Exhibit 10.21
SUBSIDIARY
GUARANTY AGREEMENT
Dated as of
January 30, 2008
from
THE SUBSIDIARY
GUARANTORS NAMED HEREIN
for the benefit
of
THE HOLDERS OF
THE NOTES
RE:
$60,000,000
7.17% SENIOR NOTES DUE JANUARY 30, 2013
OF
GFI GROUP
INC.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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SECTION
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HEADING
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PAGE
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SECTION 1.
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GUARANTY
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1
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SECTION 2.
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
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2
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SECTION 3.
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SUBSIDIARY
GUARANTOR’S OBLIGATIONS UNCONDITIONAL
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5
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SECTION 4.
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FULL RECOURSE
OBLIGATIONS; PARI PASSU RANKING
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10
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SECTION 5.
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WAIVER
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10
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SECTION
6.
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WAIVER OF
SUBROGATION
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11
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SECTION 7.
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SUBORDINATION
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12
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SECTION 8.
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EFFECT OF
BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS, ETC
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12
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SECTION 9.
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TERM OF
GUARANTY
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13
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SECTION 10.
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CONTRIBUTION
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13
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SECTION 11.
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LIMITATION OF
LIABILITY
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13
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SECTION 12.
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NEGATIVE
PLEDGE
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14
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SECTION 13.
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SUPPLEMENTAL
AGREEMENT
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14
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SECTION 14.
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DEFINITIONS
AND TERMS GENERALLY
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14
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SECTION
15.
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NOTICES
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15
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SECTION
16.
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AMENDMENTS,
ETC
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16
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SECTION
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CONSENT TO
JURISDICTION; SERVICE OF PROCESS
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16
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SECTION 18.
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WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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17
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SECTION 19.
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SURVIVAL
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17
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SECTION 20.
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SEVERABILITY
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17
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SECTION 21.
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SUCCESSORS AND
ASSIGNS
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17
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SECTION 22.
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS; HEADINGS
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18
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SECTION 23.
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COUNTERPARTS
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SECTION 24.
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GOVERNING
LAW
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18
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SECTION
25.
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RELEASE
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SECTION 26.
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COVENANT
COMPLIANCE
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SECTION 27.
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APPOINTMENT OF
PROCESS AGENT
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ii
THIS SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY AGREEMENT, dated as of
January 30, 2008 (the “Guaranty” ), from
each of:
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(i)
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GFI
Group LLC, a New York limited liability company;
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(ii)
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GFINET Inc., a Delaware corporation;
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(iii)
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GFI
Brokers LLC, a Delaware limited liability company;
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(iv)
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Interactive Ventures LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company;
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(v)
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Fenics Software Inc., a Delaware
corporation;
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(vi)
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Amerex Brokers, LLC., a Delaware limited
liability company
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(vii)
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such Subsidiaries as shall become parties
hereto in accordance with Section 13 hereof (each a
“Subsidiary Guarantor” and collectively the
“Subsidiary Guarantors” ),
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for
the benefit of the holders from time to time of the Notes (as
defined below) (the “Holders” ).
Capitalized terms used herein are defined in Section 14 hereof
or the Note Purchase Agreement referred to below.
WHEREAS, GFI Group Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the “Company” ) will authorize the issue and
sale of $60,000,000 7.17% Senior Notes due January 30, 2013
(the “Notes” ) pursuant to a Note Purchase
Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (as amended, modified or
supplemented from time to time, the “Note Purchase
Agreement” ) among the Company and the purchasers named
therein.
WHEREAS, each of the Subsidiary Guarantors is a
Subsidiary of the Company.
WHEREAS, the Company has agreed that certain of
its Subsidiaries will guarantee the Company’s obligations
under and in accordance with the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement
and the Collateral Documents.
WHEREAS, the Subsidiary Guarantors each
acknowledge that it will derive substantial benefits from the
issuance of the Notes and the execution and delivery of each Note
Document.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
premises and to induce the Holders to purchase the Notes, each of
the Subsidiary Guarantors, intending to be legally bound, hereby
agrees for the benefit of the Holders, as follows:
SECTION 1.
GUARANTY.
Each Subsidiary Guarantor with all other
Subsidiary Guarantors, hereby absolutely, unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantees, jointly and severally, as a primary obligor
and not merely as a surety, to each Holder and its successors and
assigns, the full and punctual payment and performance when due,
whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, of the
principal of and Make-Whole Amount (if any), and interest on
(including, without limitation, interest, whether or not an
allowable claim, accruing after the date of filing of any petition
in
bankruptcy, or the commencement of any
bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding relating to the
Company) the Notes and all other amounts payable by the Company
under the Note Documents and all other obligations, agreements and
covenants of the Company now or hereafter existing under the Note
Documents whether for principal, Make-Whole Amount, interest
(including interest accruing or becoming owing both prior to and
subsequent to the commencement of any proceeding against or with
respect to the Company under any chapter of the Bankruptcy Code),
indemnification payments, expenses (including reasonable
attorneys’ fees and expenses) or otherwise, and all
reasonable costs and expenses, if any, incurred by any Holder in
connection with enforcing any rights under the Note Documents to
which the Subsidiary Guarantors are a party (all such obligations
being the “Guaranteed Obligations” ), and agrees
to pay any and all reasonable expenses incurred by each Holder in
enforcing this Guaranty; provided that, notwithstanding
anything contained herein and in the Note Documents to the
contrary, the maximum liability of each Subsidiary Guarantor
hereunder and under the Note Documents shall in no event exceed
such Guarantor’s Maximum Guaranteed Amount, and provided
further, each Subsidiary Guarantor shall be unconditionally
required to pay all amounts demanded of it hereunder prior to any
determination of such Maximum Guaranteed Amount and the recipient
of such payment, if so required by a final non-appealable order of
a court of competent jurisdiction, shall then be liable for the
refund of any excess amounts. If any such rebate or refund is
ever required, all other Subsidiary Guarantors (and the Company)
shall be fully liable for the repayment thereof to the maximum
extent allowed by applicable law. This Guaranty is an
absolute, unconditional, present and continuing guaranty of payment
and not of collectibility and is in no way conditioned upon any
attempt to collect from the Company or any other action, occurrence
or circumstance whatsoever. Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees
that the Guaranteed Obligations may at any time and from to time
exceed the Maximum Guaranteed Amount of such Subsidiary Guarantor
without impairing this Guaranty or affecting the rights and
remedies of the Holders hereunder.
Notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other
prohibition preventing such action against the Company, if for any
reason whatsoever the Company shall fail or be unable duly,
punctually and fully to perform and (in the case of the payment of
Guaranteed Obligations) pay such amounts as and when the same shall
become due and (in the case of the payment of Guaranteed
Obligations) payable or to perform or comply with any other
Guaranteed Obligation, whether or not such failure or inability
shall constitute an “Event of Default” under the Note
Documents, each Subsidiary Guarantor will forthwith (in the case of
the payment of Guaranteed Obligations) pay or cause to be paid such
amounts to the Holders, in lawful money of the United States of
America, at the place specified in the Note Purchase Agreement, or
perform or comply with such Guaranteed Obligations or cause such
Guaranteed Obligations to be performed or complied with, (in the
case of the payment of Guaranteed Obligations) together with
interest (in the amounts and to the extent required under the
relevant Notes) on any amount due and owing.
SECTION 2.
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES.
Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby represents and
warrants as follows:
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(a) All
representations and warranties contained in the Note Documents that
relate to such Subsidiary Guarantor are true and correct in all
respects and are incorporated by reference with the same force and
effect as though set forth herein in full.
(b) Such
Subsidiary Guarantor acknowledges that any default in the due
observance or performance by such Subsidiary Guarantor of any
covenant, condition or agreement contained herein or in any
Collateral Document to which it is a party (if, after the running
of any applicable notice and opportunity to cure periods provided
in the Note Purchase Agreement, such default or event of default
remains uncured) shall constitute an Event of Default.
(c) There
are no conditions precedent to the effectiveness of this Guaranty
or any other Note Document to which it is a party that have not
been satisfied or expressly waived.
(d) Such
Subsidiary Guarantor has, independently and without reliance upon
the Holders and based on such documents and information as it has
deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to
enter into this Guaranty and any other Note Document to which it is
a party. Such Subsidiary Guarantor has investigated fully the
benefits and advantages which will be derived by it from execution
of this Guaranty and any other Note Document to which it is a party
as a condition precedent to the issue, sale and purchase of the
Notes by the Holders, and the Board of Directors/Managers of such
Subsidiary Guarantor has decided that a direct and/or an indirect
benefit will accrue to such Subsidiary Guarantor by reason of the
execution of this Guaranty and any other Note Document to which it
is a party as a condition precedent to the issue, sale and purchase
of the Notes by the Holders.
(e)
(i) This Guaranty is not given with actual intent to hinder,
delay or defraud any Person to which such Subsidiary Guarantor is
or will become, on or after the date hereof, indebted;
(ii) such Subsidiary Guarantor has received consideration in
exchange for the giving of this Guaranty; (iii) such
Subsidiary Guarantor is not insolvent on the date hereof and will
not become insolvent as a result of the giving of this Guaranty;
(iv) such Subsidiary Guarantor is not engaged in a business or
transaction, nor is about to engage in a business or transaction,
for which any property remaining with such Subsidiary Guarantor
constitutes an unreasonably small amount of capital; and
(v) such Subsidiary Guarantor does not intend to incur debts
that will be beyond such Subsidiary Guarantor’s ability to
pay as such debts mature.
(f)
Such Subsidiary Guarantor is a corporation or other legal entity
duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its state of
organization, and has the requisite power, authority and legal
right under the laws of its state of organization to conduct its
business as presently conducted and to execute, deliver and perform
its obligations under this Guaranty.
(g) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Guaranty have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of such
Subsidiary Guarantor, and does not require any consent or approval
of, or the giving of notice to, or the taking of any other action
in respect of, any stockholder or trustee or holder of any
indebtedness or obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor except to
the extent it has been previously obtained. This Guaranty
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such
Subsidiary Guarantor, enforceable against such Subsidiary Guarantor
in accordance with its terms, except that such enforceability
is
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subject to any limitations arising from
bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, moratorium, reorganization and
other similar laws of general application relating to or affecting
the rights of creditors or pledgees and to general principles of
equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law).
(h) The
execution, delivery and performance of this Guaranty do not and
will not conflict with or result in any violation of or default
under any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or by-laws or
partnership agreement, as the case may be, of such Subsidiary
Guarantor, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, instrument,
law, rule or regulation binding on such Subsidiary Guarantor
or to which such Subsidiary Guarantor is a party.
(i)
The execution, delivery and performance of this Guaranty do not and
will not result in violation of any judgment or order applicable to
such Subsidiary Guarantor or result in the creation or imposition
of any Lien on any of the properties or revenues of such Subsidiary
Guarantor pursuant to any requirement of law or any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust or other instrument to which such
Subsidiary Guarantor is a party.
(j)
The execution, delivery and performance of this Guaranty do not and
will not conflict with and do not and will not require any consent,
approval or authorization of, or registration or filing with, any
governmental authority or agency of the state of organization of
such Subsidiary Guarantor or of the United States or any
State.
(k) There
are no pending or, to the knowledge of such Subsidiary Guarantor,
threatened actions or proceedings against or affecting such
Subsidiary Guarantor or any of its properties by or before any
court or administrative agency or arbiter that would adversely
affect the ability of such Subsidiary Guarantor to perform its
obligations hereunder or call into question the validity or
enforceability of this Guaranty.
(l)
Such Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under this Guaranty
are at least pari passu in right of payment with all other
Senior Secured Indebtedness (actual or contingent).
(m) No Subsidiary
Guarantor is in breach of or default under or with respect to any
instrument, document or agreement binding upon such Subsidiary
Guarantor which breach or default is reasonably probable to have a
Material Adverse Effect or result in the creation of a Lien on any
property of such Subsidiary Guarantor other than Liens permitted
under Section 10.5 of the Note Purchase Agreement. Such
Subsidiary Guarantor is in compliance with all applicable
requirements of law except such non-compliance as would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(n) The
execution, delivery and performance by each Subsidiary Guarantor of
this Guaranty will not render such Subsidiary Guarantor insolvent,
nor is it being made in contemplation of such Subsidiary
Guarantor’s insolvency, and such Subsidiary Guarantor does
not have unreasonably small capital.
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SECTION 3.
SUBSIDIARY
GUARANTOR’S OBLIGATIONS UNCONDITIONAL.
(a)
This Guaranty shall constitute a guarantee of payment, performance
and compliance and not of collection, and each Subsidiary Guarantor
specifically agrees that it shall not be necessary, and that such
Subsidiary Guarantor shall not be entitled to require, before or as
a condition of enforcing the liability of such Subsidiary Guarantor
under this Guaranty or requiring payment or performance of the
Guaranteed Obligations by any Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder, or at
any time thereafter, that any Holder: (a) file suit or
proceed to obtain or assert a claim for personal judgment against
the Company or any other Person that may be liable for or with
respect to any Guaranteed Obligation; (b) make any other
effort to obtain payment or performance of any Guaranteed
Obligation from the Company or any other Person that may be liable
for or with respect to such Guaranteed Obligation, except for the
making of the demands, when appropriate, described in
Section 1; (c) foreclose against, or seek to realize upon
security now or hereafter existing for such Guaranteed Obligations;
(d) except to the extent set forth in Section 1, exercise
or assert any other right or remedy to which such Holder is or may
be entitled in connection with any Guaranteed Obligation or any
security or other guaranty therefor; or (e) assert or file any
claim against the assets of the Company or any other Person liable
for any Guaranteed Obligation. Each Subsidiary Guarantor
agrees that this Guaranty shall be continuing, and that the
Guaranteed Obligations will be paid and performed in accordance
with their terms and the terms of this Guaranty, and are the
primary, absolute and unconditional obligations of such Subsidiary
Guarantor, irrespective (to the extent permitted by applicable law)
of the value, genuineness, validity, legality, regularity or
enforceability or lack thereof of any part of the Guaranteed
Obligations or any agreement or instrument relating to the
Guaranteed Obligations or this Guaranty, or the existence of any
indemnities with respect to the existence of any other guarantee of
or security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any
substitution, release or exchange of any other guarantee of or
security for any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other
circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or
equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being
the intent of this Section 3 that the obligations of each
Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall be irrevocable, primary,
absolute and unconditional under any and all
circumstances.
(b)
Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby expressly waives notice of
acceptance of and reliance upon this Guaranty, diligence,
presentment, demand of payment or performance, protest and all
other notices (except as otherwise provided for in Section 1)
whatsoever, any requirement that the Holders exhaust any right,
power or remedy or proceed against the Company or against any other
Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, or any other
agreement, regarding any of the Guaranteed Obligations. Each
Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that, subject solely to the
requirement of making demands under Section 1, the occurrence
of any event or other circumstance that might otherwise vary the
risk of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor or constitute a
defense (legal or equitable) available to, or a discharge of, or a
counterclaim or right of set-off by, the Company or such Subsidiary
Guarantor (other than the full and indefeasible due payment and
performance of the Guaranteed Obligations), shall not affect the
liability of such Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.
(c)
The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under this Guaranty
are not subject to any counterclaim, set-off, deduction,
diminution, abatement, recoupment, suspension,
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deferment or defense based upon any claim such
Subsidiary Guarantor or any other Person may have against the
Company, any Holder or any other Person, and (to the extent
permitted by applicable law) shall remain in full force and effect
without regard to, and shall not be released, discharged or in any
way affected by, any circumstances or condition whatsoever (whether
or not such Subsidiary Guarantor or the Company shall have any
knowledge or notice thereof), including:
(i)
any renewal, extension, modification, increase, decrease,
alteration or rearrangement of all or any part of the Guaranteed
Obligations or any instrument executed in connection therewith, or
any contract or understanding with the Company, the Holders, or any
of them, or any other Person, pertaining to the Guaranteed
Obligations;
(ii)
any adjustment, indulgence, forbearance or compromise that might be
granted or given by any Holder to the Company or any other Person
liable on the Guaranteed Obligations, or the failure of any Holder
to assert any claim or demand or to exercise any right or remedy
against the Company or any other Person under the provisions of the
Note Documents or otherwise; or any rescission, waiver, amendment
or modification of, or any release from any of the terms or
provisions of, the Note Documents, any guarantee or any other
agreement;
(iii)
the insolvency, bankrptcy arangement, adjustment, composition,
liquidation, disability, dissolution or lack of power of the
Company or any other Person at any time liable for the payment of
all or part of the Guaranteed Obligations; or any change,
restructuring or termination of the existence of the Company or any
other such Person, or any sale, lease or transfer of any or all of
the assets of the Company or any other such Person, or any change
in the shareholders, partners, or members of the Company or any
other such Person; or any default, failure or delay, willful or
otherwise, in the performance of the Guaranteed Obligations;
(iv)
the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of all or any part
of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any document or agreement
executed in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations, for any
reason whatsoever, including the fact that the Guaranteed
Obligations, or any part thereof, exceed the amount permitted by
law, the act of creating the Guaranteed Obligations or any part is
ultra vires, the officers or representatives executing the
documents or otherwise creating the Guaranteed Obligations acted in
excess of their authority, the Guaranteed Obligations violate
applicable usury laws, the Company or any other Person has valid
defenses, claims or offsets (whether at law, in equity or by
agreement) which render the Guaranteed Obligations wholly or
partially uncollectible from the Company or any other Person, the
creation, performance or repayment of the Guaranteed Obligations
(or the execution, delivery and performance of any document or
instrument representing part of the Guaranteed Obligations or
executed in connection with the Guaranteed Obligations or given to
secure the repayment of the Guaranteed Obligations) is illegal,
uncollectible, legally impossible or unenforceable, or the
documents or instruments pertaining to the Guaranteed Obligations
have been forged or otherwise are irregular or not genuine or
authentic;
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(v)
any full or partial release of the liability of the Company on the
Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof, of any co-guarantors,
or of any other Person now or hereafter liable, whether directly or
indirectly, jointly, severally, or jointly and severally, to pay,
perform, guarantee or assure the payment of the Guaranteed
Obligations or any part thereof, it being recognized, acknowledged
and agreed by each Subsidiary Guarantor that such Subsidiary
Guarantor may be required to pay the Guaranteed Obligations in full
without assistance or support of any other Person, and such
Subsidiary Guarantor has not been induced to enter into this
Guaranty on the basis of a contemplation, belief, understanding or
agreement that any parties other than the Company will be liable to
perform the Guaranteed Obligations, or that the Holders will look
to other parties to perform the Guaranteed Obligations;
(vi)
the taking or accepting of any other security, collateral or
guaranty, or other assurance of payment, for all or any part of the
Guaranteed Obligations;
(vii) any
release, surrender, exchange, subordination, deterioration, waste,
loss or impairment (including negligent, unreasonable or
unjustifiable impairment) of any collateral, property or security,
at any time existing in connection with, or assuring or securing
payment of, all or any part of the Guaranteed
Obligations;
(viii) the
failure of any Holder or any other Person to exercise diligence or
reasonable care in the preservation, protection, enforcement, sale
or other handling or treatment of all or any part of such
collateral, property or security;
(ix)
the fact that any collateral, security, security interest or lien
contemplated or intended to be given, created or granted as
security for the repayment of the Guaranteed Obligations shall not
be properly perfected or created, or shall prove to be
unenforceable or subordinate to any other security interest or
lien, it being recognized and agreed by each Subsidiary Guarantor
that such Subsidiary Guarantor is not entering into this Guaranty
in reliance on, or in contemplation of the benefits of, the
validity, enforceability, collectibility or value of any of the
collateral;
(x)
any payment by the Company to any Holder being held to constitute a
preference under any Fraudulent Conveyance Law, or for any reason
any Holder being required to refund such payment or pay such amount
to the Company or someone else;
(xi)
any other action taken or omitted to be taken with respect to the
Guaranteed Obligations, or the security and collateral therefor,
whether or not such action or omission prejudices such Subsidiary
Guarantor or increases the likelihood that such Subsidiary
Guarantor will be required to pay the Guaranteed Obligations
pursuant to the terms hereof, it being the unambiguous and
unequivocal intention of such Subsidiary Guarantor that it shall be
obligated to pay the Guaranteed Obligations when due,
notwithstanding any occurrence, circumstance, event, action or
omission whatsoever, whether or not contemplated, and whether or
not otherwise or particularly described herein, except for the full
and final payment and satisfaction of the Guaranteed Obligations in
cash;
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(xii)
the fact that all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations cease to
exist by operation of law, including by way of a discharge,
limitation or tolling thereof under applicable bankruptcy laws;
(xiii) any
other circumstance (including any statute of limitations) that
might in any manner or to any extent otherwise constitute a defense
available to, vary the risk of, or operate as a discharge of, the
Company or any Person as a matter of law or equity;
(xiv) any
merger or consolidation of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor
into or with any other Person or any sale, lease or transfer of any
of the assets of the Company to any other Person;
(xv)
any change in the ownership of any shares of c
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