8-K
false 0000949039 --12-31 0000949039 2023-05-10 2023-05-10

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report: (Date of earliest event reported): May 10, 2023

 

 

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-13926   76-0321760

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

file number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

15415 Katy Freeway

Houston, Texas 77094

(Address of principal executive offices, including Zip Code)

(281) 492-5300

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share   DO   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 


Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

The information set forth under Item 5.03 below is incorporated by reference in this Item 3.03.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On May 10, 2023, Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (the “Company”) held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”) at which the holders of the Company’s common stock, upon the recommendation of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), approved a proposal to amend and restate the Company’s Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to declassify the Board over a three-year period such that directors elected beginning at the Company’s 2024 annual meeting of stockholders and at each subsequent annual meeting will be elected to one-year terms, and the Board will be fully declassified following the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of stockholders.

On May 10, 2023, the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Restated Certificate”) giving effect to such amendments was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, and it became effective on such date.

This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Restated Certificate which is attached as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

Results of Annual Meeting of Stockholders

On May 10, 2023, the Company held the Meeting at its offices in Houston, Texas. Of the 101,416,965 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of the record date, 79,951,370 shares, or approximately 78.83%, were present in person or represented by proxy at the Meeting. At the Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved all of the nominees and proposals, specifically (1) the election of each of Patrice Douglas and Neal P. Goldman as a Class II director to hold office until the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders in 2026 and until his or her respective successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal; (2) the compensation of the Company’s executive officers; (3) holding future advisory votes on executive compensation on an annual basis; (4) the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent auditors for fiscal year 2023; and (5) amendments set forth in the Restated Certificate to declassify the Board on a phased-in basis.

 

 

2


The final results of the voting on the matters submitted to the stockholders were as follows:

 

     Votes Cast For     Votes Cast Against               
     Number      % of
Votes
Cast
    Number      % of
Votes
Cast
    Abstain      Broker
Non-Votes
 

1. Election of Class II Directors

               

Patrice Douglas

     70,072,103        99.74     176,315        0.25     378,735        9,324,217  

Neal P. Goldman

     61,636,441        87.48     8,819,434        12.51     171,278        9,324,217  

2. Advisory Approval of Executive Compensation

     69,269,852        98.35     1,159,826        1.64     197,475        9,324,217  

3. Advisory Vote on Frequency of Future Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation

                  9,324,217  

Every Year

     70,370,073        99.73     —          —         —          —    

Every Two Years

     17,918        0.02     —          —         —          —    

Every Three Years

     168,523        0.23     —          —         —          —    

Abstain

     —          —         —          —         70,639        —    

4. Ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP as Independent Auditors for 2023

     78,308,321        98.07     1,537,408        1.92     105,641        —    
     Votes Cast For     Votes Cast Against               
     Number      % of
Shares
Out-
standing
    Number      % of
Shares
Out-
standing
    Abstain      Broker
Non-Votes
 

5. Approve Amendments in the Restated Certificate to Declassify the Board

     70,501,616        69.51     29,041        0.02     96,496        9,324,217  

The Board is currently comprised of seven members, and the terms of the following incumbent directors continued after the Meeting:

Benjamin C. Duster, IV

John H. Hollowell

Patrick Carey Lowe

Adam C. Peakes

Bernie Wolford, Jr.

In light of the results of the advisory vote of the stockholders on the frequency of future advisory stockholder votes on executive compensation as reported above, the Board has determined that the Company will hold an advisory vote every year to approve the compensation of the named executive officers of the Company, until the next stockholder advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory stockholder votes on executive compensation.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(d)

Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
number

  

Description

3.1    Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

 

3


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: May 10, 2023

    DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING, INC.
    By:  

/s/ David L. Roland

      David L. Roland
      Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

4

EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING, INC.

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies as follows:

 

  1.

The name of the corporation is Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. The original Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 12, 1989 under the name Majestic Offshore, Inc. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on May 28, 1998.

 

  2.

This Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (this “Certificate”), which restates, integrates and amends the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation as heretofore in effect, has been duly adopted by the corporation in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL.

 

  3.

The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation as heretofore in effect is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the corporation is Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19801, and the name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.

ARTICLE IV

AUTHORIZED CAPITAL

The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of capital stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 800,000,000. The total number of shares of Common Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 750,000,000, having a par value of $0.0001 per share, and the total number of shares of Preferred Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 50,000,000, having a par value of $0.0001 per share.


ARTICLE V

CAPITAL STOCK

The designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:

 

  A.

COMMON STOCK.

1.    General. The voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) and outstanding from time to time.

2.    Voting. Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by law, each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders and shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote on such matter. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined below)) that relates solely to the rights, powers, preferences (or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) or other terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation) or pursuant to the DGCL.

Subject to the rights of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock may 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 stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

3.    Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.

4.    Liquidation. Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.

5.    Transfer Rights. Subject to applicable law and the transfer restrictions set forth in Article VII of the bylaws of the Corporation (as such Bylaws may be amended from time to time, the “Bylaws”), shares of Common Stock and the rights and obligations associated therewith shall be fully transferable to any transferee.


  B.

PREFERRED STOCK

Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.

Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation).

The number of authorized shares of 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 a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

 

  C.

NONVOTING EQUITY SECURITIES

The Corporation shall not issue nonvoting equity securities; provided, however the foregoing restriction shall (i) have no further force and effect beyond that required under Section 1123(a)(6) of Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”), (ii) only have such force and effect for so long as Section 1123 of the Bankruptcy Code is in effect and applicable to the Corporation, and (iii) in all events may be amended or eliminated in accordance with applicable law as from time to time may be in effect. The prohibition on the issuance of nonvoting equity securities is included in this Certificate in compliance with Section 1123(a)(6) of the Bankruptcy Code.


ARTICLE VI

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:

A.     Until the election of directors at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to be held in 2026, the directors of the Corporation shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one third of the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the filing and effectiveness of the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 23, 2021 (the “Effective Time”); the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following the Effective Time; and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following the Effective Time. At each annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation beginning with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the Effective Time, until the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to be held in 2024, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. Each director shall hold office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal in accordance with this Certificate. Commencing with the election of directors at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to be held in 2024, at each annual meeting of stockholders, all directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected for a one-year term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, and commencing with the election of directors at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to be held in 2026, the classification of the Board of Directors shall terminate.

B.     Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Certificate, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Bylaws. Until the classification of the Board of Directors terminates at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to be held in 2026, if the number of directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any such additional director of any class elected to fill a newly created directorship resulting from an increase in such class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors remove or shorten the term of any incumbent director.

C.     Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.


D.     Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, except as otherwise provided by law, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, retirement, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (other than any directors elected by the separate vote of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock), and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Until the classification of the Board of Directors terminates at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to be held in 2026, anydirector appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class to which such director shall have been appointed or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal, and thereafter any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.

E.    Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI, the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article VI, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically adjusted accordingly. Except as otherwise provided in this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation) in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.

F.     In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws. The stockholders of the Corporation shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided, that 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 (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock) or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the stockholders of the Corporation shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors; provided, further, that no Bylaws hereafter adopted by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the Board of Directors that would have been valid if such Bylaws had not been adopted.

G.     The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.


ARTICLE VII

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS; ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT

A.     Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, and shall not be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable provisions of this Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation) relating to such series of Preferred Stock, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant series of Preferred Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL.

B.     Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of the majority of the Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or President, in each case, in accordance with the Bylaws, and shall not be called by any other person or persons. Any such special meeting so called may be postponed, rescheduled or cancelled by the Board of Directors or other person calling the meeting.

C.     Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws. Any business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes identified in the notice of meeting.

ARTICLE VIII

LIMITATION OF DIRECTOR LIABILITY

No director of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VIII, or the adoption of any provision of this Certificate inconsistent with this Article VIII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited, as applicable, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.


ARTICLE IX

BUSINESS COMBINATION

The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

ARTICLE X

INDEMNIFICATION

The Corporation shall indemnify any person to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by applicable law, as now or hereafter in effect, who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or while a director or officer of the Corporation is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, and such right to indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives; provided, however, that, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director or officer (or his or her heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors. The right to indemnification conferred by this Article X shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorney’s fees) incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, subject to the Corporation’s receipt, to the extent required by the DGCL, of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer receiving advancement to repay the amount advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation under this Article X. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article X to directors and officers of the Corporation. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in this Article X shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Certificate, the Bylaws, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Any repeal or modification of this Article X shall not adversely affect any rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses of a director or officer of the Corporation (collectively, the “Covered Persons”) existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to any acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

The Corporation hereby acknowledges that certain Covered Persons may have rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses (directly or through insurance obtained by any such entity) provided by one or more third parties (collectively, the “Other Indemnitors”), and which may include third parties for whom such Covered Person serves as a manager, member, officer, employee or agent. The Corporation hereby agrees and acknowledges that notwithstanding any such rights that a Covered Person may have with respect to any Other Indemnitor(s), (i) the Corporation is the indemnitor of first resort with respect to all Covered Persons and all obligations to indemnify and provide advancement of expenses to Covered Persons and (ii) the Corporation shall be required to indemnify and advance the full amount of expenses incurred by the Covered Persons, to the fullest extent required by law, the terms of this Certificate, the Bylaws, any agreement to which the Corporation is a party, any vote of the stockholders or the Board of Directors, or otherwise, without regard to any rights the Covered Persons may have against the


Other Indemnitors. The Corporation further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Other Indemnitors with respect to any claim for which the Covered Persons have sought indemnification from the Corporation shall affect the foregoing and the Other Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of any such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Covered Persons against the Corporation. These rights shall be a contract right, and the Other Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this paragraph. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the obligations of the Corporation under this paragraph shall only apply to Covered Persons in their capacity as Covered Persons.

ARTICLE XI

COMPETITION AND CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

A.    In recognition and anticipation that certain members of the Board of Directors who are not employees of the Corporation (“Non-Employee Directors”) and their respective Affiliates, including (i) any portfolio company in which they or any of their respective investment fund Affiliates have made a debt or equity investment (and vice versa) or (ii) any of their respective limited partners, non-managing members or other similar direct or indirect investors may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, the provisions of this Article XI are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any Non-Employee Director or their respective Affiliates and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its directors, officers and stockholders in connection therewith.

B.    None of any Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of the Corporation in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her Affiliates (other than the Corporation, any of its subsidiaries or their respective officers or employees) (the Persons (as defined below) identified above being referred to, collectively, as “Identified Persons” and, individually, as an “Identified Person”) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any fiduciary duty to refrain from directly or indirectly (A) engaging in and possessing interests in other business ventures of every type and description, including those engaged in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries now engages or proposes to engage or (B) competing with the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, on its own account, or in partnership with, or as an employee, officer, director or shareholder of any other Person (other than the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries), and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Identified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person engages in any such activities. To the fullest extent permitted from time to time by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity that may be a corporate opportunity for an Identified Person and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, except as provided in Section C of Article XI. Subject to Section C of Article XI, in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate or other business opportunity for itself, herself or himself, or any of its or his or her Affiliates, and the Corporation


or any of its Affiliates, such Identified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) to communicate or present such transaction or matter to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries, as the case may be and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any subsidiary of the Corporation for breach of any duty (fiduciary, contractual or otherwise) as a stockholder or director of the Corporation by reason of the fact that such Identified Person, directly or indirectly, pursues or acquires such opportunity for itself, herself or himself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not present such opportunity to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries (or its Affiliates).

C.    The Corporation does not renounce its interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of this Corporation) if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation, and the provisions of Section (B) of this Article XI shall not apply to any such corporate opportunity.

D.    In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article XI, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that (a) the Corporation is neither financially or legally able, nor contractually permitted to undertake, (b) from its nature, is not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to the Corporation or (c) is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.

E.    For purposes of this Article XI, (i) “Affiliate” shall mean, (a) in respect of a Non-Employee Director, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Non-Employee Director (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (b) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation; and (ii) “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, association or any other entity.

F.    To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Article XI.

ARTICLE XII

EXCLUSIVE FORUM

A.     Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) and any appellate court thereof shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Bylaws or this Certificate (as either may be amended from time to time), (iv) any action, suit or proceeding as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction


on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (v) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or stockholder governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article XII(A) shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.

B.     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 and the Exchange Act.

C.    Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article XII.

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

A.      The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change, add or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate, and other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force that may be added or inserted, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Certificate and the DGCL; and notwithstanding anything contained in this Certificate or the Bylaws to the contrary, in addition to any vote required by applicable law, the following provisions in this Certificate may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent therewith or herewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class: Article V(B) (Preferred Stock), Article VI (Board of Directors), Article VII (Meeting of Stockholders; Action by Written Consent), Article VIII (Limitation of Director Liability), Article IX (Business Combination), Article X (Indemnification), Article XI (Competition and Corporate Opportunities), Article XII (Exclusive Forum) and this Article XIII (Miscellaneous).

B.      If any provision or provisions of this Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Certificate (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed by its duly authorized officer as this 10th day of May, 2023.

 

DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING, INC.
By:  

/s/ David L. Roland

Name:   David L. Roland
Title:   Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary