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Exhibit
10.16
BLACKSTONE MEZZANINE
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES L.L.C.
SECOND AMENDED AND
RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF MAY 31,
2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Pages |
| ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS |
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1 |
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| 1.1 |
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Definitions |
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1 |
| 1.2 |
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Terms
Generally |
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10 |
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| ARTICLE II GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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10 |
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| 2.1 |
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Managing,
Regular and Special Members |
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10 |
| 2.2 |
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Continuation; Name; Foreign Jurisdictions |
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11 |
| 2.3 |
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Term |
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11 |
| 2.4 |
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Purpose;
Powers. |
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11 |
| 2.5 |
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Place of
Business |
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12 |
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| ARTICLE III MANAGEMENT |
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12 |
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| 3.1 |
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Managing
Member. |
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12 |
| 3.2 |
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Member
Voting, etc. |
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13 |
| 3.3 |
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Management |
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13 |
| 3.4 |
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Responsibilities of Members. |
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13 |
| 3.5 |
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Exculpation and Indemnification. |
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14 |
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| ARTICLE IV CAPITAL OF THE COMPANY |
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15 |
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| 4.1 |
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Capital
Contributions by Members. |
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15 |
| 4.2 |
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Interest |
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21 |
| 4.3 |
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Withdrawals of Capital |
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21 |
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| ARTICLE V PARTICIPATION IN PROFITS AND LOSSES |
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21 |
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| 5.1 |
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General
Accounting Matters. |
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21 |
| 5.2 |
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Capital
Accounts. |
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22 |
| 5.3 |
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Profit
Sharing Percentages. |
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23 |
| 5.4 |
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Allocations of Net Income (Loss). |
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23 |
| 5.5 |
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Liability
of Members |
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24 |
| 5.6 |
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Repurchase Rights, etc. |
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24 |
| 5.7 |
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Distributions. |
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24 |
| 5.8 |
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Business
Expenses |
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30 |
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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 |
| 6.2 |
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Withdrawal of Members. |
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31 |
| 6.3 |
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Company
Interests Not Transferable. |
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31 |
| 6.4 |
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Consequences upon Withdrawal of a Member. |
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32 |
| 6.5 |
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Satisfaction and Discharge of a Withdrawn Member’s
Interest. |
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32 |
| 6.6 |
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Dissolution of the Company |
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36 |
| 6.7 |
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Certain
Tax Matters. |
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37 |
| 6.8 |
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Special
Basis Adjustments |
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38 |
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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 |
| 7.2 |
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Ownership
and Use of the Company Name |
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39 |
| 7.3 |
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Written
Consent |
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39 |
| 7.4 |
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Letter
Agreements; Schedules |
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39 |
| 7.5 |
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Governing
Law; Separability of Provisions |
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40 |
| 7.6 |
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Successors and Assigns; Third Party Beneficiaries |
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40 |
| 7.7 |
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Confidentiality |
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40 |
| 7.8 |
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Notices |
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40 |
| 7.9 |
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Counterparts |
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40 |
| 7.10 |
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Power of
Attorney |
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41 |
| 7.11 |
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Member’s Will |
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41 |
| 7.12 |
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Cumulative Remedies |
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41 |
| 7.13 |
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Legal
Fees |
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41 |
| 7.14 |
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Entire
Agreement |
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41 |
BLACKSTONE MEZZANINE
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES L.L.C.
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT of Blackstone Mezzanine
Management Associates L.L.C. (the “Company”), dated as
of May 31, 2007, by and among Blackstone Holdings II 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.
WITNESSETH:
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 March 22, 1999;
WHEREAS, the original limited
liability company agreement of the Company was executed as of
March 19, 1999 (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 October 22, 1999, 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 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.
“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.
“BCP” means the
collective reference to Blackstone Capital Partners L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership, and any other 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
the collective reference to 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 other 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 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 other investment vehicle or structure
formed to invest in lieu thereof (in whole or in part).
“BFMEZP” means
Blackstone Family Mezzanine Partnership L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership.
“BMEZA” means
Blackstone Mezzanine Associates L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership.
“BMEZCA” means
Blackstone Mezzanine Capital Associates L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership, and any other partnership with terms substantially
similar to the terms set forth in the BMEZCA Partnership Agreement
and formed in connection with the participation by one or more
partners of BMEZCA in investments in Securities issued by non-U.S.
Issuers.
“BMEZCA Partnership
Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Blackstone Mezzanine Capital Associates
L.P., to be dated as of a date on or about the Initial Fund Closing
Date, as amended from time to time, and any other BMEZCA
partnership agreement.
“BMEZH” means
Blackstone Mezzanine Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership.
“BMEZP” means
(i) Blackstone Mezzanine Partners L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership, (ii) any other Parallel Funds or other
Supplemental Capital Vehicles (each as defined in the BMEZP
Partnership Agreement), or (iii) any other investment vehicle
established pursuant to Article 2 of the partnership agreement for
the partnership referred to in clause (i) above.
“BMEZP
Investment” means the Company’s indirect interest in a
specific BMEZP investment pursuant to the BMEZP Partnership
Agreement in its capacity as an indirect partner of BMEZP, but does
not include any direct or indirect investment by the Company on a
side-by-side basis in any BMEZP investment.
“BMEZP Partnership
Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership
Agreement, to be dated as a date on or about the Initial Fund
Closing Date, of the partnership referred to in clause (i) of
the definition of “BMEZP” in this Article I, and any
other BMEZP partnership agreement.
“BREP I” means
(i) Blackstone Real Estate Partners I L.P., Blackstone Real
Estate Partners Two L.P. (formerly known as Blackstone Real Estate
Partners II L.P.), Blackstone Real Estate Partners III L.P.
(formerly known as Blackstone Real Estate Partners III L.P.) and
Blackstone Real Estate Partners IV L.P., each a Delaware limited
partnership, (ii) any other investment vehicle established
pursuant to Article 2 of the respective partnership agreements for
any of the partnerships referred to in clause (i) above and
(iii) any investment vehicle formed to co-invest with the
partnerships referred to in clause (i) above using third party
capital and that potentially pays a Carried Interest.
2
“BREP II” means
(i) Blackstone Real Estate Partners II L.P., Blackstone Real
Estate II.TE.1 L.P., Blackstone Real Estate Partners II.TE.2 L.P.,
Blackstone Real Estate Partners II.TE.3 L.P., Blackstone Real
Estate Partners II.TE.4 L.P., and Blackstone Real Estate Partners
II.TE.5 L.P., each a Delaware limited partnership, (ii) any
other investment vehicle established pursuant to Article 2 of the
respective partnership agreements for any of the partnerships
referred to in clause (i) above (including “REITs”
and the general partnerships in which they invest), and
(iii) Supplemental Capital Vehicles (as defined in the BREP II
Partnership Agreement) formed in connection with any investments
made thereby.
“BREP III” means
(i) Blackstone Real Estate Partners III L.P., Blackstone Real
Estate Partners III.TE.1 L.P., Blackstone Real Estate Partners
III.TE.2 L.P. and Blackstone Real Estate Partners III.TE.3 L.P.,
each a Delaware limited partnership, (ii) any other Parallel
Funds or other Supplemental Capital Vehicles (each as defined in
the BREP III Partnership Agreement), and (iii) any other
investment vehicle established pursuant to Article 2 of the
respective partnership agreements for any of the partnerships
referred to in clause (i) above.
“Carried
Interest” shall mean (i) “Carried Interest
Distributions” (as defined in the BMEZP Partnership
Agreement) (or distributions to the general partner of BMEZP
pursuant to similar provisions of investment vehicles formed after
the date hereof) and (ii) any other carried interest
distributions to the general partner of BMEZP pursuant to the BMEZP
Partnership 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
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).
“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, any Other Fund
GPs or their affiliates, excluding Holdings, 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,
any Other Fund GP or their Affiliates (in any capacity), excluding
Holdings, 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, Other Fund GPs or their Affiliates 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 or partners of the Company, any of
the Other Fund GPs or their Affiliates.
“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.
3
“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 5.7(a)(ii).
“Class B
Interest” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(a)(ii).
“Clawback Adjustment
Amount” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(e)(ii)(C).
“Clawback Amount”
shall mean the “Clawback Amount” as set forth in
Article One of the BMEZP Partnership Agreement, and any other
clawback amount payable to the limited partners of BMEZP pursuant
to any BMEZP Partnership Agreement, as applicable.
“Clawback
Provisions” shall mean paragraph 9.2.8 of the BMEZP
Partnership Agreement and any other similar provisions in any other
BMEZP Partnership 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.
4
“Commitment”,
with respect to any Member, has the meaning set forth in such
Member’s Commitment Agreement or SMD Agreement.
“Commitment
Agreement” shall mean a commitment agreement by which a
Member has committed to fund certain amounts with respect to the
BMEZP Investments and certain expenses of BMEZP.
“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(e)(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 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)(ii).
“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 5.7(e)(i)(E).
“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 (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).
“Firm Collateral
Realization” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1(d)(v)(B).
5
“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 BMEZP Partnership Agreement.
“Giveback
Provisions” shall mean paragraph 3.4.3 of the BMEZP
Partnership Agreement and any other similar provisions in any other
BMEZP Partnership 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 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 Fund Closing
Date” means the initial closing date under the BMEZP
Partnership Agreement.
“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, including any BMEZP
Investments.
“Investor Special
Member” means any Special Member so designated by the
Managing Member at the time of its admission as a Member of the
Company.
6
“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.
“Loss Amount” has
the meaning set forth in Section 5.7(e)(i)(A).
“Loss Investment”
has the meaning set forth in Section 5.7(e).
“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 5.7(e)(i)(C).
“Net Carried Interest
Distribution Recontribution Amount” has the meaning set forth
in Section 5.7(e).
“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.
7
“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.
“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 BMEZA, BMEZCA, and any other entity through which any Member,
Withdrawn Member or any other person directly receives any amounts
of Carried Interest, and any successor thereto; provided, that this
includes 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, any estate
planning vehicle established for the benefit of family members of
any Member or any member or partner of any Other Fund GP shall be
considered an “Other Fund GP” for purposes hereof;
provided further, that the foregoing exclusion of such estate
planning vehicles shall in no way limit such Members’
obligations pursuant to Section 5.7(e).
“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 Percentage that
specifically refers to Net Income unrelated to BMEZP 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(e)(i).
“Regular Member”
shall mean any Member, excluding the Managing Member and any
Special Member.
“Repurchase
Period” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(c).
“Required
Amounts” has the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2(a)(ii).
“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.
8
“Securities”
means any debt or equity securities of an Issuer and its
subsidiaries and other Controlled Entities constituting part of an
Investment, including without limitation common and preferred stock
and interests in limited partnerships (including warrants, rights,
put and call options and other options relating thereto or any
combination thereof), notes, bonds, debentures, trust receipts and
other obligations, instruments or evidences of indebtedness, choses
in action, other property or interests commonly regarded as
securities, interests in real property, whether improved or
unimproved, interests in oil and gas properties and mineral
properties, short-term investments commonly regarded as
money-market investments, bank deposits and interests in personal
property of all kinds, whether tangible or intangible.
“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 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 Company’s
books and records.
“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 Corporation, and any successor
thereto.
“Subject
Investment” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(e).
“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 of a date on October 22,
1999, as amended to date, the Trustee(s) and certain other persons
that may receive distributions in respect of or relating to Carried
Interest from time to time as amended from time to time.
“Trust Amount”
has the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement.
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“Trust Income”
has the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement.
“Trustee(s)” has
the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement.
“Unadjusted Carried
Interest Distributions” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.7(e)(i)(B).
“Unallocated
Percentage” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.3(b).
“Unrealized Net Income
(Loss)” attributable to any BMEZP Investment as of any date
means the Net Income (Loss) that would be realized by the Company
with respect to such BMEZP Investment if BMEZP’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 BMEZP to the Company (indirectly) pursuant to the BMEZP
Partnership Agreement with respect to such BMEZP 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 (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 subject to any written agreements between
a Member and the Company or an affiliate thereof, 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 . (a) The Members may be Managing Members,
Regular Members or Special Members (including Nonvoting Special
Members and Investor Special Members). The Managing Member as of
the date hereof is Holdings. 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.
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2.2 Continuation; Name;
Foreign Jurisdictions . The Company was heretofore formed and
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 Mezzanine Management Associates 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 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, 2049, unless
earlier dissolved and its affairs wound up in accordance with this
Agreement.
2.4 Purpose; Powers
.
(a) The purposes of the
Company shall be, directly or indirectly through subsidiaries or
affiliates, to (i) serve as a general partner of BMEZA, BMEZCA
and Blackstone MM Capital Commitment Partners L.P. and perform the
functions of the general partner specified in the BMEZA Partnership
Agreement and a general partner as specified in the BMEZCA
Partnership Agreement and the limited partnership agreement of
Blackstone MM Capital Commitment Partners L.P., (ii) serve as
a general partner or limited partner of other partnerships,
(iii) 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, the
BMEZA Partnership Agreement, the BMEZCA Partnership Agreement and
the limited partnership agreement of Blackstone MM Capital
Commitment Partners L.P., and (iv) 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;
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(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 an office and principal place of
business at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154 or such other
place or places as the Managing Member may designate from time to
time. The Company shall maintain a registered office at The
Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, New Castle County,
Wilmington, Delaware 19801. 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 a 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,
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or (iii) becomes the subject of a
Final Event. A 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 last remaining Managing
Member, all of the powers formerly 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.
(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 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 (including
Section 7.4).
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.
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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 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
14
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 equal to the Required
Amounts as determined by the Managing Member from time to time;
provided, that (i) such additional capital contributions may
be made pro rata among the Regular Members based upon the
allocation of the Carried Interest in each BMEZP Investment by the
Managing Member and (ii) additional 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 5.7(e)) shall be determined by the
Managing Member; provided further, that the Managing Member may
excuse any Nonvoting Special Member from making Required Amounts as
provided in the books and records of the Company. Special Members
shall not be required to make additional capital contributions to
the Company 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) 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 but excluding any Members that are
also executive officers of The Blackstone Group L.P.) to make a
required capital contribution to the Company in installments in
kind, in each case on terms (including valuation of contributed
property in the case of in kind contributions permitted by the
Managing Member) determined by the Managing Member.
(d) (i) Pursuant to the Trust
Agreement, certain amounts of the distributions relating to the
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
15
Managing Member may determine, as set
forth below, the percentage of each distribution 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”).
(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 may 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 increase 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 may 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 may not be increased or decreased
without its prior written consent; provided further ,
that a Subject Member’s Holdback Percentage may 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 or Special Limited Partner of BMEZA shall not vote to
increase a Subject Member’s Holdback Percentage unless such
voting Member or Special Limited Partner determines, in his good
faith judgment, that the facts and circumstances
indicate
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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.
(B) A Holdback Vote shall
take place at a Company meeting. Each Regular Member or Special
Limited Partner of BMEZA 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 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.
(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 shall 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, shall obtain the release of the
Trust Amounts (but not the Trust Income thereon which shall remain
in the Trust Account and
17
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 Company’s books and
records, in which partners/members are permitted to pledge their
interests therein to finance all or a portion of their capital
contributions thereof (“ 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) to the extent that neither a first priority nor a
second priority security interest in Pledgable Blackstone Interests
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 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 items (5) and (6) in the Company’s
books and records) 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 unde
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