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Exhibit 2.4
EXECUTION VERSION
SEPARATION
AGREEMENT
by and among
CANTOR FITZGERALD,
L.P.,
BGC PARTNERS, LLC,
BGC PARTNERS,
L.P.,
BGC GLOBAL HOLDINGS,
L.P.,
and
BGC HOLDINGS, L.P.
Dated as of March 31,
2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page |
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ARTICLE I |
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DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION |
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SECTION 1.01
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Defined Terms
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1 |
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SECTION 1.02
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Other Definitions
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11 |
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SECTION 1.03
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Absence of Presumption
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12 |
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SECTION 1.04
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Headings
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12 |
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ARTICLE II |
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CONTRIBUTION |
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SECTION 2.01
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Contribution of Transferred
Assets
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12 |
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SECTION 2.02
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Assumption of Transferred
Liabilities
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14 |
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SECTION 2.03
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Actions to Effect the
Contribution
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15 |
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SECTION 2.04
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Closing
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15 |
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SECTION 2.05
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Title; Risk of Loss
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15 |
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SECTION 2.06
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Further Documentation
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15 |
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SECTION 2.07
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Other Actions in Connection with the
Contribution
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15 |
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ARTICLE III |
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NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES |
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SECTION 3.01
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No Representations or
Warranties
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17 |
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SECTION 3.02
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BGC Partners to Bear Risk
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17 |
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ARTICLE IV |
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COVENANTS |
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SECTION 4.01
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Further Assurances
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17 |
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SECTION 4.02
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Information
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19 |
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SECTION 4.03
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Production of Witnesses; Records;
Cooperation
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20 |
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SECTION 4.04
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Confidentiality
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21 |
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SECTION 4.05
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Protective Arrangements
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22 |
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SECTION 4.06
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Intercompany Agreements
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22 |
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SECTION 4.07
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Guarantee Obligations
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23 |
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SECTION 4.08
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Expenses
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23 |
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SECTION 4.09
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New BGC Partners
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23 |
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SECTION 4.10
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Commissions and Market Data;
Clearing
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23 |
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SECTION 4.11
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Reinvestments in the Opcos; Pre-Emptive
Rights
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24 |
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SECTION 4.12
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Distributions to Holders of BGC Partners
Common Stock
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28 |
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SECTION 4.13
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Intellectual Property License
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28 |
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ARTICLE V |
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SURVIVAL AND INDEMNIFICATION |
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SECTION 5.01
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Survival of Agreements
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29 |
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SECTION 5.02
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Indemnification by Cantor
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29 |
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SECTION 5.03
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Indemnification by BGC
Partners
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29 |
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SECTION 5.04
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Indemnification by the Opcos
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30 |
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SECTION 5.05
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Indemnification by Holdings
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30 |
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SECTION 5.06
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Notice of Indemnity Claim
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30 |
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SECTION 5.07
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Third-Party Claims
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30 |
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SECTION 5.08
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Mitigation
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32 |
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SECTION 5.09
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Allocation of Loss for Certain
Matters
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32 |
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SECTION 5.10
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Exclusive Remedies
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32 |
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SECTION 5.11
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Merger Agreement
Indemnification
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32 |
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ARTICLE VI |
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EMPLOYEE MATTERS |
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SECTION 6.01
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Transfer of Business
Employees
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32 |
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SECTION 6.02
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Termination of Founding
Partners
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33 |
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ARTICLE VII |
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TERMINATION |
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SECTION 7.01
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Termination
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33 |
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SECTION 7.02
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Effect of Termination
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33 |
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ARTICLE VIII |
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MISCELLANEOUS |
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SECTION 8.01
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Entire Agreement
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33 |
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SECTION 8.02
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Governing Law; Consent to
Jurisdiction
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33 |
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SECTION 8.03
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Amendment and Modification
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34 |
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SECTION 8.04
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Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party
Beneficiaries
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34 |
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SECTION 8.05
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Notices
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34 |
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SECTION 8.06
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Counterparts
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35 |
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SECTION 8.07
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Waivers of Default
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35 |
SEPARATION
AGREEMENT
This SEPARATION AGREEMENT,
dated as of March 31, 2008 (this
“Agreement” ), is by and among Cantor
Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (
“Cantor” ), BGC Partners, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company ( “BGC Partners” ),
BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “U.S.
Opco” ), BGC Global Holdings, L.P., a Cayman Islands
exempted limited partnership ( “Global Opco” ),
BGC Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (
“Holdings,” and together with Cantor, BGC
Partners, U.S. Opco and Global Opco, the
“Parties” and each, a “Party”
).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, Cantor is engaged
through certain of its Subsidiaries in the Inter-Dealer Brokerage
Business, the Market Data Business, and the Fulfillment Business
(such businesses, collectively referred to as the
“Transferred Businesses” and each, a
“Transferred Business” );
WHEREAS, the general partner
of Cantor has determined that it is in the best interests of Cantor
and its partners to separate the Transferred Businesses from the
other businesses of Cantor (the “Retained
Businesses” ) so that, as of the Closing Date, the
Transferred Businesses are held by BGC Partners through its two
operating subsidiaries, U.S. Opco and Global Opco, and the
Subsidiaries of U.S. Opco and Global Opco, and so that the Retained
Businesses are held by Cantor and its Subsidiaries (other than BGC
Partners and its Subsidiaries);
WHEREAS, to effect such
separation, Cantor desires to (and to cause its applicable
Subsidiaries to) contribute, convey, transfer, assign and deliver
to BGC Partners and its applicable Subsidiaries, and BGC Partners
desires to (and to cause its applicable Subsidiaries to) accept and
assume from Cantor and its applicable Subsidiaries, all of
Cantor’s and its Subsidiaries’ right, title and
interest in, to and under certain of the Assets and Liabilities
relating to the Transferred Businesses, in each case on the terms
and subject to the conditions of this Agreement (the
“Contribution” ); and
WHEREAS, the Parties are
entering into this Agreement to set forth the principal
transactions required to effect, and the principal terms and
conditions of, the Contribution.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth and
other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of
which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound
thereby, the Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS;
INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.01 Defined
Terms . For the purposes of this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
“Action”
means any action, claim, suit, litigation, proceeding (including
arbitral) or investigation.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any
Person, any other Person that directly, or through one or more
intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common
control with such Person; provided , however , that,
for purposes of this Agreement, as of and after the Closing, no
member of a Group shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of any member
of another Group as a result of the control relationship between
such members.
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the
preamble, and includes any amendments or modifications to this
Agreement after the date hereof.
“Ancillary
Agreements” means, collectively, the New U.S. Opco
Limited Partnership Agreement, the New Global Opco Limited
Partnership Agreement, the New Holdings Limited Partnership
Agreement, the Cantor Administrative Services Agreement, the Tower
Bridge Administrative Services Agreement, Registration Rights
Agreement and the Tax Receivable Agreement.
“Applicable
Law” means any Law applicable to any of the Parties or
any of their respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees,
properties or Assets.
“Asset”
means any asset, property, right, Contract and claim, whether real,
personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, of any kind, nature and
description, whether accrued, contingent or otherwise, and
wheresoever situated and whether or not carried or reflected, or
required to be carried or reflected, on the books of any
Person.
“BGC
Partners” has the meaning set forth in the preamble (it
being understood that, after the Merger, each reference to BGC
Partners in this Agreement shall refer to the Surviving
Company).
“BGC Partners
Class A Common Stock” means the Class A common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Partners.
“BGC Partners Class
B Common Stock” means the Class B common stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of BGC Partners.
“BGC Partners Class
C Common Stock” means the Class C common stock, par value
$0.01 per share, of BGC Partners.
“BGC Partners Common
Stock” means (a) prior to the Merger, the limited
liability company interests of BGC Partners; and (b) on and
after the Merger, the BGC Partners Class A Common Stock, the
BGC Partners Class B Common Stock and BGC Partners Class C Common
Stock, as applicable.
“BGC Partners
Group” means BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries (other
than Holdings and its Subsidiaries and the Opcos and their
respective Subsidiaries).
“BGC Partners
Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.02(a).
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“BGC Partners
Ratio” means, as of any time, the number equal to
(a) the aggregate number of U.S. Opco Units held by the BGC
Partners Group as of such time divided by (b) the
aggregate number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock issued and
outstanding as of such time.
“Business
Day” shall mean any day excluding Saturday, Sunday and
any day on which banking institutions located in New York, New York
are authorized or required by Applicable Law or other governmental
action to be closed.
“Business
Employee” means any individual who, immediately prior to
the Closing, is employed by, engaged directly and primarily in or,
after taking into account the services to be provided under the
Cantor Administrative Services Agreement and the Tower Bridge
Administrative Services Agreement, necessary for the conduct of a
Transferred Business (including any such individuals on short-term
or long-term disability leave or another approved leave of
absence), other than any individual employed by the Cantor
Companies primarily in a corporate function or executive level
position who performs services for the Cantor Companies, eSpeed and
BGC Partners Group.
“Cantor”
has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Cantor
Administrative Services Agreement” means the
Administrative Services Agreement between Cantor and BGC Partners,
substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A.
“Cantor
Companies” means Cantor and its Subsidiaries (other than
BGC Partners and any of its Subsidiaries). For the avoidance of
doubt, any Transferred Entity shall not be treated as a Cantor
Company after the Contribution.
“Cantor
Group” means Cantor and its Subsidiaries (other than any
member of the Holdings Group or the BGC Partners Group).
“Cantor
Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.03(a).
“Change of Control
of Cantor” means the consummation of any transaction
involving any purchase or acquisition (by merger, recapitalization
or otherwise) by a Person of (a) securities or contractual
rights entitling such Person to elect the general partner or a
majority of the governing body of Cantor, (b) the general
partnership interest of Cantor, or (c) all or substantially
all of the assets of Cantor and its Subsidiaries, taken together as
a whole; provided , however , that any such purchase
or acquisition shall not constitute a “Change of Control of
Cantor” if and so long as (i) any entity controlled by
Howard W. Lutnick shall be (or be entitled to elect) the general
partner or governing body of Cantor following such purchase or
acquisition, (ii) Howard W. Lutnick shall be the chief
executive officer or head of any division constituting or
containing substantially all of Cantor’s businesses following
such purchase or acquisition, or (iii) such purchase or
acquisition is by Howard W. Lutnick’s spouse, estate,
descendants, relatives or trust established for Howard W.
Lutnick’s benefit or for the benefit of his spouse, any of
his descendants or any of his relatives.
“Closing”
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04.
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“Closing
Date” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.04.
“Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any
successor statute thereto.
“Contingent
Obligation” means, as applied to any Person, any direct
or indirect liability of that Person with respect to any
Indebtedness, lease, dividend, guaranty, letter of credit or other
obligation, contractual or otherwise (the “ primary
obligation ”) of another Person (the “ primary
obligor ”), whether or not contingent, (a) to
purchase, repurchase or otherwise acquire such primary obligations
or any property constituting direct or indirect security therefor,
(b) to advance or provide funds (i) for the payment or
discharge of any such primary obligation, or (ii) to maintain
working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or
otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency or any balance
sheet item, level of income or financial condition of the primary
obligor, or (c) to purchase property, securities or services
primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary
obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of
such primary obligation. The amount of any Contingent Obligation
shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable
amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such
Contingent Obligation is made or, if not stated or determinable,
the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect
thereof.
“Contract”
means any agreement, contract, obligation, license, lease, promise
or undertaking (whether written or oral and whether express or
implied).
“Contribution” has the meaning set forth in
the recitals.
“Copyrights” means any foreign or United
States copyright registrations and applications for registration
thereof, and any non-registered copyrights.
“Covered
Information” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.04(a).
“Current Market
Price” means, as of any date: (a) if shares of BGC
Partners Class A Common Stock are listed on an internationally
recognized stock exchange, the average of the closing price per
share of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock on each of the 10
consecutive trading days ending on such date, (it being understood
that such price shall be appropriately adjusted in the event that
there is a stock dividend or stock split during such
10-consecutive-trading-day period) or (b) if shares of BGC
Partners Class A Common Stock are not listed on an
internationally recognized stock exchange, the fair value of a
share of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock as agreed in good
faith by Cantor and the Audit Committee of BGC Partners.
“Distribution
Rights” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.07(c).
“Effective
Time” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.05.
“Election”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.11(b)(iv).
“eSpeed”
means eSpeed, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Excluded
Assets” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.01(b).
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“Excluded
Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.02(b).
“Founding
Partners” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.7(c).
“Fulfillment
Business” means the business of providing Clearance,
Settlement and Fulfillment Services (as defined in the Joint
Services Agreement).
“Global
Opco” has the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
“Global Opco Group
Percentage Interest” means “Group Percentage
Interest” as defined in the New Global Opco Limited
Partnership Agreement.
“Global Opco Limited
Partnership Interest” means the “Limited
Partnership Interest” as defined in the New Global Opco
Limited Partnership Agreement.
“Global Opco Regular
Limited Partnership Interests” means “Regular
Limited Partnership Interests” as defined in the New Global
Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.
“Global Opco Regular
Partnership Units” means “Regular Partnership
Units” as defined in the New Global Opco Limited Partnership
Agreement.
“Global Opco
Units” means “Units” as defined in the New
Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.
“Governmental
Authority” means the government of any nation, state,
city, locality or other political subdivision thereof, any entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or
administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including,
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and any
corporation or other entity owned or controlled, through stock or
capital ownership or otherwise, by any of the foregoing.
“Group”
means the Cantor Group, the BGC Partners Group, the Opco Group and
the Holdings Group, as applicable.
“Holdings”
has the meaning set forth in the preamble.
“Holdings
Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest” means an
“Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest” as defined
in the New Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement.
“Holdings Founding
Partner Interests” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.7(c).
“Holdings
Group” means Holdings and its Subsidiaries (other than
any member of the Opco Group).
“Holdings
Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.02(c).
“Holdings Limited
Partnership Interest” means “Limited Partnership
Interest” as defined in the New Holdings Limited Partnership
Agreement.
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“Holdings
Ratio” means, as of any time, the number equal to
(a) the aggregate number of U.S. Opco Units held by the
Holdings Group as of such time divided by (b) the
aggregate number of Holdings Units issued and outstanding as of
such time.
“Holdings
Units” means “Units” as defined in the New
Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person,
(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money
(including reimbursement and all other obligations with respect to
surety bonds, letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances,
whether or not matured), (b) all obligations of such Person to
pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, except
trade accounts payable and accrued commercial or trade liabilities
arising in the ordinary course of business, (c) all interest
rate and currency swaps, caps, collars and similar agreements or
hedging devices under which payments are obligated to be made by
such Person, whether periodically or upon the happening of a
contingency, (d) all indebtedness created or arising under any
conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to
property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and
remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event
of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property),
(e) all obligations of such Person under leases which have
been or should be, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, recorded as
capital leases, (f) all indebtedness secured by any Lien
(other than Liens in favor of lessors under leases other than
leases included in clause (e)) on any property or asset owned
or held by that Person regardless of whether the indebtedness
secured thereby shall have been assumed by that Person or is
non-recourse to the credit of that Person, and (g) any
Contingent Obligation of such Person.
“Indebtedness
Guarantee” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.02(b)(ii).
“Indemnifiable
Losses” means all after-Tax Liabilities suffered or
incurred by an Indemnitee, including any reasonable fees, costs or
expenses of enforcing any indemnity hereunder; provided ,
however , that “ Indemnifiable Losses ”
shall not include any Special Damages except if and to the extent
awarded in an Action involving a Third Party Claim against such
Indemnitee.
“Indemnitee” means any of the Cantor
Indemnitees, the BGC Partners Indemnitees, the U.S. Opco
Indemnitees, the Global Opco Indemnitees and the Holdings
Indemnitees, as the case may be.
“Information” means all information, whether
or not patentable or copyrightable, in written, oral, electronic or
other tangible or intangible forms, stored in any medium, including
studies, reports, records, books, Contracts, instruments, surveys,
discoveries, ideas, concepts, know how, techniques, designs,
specifications, drawings, blueprints, diagrams, models, prototypes,
samples, flow charts, data, computer data, disks, diskettes, tapes,
computer programs or other software, marketing plans, customer
names, communications by or to attorneys, memos and other materials
prepared by attorneys or under their direction (including attorney
work product), and other technical, financial, legal, employee or
business information or data.
“Insurance
Proceeds” means amounts (a) received by an insured
from an insurance carrier; (b) paid by an insurance carrier on
behalf of the insured; or (c) received
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(including by way of set-off) from any
third party in the nature of insurance, contribution or
indemnification in respect of any Liability, in each of cases (a),
(b) and (c), net of any applicable premium adjustments
(including reserves and retrospectively rated premium adjustments)
and net of any costs or expenses incurred in the collection
thereof.
“Intellectual
Property” means, collectively, all Copyrights, Patents,
Trade Secrets, Trademarks, Internet Assets, Software and other
proprietary rights.
“Inter-Dealer
Brokerage Business” means the voice brokerage services of
Cantor and the Cantor Subsidiaries, including the business of
providing voice brokerage services to wholesale, inter-dealer
markets in a broad range of products and services, including
brokerage services for fixed income securities, foreign exchange,
asset-backed securities, interest rate swaps and derivatives and
access to trading services from eSpeed, Cantor’s U.S.-based
electronic trading platform, the non-U.S. business of acting as a
broker in sovereign debt securities, Eurobonds, securities
repurchase agreements, interest rate swaps, interest rate options,
asset swaps, spot and forward foreign exchange, currency options,
credit derivatives, base metal derivatives, equity derivatives and
exchange traded financial futures and option Contracts for dealers
and institutions worldwide, the business of acting as an
introducing broker, name-passing broker or in a principal activity,
and the business of certain limited dealing (proprietary trading
services); provided , however , that “
Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business ” shall not include
(i) the business of transactions in environmental brokerage
services and the businesses conducted by Cantor CO2e, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company, and CantorCO2e Brokerage, L.P.,
a Delaware limited partnership, and their respective Subsidiaries
(including the business of delivering market-based solutions in
environmental brokerage, emissions neutral solutions, trading and
risk management tolls and advice and market making information and
the business of operating electronic trading markets for products
related to the mitigation of greenhouse gasses and related
activities and providing brokerage information, and the business of
providing consulting services relating to the emission or
mitigation of greenhouse gasses, renewable energy and related
issues), and (ii) the equity derivatives inter-dealer
brokerage business of the Equities Division of Cantor.
“Internet
Assets” means any Internet domain names and other
computer user identifiers and any rights in and to sites on the
worldwide web, including rights in and to any text, graphics, audio
and video files and html or other code incorporated in such
sites.
“Joint Services
Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Joint Services
Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2005, by and between Cantor
and eSpeed, as amended.
“Law”
means any federal, state, local, municipal or foreign (including
supranational) law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment,
order, injunction, decree, arbitration award, agency requirement,
license or permit of any Governmental Authority.
“Liabilities” means any and all losses,
liabilities, claims, charges, debts, demands, actions, causes of
action, suits, damages, fines, penalties, offsets, obligations,
payments, costs and expenses, sums of money, bonds, indemnities and
similar obligations, covenants, Contracts, controversies,
agreements, promises, omissions, guarantees, make whole agreements
and similar obligations, and other liabilities, including all
contractual obligations, whether absolute or
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contingent, inchoate or otherwise,
matured or unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, accrued or
unaccrued, known or unknown, whenever arising, and including those
arising under any Law, Action or threatened or contemplated Action
(including the costs and expenses of demands, assessments,
judgments, settlements and compromises relating thereto and
attorneys’ fees and any and all costs and expenses reasonably
incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any such
Actions or threatened or contemplated Actions), order or consent
decree of any Governmental Authority or any award of any arbitrator
or mediator of any kind, and those arising under any Contract,
commitment or undertaking, including those arising under this
Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, in each case, whether or not
recorded or reflected or required to be recorded or reflected on
the books and records or financial statements of any
Person.
“License”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.13.
“Lien”
means, whether arising under any Contract or otherwise, any debts,
claims, security interests, liens, encumbrances, pledges,
mortgages, retention agreements, hypothecations, rights of others,
assessments, restrictions, voting trust agreements, options, rights
of first offer, proxies, title defects, and charges or other
restrictions or limitations of any nature whatsoever.
“Market Data
Business” means the market data services of Cantor, BGC
Partners and their respective Subsidiaries with respect to the
business of providing market data arising from transactions (other
than transactions executed on a futures or securities exchange or
other market) in the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business.
“Merger
Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated
as of May 29, 2007, among BGC Partners, Holdings, eSpeed, U.S.
Opco and Global Opco.
“Merger”
means the merger of BGC Partners and eSpeed set forth in the Merger
Agreement.
“New BGC
Partners” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.10(a).
“New BGC Partners
Merger” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.10(c).
“New BGC Partners
Sub” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.10(b).
“New Global Opco
Limited Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and
Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Global Holdings,
L.P., substantially in the form attached as Exhibit
B.
“New Holdings
Limited Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and
Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, L.P.,
substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C.
“New U.S. Opco
Limited Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and
Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Partners, L.P.,
substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D.
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“Notice”
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.11(b)(iii).
“Opco
Group” means U.S. Opco, Global Opco and their respective
Subsidiaries (including, after the Closing, any Transferred
Entities that are Subsidiaries of U.S. Opco and Global
Opco).
“Opco
Indemnitees” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.02(b).
“Opcos”
means, jointly and severally, U.S. Opco and Global Opco.
“Parties”
and “Party” have the meanings set forth in the
preamble.
“Patents”
means any foreign or United States patents and patent applications,
including any divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part,
substitutions or reissues thereof, whether or not patents are
issued on such applications and whether or not such applications
are modified, withdrawn or resubmitted.
“Percentage
Adjustment” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.11(b)(i).
“Person”
means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, trust,
incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint
stock company, limited liability company, Governmental Authority or
other entity of any kind, and shall include any successor (by
merger or otherwise) of such entity.
“Per Unit
Price” means, as of any time, the quotient obtained by
dividing the Current Market Price as of such time by the BGC
Partners Ratio as of such time.
“Pre-Contribution
Loan” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.07(e).
“Purchase
Consideration” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.11(b)(iv).
“Purchase
Right” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.11(b)(i).
“Purchase Right
Party” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.11(b)(i).
“Receiving
Party” has the meaning set forth in
Section 4.11(b)(i).
“Registration Rights
Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement in the
form attached hereto as Exhibit E.
“Representatives” has the meaning set forth
in Section 4.04(a).
“Retained
Business” has the meaning set forth in
recitals.
“Select
Persons” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.07(d).
“Software”
means any computer software programs, source code, object code,
data and documentation, including, without limitation, any computer
software programs that incorporate and run the BGC Partners’
pricing models, formulae and algorithms.
9
“Special Allocation
Losses” means all out-of-pocket Liabilities actually
suffered or incurred by a Party, including any reasonable fees,
costs or expenses of enforcing any indemnity hereunder.
“Special
Damages” means any special, indirect, incidental,
punitive or consequential damages whatsoever, including damages for
lost profits and lost business opportunities or damages calculated
based upon a multiple of earnings approach or variant
thereof.
“Subsidiary” of any Person means, as of the
relevant date of determination, any other Person of which 50% or
more of the voting power of the outstanding voting equity
securities or 50% or more of the outstanding economic equity
interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such first
Person.
“Surviving
Company” means the surviving entity in the
Merger.
“Taxes”
means any federal, state, provincial, county, local, foreign and
other taxes (including, without limitation, income, profits,
windfall profits, alternative or add-on, minimum, accumulated
earnings, environmental, personal holding company, capital stock,
capital gains, premium, estimated, excise, stamp, registration,
sales, use, license, occupancy, occupation, gross receipts,
franchise, ad valorem, severance, capital levy, production,
transfer, withholding, employment, unemployment compensation,
social security (or similar), payroll and property taxes, import
duties and other governmental charges and assessments), whether or
not measured in whole or in part by net income, and including
deficiencies, interest, additions to tax or interest, and penalties
with respect thereto.
“Tax Receivable
Agreement” means the Tax Receivable Agreement between
Cantor and BGC Partners, to be entered into pursuant to the terms
set forth on Exhibit F.
“Tax
Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for
refund or information return or statement filed or required to be
filed with any taxing authority relating to Taxes, including any
schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment
thereof.
“Third-Party
Claim” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.07(a).
“Tower
Bridge” shall mean Tower Bridge International Services
L.P., a U.K. limited partnership.
“Tower Bridge
Administrative Services Agreement” means the
Administrative Services Agreement between Tower Bridge and BGC
Partners, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit
G.
“Trademarks” means any foreign or United
States trademarks, service marks, trade dress, trade names, brand
names, designs and logos, corporate names, product or service
identifiers, whether registered or unregistered, and all
registrations and applications for registration thereof.
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“Trade
Secrets” means any trade secrets, research records,
business methods, processes, procedures, manufacturing formulae,
technical know-how, technology, blue prints, designs, plans,
inventions (whether patentable and whether reduced to practice),
invention disclosures and improvements thereto.
“Transferred
Assets” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.01(a).
“Transferred
Business” and “Transferred Businesses”
have the meanings set forth in the recitals.
“Transferred
Business Employees” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.01.
“Transferred
Entities” means any Person, where a majority of the
equity interest of such Person is part of the Transferred Assets,
and any Subsidiary of such Person.
“Transferred
Liabilities” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.02(a).
“U.S.
GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting
principles in effect from time to time.
“U.S.
Opco” has the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
“U.S. Opco Group
Percentage Interest” means “Group Percentage
Interest” as defined in the New U.S. Opco Limited Partnership
Agreement.
“U.S. Opco Limited
Partnership Interest” means the “Limited
Partnership Interest” as defined in the New U.S. Opco Limited
Partnership Agreement.
“U.S. Opco Regular
Limited Partnership Interests” means “Regular
Limited Partnership Interests” as defined in the New U.S.
Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.
“U.S. Opco Regular
Partnership Units” means “Regular Partnership
Units” as defined in the New Global Opco Limited Partnership
Agreement.
“U.S. Opco
Units” means “Units” as defined in the New
U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.
SECTION 1.02 Other
Definitions. Wherever required by the context of this
Agreement, the singular shall include the plural and vice versa,
and the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter
genders and vice versa, and references to any agreement, document
or instrument shall be deemed to refer to such agreement, document
or instrument as amended, supplemented or modified from time to
time. When used herein:
(a) the word “
or ” is not exclusive unless the context clearly
requires otherwise;
(b) the word “
control ” (including, with correlative meanings, the
terms “ controlled by ” and “ under
common control with ”), as used with respect to any
Person, means
11
the direct or indirect possession of the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management or
policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by Contract or otherwise;
(c) the words “
including ,” “ includes ,” “
included ” and “ include ” are
deemed to be followed by the words “ without
limitation ”;
(d) the terms “
herein ,” “ hereof ” and “
hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to
this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section,
paragraph or subdivision; and
(e) all section, paragraph or
clause references not attributed to a particular document shall be
references to such parts of this Agreement, and all exhibit, annex
and schedule references not attributed to a particular document
shall be references to such exhibits, annexes and schedules to this
Agreement.
Section 1.03 Absence
of Presumption. This Agreement shall be construed without
regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or
interpretation against the Party drafting or causing any instrument
to be drafted.
Section 1.04 Headings.
The section and article headings contained in this Agreement are
inserted for convenience of reference only and will not affect the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. All references to
Sections or Articles contained herein mean Sections or Articles of
this Agreement unless otherwise stated.
ARTICLE II
CONTRIBUTION
SECTION 2.01
Contribution of Transferred Assets. (a) At the Closing,
and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, including
Section 2.01(b), Cantor will contribute, convey, transfer,
assign and deliver, or cause one or more of its Subsidiaries to
contribute, convey, transfer, assign and deliver, to BGC Partners
or one or more of its Subsidiaries in a manner that is expected to
be Tax-free to each of BGC Partners, its Subsidiaries and the
Transferred Entities, and BGC Partners or one or more of its
Subsidiaries will acquire and accept from Cantor or its applicable
Subsidiaries, all of the right, title and interest of Cantor or its
applicable Subsidiaries in, to and under the following Assets
(collectively, the “ Transferred Assets ”)
(other than any of the following to the extent it is an Excluded
Asset):
(i) Equity Interests.
The equity interests set forth on Schedule 2.01(a)(i)
;
(ii) Contracts . The
Contracts set forth on Schedule 2.01(a)(ii) and employment
agreements with any Transferred Business Employee;
(iii) Certain Rights under
the Joint Services Agreement . All of Cantor’s rights and
obligations under Sections 3 and 4 of the Joint Services Agreement
to the extent related to the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business,
including its rights and
12
obligations in respect of
Clearance, Settlement and Fulfillment Services to the extent
related to the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business;
(iv) Intellectual
Property . All Intellectual Property primarily related to the
Transferred Business, including the Intellectual Property set forth
on Schedule 2.01(a)(iv) ;
(v) Books and Records
. All books and records (other than Tax Returns), files, papers,
tapes, disks, manuals, keys, reports, plans, catalogs, sales and
promotional materials, and all other printed and written materials,
to the extent available and primarily related to the Transferred
Business; and
(vi) Permits and
Licenses. All permits or licenses issued by any Governmental
Authority to the extent primarily related to the Transferred
Business and permitted by Applicable Law to be
transferred.
(b) Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cantor and its
Subsidiaries will retain ownership of the following Assets, which
Assets shall be excluded from the Transferred Assets and shall not
be contributed, conveyed, transferred, assigned or delivered
hereunder (collectively, the “Excluded Assets”
):
(i) Cash and Cash
Equivalents . All cash, cash equivalents and marketable
securities (including any cash, cash equivalents and marketable
securities held by any Transferred Entity), except for cash
borrowed pursuant to the Pre-Contribution Loan;
(ii) Litigation Claims;
Insurance Recoveries. Any litigation claim or insurance
recovery relating to the matters set forth on Schedule
2.01(b)(ii) , and any insurance policy and Insurance Proceeds
covering any Excluded Asset or any Excluded Liability;
(iii) Equity Interests
. Any equity interest set forth on Schedule 2.01(b)(iii)
;
(iv) Intellectual
Property. All Intellectual Property or hardware of Cantor and
any of its Subsidiaries not primarily used in the Transferred
Business, including any rights (ownership, licensed or otherwise)
to use the mark “Cantor” or “Cantor
Fitzgerald” name and any other trademarks, service marks,
brand names, Internet domain names, logos, trade dress, trade
names, corporate names and other indicia of origin, and any
derivatives of the foregoing, and all registrations and
applications for registration of any of the foregoing, in each
case, not primarily related to the Transferred Business, and all
goodwill associated with and symbolized by the
foregoing;
(v) Books and Records.
All books, records and other data that cannot, without unreasonable
effort or expense, be separated from books and records maintained
by Cantor or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with businesses
other than the Transferred Businesses or to the extent that such
books, records and other data relate to
13
Excluded Assets, Excluded
Liabilities or Business Employees who do not become Transferred
Business Employees, and all personnel files and records;
and
(vi) Retained Business
. Any Asset relating to a Retained Business (other than any Asset
set forth in clauses (i) through (vi) of
Section 2.01(a)).
SECTION 2.02
Assumption of Transferred Liabilities. (a) From and
after the Closing, BGC Partners and its applicable Subsidiaries
will assume and be liable for (or cause the appropriate member or
members of the Opco Group to assume and be liable for), and will
pay, perform and discharge (or will cause the appropriate member or
members of the Opco Group to pay, perform and discharge) as they
become due, all of the Liabilities set forth in this
Section 2.02(a), other than any Excluded Liability
(collectively, the “Transferred Liabilities”
):
(i) Transferred Assets;
Transferred Business. All Liabilities primarily relating to,
arising from or in connection with any Transferred Business or any
Transferred Asset, regardless of when or where such Liability
arose, whether the facts on which they are based occurred prior to
or subsequent to the Closing Date, and regardless of where or
against whom such Liability is asserted or determined;
(ii) Certain Obligations
under the Joint Services Agreement . All of Cantor’s
Liabilities under Sections 3 and 4 of the Joint Services Agreement
primarily related to the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business, including
Liabilities related to its rights and obligations in respect of
Clearance, Settlement and Fulfillment Services primarily related to
the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business;
(iii) Employee
Liabilities. All Liabilities primarily relating to, arising
from or in connection with the Transferred Business Employees and
their employment, including all compensation, benefits, severance,
workers’ compensation and welfare benefit claims (it being
understood that Liabilities under (A) insured welfare benefit
arrangements maintained by the Cantor Companies in which the BGC
Partners and its subsidiaries participate and (B) the eSpeed,
Inc. Deferred Plan for Employees of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and its
Affiliates) shall be assumed (1) on the same basis as such
Liabilities have historically been allocated to the BGC Partners
and its subsidiaries in the ordinary course prior to the Closing
Date and (2) otherwise to the same extent as applied to BGC
Partners and its subsidiaries in their capacity as participating
employers under such arrangements prior to the Closing Date) and
other employment-related Liabilities primarily arising from or
relating to the conduct of any Transferred Business; and
(iv) Indebtedness .
The Indebtedness set forth on Schedule 2.02(a)(iv)
.
BGC Partners’ obligations under
this Section 2.02(a) shall in no way derogate from the
obligations of Cantor under the Merger Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, Cantor and its
Subsidiaries will retain and be liable for, and will pay, perform
and discharge as they become due, the following Liabilities and
obligations, and such Liabilities and obligations shall not be
assumed by BGC Partners or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to this
Agreement and shall be excluded from the Transferred Liabilities
(collectively, the “Excluded Liabilities”
):
14
(i) Liabilities Relating
to Excluded Assets or Retained Business. Any Liability of
Cantor or any of its Subsidiaries to the extent relating to any
Excluded Asset or any Retained Business (other than any Liability
set forth in clauses (i) through (v) of
Section 2.02(a));
(ii) Indebtedness
Guarantee . Any guarantee by a member of the Cantor Group to a
third party in respect of the Indebtedness set forth on Schedule
2.02(b)(ii) (such guarantee, the “Indebtedness
Guarantees” ); and
(iii) Other Excluded
Liabilities. The Liabilities set forth on Schedule
2.02(b)(iii).
SECTION 2.03 Actions
to Effect the Contribution. The Parties acknowledge and agree
that the Contribution shall be effected in accordance with the
steps set forth on Schedule 2.03 , and that effecting the
Contribution in accordance with such steps is intended to result in
a Tax-free transfer to each of BGC Partners, its Subsidiaries and
the Transferred Entities. If, prior to such Contribution, either
Cantor or BGC Partners concludes that any of the steps set forth on
Schedule 2.03 will result in a material amount of Taxes to
any of BGC Partners, its Subsidiaries or the Transferred Entities,
Cantor shall restructure such Contribution to minimize any such
Taxes to each of BGC Partners, its Subsidiaries and the Transferred
Entities in respect of each of the steps set forth on Schedule
2.03.
SECTION 2.04
Closing. The closing of the Contribution (the
“Closing” ) shall take place at 6 p.m., New
York, New York time, on March 31, 2008 (the
“Closing Date” ), at the offices of Wachtell,
Lipton, Rosen & Katz, 51 West 52nd Street, New York,
New York 10019.
SECTION 2.05 Title;
Risk of Loss. Title, risk of loss and/or responsibility with
respect to, each Transferred Asset and Transferred Liability shall
transfer from Cantor and its applicable Subsidiaries to BGC
Partners and its applicable Subsidiaries at 6 p.m., New York
time, on the Closing Date (the “Effective Time”
).
SECTION 2.06 Further
Documentation. At the Closing, the Parties shall execute and
deliver, and shall cause their appropriate Subsidiaries to execute
and deliver, one or more agreements of assignment and assumption
and/or bills of sale or such other instruments of transfer as
Cantor may request for the purpose of effectuating the
Contribution.
SECTION 2.07 Other
Actions in Connection with the Contribution.
(a) Transfer of Assets to
Tower Bridge . Concurrently with, prior to or after the
Effective Time, Cantor shall have or will contribute, convey,
transfer, assign and deliver, or cause one or more of its
Subsidiaries to contribute, convey, transfer, assign and deliver,
to Tower Bridge, and Tower Bridge shall have acquired and accepted
or will acq
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