|
Exhibit
10.21
BLACKSTONE COMMUNICATIONS
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES I L.L.C.
SECOND AMENDED &
RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF MAY 31,
2007
Table of
Contents
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Page |
| ARTICLE I |
|
|
|
|
| DEFINITIONS |
|
|
|
1.1.
|
|
Definitions |
|
1 |
|
1.2.
|
|
Terms
Generally |
|
9 |
|
|
| ARTICLE II |
|
|
|
|
| GENERAL PROVISIONS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.1.
|
|
Managing,
Regular and Special Members |
|
9 |
|
2.2.
|
|
Formation; Name; Foreign Jurisdictions |
|
9 |
|
2.3.
|
|
Term |
|
9 |
|
2.4.
|
|
Purpose;
Powers |
|
9 |
|
2.5.
|
|
Place of
Business |
|
10 |
|
|
| ARTICLE III |
|
|
|
MANAGEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.1.
|
|
Managing
Member |
|
11 |
|
3.2.
|
|
Member
Voting, etc. |
|
11 |
|
3.3.
|
|
Management |
|
11 |
|
3.4.
|
|
Responsibilities of Members |
|
11 |
|
3.5.
|
|
Exculpation and Indemnification |
|
12 |
|
|
| ARTICLE IV |
|
|
|
CAPITAL OF THE
COMPANY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.1.
|
|
Capital
Contributions by Members |
|
13 |
|
4.2.
|
|
Interest |
|
19 |
|
4.3.
|
|
Withdrawals of Capital |
|
19 |
|
|
| ARTICLE V |
|
|
|
PARTICIPATION IN PROFITS AND
LOSSES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.1.
|
|
General
Accounting Matters |
|
19 |
|
5.2.
|
|
Capital
Accounts |
|
21 |
|
5.3.
|
|
Profit
Sharing Percentages |
|
21 |
|
5.4.
|
|
Allocations of Net Income (Loss) |
|
22 |
|
5.5.
|
|
Liability
of Members |
|
23 |
|
5.6.
|
|
Repurchase Rights, etc. |
|
23 |
|
5.7.
|
|
Distributions |
|
23 |
|
5.8.
|
|
Business
Expenses |
|
29 |
i
|
|
|
|
|
| ARTICLE VI |
|
|
|
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS;
WITHDRAWAL OF MEMBERS;
|
|
|
|
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
OF
COMPANY INTERESTS;
TERMINATION
|
|
|
|
6.1.
|
|
Additional Members |
|
29 |
|
6.2.
|
|
Withdrawal of Members |
|
30 |
|
6.3.
|
|
Company
Interests Not Transferable |
|
31 |
|
6.4.
|
|
Consequences upon Withdrawal of a Member |
|
31 |
|
6.5.
|
|
Satisfaction and Discharge of a Withdrawn Member’s
Interest |
|
31 |
|
6.6.
|
|
Dissolution of the Company |
|
35 |
|
6.7.
|
|
Certain
Tax Matters |
|
35 |
|
6.8.
|
|
Special
Basis Adjustments |
|
37 |
|
|
| ARTICLE VII |
|
|
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.1.
|
|
Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial |
|
37 |
|
7.2.
|
|
Ownership
and Use of the Company Name |
|
38 |
|
7.3.
|
|
Written
Consent |
|
38 |
|
7.4.
|
|
Letter
Agreements; Schedules |
|
38 |
|
7.5.
|
|
Governing
Law; Separability of Provisions |
|
39 |
|
7.6.
|
|
Successors and Assigns |
|
39 |
|
7.7.
|
|
Confidentiality |
|
39 |
|
7.8.
|
|
Notices |
|
39 |
|
7.9.
|
|
Counterparts |
|
39 |
|
7.10.
|
|
Power of
Attorney |
|
39 |
|
7.11.
|
|
Member’s Will |
|
40 |
|
7.12.
|
|
Cumulative Remedies |
|
40 |
|
7.13.
|
|
Legal
Fees |
|
40 |
|
7.14.
|
|
Entire
Agreement |
|
40 |
ii
BLACKSTONE COMMUNICATIONS
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES I L.L.C.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT of Blackstone Communications
Management Associates I L.L.C. (the “ Company
”), dated as of May 31, 2007, by and among Blackstone
Holdings III L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “
Managing Member ” or “ Holdings ”),
the other members of the Company as provided on the signature pages
hereto, and such other persons that are admitted to the Company as
members after the date hereof in accordance herewith.
W I T N E S S E T
H
WHEREAS, the Company was
formed under the LLC Act (defined below) pursuant to a certificate
of formation filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware on April 27, 2000;
WHEREAS, the original limited
liability company agreement of the Company was executed as of
April 11, 2000 (the “ Original Operating
Agreement ”);
WHEREAS, the Original
Operating Agreement was amended and restated in its entirety by the
Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated as
of June 27, 2000, of the Company (as amended to date, the
“ First Amended and Restated Operating Agreement
”); and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto
now wish to amend and restate the First Amended and Restated
Operating Agreement in its entirety as of the date hereof and more
fully set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1. Definitions .
Unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall
have the following meanings for purposes of this
Agreement:
“ Agreement
” means this Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability
Company Agreement, as further amended and restated from time to
time.
“ Alternative
Vehicle ” means any investment vehicle or structure
formed pursuant to paragraph 2.7 of the BCOM Partnership Agreement
or any other “Alternative Vehicle” (as defined in any
other BCOM Agreements).
“ Applicable
Collateral Percentage ” shall have the meaning with
respect to any Firm Collateral and any Special Firm Collateral, in
each case, as set forth on the books and records of the Company
with respect thereto.
“ BCOM ”
is the collective reference to Blackstone Communications Partners I
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and any Alternative Vehicle
relating thereto.
“ BCOMCA ”
means Blackstone Communications Capital Associates I L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership and any other partnership or other
entity with terms substantially similar to the terms of that
partnership and formed after the date hereof in connection with the
indirect participation by one or more partners thereof who receive
Carried Interest.
1
“ BCOM
Agreements ” is the collective reference to the BCOM
Partnership Agreement and the similar agreements of any Alternative
Vehicles.
“ BCOMCA Partnership
Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of BCOMCA, dated as of June 27, 2000, as
it may be amended from time to time.
“ BCOMCCP
” means Blackstone Communications Capital Commitment Partners
I L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and a limited partner in
BCOM.
“ BCOM
Investment ” means the Company’s interest in a
specific BCOM investment pursuant to the BCOM Partnership Agreement
in its capacity as the general partner of BCOM, but does not
include any direct investment by the Company on a side-by-side
basis in any BCOM investment.
“ BCOM
Investments ” is the collective reference to the BCOM
Investments.
“ BCOM Partnership
Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Blackstone Communications Partners I L.P.,
dated as of June 27, 2000, as it may be amended from time to
time.
“ BCP ”
means Blackstone Capital Partners L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership, and any investment vehicle established in accordance
with the terms of Blackstone Capital Partners L.P.’s
partnership agreement to invest in lieu of Blackstone Capital
Partners L.P. on behalf of one or more of the partners
thereof.
“ BCP II ”
means Blackstone Capital Partners II Merchant Banking Fund L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership formerly known as Blackstone Domestic
Capital Partners II L.P., Blackstone Offshore Capital Partners II
L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, and any
investment vehicle established pursuant to paragraph 2.7 of the
respective partnership agreements of either of such
partnerships.
“ BCP III
” is the collective reference to BDCP III, BOCP III and any
other Parallel Fund.
“ BDCP III
” means Blackstone Capital Partners III Merchant Banking Fund
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and any Alternative Vehicle
(as defined in paragraph 2.7 of the BDCP III Partnership Agreement)
relating thereto.
“ BDCP III
Partnership Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of Blackstone Capital Partners III
Merchant Banking Fund, L.P., dated as of June 27, 1997, as it
may be amended from time to time.
“ BFCOMP ”
means Blackstone Family Communications Partnership I L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership.
“ Blackstone Capital
Commitment ” has the meaning set forth in the BCOM
Partnership Agreement.
“ Blackstone
Co-Investment Rights ” has the meaning set forth in the
BCOM Partnership Agreement.
2
“ BOCP III
” means Blackstone Offshore Capital Partners III L.P., a
Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, and any Alternative
Vehicle (as defined in the BOCP III Partnership Agreement or the
BDCP III Partnership Agreement) related thereto.
“ BOCP III
Partnership Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of BOCP III, dated June 27,
1997, as it may be amended from time to time.
“ Carried
Interest ” shall mean “Carried Interest
Distributions” as defined in (i) the BCOM Partnership
Agreement, and (ii) any other carried interest distribution to
a Fund GP pursuant to any BCOM Agreement. In each case of
(i) and (ii) above, except as determined by the Managing
Member, the amount shall not be less any costs, fees and expenses
of the Partnership with respect thereto and less reasonable
reserves for payment of costs, fees and expenses of the Partnership
that are anticipated with respect thereto (in each case which the
Managing Member may allocate amongst all or any portion of the
Investments as it determines in good faith is
appropriate).
“ Carried Interest
Give Back Percentage ” shall mean, for any Member or
Withdrawn Member, subject to Section 5.7(e), the percentage
determined by dividing (A) the aggregate amount of
distributions received by such Member or Withdrawn Member from the
Company or any Other Fund GPs in respect of Carried Interest by
(B) the aggregate amount of distributions made to all Members,
Withdrawn Members or any other person by the Company or any Other
Fund GP in respect of Carried Interest. For purposes of determining
“Carried Interest Give Back Percentage” hereunder, all
Trust Amounts contributed to the Trust by the Company or any Other
Fund GPs on behalf of a Member or Withdrawn Member (but not the
Trust Income thereon) shall be deemed to have been initially
distributed or paid to the Members and Withdrawn Members as members
of the Company or any of the Other Fund GPs.
“ Carried Interest
Sharing Percentage ” means, with respect to each
Investment, the percentage interest of a Member in Carried Interest
from such Investment set forth in the books and records of the
Company.
“ Cause ”
means the occurrence or existence of any of the following with
respect to any Member, as determined fairly, reasonably, on an
informed basis and in good faith by the Managing Member:
(i) (w) any breach by any Member of any provision of any
non-competition agreement, (x) any material breach of this
Agreement or any rules or regulations applicable to such Member
that are established by the Managing Member, (y) such
Member’s deliberate failure to perform his or her duties to
the Company, or (z) such Member’s committing to or
engaging in any conduct or behavior that is or may be harmful to
the Company in a material way as determined by the Managing Member;
provided, that in the case of any of the foregoing clauses
(w), (x), (y) and (z), the Managing Member has given such
Member written notice (a “Notice of Breach”) within
fifteen days after the Managing Member becomes aware of such action
and such Member fails to cure such breach, failure to perform or
conduct or behavior within fifteen days after receipt of such
Notice of Breach from the Managing Member (or such longer period,
not to exceed an additional fifteen days, as shall be reasonably
required for such cure, provided that such Member is diligently
pursuing such cure); (ii) any act of fraud, misappropriation,
dishonesty, embezzlement or similar conduct against the Company; or
(iii) conviction (on the basis of a trial or by an accepted
plea of guilty or nolo contendere ) of a felony or crime
(including any misdemeanor charge involving moral turpitude, false
statements or misleading omissions, forgery, wrongful taking,
embezzlement, extortion or bribery), or a determination by a court
of competent jurisdiction, by a regulatory body or by a
self-regulatory body having authority with respect to securities
laws, rules or regulations of the applicable securities industry,
that such Member individually has violated any applicable
securities laws or any rules or regulations thereunder, or any
rules of any such self-regulatory body (including, without
limitation, any licensing requirement), if such conviction or
determination has a
3
material adverse effect on (A) such
Member’s ability to function as a Member of the Company,
taking into account the services required of such Member and the
nature of the Company’s business, or (B) the business of
the Company.
“ Charitable
Organization ” means an organization described in
Section 170(c) of the Code (without regard to
Section 170(c)(2)(A) thereof).
“ Class A
Interest ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(a).
“ Class B
Interest ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(a).
“ Clawback
Amount ” shall mean the “Clawback Amount” as
set forth in Article One of the BCOM Partnership Agreement and any
other clawback amount payable to the limited partners of BCOM
pursuant to any BCOM Agreement, as applicable.
“ Clawback
Provisions ” shall mean paragraph 9.2.8 of the BCOM
Partnership Agreement and any other similar provisions in any other
BCOM Agreement existing heretofore or hereafter formed.
“ Code ”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, or any successor statute. Any reference herein to a
particular provision of the Code shall mean, where appropriate, the
corresponding provision in any successor statute.
“ Commitment
Agreements ” means the agreements between the Company and
the Members pursuant to which each Member undertakes certain
obligations, including the obligation to make capital commitments
pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof. The Commitment Agreements are
hereby incorporated by reference as between the Company and the
relevant Member.
“ Company
” has the meaning set forth in the preamble
hereto.
“ Contingent
” means subject to repurchase rights and/or other
requirements.
“ Deceased
Member ” shall mean any Member or Withdrawn Member who
has died or who suffers from Incompetence. For purposes hereof,
references to a Deceased Member shall refer collectively to the
Deceased Member and the estate and heirs or legal representative of
such Deceased Member, as the case may be, that have received such
Deceased Member’s interest in the Company.
“ Defaulting
Party ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(d)(ii)(A).
“ Default Interest
Rate ” shall mean the lower of (i) the sum of
(a) the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from
time to time by The Chase Manhattan Bank, a New York banking
corporation, as its prime rate and (b) 5%, and (ii) the
highest rate of interest permitted under applicable law.
“ Deficiency
Contribution ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(d)(ii)(A).
“ Disposable
Investment ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(a).
“ Estate Planning
Vehicle ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.3.
“ Excess
Holdback ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(v)(A).
“ Excess Holdback
Percentage ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(v)(A).
4
“ Existing
Member ” shall mean any Member who is neither a Retaining
Withdrawn Member nor a Deceased Member.
“ Firm
Collateral ” shall mean a Member’s or Withdrawn
Member’s interest in one or more partnerships or limited
liability companies, in either case affiliated with the Company,
and certain other assets of such Member or Withdrawn Member, in
each case that has been pledged or made available to the Trustee(s)
to satisfy all or any portion of the Excess Holdback of such Member
or Withdrawn Member as more fully described on the books and
records of the Company hereto; provided, that for all purposes
hereof (and any other agreement (i.e., the Trust Agreement) that
incorporates the meaning of the term “Firm Collateral”
by reference), references to “Firm Collateral” shall
include “Special Firm Collateral”, excluding references
to “Firm Collateral” in Section 4.1(d)(v) and
Section 4.1(d)(viii) hereto.
“ Firm Collateral
Realization ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(v)(B) with respect to Firm Collateral, and
Section 4.1(d)(viii)(B) with respect to Special Firm
Collateral.
“ Fiscal Year
” shall mean a calendar year, or any other period chosen by
the Managing Member.
“ GAAP ”
has the meaning specified in Section 5.1(b).
“ Giveback
Amount ” shall mean the aggregate of the
“Investment Related Giveback Amount” and “Other
Giveback Amount” as such terms are defined in the BCOM
Agreements.
“ Giveback
Provisions ” shall mean paragraph 3.4.3 of the BCOM
Partnership Agreement and any other similar provisions in any other
BCOM Agreement existing heretofore or hereafter formed.
“ Holdback
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(i).
“ Holdback
Percentage ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(i).
“ Holdback Vote
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(iv)(A).
“ Holdings
” has the meaning set for in the preamble hereto.
“ Incompetence
” means, with respect to any Member, the determination by the
Managing Member in its sole discretion, after consultation with a
qualified medical doctor, that such Member is incompetent to manage
his person or his property.
“ Inflation
Index ” means (i) the GNP deflator, which is the
fixed-weighted price index representing the average change in the
United States gross national product as published in the Survey of
Current Business by the National Income and Wealth Division of the
Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce, or
(ii) such other index measuring changes in economic prices in
the United States as shall be selected by the Managing
Member.
“ Initial Holdback
Percentages ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(i).
“ Interest
” means a limited liability company interest (as defined in
§ 18-101(8) of the LLC Act) in the Company, including those
that are held by a Retaining Withdrawn Member.
“ Investment
” means any investment (direct or indirect) of the Company
designated by the Managing Member from time to time as an
investment in which the Members’ respective interests shall
be established and accounted for on a basis separate from the
Company’s other businesses, activities and investments, any
BCOM Investments.
5
“ Investor Special
Member ” means and any Special Member so designated at
the time of its admission by the Managing Member as a Member of the
Company.
“ L/C ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(d)(vi).
“ L/C Member
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(vi).
“ LLC Act
” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del.C.
§ 18-101, et seq., as it may be amended from time to time, and
any successor to such statute.
“ Losses ”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.5(b).
“ Majority in
Interest of the Members ” on any date (a “vote
date”) means one or more persons who are Members (including
the Managing Member but excluding Nonvoting Special Members) on the
vote date and who, as of the last day of the most recent accounting
period ending on or prior to the vote date (or as of such later
date on or prior to the vote date selected by the Managing Member
as of which the Members’ capital account balances can be
determined), have aggregate capital account balances representing
at least a majority in amount of the total capital account balances
of all the persons who are Members (including the Managing Member
but excluding Nonvoting Special Members) on the vote
date.
“ Member ”
means any person who is a member of the Company, including the
Managing Member, the Regular Members and the Special Members.
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, no group of
Members, including the Special Members and any group of Members in
the same Member Category, shall have any right to vote as a class
on any matter relating to the Company, including, but not limited
to, any merger, reorganization, dissolution or
liquidation.
“ Member
Category ” shall mean the Managing Member, Existing
Members, Retaining Withdrawn Members or Deceased Members, each
referred to as a group for purposes hereof.
“ Moody’s
” means Moody’s Investors Services, Inc., or any
successor thereto.
“ Net Income
(Loss) ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.1(b).
“ Net Recontribution
Amount ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(d)(i)(A) .
“ Non-Carried
Interest ” means, with respect to each Investment, all
amounts of distributions, other than Carried Interest, received by
the Company with respect to such Investment, less any costs, fees
and expenses of the Company with respect thereto and less
reasonable reserves for payment of costs, fees and expenses of the
Company that are anticipated with respect thereto, in each case
which the Managing Member may allocate to all or any portion of the
Investments as it may determine in good faith is
appropriate.
“ Non-Carried
Interest Sharing Percentage ” means, with respect to each
Investment, the percentage interest of a Member in Non-Carried
Interest from such Investment set forth in the books and records of
the Company.
6
“ Non-Contingent
” means generally not subject to repurchase rights or other
requirements.
“ Nonvoting Special
Member ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(a).
“ Other Fund GPs
” means any entity through which any Member or Withdrawn
Member directly receives any amounts of Carried Interest and any
successor thereto; provided, that this includes BCOMCA and any
other entity which has in its organizational documents a provision
which indicates that it is a “Fund GP” or an
“Other Fund GP”; provided further, that notwithstanding
any of the foregoing, none of the general partners of BCOMCA, any
estate planning vehicle established for the benefit of family
members of any Member nor any partner of BCOMCA shall be considered
a “Fund GP” for purposes hereof.
“ Parallel Fund
” means any additional collective investment vehicles (or
other similar arrangements) formed pursuant to paragraph 2.8 of the
BDCP III Partnership Agreement or paragraph 2.8 of the BOCP III
Partnership Agreement.
“ Profit Sharing
Percentage ” means the “Carried Interest Sharing
Percentage” and “Non-Carried Interest Sharing
Percentage” of each Member; provided, that any references in
this Agreement to Profit Sharing Percentages made (a) in
connection with voting or voting rights or (b) capital
contributions with respect to Investments (including
Section 5.3(d)) shall mean the “Non-Carried Interest
Sharing Percentage” of each Member; provided further, that
any reference in this Agreement to Profit Sharing Percentages that
specifically refers to Net Income unrelated to BCOM shall continue
to refer to the amount of each Member’s percentage interest
in a category of Net Income (Loss) established by the Managing
Member from time to time pursuant to Section 5.3.
“ Qualifying
Fund ” means any fund designated by the Managing Member
as a “Qualifying Fund”.
“ Recontribution
Amount ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(d)(i)(A).
“ Regular Member
” shall mean any Member, excluding the Managing Member and
any Special Member.
“ Required
Amount ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(a).
“ Required
Rating ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(vi).
“ Retaining
Withdrawn Member ” shall mean a Withdrawn Member who has
retained an Interest, pursuant to Section 6.5(f) or otherwise.
A Retaining Withdrawn Member shall be considered a Special
Nonvoting Member for all purposes hereof.
“ Settlement
Date ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.5(a).
“ SMD Agreements
” means the agreements between the Company and/or one or more
of its affiliates and the Members, pursuant to which each Member
undertakes certain obligations with respect to the Company and/or
its affiliates. The SMD Agreements are hereby incorporated by
reference as between the Company and the relevant
Member.
“ Special Firm
Collateral ” means interests in a Qualifying Fund or
other assets that have been pledged to the Trustee(s) to satisfy
all or any portion of a Member’s or Withdrawn Member’s
Holdback (excluding any Excess Holdback) as more fully described on
the books and records of the Company hereto.
7
“ Special Firm
Collateral Realization ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(viii)(B).
“ Special Member
” means any person shown on the books and records of the
Company as a Special Member of the Company, including any Nonvoting
Special Member, and any Investor Special Member.
“ S&P
” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, and
any successor thereto.
“ Subject Member
” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(d)(iv)(A) of
this Agreement.
“ Total
Disability ” means the inability of a Member
substantially to perform the services required of a Regular Member
for a period of six consecutive months by reason of physical or
mental illness or incapacity and whether arising out of sickness,
accident or otherwise.
“ Trust Account
” has the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Trust
Agreement ” means the Trust Agreement, dated as
June 27, 2000, as amended to date, among the Members, the
Trustee(s) and certain other persons that may receive distributions
in respect of Carried Interest from time to time, as amended from
time to time.
“ Trust Amount
” has the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Trust Income
” has the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Trustee(s)
” has the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Unallocated
Percentage ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(b).
“ Unrealized Net
Income (Loss) ” attributable to any BCOM Investment as of
any date means the Net Income (Loss) that would be realized by the
Company with respect to such BCOM Investment if BCOM’s entire
portfolio of investments were sold on such date for cash in an
amount equal to their aggregate value on such date (determined in
accordance with Section 5.1(e)) and all distributions payable
by BCOM to the Company pursuant to the BCOM Agreements with respect
to such BCOM Investment were made on such date. “Unrealized
Net Income (Loss)” attributable to any other Investment as of
any date means the Net Income (Loss) that would be realized by the
Company with respect to such Investment if such Investment were
sold on such date for cash in an amount equal to its value on such
date (determined in accordance with
Section 5.1(e)).
“ Withdraw
” or “ Withdrawal ” with respect to a
Member means a Member ceasing to be a member of the Company for any
reason (including death, disability, removal, resignation or
retirement, whether such is voluntary or involuntary), unless the
context shall limit the type of withdrawal to a specific reason,
and “Withdrawn” with respect to a Member means, as
aforesaid, a Member who has ceased to be a member of the
Company.
“ Withdrawal
Date ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.5(a).
“ Withdrawn
Member ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.5(a).
8
1.2. Terms Generally.
The definitions in Section 1.1 shall apply equally to both the
singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the
context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding
masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The term “person”
includes individuals, partnerships (including limited liability
partnerships), companies (including limited liability companies),
joint ventures, corporations, trusts, governments (or agencies or
political subdivisions thereof) and other associations and
entities. The words “include”, “includes”
and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the
phrase “without limitation”.
ARTICLE II
GENERAL PROVISIONS
2.1. Managing, Regular and
Special Members. (a) The Members may be Managing Members,
Regular Members or Special Members (including Investor Special
Members).
2.2. Formation; Name;
Foreign Jurisdictions. The Company is hereby continued as a
limited liability company pursuant to the LLC Act and shall
continue to conduct its activities under the name of Blackstone
Communications Management Associates I L.L.C. The certificate of
formation of the Company may be amended and/or restated from time
to time by the Managing Member, as an “authorized
person” (within the meaning of the LLC Act). Each Member is
further authorized to deliver and file any other certificates (and
any amendments and/or restatements thereof) necessary for the
Company to qualify to do business in a jurisdiction in which the
Company may wish to conduct business.
2.3. Term. The term of
the Company shall continue June 27, 2050, unless earlier
dissolved and its affairs wound up in accordance with this
Agreement.
2.4. Purpose; Powers.
(a) The purpose of the Company shall be, directly or
indirectly through subsidiaries or affiliates, to (i) serve as
a general partner of BCOM and perform the functions of general
partner specified in the BCOM Agreements, (ii) serve as a
general partner or limited partner of other partnerships, including
Alternative Vehicles, (iii) serve as the general partner of
BFCOMP and perform the functions of the general partner specified
in BFCOMP’s partnership agreement, and serve as the general
partner of BCOMCCP and perform the functions of the general partner
specified in BCOMCCP’s partnership agreement, (iv) carry
on such other businesses, perform such other services and make such
other investments as are deemed desirable by the Managing Member
and as are permitted under the LLC Act and the BCOM Partnership
Agreement, and (v) do all things necessary, desirable,
convenient or incidental thereto.
(b) In furtherance of its
purpose, the Company shall have all powers necessary, suitable or
convenient for the accomplishment of its purposes, alone or with
others, as principal or agent, including the following:
(i) to buy, sell and
otherwise acquire investments, whether such investments are readily
marketable or not;
(ii) to invest and reinvest
the cash assets of the Company in money-market or other short-term
investments;
(iii) to hold, receive,
mortgage, pledge, lease, transfer, exchange or otherwise dispose
of, grant options with respect to, and otherwise deal in and
exercise all rights, powers, privileges and other incidents of
ownership or possession with respect to, all property held or owned
by the Company;
9
(iv) to borrow or raise money
from time to time and to issue promissory notes, drafts, bills of
exchange, warrants, bonds, debentures and other negotiable and
non-negotiable instruments and evidences of indebtedness, to secure
payment of the principal of any such indebtedness and the interest
thereon by mortgage, pledge, conveyance or assignment in trust of,
or the granting of a security interest in, the whole or any part of
the property of the Company, whether at the time owned or
thereafter acquired, to guarantee the obligations of others and to
buy, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of any such instrument or
evidence of indebtedness;
(v) to lend any of its
property or funds, either with or without security, at any legal
rate of interest or without interest;
(vi) to have and maintain one
or more offices within or without the State of Delaware, and in
connection therewith, to rent or acquire office space, engage
personnel and compensate them and do such other acts and things as
may be advisable or necessary in connection with the maintenance of
such office or offices;
(vii) to open, maintain and
close accounts, including margin accounts, with brokers;
(viii) to open, maintain and
close bank accounts and draw checks and other orders for the
payment of moneys;
(ix) to engage accountants,
auditors, custodians, investment advisers, attorneys and any and
all other agents and assistants, both professional and
nonprofessional, and to compensate any of them as may be necessary
or advisable;
(x) to form or cause to be
formed and to own the stock of one or more corporations, whether
foreign or domestic, to form or cause to be formed and to
participate in partnerships and joint ventures, whether foreign or
domestic and to form or cause to be formed and be a member or
manager or both of one or more limited liability
companies;
(xi) to enter into, make and
perform all contracts, agreements and other undertakings as may be
necessary, convenient, advisable or incident to carrying out its
purposes;
(xii) to sue and be sued, to
prosecute, settle or compromise all claims against third parties,
to compromise, settle or accept judgment to claims against the
Company, and to execute all documents and make all representations,
admissions and waivers in connection therewith;
(xiii) to distribute, subject
to the terms of this Agreement, at any time and from time to time
to the Members cash or investments or other property of the
Company, or any combination thereof; and
(xiv) to take such other
actions necessary, desirable, convenient or incidental thereto and
to engage in such other businesses as may be permitted under
Delaware law.
2.5. Place of Business
. The Company shall maintain a registered office at The Corporation
Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, New Castle County, Wilmington,
Delaware 19801. The Company shall maintain an office and principal
place of business at such place or places as the Managing Member
specifies from time to time and as set forth in the books and
records of the Company. The name and address of the Company’s
registered agent is The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange
Street, New Castle County, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.
10
ARTICLE III
MANAGEMENT
3.1. Managing Member.
(a) Holdings shall be an original managing member (the “
Managing Member ”). The Managing Member shall cease to
be the Managing Member only if it (i) Withdraws from the
Company for any reason, (ii) consents in its sole discretion
to resign as the Managing Member, or (iii) becomes the subject
of a Final Event. The Managing Member may not be removed without
its consent. There may be one or more Managing Members. In the
event that one or more other Managing Members is admitted to the
Company as such, all references herein to the “Managing
Member” in the singular form shall be deemed to also refer to
such other Managing Members as may be appropriate. The relative
rights and responsibilities of such Managing Members will be as
agreed upon from time to time between them.
(b) Upon the Withdrawal from
the Company or voluntary resignation of the remaining Managing
Member, all of the powers formerly vested therein pursuant to this
Agreement and the LLC Act shall be exercised by a Majority in
Interest of the Members.
3.2. Member Voting,
etc. (a) Meetings of the Members shall be held only when called
by the Managing Member.
(b) Except for the voting
rights of Special Members (other than Nonvoting Special Members)
pursuant to paragraph (a) above or as otherwise expressly
provided herein and except as may be expressly required by the LLC
Act, Special Members as such shall have no right to, and shall not,
take part in the management or control of the Company’s
business or act for or bind the Company, and shall have only the
rights and powers granted to Special Members herein.
(c) To the extent any Member
is entitled to vote with respect to any matter relating to the
company, such Member shall not be obligated to abstain from voting
on any such matter (or vote in any particular manner) because of
any interest (or conflict of interest) of such Member (or any
affiliate thereof) in such matter.
3.3. Management. The
Company and the formulation and execution of business and
investment policy shall be vested in the Managing Member. The
Managing Member shall, in its discretion, exercise all powers
necessary and convenient for the purposes of the Company, including
those enumerated in Section 2.4, on behalf and in the name of
the Company. All decisions and determinations (howsoever described
herein) to be made by the Managing Member pursuant to this
Agreement shall be made in its sole discretion, subject only to the
express terms and conditions of this Agreement.
| 3.4. |
Responsibilities of Members. |
(a) Unless otherwise
determined by the Managing Member in a particular case, each
Regular Member shall devote substantially all his time and
attention to the businesses of the Company and its affiliates, and
each Special Member shall not be required to devote any time or
attention to the businesses of the Company or its
affiliates.
(b) All outside business or
investment activities of the Members shall be subject to such rules
and regulations as are established by the Managing Member from time
to time.
11
(c) The Managing Member may
from time to time establish such other rules and regulations
applicable to Members or other employees as the Managing Member
deems appropriate, including rules governing the authority of
Members or other employees to bind the Company to financial
commitments or other obligations.
3.5. Exculpation and
Indemnification. (a) Liability to Members .
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, whether
express or implied, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no
Member nor any of such Member’s representatives, agents or
advisors nor any partner, member, officer, employee,
representative, agent or advisor of the Company or any of its
Affiliates (individually, a “Covered Person” and
collectively, the “ Covered Persons ”) shall be
liable to the Company or any other Member for any act or omission
(in relation to the Company, this Agreement, any related document
or any transaction or investment contemplated hereby or thereby)
taken or omitted by a Covered Person unless there is a final and
non-appealable judicial determination and/or determination of an
arbitrator that such Covered Person did not act in good faith and
in what such Covered Person reasonably believed to be in, or not
opposed to, the best interests of the Company and within the
authority granted to such Covered Person by this Agreement, and,
with respect to any criminal act or proceeding, had reasonable
cause to believe that such Covered Person’s conduct was
unlawful. Each Covered Person shall be entitled to rely in good
faith on the advice of legal counsel to the Company, accountants
and other experts or professional advisors, and no action taken by
any Covered Person in reliance on such advice shall in any event
subject such person to any liability to any Member or the Company.
To the extent that, at law or in equity, a Member has duties
(including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to
the Company or to another Member, to the fullest extent permitted
by law, such Member acting under this Agreement shall not be liable
to the Company or to any such other Member for its good faith
reliance on the provisions of this Agreement. The provisions of
this Agreement, to the extent that they expand or restrict the
duties and liabilities of a Member otherwise existing at law or in
equity, are agreed by the Members, to the fullest extent permitted
by law, to modify to that extent such other duties and liabilities
of such Member.
(b) Indemnification .
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify
and hold harmless (but only to the extent of the Company’s
assets (including, without limitation, the remaining Commitments of
the Members) each Covered Person from and against any and all
claims, damages, losses, costs, expenses and liabilities
(including, without limitation, amounts paid in satisfaction of
judgments, in compromises and settlements, as fines and penalties
and legal or other costs and reasonable expenses of investigating
or defending against any claim or alleged claim), joint and
several, of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, liquidated or
unliquidated (collectively, “ Losses ”), arising
from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings,
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which the
Covered Person may be involved, or threatened to be involved, as a
party or otherwise, by reason of such Covered Person’s
management of the affairs of the Company or which relate to or
arise out of or in connection with the Company, its property, its
business or affairs; provided, that a Covered Person shall not be
entitled to indemnification under this Section with respect to any
claim, issue or matter if there is a final and non-appealable
judicial determination and/or determination of an arbitrator that
such Covered Person did not act in good faith and in what such
Covered Person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the
best interest of the Company and within the authority granted to
such Covered Person by this Agreement, and, with respect to any
criminal act or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that
such Covered Person’s conduct was unlawful; provided further,
that if such Covered Person is a Member or a Withdrawn Member, such
Covered Person shall bear its share of such Losses in accordance
with such Covered Person’s Profit Sharing Percentage in the
Company as of the time of the actions or omissions that gave rise
to such Losses. To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses
(including legal fees) incurred by a Covered Person (including,
without limitation, the Managing Member) in defending any claim,
demand, action, suit or proceeding may, with the approval of the
Managing Member, from time to time, be advanced by the Company
prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit
or proceeding upon receipt by the Company of a written
12
undertaking by or on behalf of the
Covered Person to repay such amount to the extent that it shall be
subsequently determined that the Covered Person is not entitled to
be indemnified as authorized in this Section, and the Company and
its Affiliates shall have a continuing right of offset against such
Covered Person’s interests/investments in the Company and
such Affiliates and shall have the right to withhold amounts
otherwise distributable to such Covered Person to satisfy such
repayment obligation. If a Member institutes litigation against a
Covered Person which gives rise to an indemnity obligation
hereunder, such Member shall be responsible, up to the amount of
such Member’s Interests and remaining Commitment, for such
Member’s pro rata share of the Company’s expenses
related to such indemnity obligation, as determined by the Managing
Member. The Company may purchase insurance, to the extent available
at reasonable cost, to cover losses, claims, damages or liabilities
covered by the foregoing indemnification provisions. Members will
not be personally obligated with respect to indemnification
pursuant to this Section.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL OF THE
COMPANY
4.1. Capital Contributions
by Members. (a) Except as agreed by the Managing Member
and a Regular Member, such Regular Member shall not be required to
make capital contributions to the Company at such times and in such
amounts as are required to fund the Company’s capital
contribution in respect of any BCOM Investment (the “
Required Amount ”) and as are otherwise determined by
the Managing Member from time to time; provided, that additional
capital contributions in excess of the Required Amounts may be made
pro rata among the Regular Members based upon each Regular
Member’s Carried Interest Sharing Percentage. Capital
Contributions which are to be used for ongoing business operations
(as distinct from financing, legal or other specific liabilities of
the Company (including those specifically set forth in Sections
4.1(d) and 5.7(d)) shall be determined by the Managing Member.
Special Members shall not be required to make additional capital
contributions to the Company in excess of the Required Amounts,
except (i) as a condition of an increase in such Special
Member’s Profit Sharing Percentage or (ii) as
specifically set forth in this Agreement; provided, that the
Managing Member and any Special Member may agree from time to time
that such Special Member may make an additional capital
contribution to the Company; provided further, that each Investor
Special Member shall maintain its capital account at a level equal
to the product of (i) its Profit Sharing Percentage from time
to time and (ii) the total capital of the Company.
(b) Each capital contribution
by a Member shall be credited to the appropriate capital account of
such Member in accordance with Section 5.2.
(c) The Managing Member may
elect on a case by case basis to (i) cause the Company to loan
any Member (including any additional Member admitted to the Company
pursuant to Section 6.1 other than those who are executive
officers of The Blackstone Group L.P.) the amount of any capital
contribution required to be made by such Member or (ii) permit
any Member (including any additional Member admitted to the Company
pursuant to Section 6.1) to make a required capital
contribution to the Company in installments, in each case on terms
determined by the Managing Member.
(d)(i) The Members and the
Withdrawn Members have entered into the Trust Agreement, pursuant
to which certain amounts of Carried Interest will be paid to the
Trustee(s) for deposit in the Trust Account (such amounts to be
paid to the Trustee(s) for deposit in the Trust Account
constituting a “ Holdback ”). The Managing
Member shall determine, as set forth below, the percentage of
Carried Interest that shall be withheld for each Member Category
(such withheld percentage constituting such Member Category’s
“ Holdback Percentage ”). The applicable
Holdback Percentages initially shall be 0% for the Managing Member,
15% for Existing Members (other than the Managing Member), 21% for
Retaining Withdrawn Members and 24% for Deceased Members (the
“ Initial Holdback Percentages ”).
13
(ii) The Holdback Percentage
may not be reduced for any individual Member as compared to the
other Members in his Member Category (except as provided in clause
(iv) below). The Managing Member may only reduce the Holdback
Percentages among the Member Categories on a proportionate basis.
For example, if the Holdback Percentage for Existing Members is
decreased to 12.5%, the Holdback Percentage for Retaining Withdrawn
Members and Deceased Members shall be reduced to 17.5% and 20%,
respectively. Any reduction in the Holdback Percentage for any
Member shall apply only to distributions relating to Carried
Interest made after the date of such reduction.
(iii) The Holdback Percentage
may not be increased for any individual Member as compared to the
other Members in his Member Category (except as provided in clause
(iv) below). The Managing Member may not increase the
Retaining Withdrawn Members’ Holdback Percentage beyond 21%
unless the Managing Member concurrently increases the Existing
Members’ Holdback Percentage to the Holdback Percentage of
the Retaining Withdrawn Members. The Managing Member may not
increase the Deceased Members’ Holdback Percentage beyond 24%
unless the Managing Member increases the Holdback Percentage for
both Existing Members and Retaining Withdrawn Members to 24%. The
Managing Member may not increase the Holdback Percentage of any
Member Category beyond 24% unless such increase applies equally to
all Member Categories. Any increase in the Holdback Percentage for
any Member shall apply only to distributions relating to Carried
Interest made after the date of such increase. The foregoing shall
in no way prevent the Managing Member from proportionately
increasing the Holdback Percentage of any Member Category
(following a reduction of the Holdback Percentages below the
Initial Holdback Percentages), if the resulting Holdback
Percentages are consistent with the above. For example, if the
Managing Member reduces the Holdback Percentages for Existing
Members, Retaining Withdrawn Members and Deceased Members to 12.5%,
17.5% and 20%, respectively, the Managing Member shall have the
right to subsequently increase the Holdback Percentages to the
Initial Holdback Percentages.
(iv)(A) Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company may increase
or decrease the Holdback Percentage for any Member in any Member
Category (in such capacity, the “ Subject Member
”) pursuant to a majority vote of the Regular Members (a
“ Holdback Vote ”); provided, that,
notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the
Holdback Percentage applicable to the Managing Member shall not be
increased or decreased without its prior written consent; provided
further, that a Subject Member’s Holdback Percentage shall
not be (I) increased prior to such time as such Subject Member
(x) is notified by the Company of the decision to increase
such Subject Member’s Holdback Percentage and (y) has,
if requested by such Subject Member, been given 30 days to gather
and provide information to the Company for consideration before a
second Holdback Vote (requested by the Subject Member) and (II)
decreased unless such decrease occurs subsequent to an increase in
a Subject Member’s Holdback Percentage pursuant to a Holdback
Vote under this clause (iv); provided further, that such decrease
shall not exceed an amount such that such Subject Member’s
Holdback Percentage is less than the prevailing Holdback Percentage
for the Member Category of such Subject Member; provided further,
that a Member shall not vote to increase a Subject Member’s
Holdback Percentage unless such voting Member determines, in his
good faith judgment, that the facts and circumstances indicate that
it is reasonably likely that such Subject Member, or any of his
successors or assigns (including his estate or heirs) who at the
time of such vote holds the Interest or otherwise has the right to
receive distributions relating thereto, will not be capable of
satisfying any Recontribution Amounts that may become
due.
14
(B) A Holdback Vote shall
take place at a Company meeting. Each Regular Member shall be
entitled to cast one vote with respect to the Holdback Vote
regardless of such Regular Member’s interest in the Company.
Such vote may be cast by any Regular Member in person or by
proxy.
(C) If the result of the
second Holdback Vote is an increase in a Subject Member’s
Holdback Percentage, such Subject Member may submit the decision to
an arbitrator, the identity of which is mutually agreed upon by
both the Subject Member and the Company; provided, that if the
Company and the Subject Member cannot agree upon a mutually
satisfactory arbitrator within 10 days of the second Holdback Vote,
each of the Company and the Subject Member shall request their
candidate for arbitrator to select a third arbitrator satisfactory
to such candidates; provided further, that if such candidates fail
to agree upon a mutually satisfactory arbitrator within 30 days of
such request, the then sitting President of the American
Arbitration Association shall unilaterally select the arbitrator.
Each Subject Member that submits the decision of the Company
pursuant to the second Holdback Vote to arbitration and the Company
shall estimate their reasonably projected out-of-pocket expenses
relating thereto, and each such party shall, to the satisfaction of
the arbitrator and prior to any determination being made by the
arbitrator, pay the total of such estimated expenses (i.e., both
the Subject Member’s and the Company’s expenses) into
an escrow account to be controlled by Simpson Thacher &
Bartlett LLP, as escrow agent (or such other comparable law firm as
the Company and Subject Member may agree). The arbitrator shall
direct the escrow agent to pay out of such escrow account all
expenses associated with such arbitration (including costs leading
thereto) and to return to the “victorious” party the
entire amount of funds such party paid into such escrow account. If
the amount contributed to the escrow account by the losing party is
insufficient to cover the expenses of such arbitration, such
“losing” party shall then provide any additional funds
necessary to cover such costs to such “victorious”
party. For purposes hereof, the “victorious” party
shall be the Company if the Holdback Percentage ultimately
determined by the arbitrator is closer to the percentage determined
in the second Holdback Vote than it is to the prevailing Holdback
Percentage for the Subject Member’s Member Category;
otherwise, the Subject Member shall be the “victorious”
party. The party that is not the “victorious” party
shall be the “losing” party.
(D) In the event of a
decrease in a Subject Member’s Holdback Percentage
(1) pursuant to a Holdback Vote under this clause (iv) or
(2) pursuant to a decision of an arbitrator under paragraph
(C) of this clause (iv), the Company shall release and
distribute to such Subject Member any Trust Amounts (and the Trust
Income thereon (except as expressly provided herein with respect to
using Trust Income as Firm Collateral)) which exceed the required
Holdback of such Subject Member (in accordance with such Subject
Member’s reduced Holdback Percentage) as though such reduced
Holdback Percentage had applied since the increase of the Subject
Member’s Holdback Percentage pursuant to a previous Holdback
Vote under this clause (iv).
(v)(A) If a Member’s
Holdback Percentage exceeds 15% (such percentage in excess of 15%
constituting the “ Excess Holdback Percentage
”), such Member may satisfy the portion of his Holdback
obligation in respect of his Excess Holdback Percentage (such
portion constituting such Member’s “ Excess
Holdback ”), and such Member (or a Withdrawn Member with
respect to amounts contributed to the Trust Account while he was a
Member), to the extent his Excess Holdback obligation has
previously been satisfied in cash, may obtain the release of the
Trust Amounts (but not the Trust Income thereon which may remain in
the Trust Account and
15
allocated to such Member or
Withdrawn Member) satisfying such Member’s or Withdrawn
Member’s Excess Holdback obligation, by pledging or otherwise
making available to the Company, on a first priority basis (except
as provided below), all or any portion of his Firm Collateral in
satisfaction of his Excess Holdback obligation. Any Member seeking
to satisfy all or any portion of the Excess Holdback utilizing Firm
Collateral may sign such documents and otherwise take such other
action as is necessary or appropriate (in the good faith judgment
of the Managing Member) to perfect a first priority security
interest in, and otherwise assure the ability of the Company to
realize on (if required), such Firm Collateral; provided, that in
the case of asset categories (3), (5) and (6) on the
books and records of the Company hereto, to the extent a first
priority security interest is unavailable because of an existing
lien on such Firm Collateral, the Member or Withdrawn Member
seeking to utilize such Firm Collateral shall grant the Company a
second priority security interest therein in the manner provided
above; provided further, that (x) in the case of asset
categories (3), (5) and (6) on the books and records of
the Company hereto, to the extent that neither a first priority nor
a second priority security interest is available, or (y) if
the Managing Member otherwise determines in its good faith judgment
that a security interest in Firm Collateral (and the corresponding
documents and actions) are not necessary or appropriate, the Member
or Withdrawn Member shall (in the case of either clause (x) or
(y) above) irrevocably instruct in writing the relevant
partnership, limited liability company or other entity listed on
Company’s books and records to remit any and all net proceeds
resulting from a Firm Collateral Realization on such Firm
Collateral to the Trustee(s) as more fully provided in clause
(B) below. The Company shall, at the request of any Member or
Withdrawn Member, assist such Member or Withdrawn Member in taking
such action necessary to enable such Member or Withdrawn Member to
use Firm Collateral as provided hereunder.
(B) If upon a sale or other
realization of all or any portion of any Firm Collateral (a “
Firm Collateral Realization ”), the remaining Firm
Collateral is insufficient to cover any Member’s or Withdrawn
Member’s Excess Holdback requirement, then up to 100% of the
net proceeds otherwise distributable to such Member or Withdrawn
Member from such Firm Collateral Realization (including
distributions subject to the repayment of financing sources like in
the case of asset categories (3), (5) and (6) on the
books and records of the Company hereto) shall be paid into the
Trust Account to fully satisfy such Excess Holdback requirement
(allocated to such Member or Withdrawn Member) and shall be deemed
to be Trust Amounts for purposes hereunder. Any net proceeds from
such Firm Collateral Realization in excess of the amount necessary
to satisfy such Excess Holdback requirement shall be distributed to
such Member or Withdrawn Member.
(C) Upon any valuation or
revaluation of Firm Collateral that results in a decreased
valuation of such Firm Collateral so that such Firm Collateral is
insufficient to cover any Member’s or Withdrawn
Member’s Excess Holdback requirement (including upon a Firm
Collateral Realization, if net proceeds therefrom and the remaining
Firm Collateral are insufficient to cover any Member’s or
Withdrawn Member’s Excess Holdback requirement), the Company
shall provide notice of the foregoing to such Member or Withdrawn
Member and such Member or Withdrawn Member shall, within 30 days of
receiving such notice, contribute cash (or additional Firm
Collateral) to the Trust Account in an amount necessary to satisfy
his Excess Holdback requirement. If any such Member or Withdrawn
Member defaults upon his obligations under this clause (C), then
Section 5.7(d)(ii) shall apply thereto; provided, that clause
(A) of the first sentence of Section 5.7(d)(ii) shall be
deemed inapplicable to a default under this clause (C); provided
further, that for purposes of applying Section 5.7(d)(ii) to a
default under this clause (C): (I) the term “Defaulting
Party” where such term appears in such Section
16
5.7(d)(ii) shall be construed
as “defaulting party” for purposes hereof and (II) the
terms “Net Recontribution Amount” and
“Recontribution Amount” where such terms appear in such
Section 5.7(d)(ii) shall be construed as the amount due
pursuant to this clause (C).
(vi) Any Member or Withdrawn
Member may (A) obtain the release of any Trust Amounts (but
not the Trust Income thereon which shall remain in the Trust
Account and allocated to such Member or Withdrawn Member) or Firm
Collateral, in each case, held in the Trust Account for the benefit
of such Member or Withdrawn Member or (B) require the Company
to distribute all or any portion of amounts otherwise required to
be placed in the Trust Account (whether cash or Firm Collateral),
by obtaining a letter of credit (an “ L/C ”) for
the benefit of the Trustee(s) in such amounts. Any Member or
Withdrawn Member choosing to furnish an L/C to the Trustee(s) (in
such capacity, an “ L/C Member ”) may deliver to
the Trustee(s) an unconditional and irrevocable L/C from a
commercial bank whose (x) short-term deposits are rated at
least A-1 by S&P and P-1 by Moody’s (if the L/C is for a
term of 1 year or less), or (y) long-term deposits are rated
at least A+ by S&P or A1 by Moody’s (if the L/C is for a
term of 1 year or more) (each a “ Required Rating
”). If the relevant rating of the commercial bank issuing
such L/C drops below the relevant Required Rating, the L/C Member
shall supply to the Trustee(s), within 30 days of such occurrence,
a new L/C from a commercial bank whose relevant rating is at least
equal to the relevant Required Rating, in lieu of the insufficient
L/C. In addition, if the L/C has a term expiring on a date earlier
than the latest possible termination date of BCOM, the Trustee(s)
shall be permitted to drawdown on such L/C if the L/C Member fails
to provide a new L/C from a commercial bank whose relevant rating
is at least equal to the relevant Required Rating, at least 30 days
prior to the stated expiration date of such existing L/C. The
Trustee(s) shall notify an L/C Member 10 days prior to drawing on
any L/C. The Trustee(s) may (as directed by the Company in the case
of clause (I) below) draw down on an L/C only if (I) such
a drawdown is necessary to satisfy an L/C Member’s obligation
relating to the Company’s obligations under the Clawback
Provisions or (II) an L/C Member has not provided a new L/C from a
commercial bank whose relevant rating is at least equal to the
relevant Required Rating (or the requisite amount of cash and/or
Firm Collateral (to the extent permitted hereunder)), at least 30
days prior to the stated expiration of an existing L/C in
accordance with this clause (vi). The Trustee(s), as directed by
the Company, shall return to any L/C Member his L/C upon
(1) the termination of the Trust Account and satisfaction of
the Company’s obligations, if any, in respect of the Clawback
Provisions, (2) an L/C Member satisfying his entire Holdback
obligation in cash and Firm Collateral (to the extent permitted
hereunder), or (3) the release, by the Trustee(s), as directed
by the Company, of all amounts in the Trust Account to the Members
or Withdrawn Members. If an L/C Member satisfies a portion of his
Holdback obligation in cash and/or Firm Collateral (to the extent
permitted hereunder) or if the Trustee(s), as directed by the
Company, release a portion of the amounts in the Trust Account to
the Members or Withdrawn Members in the Member Category of such L/C
Member, the L/C of an L/C Member may be reduced by an amount
corresponding to such portion satisfied in cash and/or Firm
Collateral (to the extent permitted hereunder) or such portion
released by the Trustee(s), as directed by the Company; provided,
that in no way shall the general release of any Trust Income cause
an L/C Member to be permitted to reduce the amount of an L/C by any
amount.
(vii)(A) Any in-kind
distributions by the Company relating
|