On December 2, 2020, Mr. Brian Grassadonia, Cash App Lead for Square, met by videoconference with Mr. Molnar to discuss potential commercial opportunities. During the meeting, Mr. Grassadonia and Mr. Molnar discussed Square’s and Afterpay’s respective businesses and potential commercial partnership opportunities between the two companies.
On December 10, 2020, Ms. Ahuja met by videoconference with Mr. Molnar. The parties discussed their respective businesses and potential opportunities for Square and Afterpay to work together, including through a commercial partnership or various other opportunities such as a possible business combination.
On January 4, 2021, Mr. Grassadonia and Mr. Molnar met again by videoconference to continue their discussion regarding potential opportunities for the two companies.
On February 10, 2021, Ms. Alyssa Henry, Square’s Seller Lead, met by videoconference with Mr. Molnar, following an introduction by Ms. Ahuja. At the meeting, the parties discussed their respective businesses and potential opportunities for Square and Afterpay to work together, including through a commercial partnership or a possible business combination.
On March 5, 2021, Ms. Henry met by videoconference with Mr. Molnar and Mr. Anthony Eisen, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Afterpay. At the meeting, the parties further discussed potential opportunities for the companies to work together, either through a commercial partnership or a possible business combination.
On March 25, 2021, representatives of Qatalyst Partners LP (referred to in this proxy statement as “Qatalyst”), acting as a financial adviser to Afterpay, contacted Ms. Ahuja to inform her that Afterpay had received an unsolicited inbound communication regarding a potential transaction (including a potential acquisition of Afterpay) between Afterpay and a large, well-capitalized strategic party, but given the potentially compelling value opportunities previously discussed, Mr. Eisen and Mr. Molnar believed they should continue to explore strategic alignment with Square in order to ultimately determine whether a transaction with Square would offer more compelling value for Afterpay and its shareholders. Afterpay ultimately concluded that a transaction with the other strategic party was not as compelling as a potential transaction with Square. Unlike Square, discussions with that party became focused on a commercial partnership and a strategic investment in Afterpay, not an acquisition, which posed market and execution risk.
The following day, on March 26, 2021, Ms. Ahuja discussed with a representative of Qatalyst Square’s general interest in the “buy now, pay later” space, as well as Square’s interest in learning more about Afterpay.
On March 31, 2021, Ms. Ahuja, Ms. Henry, Mr. Grassadonia, Mr. Molnar and Mr. Eisen met by videoconference to discuss their respective businesses, the competitive landscape, and the merits of a potential commercial partnership or business combination.
Throughout the month of April, Ms. Henry, Mr. Grassadonia, Mr. Molnar and Mr. Eisen met by videoconference to consider, among other things, the strategic rationale for a potential acquisition of Afterpay by Square, including potential synergies and how the acquisition could help connect Square’s ecosystems and accelerate growth for Seller, Cash App and Afterpay.
On May 12, 2021, Ms. Henry and Mr. Grassadonia suggested to Mr. Eisen and Mr. Molnar that the parties meet in person, along with Mr. Jack Dorsey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Square, to discuss the parties’ respective visions for their businesses and whether a potential acquisition of Afterpay by Square might make sense for both parties.
On May 17 and 18, 2021, Mr. Dorsey, Ms. Henry and Mr. Grassadonia met with Mr. Molnar in person, with Mr. Eisen participating by videoconference. The parties had a wide-ranging discussion regarding their respective visions for the future of each company, what an acquisition by Square of Afterpay could achieve and the challenges and opportunities that such an integration would present. The parties agreed to explore further the possibility of an acquisition of Afterpay by Square, with the representatives of Square indicating that they would need to conduct preliminary due diligence on Afterpay before determining whether to make a proposal for a potential acquisition and the terms of any such proposal, including to better understand the potential synergies associated with the combination.