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Exhibit 10.45


EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

        This Employment Agreement (the "AGREEMENT"), dated effective as of June 1, 2004 is made and entered into by Richard Goudis ("EXECUTIVE") and HERBALIFE INTERNATIONAL OF AMERICA, INC., a California corporation ("COMPANY"). The parties to this Agreement agree as follows:

1.
Employment Term. The Company shall employ Executive and Executive shall continue in the employ of the Company for the three-year period from June 14, 2004 to June 13, 2007 (the "Term"). Each such twelve (12) month period commencing on June 14, 2004 shall be referred to herein as a "Contract Year".

2.
Duties. Executive shall serve in the Los Angeles, California area as the Company's Chief Financial Officer, with all of the authority, duties and responsibilities commensurate with such positions.

3.
Compensation and Related Matters.

(a)
Salary. Executive shall receive a salary at the per annum rate of four hundred, thirty thousand dollars ($430,000) the first Contract Year, four hundred, seventy five thousand ($475,000) the second Contract Year and five hundred thousand ($500,000) the third Contract Year, payable in accordance with the Company's then-current payroll practices for senior executives.

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4.
Confidential and Proprietary Information.

(a)
The parties agree and acknowledge that during the course of Executive's employment, Executive will be given and will have access to and be exposed to trade secrets and confidential information in written, oral, electronic and other forms regarding the Company and its affiliates (which includes but is not limited to all of its business units, divisions and affiliates) and their business, equipment, products and employees, including, without limitation: the identities of the Company's and its affiliates' distributors and customers and potential distributors and customers (hereinafter referred to collectively as "Distributors"), including, without limitation, the identity of Distributors that Executive cultivates or maintains while providing services at the Company or any of its affiliates using the Company's or any of its affiliates' products, name and infrastructure, and the identities of contact persons with respect to those Distributors; the particular preferences, likes, dislikes and needs of those

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5.
Non-Solicitation. Executive acknowledges that in the course of his employment for the Company he will become familiar with the Company's and its affiliates' trade secrets and other confidential information concerning the Company and its affiliates. Accordingly, Executive agrees that, during Executive's employment and for a period of twenty-four (24) months immediately thereafter (the "Non-Solicitation Period"), he will not directly or indirectly through another entity (i) induce or attempt to induce any employee or Distributor of the Company or any of its affiliates to leave the employment of, or cease to maintain its distributor relationship with, the Company or such affiliate, or in any way interfere with the relationship between the Company or any such affiliate and any employee or Distributor thereof, (ii) hire any person who was an employee of the Company or any of its affiliates at any time during the Non-Solicitation Period or enter into a distributor relationship with any person or entity who was a Distributor of the Company or any of its affiliates at any time during the Non-Solicitation Period, (iii) induce or attempt to induce any Distributor, supplier, licensor, licensee or other business relation of the Company or any of its affiliates to cease doing business with the Company or such affiliate, or in any way interfere with the relationship between such Distributor, supplier, licensor, licensee or business relation and the Company or any of its affiliates or (iv) use any trade secrets or other confidential information of the Company or any of its affiliates to directly or indirectly participate in any means or manner in any competitive business, wherever located.

6.
Injunctive Relief. Executive and the Company (a) intend that the provisions of Sections 5 and 6 be and become valid and enforceable, (b) acknowledge and agree that the provisions of Sections 5 and 6 are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the business of the Company and its affiliates and (c) agree that any violation of Sections 5 or 6 will result in irreparable injury to the Company and its affiliates, the exact amount of which will be difficult to ascertain and the remedies at law for which will not be reasonable or adequate compensation to the Company and its affiliates for such a violation. Accordingly, Executive agrees that if Executive violates or threatens to violate the provisions of Sections 5 or 6, in addition to any other remedy which may be available at law or in equity, the Company shall be entitled to seek specific performance and injunctive relief, without posting bond or other security, and without the necessity of proving actual damages. In addition, in the event of a violation or threatened violation by Executive of Sections 5 or 6 of this Agreement, the Non-Solicitation Period will be tolled until such violation or threatened violation has been duly cured. If, at the time of enforcement of Sections 5 or 6 of this Agreement, a court holds that the restrictions stated therein are unreasonable under circumstances then existing, the parties hereto agree that the maximum period,

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7.
Assignment; Successors and Assigns. Executive agrees that he shall not assign, sell, transfer, delegate or otherwise dispose of, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, any rights or obligations under this Agreement, nor shall Executive's rights hereunder be subject to encumbrance of the claims of creditors. This Agreement may be assigned by the Company without the consent of Executive to (a) any entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company, whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition or otherwise (upon which entity the Agreement shall be binding), or (b) any affiliate; provided, however, that in neither case shall the Company be released from its obligations hereunder, nor shall any assignment to an affiliate materially lessen the Executive's rights with respect to his position, duties, responsibilities or authority with respect to the Company.

8.
Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed, construed, interpreted and enforced in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of California without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Suit to enforce this Agreement or any provision or portion thereof may be brought in the federal or state courts located in Los Angeles, California.

9.
Severability of Provisions. In the event that any provision of this Agreement should ever be adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable, then such provision shall be deemed reformed to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.

10.
Warranty. As an inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement, Executive represents and warrants that he is not a party to any other agreement or obligation for personal services, and that there exists no impediment or restraint, contractual or otherwise, on his power, right or ability to enter into this Agreement and to perform his duties and obligations hereunder.

11.
Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications which are required or may be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when received if personally delivered; when transmitted if transmitted by telecopy, electronic or digital transmission method upon receipt of telephonic or electronic confirmation; the day after it is sent, if sent for next day delivery to a domestic address by recognized overnight delivery service (e.g., Federal Express); and upon receipt, if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. In each case notice will be sent to:

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12.
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

13.
Entire Agreement. The terms of this Agreement are intended by the parties to be the final expression of their agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof and this Agreement supersedes (and may not be contradicted by, modified or supplemented by) any prior or contemporaneous agreement, written or oral, with respect thereto, with the sole exception of the Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement to be entered into between Executive and WH Holdings (Cayman Islands) Ltd., (a copy of which is attached hereto as Attachment B). The parties further intend that this Agreement shall constitute the complete and exclusive statement of its terms and that no extrinsic evidence whatsoever may be introduced in any judicial, administrative or other legal proceeding to vary the terms of this Agreement.

14.
Amendments; Waivers. This Agreement may not be modified, amended, or terminated except by an instrument in writing, signed by Executive and a duly authorized representative of the Company. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement, whether by conduct or otherwise, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be construed as a further, continuing or subsequent waiver of any such provision or as a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising any right, remedy or power hereunder shall preclude any other or further exercise of any other right, remedy or power provided herein or by law or in equity

15.
Representation of Counsel; Mutual Negotiation. Each party acknowledges and agrees that is has had the opportunity to be represented by counsel of its choice in negotiating this Agreement. This Agreement shall therefore be deemed to have been negotiated and prepared at the joint request, direction and construction of the parties, at arm's-length, with the advice and participation of counsel, and shall be interpreted in accordance with its terms without favor to any party.

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        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date and year first-above written.

    EXECUTIVE

 

 

By:

 
     
Richard Goudis

 

 

HERBALIFE INTERNATIONAL OF AMERICA, INC.

 

 

By:

 
     

 

 

Name:

 
     

 

 

Title:

 
     

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ATTACHMENT A

Agreement and General Release

        Agreement and General Release ("AGREEMENT"), by and among Richard Goudis ("EXECUTIVE" and referred to herein as "you") and HERBALIFE INTERNATIONAL OF AMERICA, INC., a California corporation (the "COMPANY").

        1.     In exchange for your waiver of claims against the Company Entities (as defined below) and compliance with other terms and conditions of this Agreement, upon the effectiveness of this Agreement, the Company agrees to provide you with the payments and benefits provided in Section 3 of that certain employment agreement by and between Richard Goudis and the Company (the "Employment Agreement").

        2.         (a)    In consideration for the payments and benefits to be provided to you pursuant to paragraph 1 above, you, for yourself and for your heirs, executors, administrators, trustees, legal representatives and assigns (hereinafter referred to collectively as "RELEASORS"), forever release and discharge the Company and its past, present and future parent entities, subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates and related business entities, successors and assigns, assets, employee benefit plans or funds (including, without limitation, each of Whitney & Co., L.L.C., Golden Gate Private Equity, Inc., any investment fund managed by either of them and any affiliate of any of the aforementioned persons or entities), and any of its or their respective past, present and/or future directors, officers, fiduciaries, agents, trustees, administrators, employees and assigns, whether acting on behalf of the Company or in their individual capacities (collectively the "COMPANY ENTITIES") from any and all claims, suits, demands, causes of action, covenants, obligations, debts, costs, expenses, fees and liabilities of any kind whatsoever in law or equity, by statute or otherwise, whether known or unknown, vested or contingent, suspected or unsuspected and whether or not concealed or hidden (collectively, the "CLAIMS"), which you ever had, now have, or may have against any of the Company Entities by reason of any act, omission, transaction, practice, plan, policy, procedure, conduct, occurrence, or other matter related in any way to your employment by (including, but not limited to, termination thereof) the Company Entities up to and including the date on which you sign this Agreement, except as provided in subsection (c) below.

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        3.         (a)    This Agreement is not intended, and shall not be construed, as an admission that any of the Company Entities has violated any federal, state or local law (statutory or decisional), ordinance or regulation, breached any contract or committed any wrong whatsoever against you.

        4.     For two (2) years from and after the date of your employment termination, you agree not to make any derogatory, negative or disparaging public statement about any Company Entity, or to make any public statement (or any statement likely to become public) that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect or disparage the reputation, or, to the extent applicable, business or goodwill of any Company Entity, it being agreed and understood that nothing herein shall prohibit you (a) from disclosing that you are no longer employed by the Company, (b) from responding truthfully to any governmental investigation or inquiry related thereto, whether by the Securities and Exchange Commission or other governmental entity or any other law, subpoena, court order or other compulsory

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legal process or any disclosure requirement of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or (c) from making traditional competitive statements in the course of promoting a competing business, so long as any statements made by you described in this clause (c) are not based on confidential information obtained during the course of your employment with the Company. The Company agrees that it will not make any derogatory, negative or disparaging public statement about you in an authorized press release or authorized public announcement.

        5.     This Agreement is binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.

        6.     This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of California without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.

        7.     You acknowledge that your obligations pursuant to Sections 4 and 5 of the Employment Agreement survive the expiration or earlier termination of your employment in accordance with the terms thereof.

        8.     You acknowledge that you: (a) have carefully read this Agreement in its entirety; (b) have had an opportunity to consider for at least twenty-one (21) days the terms of this Agreement; (c) are hereby advised by the Company in writing to consult with an attorney of your choice in connection with this Agreement; (d) fully understand the significance of all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement and have discussed them with your independent legal counsel, or have had a reasonable opportunity to do so; (e) have had answered to your satisfaction by your independent legal counsel any questions you have asked with regard to the meaning and significance of any of the provisions of this Agreement; and (f) are signing this Agreement voluntarily and of your own free will and agree to abide by all the terms and conditions contained herein.

        9.     You understand that you will have at least twenty-one (21) days from the date of receipt of this Agreement to consider the terms and conditions of this Agreement. You may accept this Agreement by signing it and returning it to the Company's General Counsel at the address specified pursuant to Section 11 of the Employment Agreement on or before                         . After executing this Agreement, you shall have seven (7) days (the "REVOCATION PERIOD") to revoke this Agreement by indicating your desire to do so in writing delivered to the General Counsel at the address above by no later than 5:00 p.m. (pacific time) on the seventh (7th) day after the date you sign this Agreement. The effective date of this Agreement shall be the eighth (8th) day after you sign this Agreement (the "AGREEMENT EFFECTIVE DATE"). If the last day of the Revocation Period falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, the last day of the Revocation Period will be deemed to be the next business day. In the event you do not accept this Agreement as set forth above, or in the event you revoke this Agreement during the Revocation Period, this Agreement, including but not limited to the obligation of

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the Company to provide the payments and benefits provided in paragraph 1 above, shall be deemed automatically null and void.

    EXECUTIVE

 

 

By:

 

 
       
Richard Goudis

 

 

HERBALIFE INTERNATIONAL OF AMERICA, INC.

 

 

By:

 

 
       

 

 

Name:

 

 
       

 

 

Title:

 

 
       

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EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
ATTACHMENT A Agreement and General Release