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Exhibit
10.15
BLACKSTONE MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATES IV L.L.C.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF MAY 31,
2007
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page |
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
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1 |
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1.1.
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Definitions
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1 |
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1.2.
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Terms Generally
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9 |
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ARTICLE II GENERAL PROVISIONS
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9 |
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2.1.
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Managing, Regular and Special
Members
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9 |
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2.2.
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Formation; Name; Foreign
Jurisdictions
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9 |
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2.3.
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Term
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9 |
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2.4.
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Purposes; Powers
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10 |
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2.5.
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Place of Business
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11 |
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ARTICLE III MANAGEMENT
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11 |
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3.1.
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Managing Member
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11 |
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3.2.
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Member Voting, etc
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11 |
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3.3.
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Management
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12 |
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3.4.
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Responsibilities of Members
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12 |
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3.5.
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Exculpation and
Indemnification
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12 |
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ARTICLE IV CAPITAL OF THE
COMPANY
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14 |
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4.1.
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Capital Contributions by
Members
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14 |
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4.2.
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Interest
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20 |
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4.3.
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Withdrawals of Capital
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20 |
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ARTICLE V PARTICIPATION IN PROFITS AND
LOSSES
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20 |
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5.1.
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General Accounting Matters
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20 |
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5.2.
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Capital Accounts
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22 |
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5.3.
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Profit Sharing Percentages
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22 |
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5.4.
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Allocations of Net Income
(Loss)
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23 |
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5.5.
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Liability of Members
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24 |
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5.6.
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[Intentionally omitted.]
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24 |
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5.7.
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Repurchase Rights, etc
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24 |
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5.8.
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Distributions
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24 |
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5.9.
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Business Expenses
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29 |
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ARTICLE VI ADDITIONAL MEMBERS;
WITHDRAWAL OF MEMBERS; SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF COMPANY
INTERESTS; TERMINATION
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30 |
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6.1.
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Additional Members
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30 |
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6.2.
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Withdrawal of Members
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31 |
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6.3.
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Company Interests Not
Transferable
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31 |
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6.4.
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Consequences upon Withdrawal of a
Member
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32 |
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6.5.
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Satisfaction and Discharge of a
Withdrawn Member’s Interest
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32 |
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6.6.
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Dissolution of the Company
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36 |
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6.7.
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Certain Tax Matters
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37 |
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6.8.
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Special Basis Adjustments
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38 |
-i-
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ARTICLE VII MISCELLANEOUS
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38 |
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7.1.
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Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of
Jury Trial
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38 |
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7.2.
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Ownership and Use of the Company
Name
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39 |
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7.3.
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Written Consent
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39 |
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7.4.
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Letter Agreements; Schedules
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39 |
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7.5.
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Governing Law; Separability of
Provisions
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40 |
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7.6.
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Successors and Assigns
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40 |
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7.7.
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Confidentiality
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40 |
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7.8.
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Notices
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40 |
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7.9.
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Counterparts
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40 |
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7.10.
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Power of Attorney
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40 |
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7.11.
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Member’s Will
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41 |
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7.12.
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Cumulative Remedies
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41 |
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7.13.
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Legal Fees
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41 |
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7.14.
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Entire Agreement
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41 |
-ii-
BLACKSTONE MANAGEMENT
ASSOCIATES IV L.L.C.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT of Blackstone Management
Associates IV 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 August 16, 2001;
WHEREAS, the original limited
liability company agreement of the Company was executed as of
August 16, 2001 (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 November 9, 2001, 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 as
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 it may be further amended and restated from
time to time.
“ Alternative
Vehicle ” means any investment vehicle or structure
formed pursuant to paragraph 2.7 of the BCP IV Partnership
Agreement or any other “Alternative Vehicle” (as
defined in any other BCP IV 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 in the books and records of the Company
with respect thereto.
“ BCA IV ”
means Blackstone Capital Associates IV 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.
“ BCA IV Partnership
Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Blackstone Capital Associates IV L.P., dated
as of the date hereof, as it may be amended from time to
time.
“ BCCP IV
” means Blackstone Capital Commitment Partners IV L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership and a capital partner in BCP
IV.
“ 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, any investment vehicle established
pursuant to paragraph 2.7 of such partnership's partnership
agreement, Blackstone Offshore Capital Partners II L.P., a Cayman
Islands exempted limited partnership, and any investment vehicle
established pursuant to paragraph 2.7 of such partnership’s
partnership agreement.
“ BCP III
” means Blackstone Capital Partners III Merchant Banking Fund
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Blackstone Offshore Capital
Partners III L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership,
and any investment vehicle established pursuant to
paragraph 2.7 of the respective partnership agreement of
either of such partnerships.
“ BCP IV ”
is the collective reference to Blackstone Capital Partners IV L.P.,
a Delaware limited partnership, and any Alternative Vehicle
relating thereto and any Parallel Fund.
“ BCP IV
Agreements ” is the collective reference to the BCP IV
Partnership Agreement and any agreement of any Parallel Fund and
the similar agreements of any Alternative Vehicles.
“ BCP IV
Investment ” means the Company's interest in a specific
BCP IV investment pursuant to the BCP IV Agreements in its capacity
as the general partner of BCP IV, but does not include any direct
investment by the Company on a side-by-side basis in any BCP IV
investment.
“ BCP IV Partnership
Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Blackstone Capital Partners IV L.P., dated
as of the date hereof, as it may be amended from time to
time.
“ BFIP IV
” means collectively, Blackstone Family Investment
Partnership IV - A L.P. and Blackstone Family Investment
Partnership IV - B L.P., each a Delaware limited
partnership.
“ Blackstone Capital
Commitment ” has the meaning set forth in the BCP IV
Agreements.
“ Blackstone
Co-Investment Rights ” has the meaning set forth in the
BCP IV Agreements.
“ Carried
Interest ” shall mean (i) “ Carried
Interest Distributions ” as defined in the BCP IV
Partnership Agreement, and (ii) any other carried interest
distribution to a Fund GP pursuant to any BCP IV Agreement. In the
case of each 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 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 amongst all or any portion
of the Investments as it determines in good faith is
appropriate).
2
“ Carried Interest
Give Back Percentage ” shall mean, for any Member or
Withdrawn Member, subject to Section 5.8(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 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 5.8(a)(i).
“ Class B
Interest ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(a)(i).
3
“ Clawback
Amount ” shall mean the “Clawback Amount
” as set forth in Article One of the BCP IV Partnership
Agreement and any other clawback amount payable to the limited
partners of BCP IV pursuant to any BCP IV Agreement, as
applicable.
“ Clawback
Adjustment Amount ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(e).
“ Clawback
Provisions ” shall mean paragraph 9.2.8 of the BCP IV
Partnership Agreement and any other similar provisions in any other
BCP IV Agreement existing heretofore or hereafter entered
into.
“ 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
”, with respect to any Member, has the meaning set forth in
such Member’s Commitment Agreement or SMD
Agreement.
“ 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 contributions
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 5.8(d).
“ 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 JPMorgan Chase Bank, a New York banking
corporation, as its prime rate and (b) 5%, or (ii) the
highest rate of interest permitted under applicable law.
“ Deficiency
Contribution ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(d)(ii)(A).
“ Disposable
Investment ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(a)(i).
“ 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).
“ Excess Tax-Related
Amount ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(e)(i)(C).
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 in the books and
records of the Company; provided , that for all purposes
hereof (and any other agreement ( e.g. , 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 Sections 4.1(d)(v)-(viii).
“ 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)(vii)(B) with respect to Special Firm
Collateral.
“ Fiscal Year
” shall mean a calendar year, or any other period chosen by
the Managing Member.
“ Fund GP
” means the Company and the Other Fund GPs.
“ GAAP ”
has the meaning specified in Section 5.1.
“ Giveback
Amount ” shall mean the aggregate of the
“Investment - Related Giveback Amount” and “Other
Giveback Amount” as such terms are defined in the BCP IV
Partnership Agreement.
“ Giveback
Provisions ” shall mean paragraph 3.4.3 of the BCP IV
Partnership Agreement and any other similar provisions in any other
BCP IV Agreement existing heretofore or hereafter entered
into.
“ 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 forth 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).
5
“ 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,
including any BCP IV Investments.
“ Investor Special
Member ” means 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
Act.
“ Loss Amount
” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(e).
“ Loss
Investment ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(e).
“ 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.
“ Managing
Member ” has the meaning specified in the preamble
hereto.
“ Member ”
means any person who is a member of the Company, including the
Regular Members, the Managing Member 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 Carried
Interest Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(e).
“ Net Carried
Interest Distribution Recontribution Amount ” has the
meaning set forth in Section 5.8(e).
6
“ Net Income
(Loss) ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.1(a).
“ Net Recontribution
Amount ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(d)(i)(A).
“ Non-Contingent
” means generally not subject to repurchase rights or other
requirements.
“ 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.
“ Nonvoting Special
Member ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1(a).
“ Other Fund GPs
” means any entity (other than the Company) through which any
Member or Withdrawn Member directly receives any amounts of Carried
Interest and any successor thereto; provided , that this
includes BCA IV 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 Holdings, the general partner of BCA IV, any
estate planning vehicle established for the benefit of family
members of any Member or any partner of BCA IV 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
BCP IV 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(c)) 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 BCP IV 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 5.8(d).
“ Regular Member
” shall mean any Member, excluding the Managing Member and
any Special Member.
“ Repurchase
Period ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(b).
7
“ Required
Amounts ” 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 Nonvoting
Special 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 in
the books and records of the Company.
“ Special Firm
Collateral Realization ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(vii)(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
Investment ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(d)(i).
“ 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 of
November 9, 2001, as amended to date, among the Members, the
Trustee(s) and certain other persons that may receive distributions
in respect of or relating to Carried Interest 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).
“ Unadjusted Carried
Interest Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.8(d)(i)(B).
8
“ Unrealized Net
Income (Loss) ” attributable to any BCP IV Investment as
of any date means the Net Income (Loss) that would be realized by
the Company with respect to such BCP IV Investment if BCP
IV’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(d)) and all
distributions payable by BCP IV to the Company pursuant to the BCP
IV Agreements with respect to such BCP IV 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(d)).
“ Withdraw
” or “ Withdrawal ” with respect to a
Member means a Member ceasing to be a member of the Company (except
as a Retaining Withdrawn Member) 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).
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 . The Members may be Managing Members, Regular
Members or Special Members (including Investor Special Members).
The Managing Member as of the date hereof is Holdings and the
Regular Members as of the date hereof are those persons shown as
Regular Members on the signature pages hereof, and the Special
Members as of the date hereof are persons shown as Special Members
on the signature pages hereof.
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
Management Associates IV 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). The Managing Member is further authorized
to execute and 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 until December 31, 2051, unless
earlier dissolved and its affairs wound up in accordance with this
Agreement.
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2.4. Purposes; Powers
. (a) The purposes of the Company shall be, directly or
indirectly through subsidiaries or affiliates, (i) to serve as
a general partner of BCP IV and perform the functions of general
partner specified in the BCP IV Agreements, (ii) to serve as a
general partner or limited partner of other partnerships, including
Alternative Vehicles and any Parallel Fund, (iii) to serve as
the general partner of BFIP IV and perform the functions of the
general partner specified in BFIP IV’s partnership
agreements, and serve as the general partner of BCCP IV and perform
the functions of the general partner specified in BCCP IV’s
partnership agreement, (iv) to 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 BCP IV Agreements, and (v) to 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;
(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;
10
(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. The Managing
Member may from time to time change the registered agent or office
by an amendment to the certificate of formation of the
Company.
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 (as defined in the BCP IV Agreements). 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
may be called only by the Managing Member.
11
(b) Except 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 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
management, control and operation of 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 (including outside
directorships or trusteeships) shall be subject to such rules and
regulations as are established by the Managing Member from time to
time.
(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 (other than any act
or omission constituting Cause), 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
12
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 (other than claims, demands, actions, suits or
proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative,
arising out of any act or omission of such Covered Person
constituting Cause); 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 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.
(c) Tax Representation
. Each Regular and Special Member certifies that (A) if the
Member is a United States person (as defined in the Code)
(x) (i) the Member’s name, social security number
(or, if applicable, employer identification number) and address
provided to the Company and its affiliates pursuant to an IRS Form
W-9, Payer’s Request for Taxpayer Identification Number
Certification (“ W-9 ”) or otherwise are correct
and (ii) the Member will complete and return a W-9, and
(y) (i) the Member is a United States person (as defined
in the Code) and (ii) the Member will notify the Company
within 60 days of a change to foreign (non-United States) status or
(B) if the Member is not a United States person (as defined in
the Code) (x) (i) the information on the completed IRS
Form W-8BEN,
13
Certificate of Foreign Status of
Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding (“
W-8BEN ”) or other applicable form, including but not
limited to IRS Form W-8IMY, Certificate of Foreign Intermediary,
Foreign Partnership, or Certain U.S. Branches for United States Tax
Withholding (“ W-8IMY ”), or otherwise is
correct and (ii) the Member will complete and return the
applicable IRS form, including but not limited to a W-8BEN or
W-8IMY, and (y) (i) the Member is not a United States
person (as defined in the Code) and (ii) the Member will
notify the Company within 60 days of any change of such status. The
Member agrees to properly execute and provide to the Company in a
timely manner any tax documentation that may be reasonably required
by the Company or the Managing Member.
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 BCP IV Investment (the " Required Amounts
") 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 in excess of the
Required Amounts 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 5.8(d)) shall be determined by the Managing
Member in its sole discretion. 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
or as determined by the Managing Member; provided , that the
Managing Member and any Special Member may agree from time to time
that such Special Member shall 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 but excluding any Members that are
also 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 ”).
14
(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) or (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.
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(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. |
15
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(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 the Subject
Member shall 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. |
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(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
16
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 shall remain in the Trust Account and 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 shall 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 entities listed in the books
and records of the Company, in which Members are permitted to
pledge their interests therein to finance all or a portion of their
capital contributions thereto (“ Pledgable Blackstone
Interests ”), 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 Pledgable Blackstone
Interests, 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 in
the books and records of the Company 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.
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(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 as in the case of Pledgable
Blackstone Interests) 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. |
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(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
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17
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5.8(d)(ii) shall apply
thereto; provided , that clause (A) of the first
sentence of Section 5.8(d)(ii) shall be deemed inapplicable to
a default under this clause (C); provided further , that for
purposes of applying Section 5.8(d)(ii) to a default under
this clause (C): (I) the term “Defaulting Party”
where such term appears in such Section 5.8(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 5.8(d)(ii) shall be construed as the amount due
pursuant to this clause (C).
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(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 ”) shall 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 BCP IV, 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)
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