Transactions with Our Chief Operating Officer
Søren Maor Sinay has been our Chief Operating Officer since the Merger and Venus Concept Ltd.’ Chief Operating Officer since September 2017. Mr. Sinay and our subsidiaries have entered into the following transactions:
Services Agreement
In 2016, Ipsum Management (S) Pte. Ltd., or Ipsum, began providing marketing and sales support services to Venus Concept’s subsidiary in Singapore. Mr. Sinay is the sole shareholder of Ipsum. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the fees charged by Ipsum were $35,000. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the fees charged by Ipsum were $44,000.
Non-Interest Demand Loan to PT Neoasia Medical
On July 1, 2016, Mr. Sinay transferred 100% of his shares in Inphronics Limited to Venus Concept USA Inc., making it an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Venus Concept Ltd.. At such time, an unsecured non-interest-bearing working capital loan to PT Neoasia Medical, a subsidiary of Inphronics Limited, that was previously provided by Mr. Sinay was outstanding. As of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the outstanding amount of the loan was Indonesian rupiah (“IDR”) 6.9 billion, which is equivalent to $498,000 and $477,000 respectively.
Distribution Agreements
On January 1, 2018, Venus Concept Ltd. entered into a distribution agreement with Technicalbiomed Co., Ltd, or TBC, pursuant to which TBC distributes our products in Thailand. Mr. Sinay is a 30% shareholder of TBC. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, TBC purchased products in the amount of $378,000 and $330,000, respectively, under this distribution agreement.
Declaration and Distribution of Dividends from Venus Concept Singapore Pte. Ltd.
On March 5, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors approved declaration and distribution of dividends from Venus Concept Singapore Pte. Ltd in the amount of 400,000 Singapore dollars (“SDG”), which is equivalent to $289,000 USD. Mr. Sinay is an existing shareholder of Venus Concept Singapore Pte. Ltd. and therefore was entitled to receive a dividend distribution equal to forty five percent (45%) of the total distribution, or $130,000.
Intellectual Property Transfer Agreement
In August 2013, Venus Concept Ltd. entered into a license agreement for the rights to an invention for fractional radio frequency treatment of the skin with the developers of the technology. Pursuant to the license agreement, the developers, amongst which is Boris Vaynberg, our Chief Technology Officer, granted to Venus Concept Ltd. an exclusive worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable license to develop and commercialize their inventions and any product into which it is integrated. As consideration for such license, Venus Concept Ltd. agreed to pay the developers 7.0% of the gross income received by us from sales of the Venus Viva system and the related consumables and $1.50 per Venus Versa system, up to an aggregate amount of $3,000. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company paid approximately $806,000 and $382,000 respectively, in royalties and reported the amounts under research and development expenses in the consolidated financial statements.
Family Relationships
Certain of Mr. Serafino’s family members receive compensation as employees of the Company, which compensation is not included in the following tables, as their employment is independent of Mr. Serafino’s position with the Company. Mr. Serafino’s spouse and daughter are employed as salaried employees, and are not executive officers of the Company and each have aggregate annual compensation that does not exceed $120,000.
Mr. Serafino’s son-in-law, Luciano Lombardi, is employed by the Company as Territory Manager, Sales. His employment as a salaried employee, and not an executive officer, is independent of Mr. Serafino’s position with the Company. During 2019, Mr. Lombardi received base salary equal to approximately $63,000, commission equal to approximately $61,000 and an auto allowance equal to approximately $7,000. Additionally, Mr. Lombardi participates in the Company’s Registered Retirement Savings Plan (Canada) program, and each of Mr. Lombardi and Mr. Serafino’s other family members participate in the Company’s employee benefits plan.