Item 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

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Except as set forth below, the information required by this item will be included in our definitive proxy statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and is incorporated herein by reference. Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. will file such definitive proxy statement with the SEC pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.

Arrangements with Our Executive Officers, Directors and Advisors

We have entered into letter agreements with certain members of management, including each of our executive officers, and our directors and certain advisors, pursuant to which such individuals agreed to invest in our stock and/or through the purchase of our shares with cash. In addition, our Board of Directors granted options to purchase shares of our common stock to certain members of management and key employees, including to our executive officers. In connection with the grants of new options described above, the participating members of our management, including our executive officers, were required to enter into a Management Stockholder’s Agreement as well as a stock option agreement, as applicable.

Below is a brief summary of the principal terms of the Management Stockholder’s Agreements, the Director Stockholder’s Agreements and the Advisor Stockholder’s Agreements, which are qualified in their entirety by reference to the agreements themselves, forms of which are filed as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Management, Director and Advisor Stockholder’s Agreements

The Management Stockholder’s Agreements impose significant restrictions on transfers of shares of our common stock. Generally, shares held by our management are nontransferable by any means at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the occurrence of a Change in Control (as defined in the Management Stockholder’s Agreements) or (ii) the later to occur of (a) the fifth anniversary of the execution of the applicable Management Stockholder’s Agreement or (b) the consummation of an Initial Public Offering (as defined in the Management Stockholder’s Agreements). These transfer restrictions are subject to certain exceptions, including transfers approved by our Board of Directors; transfers upon the death or Disability (as defined in the Management Stockholder’s Agreements) of the holder; transfers to immediate family members or estate planning vehicles, provided such transferees become party to the applicable Management Stockholder’s Agreement; or repurchases of such shares by the Company.

Additionally, management stockholders have limited “piggyback” registration rights with respect to certain registered offerings conducted by the Company. The maximum number of shares of common stock which a management stockholder may register is generally proportionate with the percentage of common stock being sold by certain affiliates of KKR (relative to their holdings thereof). The Management Stockholder’s Agreements also contain certain lock-up provisions in the event that any shares are offered to the public pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.

The Director Stockholder’s Agreements and Advisor Stockholder’s Agreements are substantially similar to the Management Stockholder’s Agreements. In addition to certain exceptions to transfer restrictions related to piggyback rights available to Management Stockholders, the Director and Advisor Stockholder’s Agreements further provide that in lieu of piggyback registration rights in connection with a public offering in which such piggyback rights would otherwise be available, the Board of Directors may waive transfer restrictions with respect to the number of shares that would have been subject to such piggyback rights.

Arrangements with KKR

Stockholders Agreement

In connection with our initial public offering, we entered into a stockholders agreement with certain affiliates of KKR. This agreement grants affiliates of KKR the right to nominate to our Board of Directors a number of designees equal to: (i) at least a majority of the total number of directors comprising our Board of Directors at such time as long as affiliates of KKR beneficially own at least 50% of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of our directors; (ii) at least 40% of the total number of directors comprising our Board of Directors at such time as long as affiliates of KKR beneficially own at least 40% but less than 50% of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of our directors; (iii) at least 30% of the total number of directors comprising our Board of Directors at such time as long as affiliates of KKR beneficially own at least 30% but less than 40% of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of our directors; (iv) at least 20% of the total number of directors comprising our Board of Directors at such time as long as affiliates of KKR beneficially own at least 20% but less 30% of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of our directors; and (v) at least 10% of the total number of directors comprising our Board of Directors at such time as long as affiliates of KKR beneficially own at least 5% but less than 20% of the shares of our common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of our directors. For purposes of calculating the number of directors that affiliates of KKR are entitled to nominate pursuant to the formula outlined above, any fractional amounts would be rounded up to the nearest whole number and the calculation would be made on a pro forma basis, taking into account any increase in the size of our Board of Directors (e.g., one and one quarter (11/4) directors shall equate to two directors). In addition, in the event a vacancy on the Board of Directors is created by the death, disability, retirement or resignation of a Sponsor director designee, affiliates of KKR shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have the right to have the vacancy filled by a new Sponsor director-designee. In addition, the stockholders agreement grants to KKR special governance rights, for as long as KKR maintains ownership of at least 30% of our outstanding common stock, including rights of approval over certain corporate and other transactions such as mergers or other transactions involving a change in control and certain rights regarding the appointment of our chief executive officer.

Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with the KKR Transaction, certain affiliates of KKR entered into a registration rights agreement with us. In connection with the completion of our initial public offering, we and KKR entered into an amended and restated registration rights agreement. The amended and restated registration rights agreement grants such affiliates of KKR the right to cause us to register shares of our common stock held by it under the Securities Act and, if requested, to use our reasonable best efforts (if we are not eligible to use an automatic shelf registration statement at the time of filing) to maintain a shelf registration statement effective with respect to such shares. Certain affiliates of KKR are also entitled to participate on a pro rata basis in any registration of our common stock under the Securities Act that we may undertake. The amended and restated registration rights agreement also provides that we will pay certain expenses relating to such registrations and indemnify certain affiliates of KKR and members of management participating in any offering against certain liabilities, which may arise under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law or any rule or regulation thereunder applicable to us.

Monitoring Agreement

In connection with the KKR Transaction, we entered into a monitoring agreement with KKR pursuant to which KKR provided various management and advisory services to us and our direct and indirect divisions, subsidiaries, parent entities and controlled affiliates and received fees and reimbursements of related out-of-pocket expenses. We paid management fees of $17.3 million to KKR for the year ended December 31, 2017. In May 2017, the monitoring agreement was terminated in accordance with its terms and we paid a termination fee of approximately $16.2 million.

Indemnification Agreement

In connection with entering into the monitoring agreement, we also entered into a separate indemnification agreement with KKR and certain of its affiliates, which provides customary exculpation and indemnification provisions in favor of KKR and such affiliates in connection with the services provided to us under the monitoring, transaction fee and syndication fee agreements.

Relationship with KKR Capstone Americas LLC

We have utilized and may continue to utilize KKR Capstone Americas LLC and/or its affiliates (“KKR Capstone”), a consulting company that works exclusively with KKR’s portfolio companies, for consulting services, and have paid to KKR Capstone related fees and expenses. KKR Capstone is not a subsidiary or affiliate of KKR. KKR Capstone operates under several consulting agreements with KKR & Co. and uses the “KKR” name under license from KKR & Co.

Relationship with KKR Credit

Since 2014, investment funds or accounts managed or advised by the global credit business of KKR (“KKR Credit”) were participating lenders under our existing credit agreements and holders of notes issued by us, and as of December 31, 2017, had received in aggregate principal payments of approximately $0.5 million and interest payments of approximately $4.0 million. As of December 31, 2017, investment funds or accounts managed or advised by KKR Credit held a position in the debt of the Company.

Financing Arrangements with Related Parties

In May 2017, KKR Capital Markets LLC, an affiliate of KKR, acted as an underwriter in connection with the initial public offering of the Company’s stock and received underwriter discounts and commissions of approximately $8.9 million. In August 2017, KKR Capital Markets LLC received $1.5 million for services rendered in connection with a debt refinancing transaction. In November 2017, KKR Capital Markets LLC acted as an underwriter in connection with an offering of Company’s stock by certain selling shareholders, and earned underwriter discounts and commissions of approximately $3.5 million.

Policies and Procedures for Related Person Transactions

Our Board of Directors has adopted a written statement of policy regarding transactions with related persons, which we refer to as our “related person transaction policy.” Our related person transaction policy requires that (a) any “related person transaction” (defined as any transaction that is anticipated would be reportable by us under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K in which we were or are to be a participant and the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest) be approved or ratified by an approving body comprised of the disinterested members of our Board of Directors or any committee of the Board of Directors (provided that a majority of the members of the Board of Directors or such committee, respectively, are disinterested) and (b) any employment relationship or transaction involving an executive officer and any related compensation be approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or recommended by the Compensation Committee to the Board of Directors for its approval. In connection with the review and approval or ratification of a related person transaction:

In addition, the related person transaction policy provides that the committee or disinterested directors, as applicable, in connection with any approval or ratification of a related person transaction involving a non-employee director or director nominee, should consider whether such transaction would compromise the director or director nominee’s status as an “independent,” “outside,” or “non-employee” director, as applicable, under the rules and regulations of the SEC, the NYSE and the Internal Revenue Code.