the Corporations third annual meeting of stockholders following the Effectiveness Date. At each annual meeting of stockholders following the Effectiveness Date, directors elected to succeed those directors of the class whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders after their election.
Section 4. Each director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which such directors term expires and until such directors successor is duly elected and qualified, or until such directors earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon notice to the Corporation given in writing or by any electronic transmission permitted by the Bylaws. Subject to the special rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, no director may be removed from the Board except for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors voting together as a single class. In the event of any increase or decrease in the authorized number of directors, (a) each director then serving as such shall nevertheless continue as a director of the class of which the director is a member and (b) the newly created or eliminated directorships resulting from such increase or decrease shall be apportioned by the Board among the classes of directors so as to ensure that no one class has more than one (1) director more than any other class. To the extent possible, consistent with the foregoing rule, any newly created directorships shall be added to those classes whose terms of office are to expire at the latest dates following such allocation, and any newly eliminated directorships shall be subtracted from those classes whose terms of office are to expire at the earliest dates following such allocation, unless otherwise provided from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board. No decrease in the authorized number of directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
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Section 5. Subject to the special rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, any vacancy occurring in the Board for any reason, and any newly created directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall, unless (a) the Board determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders or (b) as otherwise provided by law, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office of the class to which the director has been assigned expires or until such directors successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such directors earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal.
Section 6. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.
ARTICLE VII
Section 1. To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law as it now exists and as it may hereafter be amended, no current or former director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Without limiting the effect of the preceding sentence, if the General Corporation Law is hereafter amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of a current or former director, then the liability of such director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law, as so amended. For purposes of this Article VII, references to director shall include, for the avoidance of doubt, any person who has served as a director of Leo Holdings III Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company.
Section 2. The Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law, shall indemnify, advance expenses and hold harmless all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto (including current and former directors).
Section 3. Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VII, shall eliminate, reduce or otherwise adversely affect any right or protection of, or any limitation on the personal liability of, a current or former director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or adoption of such an inconsistent provision.
ARTICLE VIII
The Board shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws by the Board shall require the approval of a majority of the Whole Board. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any
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Preferred Stock issued pursuant to any Certificate of Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws; provided, further, that if two-thirds (2/3) of the Whole Board has approved such adoption, amendment or repeal of any provisions of the Bylaws, then only the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws.
ARTICLE IX
Section 1. Subject to the rights of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.
Section 2. Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Lead Independent Director (as defined in the Bylaws) or the Board acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board, and may not be called by any other person or persons. Only such business shall be considered at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been stated in the notice for such meeting.
Section 3. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner and to the extent provided in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE X
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation; (ii) any action or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation or any stockholder to the Corporation or the Corporations stockholders; (iii) any action or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation or any stockholder in such stockholders capacity as such arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law, this Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation (as each may be amended from time to time); (iv) any action or proceeding to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of this Certificate or the Bylaws of the Corporation (including any right, obligation or remedy thereunder); (v) any action or proceeding as to which the General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; and (vi) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any
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director, officer or other employee of the Corporation or any stockholder, governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the courts having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. This Article X shall not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Any person or entity holding, owning or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article X.
ARTICLE XI
If any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then such provision shall nonetheless be enforced to the maximum extent possible consistent with such holding and the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including without limitation, all portions of any section of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall remain in full force and effect.
ARTICLE XII
Section 1. The Corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware and all rights conferred upon stockholders are granted subject to this reservation; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of the stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), and subject to Sections 1 and 2.1 of Article V, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal or adopt any provision inconsistent with Sections 1.2 and 2 of Article V, or Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII, Article IX, Article X, Article XI, or this Section 1 of this Article XII (the Specified Provisions); provided, further, that if two-thirds (2/3) of the Whole Board has approved such amendment or repeal of, or any provision inconsistent with, the Specified Provisions, then only the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provision inconsistent with, the Specified Provisions.
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Section 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation) or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of the stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation), the affirmative vote of the holders of Common Stock representing at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the voting power of the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock, voting separately as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal, or to adopt any provision inconsistent with, Sections 1.2, 2.2, 3 of Article V or this Section 2 of this Article XII.
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I, THE UNDERSIGNED, being the Sole Incorporator hereinbefore named, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the General Corporation Law, do make this Certificate, hereby declaring and certifying that this is my act and deed and the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of November, 2021.
/s/ Robert A. Jannusch |
Robert A. Jannusch |