UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):   

     April 1, 2008

BGC Partners, Inc.

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

     Delaware

  0-28191       13-4063515
(State of other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

      Identification No.)

499 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022

 

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:   

(212) 610-2200

eSpeed, Inc., 110 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022

 

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-2)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


INTRODUCTORY NOTE

On April 1, 2008, BGC Partners, LLC (formerly known as BGC Partners, Inc.) merged (the “ Merger ”) with and into eSpeed, Inc. (“ eSpeed ”). The surviving corporation in the Merger was renamed “BGC Partners, Inc.,” which we refer to as the “ Company ” or the “ Combined Company .” The Merger occurred pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007 and February 1, 2008 (as amended, the “ Merger Agreement ”), by and among eSpeed, BGC Partners, LLC (formerly known as BGC Partners, Inc.), Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. (“ Cantor ”), BGC Partners, L.P. (“ BGC U.S. ”), BGC Global Holdings, L.P. (“ BGC Global ,” and collectively with BGC U.S., the “ Opcos ”) and BGC Holdings, L.P. (“ BGC Holdings ”), which was approved and adopted by the eSpeed stockholders at a special meeting held on March 14, 2008.

Unless otherwise specified, references to “ we ,” “ us ,” “ our ,” or the “ Company ” refer to eSpeed before the Merger and to the Combined Company after the Merger, and references to “ BGC Partners ” refers to BGC Partners, LLC before the Merger and to the Combined Company after the Merger.

ITEM 1.01.  Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information set forth in Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01. In connection with the closing of the Merger (the “ Merger Closing ”), and pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, Cantor, BGC Holdings and the Opcos entered into several agreements as described below:

1.     The Separation Agreement

On March 31, 2008, prior to the Merger Closing, Cantor, BGC Holdings and the Opcos entered into a Separation Agreement, pursuant to which Cantor separated (the “ Separation ”) its inter-dealer brokerage business, market data business, and fulfillment business (the “ BGC Businesses ”) from the remainder of its businesses. In the Separation, Cantor contributed the BGC Businesses to the Opcos, with the U.S. portion of the BGC Businesses held by BGC U.S. and the non-U.S. portion of the BGC Businesses held by BGC Global. Cantor now holds interests in the Opcos through a combination of its equity interest in BGC Partners and its equity interest in BGC Holdings. The Separation was an initial step to combining BGC Partners and eSpeed in the Merger. The Separation Agreement is filed as Exhibit 2.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

2.     Related Agreements

At or prior to the closing of the Separation on March 31, 2008, or the Merger Closing on April 1, 2008, the applicable parties entered into additional agreements and a participation plan, including:

 

   

the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “BGC Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement”);


   

the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC U.S., dated as of March 31, 2008;

 

   

the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Global, dated as of March 31, 2008;

 

   

the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between BGC Partners and Cantor;

 

   

the Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of March 6, 2008, by and among Cantor and BGC Partners;

 

   

the Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2007, by and among Tower Bridge International Services L.P., BGC International and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.;

 

   

the Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between BGC Partners and Cantor; and

 

   

the BGC Holdings Participation Plan.

These agreements are filed as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

The Company also entered into a License Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2008, with Cantor. The License Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.10 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

3.     $150 Million Indebtedness

In connection with the Separation, BGC U.S. assumed the liabilities of Cantor in respect of $150 million aggregate principal amount of Cantor’s Senior Notes due April 1, 2010 (the “Notes”). The Notes are unsecured. The terms of the Notes are set forth in a Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “ Note Agreement ”). The obligations of BGC U.S. under the Notes have been guaranteed by the Company pursuant to a Guaranty, dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “ Company Guaranty ”), and by Cantor pursuant to a Guaranty, dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “ Cantor Guaranty ”). Pursuant to a letter agreement between Cantor and the Company dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “ Letter Agreement ”), Cantor has agreed to immediately reimburse the Company in the event the Company pays any amount under the Company Guaranty. The Note Agreement, the Company Guaranty and the Letter Agreement are filed as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

Note Agreement

The Notes bear interest, payable semi-annually, at a rate of 5.19% per annum; provided, however, that this rate is increased by 0.25% per annum for any fiscal quarter during

 

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which the consolidated debt of the Company exceeds 55% but not 60% of consolidated capitalization, as such terms are defined in the Company Guaranty. In addition, the interest rate increases by 0.50% per annum during any period in which any holder of a Note is required under applicable insurance regulations to post reserves with respect to the Notes greater than the reserve requirement, as such term is defined in the Note Agreement, in effect immediately prior to March 31, 2008. Pursuant to the Separation Agreement, the Company will make semi-annual payments to Cantor during the term of the Notes equal to the difference between 7.5% and the applicable interest rate of the Notes.

The Note Agreement contains customary affirmative covenants, including covenants pertaining to compliance with law, maintenance of insurance, maintenance of properties and payment of taxes.

In addition, the Note Agreement prohibits BGC U.S. from consolidating with or being a party to a merger with any other person, or selling, leasing or otherwise disposing of all or substantially all of its assets except in limited circumstances.

The Note Agreement also contains covenants restricting transactions between BGC U.S. and affiliates, the ability of BGC U.S. to change its line of business or to modify its constituent documents in any manner that would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to a holder of the Notes.

The events of default under the Note Agreement include the following:

 

   

default in the payment of any principal or make-whole amount on any Note when due;

 

   

default in the payment of any interest on a Note for more than five business days;

 

   

default in the performance of covenants subject to applicable grace periods;

 

   

breaches of representations or warranties;

 

   

default in the payment in respect of any other indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount of at least $25,000,000 beyond any applicable grace period, or default in the performance or compliance with any term respecting such debt, if as a consequence such debt becomes due and payable before its stated maturity;

 

   

BGC U.S., the Company or Cantor fail to generally pay their debts as they become due or certain other bankruptcy events occur;

 

   

a final judgment in excess of $25,000,000 (excluding insurance coverage) is rendered against BGC U.S., the Company or Cantor;

 

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defaults pertaining to Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the credit parties’ employee plans;

 

   

BGC U.S. ceases to exist; or

 

   

default under the Company Guaranty or the Cantor Guaranty.

The Note Agreement provides that in the event of a change in control, BGC U.S. must extend to each holder of Notes an offer to prepay all Notes. A change in control shall be deemed to occur if (1) any person acquires the beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any outstanding class of capital stock having ordinary voting power in the election of directors of Cantor’s managing general partner, (2) the control group (as such term is defined in the Note Agreement) ceases to own and control capital stock of Cantor’s managing general partner possessing the voting power to cast 70% or more of the total votes entitled to be cast for the election of directors of Cantor’s managing general partner, (3) the control group ceases to possess the voting power or the contractual right to elect a majority of Cantor’s managing general partner’s directors, or (4) Cantor’s managing general partner ceases to be the sole managing general partner of Cantor. In any case, a change in control shall not be deemed to have occurred under clauses (1), (2), or (3) above so long as within thirty days of any of the foregoing events, a majority of the board of directors of Cantor’s managing general partner shall consist of at least two then current permitted executives (as such term is defined in the Note Agreement) who were also permitted executives immediately prior to the change in control.

Company Guaranty

The obligations of BGC U.S. under the Notes have been guaranteed by the Company. The Company Guaranty provides that the Company must maintain consolidated capital at an amount not less than $227,500,000 as of the end of each fiscal quarter. The Company Guaranty further provides that the Company will not at any time permit the consolidated debt of the Company to exceed 60% of consolidated capitalization; provided, however, that if the consolidated debt of the Company exceeds 55%, then the applicable interest rate of the Notes will be increased by 0.25% per annum, as described above.

The Company Guaranty also contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including covenants pertaining to compliance with law, maintenance of insurance, maintenance of properties, payment of taxes and limitations on liens. In addition, the Company Guaranty prohibits the Company from consolidating with or being a party to a merger with any other person, or selling, leasing or otherwise disposing of all or substantially all of its assets, except in limited circumstances.

Pursuant to the Letter Agreement described above, Cantor has agreed to immediately reimburse the Company in the event the Company pays any amount under the Company Guaranty.

 

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Cantor Guaranty

The obligations of BGC U.S. under the Notes have been guaranteed by Cantor. The Cantor Guaranty contains financial covenants regarding maintenance of a minimum level of partners’ capital and leverage ratios.

The Cantor Guaranty also contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including covenants pertaining to compliance with law, maintenance of insurance, maintenance of properties, payment of taxes and limitations on liens. In addition, the Cantor Guaranty prohibits Cantor from consolidating with or being a party to a merger with any other person, or selling, leasing or otherwise disposing of all or substantially all of its assets, except in limited circumstances.

4.     Employment Arrangements

The information set forth in Sections 2 and 3 of Item 5.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K are incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

ITEM 1.02.  Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.02. At the Merger Closing, the Amended and Restated Joint Services Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2005, by and between the Company and Cantor, pursuant to which the Company provided electronic brokerage services and shared revenues with Cantor for transactions using such services and the Administrative Services Agreement between the Company and Cantor, pursuant to which Cantor provided various administrative services to the Company, including accounting tax, legal, human resources and facilities management, were terminated.

In addition, the CO2e Services Agreement, certain Software Solutions services provided by eSpeed to Cantor, BGC Partners and CO2e.com, LLC and the license between Cantor and eSpeed covering Cantor’s patents and patent applications that relate to the eSpeed system were each terminated at the Merger Closing, as described in eSpeed’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) on March 17, 2008 (the “ Form 10-K ”) in the sections entitled “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—CO2e,” “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Software Solutions Services” and “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Intellectual Property.” These sections of the Form 10-K are incorporated by reference into this Item 1.02.

 

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ITEM 2.01.  Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

The information set forth in “Introductory Note” and in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K are incorporated by reference into this Item 2.01.

The Merger Closing occurred on April 1, 2008. As a result of the Merger, the combined businesses of eSpeed and BGC Partners are held in two operating subsidiaries: (1) BGC U.S., which holds the U.S. businesses, and (2) BGC Global, which holds the non-U.S. businesses. In connection with the Merger, the Company contributed its assets and liabilities to BGC U.S. and BGC Global in exchange for limited partnership interests in these entities. As a result of this contribution, the Company received limited partnership interests in each of these entities.

In the Merger, an aggregate of 133,860,000 shares of Combined Company common stock and rights to acquire shares of Combined Company common stock were issued. Of these shares and rights to acquire shares, 56,000,000 were in the form of Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“ Class B Common Stock ”), or rights to acquire Class B Common Stock, and the remaining 77,860,000 were in the form of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“ Class A Common Stock ,” together with the Class B Common Stock, the “ Common Stock ”)), or rights to acquire Class A Common Stock. Specifically, in the Merger, Cantor elected to have 10,856,642 of the BGC Partners Class B units converted in the Merger into our Class A Common Stock, and as a result:

 

   

none of the BGC Partners Class A units were outstanding immediately prior to the Merger;

 

   

each of the BGC Partners Class B units, 21,968,971 of which were outstanding immediately prior to the Merger, were converted into 10,856,642 shares of our Class A Common Stock, and 11,112,329 of our Class B Common Stock;

 

   

all of the issued and outstanding shares of our Class A Common Stock, 31,424,423 of which were issued and outstanding as of April 1, 2008, and our Class B Common Stock, 19,497,800 of which were issued and outstanding as of April 1, 2008, remained outstanding;

 

   

the one BGC Partners Class C unit which was issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger was converted into 100 shares of our Class B Common Stock;

 

   

the 67,069,530 BGC Holdings exchangeable limited partnership interests which were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger became exchangeable with us for Class B Common Stock or Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments) in accordance with the terms of the BGC Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement;

 

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the 44,821,399 BGC Holdings founding partner interests which were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger will not be exchangeable with us unless otherwise determined by Cantor in accordance with the terms of the BGC Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement, and Cantor has provided that a portion of the founding partner interests are exchangeable with us for Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments) in accordance with the terms of the BGC Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement on the basis described below.

Immediately following the Merger Closing:

 

   

the stockholders of the Company as of immediately prior to the Merger (including Cantor) owned equity interests representing approximately 39.8% of the economics of BGC U.S. and BGC Global as a result of their ownership of eSpeed’s Common Stock prior to the Merger; and

 

   

the equity owners of BGC U.S. and BGC Global as of immediately prior to the Merger (including Cantor and the BGC Holdings founding partners) owned equity interests representing approximately 60.2% of the economics of BGC U.S. and BGC Global as a result of their ownership of BGC Partners and its subsidiaries prior to the Merger.

Immediately following the Merger Closing, there were approximately 42,281,065 shares of our Class A Common Stock outstanding, of which 12,407,700 were held by Cantor and its managing general partner collectively. Each share of Class A Common Stock is generally entitled to one vote on matters submitted to our stockholders. In addition, as of the Merger Closing, Cantor and its managing general partner collectively held 30,610,229 shares of our Class B Common Stock (which represents all of the outstanding shares of our Class B Common Stock), representing, together with our Class A Common Stock held by Cantor, approximately 91.5% of our voting power. Each share of Class B Common Stock is generally entitled to the same rights as a share of Class A Common Stock, except that, on matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, each share of Class B Common Stock is entitled to 10 votes. The Class B Common Stock generally votes together with the Class A Common Stock on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders. In connection with the Separation and Merger, Cantor agreed to distribute, over time, an aggregate of 30,273,913 shares of Combined Company Class A Common Stock, that Cantor holds or will hold, to certain limited partners in Cantor and the BGC Holdings founding partners.

Immediately following the Merger Closing, Cantor held 67,069,530 outstanding BGC Holdings exchangeable limited partnership interests and the BGC Holdings founding partners held 44,821,399 outstanding BGC Holdings founding partner interests, including 3,160,215 held by the Combined Company’s Co-Chief Executive Officer, Lee M. Amaitis (including 1.1 million additional BGC Holdings founding partner interests provided by Cantor to Mr. Amaitis after the redemption of the Cantor limited partnership interests), and 2,515,898 held by the Combined Company’s President, Shaun D. Lynn (including 200,000 additional BGC Holdings founding partner interests provided by Cantor to Mr. Lynn after the redemption of the Cantor limited partnership interests). The Combined Company’s Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Howard W. Lutnick, the Combined Company’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Stephen M. Merkel, and the Combined Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Robert K. West, are not BGC Holdings founding partners and have not received BGC Holdings founding partner interests.

 

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The BGC Holdings founding partner interests that Cantor has provided are exchangeable with us for Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments), in accordance with the terms of the BGC Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement, as follows:

 

   

20% of the BGC Holdings founding partner interests held by each founding partner (other than Messrs. Amaitis and Lynn) became exchangeable upon the Merger Closing, with one-third of the shares receivable by such BGC Holdings founding partner upon a full exchange becoming saleable on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the Merger Closing (subject to acceleration), subject to applicable law;

 

   

(1) 1,100,000 of the BGC Holdings founding partner interests held by Mr. Amaitis at Merger Closing became exchangeable upon the Merger Closing, (2) 40% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests received by Mr. Amaitis in connection with the Separation and the Merger (less the 1,100,000 BGC Holdings founding partner interests referred to in clause (1) and any other interests or shares of Class A Common Stock that Mr. Amaitis is otherwise eligible to exchange or sell or has sold for any reason, including, without limitation, in connection with any grant of additional interests or stock options (collectively, the “ Amaitis Applicable Shares ”)) will become exchangeable on the second anniversary of the Merger Closing, (3) 60% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the Amaitis Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the third anniversary of the Merger Closing, (4) 80% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the Amaitis Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the fourth anniversary of the Merger Closing, and (5) 100% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the Amaitis Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the fifth anniversary of the Merger Closing (and any exchange of founding partner interests by Mr. Amaitis will be subject to the terms and conditions of the BGC Holdings Partnership Agreement and the Letter Agreement (the “ Amaitis Letter Agreement ”), dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Lee M. Amaitis and Cantor), with the shares received by Mr. Amaitis upon exchange being immediately saleable, subject to applicable law; and

 

   

(1) 600,000 of the BGC Holdings founding partner interests held by Mr. Lynn at the Merger Closing became exchangeable upon the Merger Closing, (2) 40% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the 600,000 BGC Holdings founding partner interests referred to in clause (1) and any other interests or shares of Class A Common Stock that Mr. Lynn is otherwise eligible to exchange or sell or has sold for any reason, including, without limitation, in connection with any grant of additional interests or stock options (collectively, the “ Lynn Applicable Shares ”)) will become exchangeable on the second anniversary of the Merger Closing, (3) 50% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the Lynn Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the third anniversary of the Merger Closing, (4) 60% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests received by Mr. Lynn (less the Lynn Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the fourth anniversary of the Merger Closing, (5) 70% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the Lynn Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the fifth anniversary of the Merger Closing, (6) 80% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the Lynn Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the sixth anniversary of the Merger Closing, (7) 90% of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests (less the Lynn Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the seventh anniversary of the Merger Closing, and (8) 100% of such BGC

 

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Holdings founding partner interests (less the Lynn Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable on the eighth anniversary of the Merger Closing (and any exchange of founding partner interests by Mr. Lynn will be subject to the terms and conditions of the BGC Holdings Partnership Agreement and the Letter Agreement (the “ Lynn Letter Agreement ”), dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Shaun D. Lynn and Cantor), with the shares received by Mr. Lynn upon exchange being immediately saleable, subject to applicable law.

The remaining outstanding BGC Holdings founding partner interests are not exchangeable with the Combined Company unless (1) Cantor reacquires such interests from BGC Holdings upon redemption of such BGC Holdings founding partner interests by BGC Holdings (which Cantor has the right to do under certain circumstances with respect to interests that have not become exchangeable), in which case such interests will be exchangeable with the Combined Company for Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock on a one-for-one basis (subject to customary anti-dilution adjustment), or (2) Cantor determines that such interests can be exchanged by such BGC Holdings founding partners with the Combined Company for Class A Common Stock, generally on a one-for-one basis (subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments), on terms and conditions to be determined by Cantor, provided that the terms and conditions of such exchange cannot in any way diminish or adversely affect the Combined Company’s rights or the rights of the Combined Company’s subsidiaries (it being understood that the Combined Company’s obligation to deliver shares of its Class A Common Stock upon exchange will not be deemed to diminish or adversely affect its rights or the rights of its subsidiaries, which exchange of certain interests Cantor expects to permit from time to time). Once a BGC Holdings founding partner interest becomes exchangeable (including those held by Mr. Amaitis and Mr. Lynn), such founding partner interest is automatically exchanged for Combined Company Class A Common Stock upon termination or bankruptcy of the holder of such interest or upon redemption by BGC Holdings. In the case of the death of Mr. Amaitis or Mr. Lynn, their BGC Holdings founding partner interests which are then not exchangeable will be automatically exchanged and the shares of Combined Company Class A Common Stock distributed on the same schedule as if Mr. Amaitis or Mr. Lynn, as applicable, had not died and had exchanged the maximum amount possible on each applicable anniversary of the Merger Closing.

In addition, upon consummation of the Merger, 1,674,665 restricted equity units (“ REUs ”) in BGC Holdings were issued, of which 526,315 were issued in connection with the 2008 acquisition of Radix Energy (Singapore) Pte Ltd. (the “ Radix Acquisition ”), and 2,018,499 restricted stock units (“ RSUs ”) relating to the Combined Company’s Class A Common Stock were issued. The terms and conditions of the exchangeability for Combined Company Class A Common Stock of 1,148,350 of the REUs issued upon consummation of the Merger will be determined by the Company, as the indirect general partner of BGC Holdings, subject to Cantor’s consent, as the holder of a majority in interest of the BGC Holdings exchangeable limited partnership interest, in accordance with the terms of the BGC Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement, and the 526,315 REUs issued in connection with the Radix acquisition become exchangeable over time if certain performance goals are met. Included in the above, in connection with the Separation and the Merger, Messrs. Lutnick, Amaitis, Lynn, Merkel and West were issued 265,487, 132,743, 132,743, 9,804 and 21,105 REUs, respectively. Additionally, Mr. West was issued 11,386 RSUs. These issuances were permissible pursuant to the Merger Agreement which permitted grants of REUs and RSUs prior to the consummation of the Merger with an aggregate value: (a) with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, of no greater than $22.0 million and (b) with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, of no greater than $22.0 million, and for each of clauses (a) and (b), with each such right to receive one RSU or REU valued for these purposes at the closing price of eSpeed Class A Common Stock on the date of the grant of the right, as well as additional REUs or RSUs in connection with acquisitions, as was the case with the issuances of REUs to Radix, and the hiring of new employees prior to the Merger.

 

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In connection with the Separation and prior to the Merger, Messrs. Amaitis, Lynn and Merkel, as well as two other individuals who are employed by one or more of the Company or its affiliates, used some of the proceeds that they received in respect of the redemption of their Cantor limited partnership interests to repay certain loans made or guaranteed by Cantor, for repayment of borrowings to their applicable lenders or for payment of required capital contributions, for the substantial majority of which Cantor was the lender, or in the case of capital contributions, the recipient, and the remainder of which were guaranteed by Cantor in the amount of, including accrued interest, $50,414,879 for Mr. Amaitis, $12,949,656 for Mr. Lynn, $466,397 for Mr. Merkel, $3,525,151 for one of the other individuals who is employed by the Company or one of its affiliates, and $499,672 for the other individual who is employed by the Company or one of its affiliates, respectively. Following such sales and repayments, Messrs. Lutnick, Amaitis, Lynn, Merkel and West held the number of BGC Holdings founding partner interests set forth above, as well as distribution rights to receive from Cantor, over time, 7,742,325, 3,572,258, 2,515,898, 235,683 and 0 shares, respectively of the Combined Company’s Common Stock. For a fuller description of these sales and repayments, in connection with which Cantor redeemed certain limited partnership interests in Cantor held by Mr. Amaitis for $135.00 per interest, see “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence—Repayment of Existing Loans and Required Capital Contributions” in the Form 10-K which section is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.02.

Following the completion of the Merger, on April 2, 2008, the Combined Company’s Class A Common Stock changed its trading symbol and started to trade on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “BGCP.”

The Merger Agreement and its amendments are filed as Exhibits 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference into this Item 2.01.

The Amaitis Letter Agreement and the Lynn Letter Agreement are filed as Exhibits 10.15 and 10.16, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference into this Item 2.01.

A copy of the press release issued by the Company announcing the completion of the Merger on April 1, 2008 is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.01.

 

ITEM 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The information set forth in Section 3 under Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

ITEM 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The information set forth in Items 1.01 and 2.01 above are incorporated by reference into this Section 3.02. For the issuances of our Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock and rights to acquire Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock to Cantor as described under Item 2.01 above, we relied upon the exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, provided by Section 4(2) thereof for transactions not involving a public offering.

On March 17, 2008, the Company redeemed any and all outstanding shares of its Series C Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock by issuing to Deutsche Bank AG 6,000 shares of its Class A Common Stock in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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ITEM 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

1.     Executive Officers Before and After the Merger

Upon the Merger Closing:

 

   

Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, was appointed Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Combined Company,

 

   

Lee M. Amaitis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BGC and Vice Chairman of the Company, was appointed Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Combined Company,

 

   

Shaun D. Lynn, President of BGC Partners, was appointed President of the Combined Company, and

 

   

Robert K. West, Chief Financial Officer of BGC Partners, was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Combined Company.

Information regarding Messrs. Lutnick, Amaitis, Lynn and West can be found in our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008 (the “ Definitive Proxy Statement ”) in the sections entitled “Management Before and After the Merger—Directors and Executive Officers Before and After the Merger,” “Management Before and After the Merger—Committees of the Board of Directors Before and After the Merger,” “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions Before and After the Merger” and “The Merger—Interests of Directors, Executive Officers and Certain Beneficial Owners in the Merger,” which are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02. In addition, Frank Saracino, who remained Chief Accounting Officer of the Combined Company after the Merger, is no longer considered an executive officer for purposes of the rules promulgated by the SEC.

2.     Compensation

The Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors approved, effective upon the consummation of the Merger, an annual base salary of $1,000,000 per year for each of Howard W. Lutnick, Lee M. Amaitis, Shaun D. Lynn and Stephen M. Merkel, and an annual base salary of $550,000 per year for Robert K. West. These base salaries will not be memorialized in letter agreements with such individuals or, other than in the case of Mr. Lynn, employment agreements, as described in Section 3 of this Item 5.02.

3.     Employment Agreement

Mr. Lynn entered into an employment agreement with BGC Brokers L.P. (“ BGC Brokers ”) on March 31, 2008, effective upon the Merger Closing (the “ Lynn Employment Agreement ”). The Lynn Employment Agreement has an initial six-year term and will thereafter be extended automatically for successive periods of one year on the same terms and conditions

 

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unless either BGC Brokers or Mr. Lynn provides notice of non-renewal. Pursuant to the Lynn Employment Agreement, Mr. Lynn will receive a base salary of $1,000,000 per year, subject to annual review by BGC Partners’ compensation committee, with a target bonus for each year during the term of the agreement of 300% of base salary. To the extent he is eligible to receive a bonus, the first $1 million of such bonus will be paid in cash, with the remainder, if any, to be paid in cash or a contingent non-cash grant, as determined by BGC Partners’ compensation committee. The target bonus for Mr. Lynn will be reviewed annually by BGC Partners’ compensation committee. In the event of a change of control of BGC Partners (which will occur in the event that BGC Partners is no longer controlled by Cantor or a person or entity controlled by, controlling or under common control with Cantor), the individual or entity which acquires control of BGC Partners will have the option to either extend the term of Mr. Lynn’s employment for a period of three years from the date the change of control took effect (if the remaining term of the Lynn Employment Agreement at the time of the change of control is less than three years) or to terminate Mr. Lynn’s employment. If the term of Mr. Lynn’s employment is extended, Mr. Lynn will receive an amount equal to his aggregate compensation for the most recent full fiscal year in addition to any other compensation that Mr. Lynn may be entitled to under the Lynn Employment Agreement. If the continuing company opts to terminate Mr. Lynn’s employment, he will receive two times his aggregate compensation under the Lynn Employment Agreement for the most recent full fiscal year in full and final settlement of all claims. In each case, he will receive full vesting of all stock options and restricted stock units of BGC Partners (unless otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement) and welfare benefit continuation for two years and a pro rata bonus for the year of termination. In addition, in the event that Mr. Lynn remains employed by BGC Brokers on the second anniversary of the change of control (unless he is not employed on such date solely as a result of dismissal by BGC Brokers under circumstances that constitute a fundamental breach of contract by BGC Brokers), Mr. Lynn will receive an additional payment equal to the payment he received at the time of the change of control.

The information set forth in Items 1.01 and 2.01 above are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02. The Lynn Employment Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.11 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

4.     Change in Control

Each of Messrs. Lutnick, Merkel and Amaitis entered into change in control agreements with BGC Partners on March 31, 2008, effective upon the Merger Closing. Under these agreements, if a change in control of the Combined Company occurs (which will occur in the event that Cantor or one of its affiliates ceases to have a controlling interest in BGC Partners) and Messrs. Lutnick, Merkel or Amaitis, as the case may be, elect to terminate their employment with BGC Partners, such executive will receive in a lump sum in cash an amount equal to two times such executive’s annual salary base and the annual bonus paid or payable by BGC Partners for the most recently completed fiscal year, including any bonus or portion thereof that has been deferred and receive medical benefits for two years after the termination of their employment (provided that, if Messrs. Lutnick, Merkel or Amaitis, as the case may be, becomes re-employed and is eligible to receive medical benefits under another employer-provided plan, the former medical benefits will be secondary to the latter) or, in the case of Mr. Amaitis, either his annual base salary and bonus in respect of the most recently completed fiscal year or his annual base salary and projected bonus in respect of the fiscal year in which the change of control occurs, with the determination whether to base this calculation on Mr. Amaitis’ bonus in respect of the most recently completed fiscal year or his projected bonus in respect of the fiscal year in which the change in control occurs, as well as the determination of the projected amount of such bonus, to be made by Howard W. Lutnick in his sole and absolute discretion. If a change in control occurs and

 

- 12 -


Messrs. Lutnick, Merkel or Amaitis, as the case may be, do not so elect to terminate their employment with BGC Partners, such executive will receive in a lump sum in cash an amount equal to such executive’s annual base salary and the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year, including any bonus or portion thereof that has been deferred and receive medical benefits, provided, that in the event that, during the three-year period following the change in control, such executive’s employment is terminated by BGC Partners (and other than by reason of such executive’s death or disability), such executive will receive in a lump sum in cash an amount equal to such executive’s annual base salary and any bonus or portion thereof that has been deferred or the annual bonus paid or payable for the most recently completed fiscal year.

The change in control agreements entered into by Messrs. Lutnick, Merkel and Amaitis are filed as Exhibits 10.12, 10.13 and 10.14, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

5.     Transactions with Related Parties

For a description of related party transactions with the officers set forth in Section 1 under this Item 5.02, see the information set forth in Item 2.01 above which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02, and our Definitive Proxy Statement in the section entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions Before and After the Merger” and in our Form 10-K in the section entitled “Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.” These sections of the Definitive Proxy Statement and our Form 10-K are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

6.     BGC Partners, Inc. Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan

At the special meeting of the stockholders of the Company held on March 14, 2008, the eSpeed stockholders approved the BGC Partners, Inc. Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan, which upon consummation of the Merger was adopted in all respects by the Combined Company. The BGC Partners, Inc. Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan is filed as Exhibit 10.9 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

 

ITEM 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

In connection with the consummation of the Merger, the Company’s certificate of incorporation and by-laws were amended, effective as of the effective time of the Merger. Copies of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company are filed as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, respectively, and are incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.

 

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ITEM 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)    Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired.

The financial statements of the business acquired required by this Item 9.01(a) will be filed as an amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K no later than 71 days after the date this Current Report on Form 8-K must be filed.

(b)    Pro Forma Financial Information.

The pro forma financial information required by this Item 9.01(b) will be filed as an amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K no later than 71 days after the date this Current Report on Form 8-K must be filed.

(d)    Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number

  Description

2.1

  Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, by and among eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LP, BGC Global Holdings, LP and BGC Holdings, LP (incorporated by reference to eSpeed, Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008)*

2.2

  Amendment No. 1, dated as of November 5, 2007, to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, by and among eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LP, BGC Global Holdings, LP and BGC Holdings, LP (incorporated by reference to eSpeed, Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008)*

2.3

  Amendment No. 2, dated as of February 1, 2008, to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, by and among eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LP, BGC Global Holdings, LP and BGC Holdings, LP (incorporated by reference to eSpeed, Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008)*

2.4

  Separation Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and among Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LLC, BGC Partners, L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P.*

3.1

  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of BGC Partners, Inc.

3.2

  Amended and Restated Bylaws of BGC Partners, Inc.

4.1

  Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and among BGC Partners, L.P. and the Purchasers whose names appear at the end thereof*

4.2

  Guaranty of BGC Partners, Inc., dated as of March 31, 2008

4.3

  Letter Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between BGC Partners, Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

10.1

  Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, L.P., dated as of March 31, 2008*

 

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Exhibit Number

  Description

10.2

  Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Partners, L.P., dated as of March 31, 2008*

10.3

  Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Global Holdings, L.P., dated as of March 31, 2008*

10.4

  Registration Rights Agreement by and between Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Partners, LLC, dated as of March 31, 2008

10.5

  Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of March 6, 2008, by and between Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Partners, Inc.

10.6

  Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2007, by and among Tower Bridge International Services L.P., BGC International and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

10.7

  Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between BGC Partners, LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

10.8

  BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan, effective as of April 1, 2008

10.9

  BGC Partners, Inc. Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan, effective as of April 1, 2008

10.10

  License Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2008, by and between BGC Partners, Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

10.11

  Employment Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Shaun D. Lynn and BGC Brokers, L.P.

10.12

  Change in Control Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Howard W. Lutnick and BGC Partners, LLC

10.13

  Change in Control Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Stephen M. Merkel and BGC Partners, LLC

10.14

  Change in Control Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Lee Amaitis and BGC Partners, LLC

10.15

  Letter Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Lee M. Amaitis and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

10.16

  Letter Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between the Shaun D. Lynn and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

99.1

  Press Release Announcing the Completion of the Merger, issued April 1, 2008

* Schedules and similar attachments have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The Company will supplementally furnish a copy of them to the SEC upon request.

 

- 15 -


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report on Form 8-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

  BGC PARTNERS, INC.
Date: April 7, 2008   By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

    Name:  

Stephen M. Merkel

    Title:  

Executive Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number    Description
2.1    Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, by and among eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LP, BGC Global Holdings, LP and BGC Holdings, LP (incorporated by reference to eSpeed, Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008)*
2.2    Amendment No. 1, dated as of November 5, 2007, to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, by and among eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LP, BGC Global Holdings, LP and BGC Holdings, LP (incorporated by reference to eSpeed, Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008)*
2.3    Amendment No. 2, dated as of February 1, 2008, to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, by and among eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LP, BGC Global Holdings, LP and BGC Holdings, LP (incorporated by reference to eSpeed, Inc.’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008)*
2.4    Separation Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and among Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., BGC Partners, LLC, BGC Partners, L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P.*
3.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of BGC Partners, Inc.
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of BGC Partners, Inc.
4.1    Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and among BGC Partners, L.P. and the Purchasers whose names appear at the end thereof*
4.2    Guaranty of BGC Partners, Inc., dated as of March 31, 2008
4.3    Letter Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between BGC Partners, Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.
10.1    Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, L.P., dated as of March 31, 2008*
10.2    Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Partners, L.P., dated as of March 31, 2008*
10.3    Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Global Holdings, L.P., dated as of March 31, 2008*
10.4    Registration Rights Agreement by and between Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Partners, LLC, dated as of March 31, 2008
10.5    Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of March 6, 2008, by and between Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Partners, Inc.
10.6    Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2007, by and among Tower Bridge International Services L.P., BGC International and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.
10.7    Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between BGC Partners, LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.


Exhibit Number    Description
10.8    BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan, effective as of April 1, 2008
10.9    BGC Partners, Inc. Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan, effective as of April 1, 2008
10.10    License Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2008, by and between BGC Partners, Inc. and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.
10.11    Employment Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Shaun D. Lynn and BGC Brokers, L.P.
10.12    Change in Control Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Howard W. Lutnick and BGC Partners, LLC
10.13    Change in Control Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Stephen M. Merkel and BGC Partners, LLC
10.14    Change in Control Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Lee Amaitis and BGC Partners, LLC
10.15    Letter Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between Lee M. Amaitis and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.
10.16    Letter Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, by and between the Shaun D. Lynn and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.
99.1    Press Release Announcing the Completion of the Merger, issued April 1, 2008

* Schedules and similar attachments have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The Company will supplementally furnish a copy of them to the SEC upon request.

 

- 2 -

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

 

 

          Page
   ARTICLE I   
   DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION   

SECTION 1.01

  

Defined Terms

   1

SECTION 1.02

  

Other Definitions

   11

SECTION 1.03

  

Absence of Presumption

   12

SECTION 1.04

  

Headings

   12
   ARTICLE II   
   CONTRIBUTION   

SECTION 2.01

  

Contribution of Transferred Assets

   12

SECTION 2.02

  

Assumption of Transferred Liabilities

   14

SECTION 2.03

  

Actions to Effect the Contribution

   15

SECTION 2.04

  

Closing

   15

SECTION 2.05

  

Title; Risk of Loss

   15

SECTION 2.06

  

Further Documentation

   15

SECTION 2.07

  

Other Actions in Connection with the Contribution

   15
   ARTICLE III   
   NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES   

SECTION 3.01

  

No Representations or Warranties

   17

SECTION 3.02

  

BGC Partners to Bear Risk

   17
   ARTICLE IV   
   COVENANTS   

SECTION 4.01

  

Further Assurances

   17

SECTION 4.02

  

Information

   19

SECTION 4.03

  

Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation

   20

SECTION 4.04

  

Confidentiality

   21

SECTION 4.05

  

Protective Arrangements

   22

SECTION 4.06

  

Intercompany Agreements

   22

SECTION 4.07

  

Guarantee Obligations

   23

SECTION 4.08

  

Expenses

   23

SECTION 4.09

  

New BGC Partners

   23

SECTION 4.10

  

Commissions and Market Data; Clearing

   23


SECTION 4.11

  

Reinvestments in the Opcos; Pre-Emptive Rights

   24

SECTION 4.12

  

Distributions to Holders of BGC Partners Common Stock

   28

SECTION 4.13

  

Intellectual Property License

   28
   ARTICLE V   
   SURVIVAL AND INDEMNIFICATION   

SECTION 5.01

  

Survival of Agreements

   29

SECTION 5.02

  

Indemnification by Cantor

   29

SECTION 5.03

  

Indemnification by BGC Partners

   29

SECTION 5.04

  

Indemnification by the Opcos

   30

SECTION 5.05

  

Indemnification by Holdings

   30

SECTION 5.06

  

Notice of Indemnity Claim

   30

SECTION 5.07

  

Third-Party Claims

   30

SECTION 5.08

  

Mitigation

   32

SECTION 5.09

  

Allocation of Loss for Certain Matters

   32

SECTION 5.10

  

Exclusive Remedies

   32

SECTION 5.11

  

Merger Agreement Indemnification

   32
   ARTICLE VI   
   EMPLOYEE MATTERS   

SECTION 6.01

  

Transfer of Business Employees

   32

SECTION 6.02

  

Termination of Founding Partners

   33
   ARTICLE VII   
   TERMINATION   

SECTION 7.01

  

Termination

   33

SECTION 7.02

  

Effect of Termination

   33
   ARTICLE VIII   
   MISCELLANEOUS   

SECTION 8.01

  

Entire Agreement

   33

SECTION 8.02

  

Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction

   33

SECTION 8.03

  

Amendment and Modification

   34

SECTION 8.04

  

Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries

   34

SECTION 8.05

  

Notices

   34

SECTION 8.06

  

Counterparts

   35

SECTION 8.07

  

Waivers of Default

   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).

 

2


“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.

 

3


“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.

 

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“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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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” ):

 

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(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 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 Assets set forth on Schedule 2.07(a) , and Tower Bridge will provide certain services to Cantor and BGC Partners and their respective Subsidiaries on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Tower Bridge Administrative Services Agreement.

 

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(b) Ancillary Agreements. Concurrently with or prior to the Effective Time, the Parties will, or will cause their applicable Subsidiaries to, enter into and execute each of the other Ancillary Agreements. Each Ancillary Agreement that is an amended and restated agreement shall replace the existing version of the agreement that it amends and restates.

(c) Redemption of Cantor Partners. The Parties acknowledge that, prior to, concurrently with and after the Effective Time, Cantor may redeem certain limited partnership interests in Cantor held by certain of its limited partners for (1) new limited partnership interests and/or other interests or rights in Cantor, including distribution rights to receive BGC Partners Common Stock held by Cantor or its Subsidiaries (the “Distribution Rights” ), (2) BGC Partners Common Stock, cash and/or other property or assets held by Cantor or its Subsidiaries and/or (3) limited partnership interests in Holdings, in each case, on terms and subject to the conditions to be determined by Cantor (the Persons who receive limited partnership interests in Holdings pursuant to this redemption, the “Founding Partners” and the limited partnership interests in Holdings held by such Founding Partners, which may be one or more different classes of interests in Holdings, the “Holdings Founding Partner Interests” ); provided , however , that no action may be taken pursuant to this Section 2.07(c) if such action would (i) adversely affect the Surviving Company’s economic interest in the Opcos (ii) adversely affect the Surviving Company’s governance rights over the Opcos or (iii) impose additional material Tax on the Surviving Company, in each case as compared to the Surviving Company’s position if such action had not been taken.

(d) Repurchase of Certain BGC Common Stock and Repayment by Select Persons of Certain Obligations . The Parties acknowledge that, prior to, concurrently with and after the Effective Time, but prior to the Merger, certain limited partners of Cantor and certain Founding Partners (the “Select Persons” ) may (1) sell to a Cantor Company for cash all or a portion of the Distribution Rights and/or Holdings Founding Partner Interests held by such Select Persons, (2) have some or all of their limited partnership interest in Cantor redeemed by a Cantor Company for cash, BGC Partners Common Stock and/or other property or assets held by Cantor or its Subsidiaries and/or (3) sell to BGC Partners for cash all or a portion of the BGC Partners Common Stock held by such Select Persons (including BGC Partners Common Stock that such Select Persons hold as a result of the Distribution Rights). The aggregate net proceeds that each Select Person shall receive as a result of such sale may be used by such Select Persons to (i) repay certain loans made from Cantor or its Subsidiaries to such Select Persons, (ii) eliminate certain obligations owed to Cantor or its Subsidiaries in respect of existing partnership interests issued to such Select Persons, (iii) repay certain loans made from third-parties to such Select Persons, which loans are guaranteed by Cantor or its Subsidiaries, and/or (iv) pay for Taxes that may be incurred as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.07(d), including the grant of such Distribution Rights or Holdings Founding Partner Interests, the issuance of BGC Partners Common Stock, and/or the sale of the BGC Partners Common Stock. The Cantor Company acquiring such Holdings Founding Partner Interests (which shall become Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests) may then exchange such Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests for shares of BGC Partners Common Stock, which shares shall be redeemed by BGC Partners prior to the Merger for an amount of cash equal to the cash paid by the Cantor Companies to the Select Persons in respect of such interests; and the Cantor Company acquiring such Distribution Rights may then have the shares of BGC Partners Common Stock underlying such distribution rights redeemed by BGC Partners prior to the Merger for an amount of cash equal to the cash paid by the Cantor Companies to the Select Persons in respect of such Distribution Rights.

 

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(e) The Pre-Contribution Loan. Prior to the Contribution, one or more members of the BGC Partners Group may borrow an amount of cash up to the aggregate amount of cash in the BGC Partners Group prior to the Contribution (the “Pre-Contribution Loan” ).

ARTICLE III

NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES

SECTION 3.01 No Representations or Warranties. BGC Partners, on behalf of itself and all of its Subsidiaries (including, after the Effective Time, the Transferred Entities) and their respective Representatives, understands and agrees that none of Cantor, any other Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives or any other Person is, in this Agreement or in any other agreement, document or instrument, making any representation or warranty of any kind whatsoever, express or implied, to BGC Partners, any of its Subsidiaries (including, after the Effective Time, the Transferred Entities) or their respective Representatives in any way with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or regarding the Transferred Assets, the Transferred Liabilities or the Transferred Businesses or as to any consents or approvals required in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, it being agreed and understood that BGC Partners and each of its Subsidiaries shall take all of the Transferred Assets, the Transferred Liabilities and the Transferred Businesses on an “AS IS, WHERE IS” basis, and all implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a specific purpose or otherwise are hereby expressly disclaimed by Cantor, on behalf of itself and each other Cantor Company and their respective Representatives; provided , however , that this Section 3.01 shall in no way derogate from the obligations of Cantor under the Merger Agreement.

SECTION 3.02 BGC Partners to Bear Risk. Except as expressly set forth herein, BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries shall bear the economic and legal risk that conveyances of the Transferred Assets shall prove to be insufficient or that the title of Cantor or any other Cantor Company to any Transferred Asset shall be other than good and marketable and free from encumbrances; provided , however , that this Section 3.02 shall in no way derogate from the obligations of Cantor under the Merger Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

SECTION 4.01 Further Assurances.

(a) In addition to the actions specifically provided for in this Agreement, each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable under Applicable Law, regulations and agreements to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated hereby. Without limiting the foregoing, each Party shall cooperate with the other Party, and execute and deliver, or use its reasonable best efforts to cause to be executed and delivered, all

 

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instruments, including instruments of conveyance, assignment and transfer, and to make all filings with, and to obtain all consents, approvals or authorizations of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person under any permit, license, agreement, indenture or other instrument, and take all such other actions as such Party may reasonably be requested to take by any other Party from time to time, consistent with the terms hereof, in order to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Parties agree that, as of the Effective Time, BGC Partners shall be deemed to have acquired complete and sole beneficial ownership of all of the Transferred Assets, together with all rights, powers and privileges incident thereto, and shall be deemed to have assumed in accordance with the terms of this Agreement all of the Transferred Liabilities, and all duties, obligations and responsibilities incident thereto, that such Party is entitled to acquire or required to assume pursuant to the terms hereof.

(b) Subject to Section 4.01(c) hereof, if at any time or from time to time after the Closing Date, (i) Cantor or any of its Subsidiaries shall possess a Transferred Asset or (ii) BGC Partners or any of its Subsidiaries shall possess an Excluded Asset, then Cantor or BGC Partners, as the case may be, shall promptly transfer, or cause to be transferred, such Asset to BGC Partners or Cantor, as the case may be. Prior to any such transfer, the Party possessing such Asset shall hold such Asset in trust for the use and benefit of the Party entitled thereto (at the expense of the Party entitled thereto), and shall take such other actions as may be reasonably requested by the Party to which such Asset is to be transferred in order to place such Party, insofar as reasonably possible, in the same position it would have been had such Asset been transferred at the Effective Time.

(c) Without limiting the generality of Section 4.01(a) or Section 4.01(b), if the valid, complete and perfected assignment or transfer to BGC Partners of any Transferred Assets or Transferred Liabilities to be transferred under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement requires the consent, agreement or approval of or any filing or registration with any Person or Governmental Authority, and as a result of the failure to make or obtain any such consent, agreement, approval, filing or registration such transfer is not effected as contemplated hereby or thereby despite the provisions hereof purporting to effect such assignment or transfer, then, (i) the Parties shall cooperate to effect such transfer as promptly following the Closing as is practicable, and (ii) until such time as any impediment to the validity, completeness or perfection of such assignment or transfer shall have been removed, nullified or waived, the Person possessing such Transferred Asset or Transferred Liability shall hold such Transferred Asset or Transferred Liability in trust for the use and benefit of the Person entitled thereto (at the expense of the Person entitled thereto), and shall take such other action as may be reasonably requested by the Person to whom such Transferred Asset or Transferred Liability is to be transferred in order to place such Person, insofar as reasonably possible, in the same position it would have been had such Transferred Asset or Transferred Liability been transferred on the Effective Time.

(d) Without limiting the generality of Section 4.01(a), prior to the Effective Time, Cantor, as the sole stockholder of BGC Partners, shall ratify any actions that are necessary, proper or desirable to be taken by BGC Partners to effectuate the transactions contemplated hereby in a manner consistent with the terms hereof.

 

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SECTION 4.02 Information.

(a) At any time before, on or after the Effective Time (i) Cantor, on behalf of each of its Subsidiaries, agrees to provide, or cause to be provided, to BGC Partners and its Representatives, and (ii) BGC Partners, on behalf of each of its Subsidiaries, agrees to provide, or cause to be provided, to each of Cantor and its Representatives, in each case as soon as reasonably practicable after written request therefor from such other Party, any Information (including the Information described in Section 2.01(b)(v)) in the possession or under the control of such respective Person, if applicable, that the requesting Party reasonably needs (A) to comply with reporting, disclosure, filing or other requirements imposed on the requesting Party (including under applicable securities or Tax Laws) by a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the requesting Party, (B) for use in any other judicial, regulatory, administrative, Tax or other proceeding or in order to satisfy audit, accounting, claims, regulatory, litigation, tax or other similar requirements, (C) for use in the conduct of the Transferred Business in accordance with past practice or (D) to comply with its obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; provided , however , that in the event that any Party reasonably determines that any such provision of Information could be commercially detrimental to such Party or any of its Subsidiaries, if applicable, violate any Law or agreement to which such Party or any of its Subsidiaries, if applicable, is a Party, or waive any attorney-client privilege applicable to such Party or any of its Subsidiaries, if applicable, the Parties shall take all reasonable measures to permit the compliance with the obligations pursuant to this Section 4.02(a) in a manner that avoids any such harm or consequence (including, if appropriate, by entering into joint defense or similar arrangements); provided , further , that in the event, after taking all such reasonable measures, the Party subject to such Law or agreement is unable to provide any Information without violating such law or agreement, such Party shall not be obligated to provide such Information to the extent it would violate such Law or agreement. The Parties intend that any transfer of Information that would otherwise be within the attorney-client privilege shall not operate as a waiver of any potentially applicable privilege. Each Party shall make its employees and facilities available and accessible during normal business hours and on reasonable prior notice to provide an explanation of any Information provided hereunder.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4.02(a), after the Effective Time, Cantor shall provide, or cause to be provided, to BGC Partners in such form as BGC Partners shall request, at no charge to BGC Partners, all financial and other data and Information in the possession or under the control of Cantor or any of its Subsidiaries as BGC Partners determines necessary or advisable in order to prepare BGC Partners’ and its Subsidiaries’ financial statements or any other reports, filings or submissions of BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries with any Governmental Authority.

(c) Any Information owned by one Person that is provided to a requesting Party pursuant to this Section 4.02 shall be deemed to remain the property of the providing Person (or Person on whose behalf such Information is being provided). Unless specifically set forth herein, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as granting or conferring rights of license or otherwise in any such Information.

(d) The Party requesting Information, consultant or witness services under this Agreement agrees to reimburse the other Party for the reasonable out-of-pocket costs, if any, of

 

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creating, gathering and copying such Information, to the extent that such costs are incurred for the benefit of the requesting Party by or on behalf of such other Party or its Representatives or Subsidiaries, if applicable. Except as may be otherwise specifically provided elsewhere in this Agreement or in any other Ancillary Agreement, such costs shall be computed in accordance with the providing Party’s standard methodology and procedures.

(e) To facilitate the possible exchange of Information pursuant to this Section 4.02 and other provisions of this Agreement after the Effective Time, the Parties agree to use their reasonable best efforts to retain all Information in their respective possession or control at the Effective Time in accordance with the policies of Cantor as in effect at the Effective Time.

(f) No Party shall have any Liability to the other Party in the event that any Information exchanged or provided pursuant to this Agreement that is an estimate or forecast, or which is based on an estimate or forecast, is found to be inaccurate, in the absence of willful misconduct or fraud by the Party providing such Information. No Party shall have any Liability to the other Party if any Information is destroyed after using its reasonable best efforts in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.02(e).

(g) The rights and obligations granted under this Section 4.02 and Sections 4.03 and 4.04 are subject to any specific limitations, qualifications or additional provisions on the sharing, exchange or confidential treatment of Information set forth in any Ancillary Agreement.

SECTION 4.03 Production of Witnesses; Records; Cooperation.

(a) After the Effective Time, except in the case of an adversarial Action by one Party (or, if applicable, any of its Subsidiaries) against another Party (or, if applicable, any of its Subsidiaries) (which shall be governed by such discovery rules as may be applicable thereto), each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to make available to the other Party, upon written request, the former, current and future directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents of its Subsidiaries as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its control or which it otherwise has the ability to make available, at the offices of such Party during normal business hours, in each case to the extent that any such Person (giving consideration to business demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required (and, in the case of any such Person, for reasonable periods of time) in connection with any Action in which the requesting Party may from time to time be involved, regardless of whether such Action is a matter with respect to which indemnification may be sought hereunder. The requesting Party shall bear all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including allocated costs of in-house counsel and other personnel) in connection therewith.

(b) If an indemnifying party chooses to defend or to seek to compromise or settle any Third-Party Claim, each Party shall use its reasonable best efforts to make available to the other Party, upon written request, the former, current and future directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents of such Party and, if applicable, its Subsidiaries as witnesses and any books, records or other documents within its control or which it otherwise has the ability to make available during normal business hours, to the extent that any such Person

 

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(giving consideration to business demands of such directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents) or books, records or other documents may reasonably be required (and, in the case of any such Person, for reasonable periods of time) in connection with such defense, settlement or compromise, as the case may be, and shall otherwise cooperate in such defense, settlement or compromise, as the case may be, in each case at the indemnifying party’s expense. The indemnifying party shall bear all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including allocated costs of in-house counsel and other personnel) in connection therewith.

(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Parties shall cooperate and consult, and, if applicable, cause each of its Subsidiaries to cooperate and consult, to the extent reasonably necessary with respect to any Actions.

(d) Without limiting any provision of this Section 4.03, each of the Parties agrees to cooperate, and, if applicable, to cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to cooperate, with each other in the defense of any infringement or similar claim with respect to any Intellectual Property and shall not claim to acknowledge, or permit any of their respective Subsidiaries to claim to acknowledge, the validity or infringing use of any Intellectual Property of a third Person in a manner that would hamper or undermine the defense of such infringement or similar claim.

(e) The obligation of the Parties to provide witnesses pursuant to this Section 4.03 is intended to be interpreted in a manner so as to facilitate cooperation and shall include the obligation to provide as witnesses, directors, officers, employees, other personnel and agents without regard to whether any such individual could assert a possible business conflict (subject to the exception set forth in the first sentence of Section 4.03(a)).

(f) For a period of three years from the Closing Date, Cantor agrees to retain and not destroy or dispose of books, records and other data of the BGC Business prior to the Closing to the extent not transferred to BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries and, prior to destroying or disposing of such books, records and other data, to notify BGC Partners and, at the request of BGC Partners, to transfer such books, records and other data to BGC Partners to the extent that such books, records and other data can, 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 (unless BGC Partners shall pay for the full amount of the costs and expenses associated with such separation).

(g) In connection with any matter contemplated by this Section 4.03, the applicable Parties will enter into a mutually acceptable joint defense agreement so as to maintain to the extent practicable any applicable attorney-client privilege or work product immunity of any Party or, if applicable, any of its Subsidiaries.

SECTION 4.04 Confidentiality.

(a) Subject to Section 4.05 and unless otherwise agreed by the Party to whom such Covered Information relates, each of the Parties agrees to hold, and to cause each member of its respective Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, general partners, agents, accountants, managing member, employees, counsel and other advisors and representatives (collectively,

 

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“Representatives” ) to hold, in strict confidence, with at least the same degree of care that applies to Cantor’s confidential and proprietary Information pursuant to policies in effect as of the date hereof, all Information concerning each such other Party (including such Person’s clients, transactions, business, Assets, Liabilities, performance or operations) that is either in its possession (including Information in its possession prior to the date hereof) or furnished by any such other Party or its Representatives at any time pursuant to this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or otherwise (collectively, “Covered Information” ), except that the following shall not be deemed to be Covered Information: any such Information to the extent that (i) at the time of disclosure such Information is generally available to and known by the public (other than as a result of a disclosure by the disclosing Party or by any of its Representatives in breach of this Section 4.04) or (ii) such Information has after the Effective Time been lawfully acquired from other sources by such Party on a non-public basis which sources are, to the knowledge of the Party acquiring such Information, not themselves bound by a contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation that would limit or prohibit disclosure of such Information.

(b) Subject to Section 4.05 and unless otherwise agreed by the Party to whom such Covered Information relates, each Party agrees (i) not to use any Covered Information other than for such purposes as shall be expressly permitted hereunder or under any Ancillary Agreement and (ii) not to release or disclose, or permit to be released or disclosed, any Covered Information to any other Person, except its Representatives who need to know such Covered Information (who shall be advised of their obligations hereunder with respect to such Covered Information), except in compliance with Section 4.05. Without limiting the foregoing, when any Covered Information is no longer needed for the purposes contemplated by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, each Party will promptly after request of the Party that provided such Covered Information either return to such Party all such Covered Information in a tangible form (including all copies thereof and all notes, analyses, presentations, extracts or summaries based thereon) or certify to the other Party that it has destroyed such Covered Information (and such copies thereof and such notes, extracts, analyses, presentations or summaries based thereon). Notwithstanding the return or destruction of the Covered Information, such Party will continue to be bound by its obligations of confidentiality and other obligations hereunder.

SECTION 4.05 Protective Arrangements. In the event that any Party or any of its Subsidiaries determines on the advice of its counsel that it is required to disclose any Covered Information of any other Party (or any of such Party’s Subsidiaries) pursuant to Applicable Law or receives any demand under lawful process or from any Governmental Authority to disclose or provide Covered Information of any other Party (or any of such Party’s Subsidiaries), such Party shall, to the extent practicable and unless otherwise required by Applicable Law, notify the other Party prior to disclosing or providing such Covered Information and shall cooperate at the expense of the requesting Party in seeking any reasonable protective arrangements requested by such other Party. Subject to the foregoing, the Person that received such request may thereafter disclose or provide Covered Information if and to the extent required by such Applicable Law (as so advised by counsel) or by lawful process of such Governmental Authority; provided , however , that the Person shall only disclose such portion of the Covered Information so required to be disclosed or provided.

SECTION 4.06 Intercompany Agreements. All Contracts, licenses, commitments or other arrangements, formal or informal, written or oral and whether express or implied,

 

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between any of Cantor or any other Cantor Company, on the one hand, and any Transferred Entity, on the other hand, set forth on Schedule 4.06 , shall terminate effective as of the Effective Time, and no Persons party to any such Contract, license, commitment or other arrangement shall have any rights under such Contract, license, commitment or arrangement.

SECTION 4.07 Guarantee Obligations. The Parties shall cooperate, and shall cause their respective Subsidiaries to cooperate, to terminate, or to cause BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries (or a Transferred Entity) to be substituted in all respects for Cantor or a Cantor Company in respect of all obligations of Cantor or a Cantor Company under any of the Transferred Liabilities for which Cantor or a Cantor Company may be liable, as guarantor, original tenant, primary obligor or otherwise, except, in each case, for the Indebtedness Guarantees and any Excluded Liability. If such a termination or substitution is not effected by the Effective Time, (i) BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries shall indemnify and hold harmless Cantor and the other Cantor Companies for any Indemnifiable Losses arising from or relating thereto, and (ii) without the prior written consent of Cantor, from and after the Effective Time, BGC Partners shall not, and, without Cantor’s prior written consent, shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, renew or extend the term of, increase its obligations under, or transfer to a third party, any loan, lease, Contract or other obligation for which Cantor or any other Cantor Company is or may be liable.

SECTION 4.08 Expenses. All legal and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the Party incurring such costs and expenses unless expressly otherwise contemplated herein.

SECTION 4.09 New BGC Partners. In order to facilitate Tax-free exchanges of the Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests (as defined in the New Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement), Cantor shall have a one-time right, at Holdings’ sole expense, (a) to incorporate, or cause the incorporation of, a newly formed wholly owned Subsidiary of BGC Partners ( “New BGC Partners” ), (b) to incorporate, or cause the incorporation of, a newly formed wholly owned Subsidiary of New BGC Partners ( “New BGC Partners Sub” ), and then (c) to cause the merger (the “New BGC Partners Merger” ) of New BGC Partners Sub with BGC Partners, with the surviving corporation being a wholly owned Subsidiary of New BGC Partners. In connection with the New BGC Partners Merger, the shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock and BGC Partners Class B Common Stock shall each hold equivalent common stock in New BGC Partners, with identical rights to the applicable class of shares held prior to the New BGC Partners Merger. As a condition of the New BGC Partners Merger, (i) BGC Partners shall have received an opinion of counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Audit Committee of BGC Partners, to the effect that the New BGC Partners Merger will qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and (ii) Cantor shall indemnify BGC Partners to the extent that BGC Partners incurs any material income Taxes as a result of the transactions effected pursuant to this Section 4.09.

SECTION 4.10 Commissions and Market Data; Clearing. (a) The Parties agree that (i) Cantor shall have a right to be a customer of BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries and to pay the lowest commission paid by any other customer of BGC Partners or its Affiliates, whether by volume, dollar or other applicable measurement; provided , however , that this right shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) a Change of Control of Cantor and (ii) the last day of the

 

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calendar quarter during which Cantor shall have represented one of the fifteen largest customers of BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries in terms of transaction volume; and (ii) Cantor shall have an unlimited right to internally use market data from BGC Market Data without any cost; provided , however , that Cantor shall have no right to furnish such data to any third party.

(b) From the Closing until the third anniversary of the Closing, (i) Cantor shall cause its applicable Subsidiary or Subsidiaries to provide to BGC Partners or its applicable Subsidiary or Subsidiaries all such services as BGC Partners reasonably determines are reasonably necessary in connection with the clearance, settlement and fulfillment of futures transactions by BGC Partners, and (ii) BGC Partners shall be entitled to receive from Cantor all of the economic benefits and burdens associated with Cantor’s performance of such services; provided , however , that BGC Partners shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to reduce and eliminate its need for such services from Cantor and/or its applicable Subsidiary or Subsidiaries.

SECTION 4.11 Reinvestments in the Opcos; Pre-Emptive Rights. (a) (i)  Mandatory Reinvestment by BGC Partners. After the Closing, in the event of any issuance of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock (including any issuance in connection with a merger or other acquisition by BGC Partners, but excluding any issuance of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock upon exchange of Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests), BGC Partners shall contribute, directly or indirectly through its Subsidiaries, the net proceeds, if any, received in respect of such issuance to the Opcos in exchange for (A) a U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interest consisting of a number of U.S. Opco Units equal to (1) the number of additional shares of BGC Partners Common Stock so issued multiplied by (2) the BGC Partners Ratio as of immediately prior to the issuance of such shares of BGC Partners Common Stock and (B) a Global Opco Limited Partnership Interest consisting of a number of Global Opco Units equal to (1) the number of additional shares of BGC Partners Common Stock so issued multiplied by (2) the BGC Partners Ratio as of immediately prior to the issuance of such shares of BGC Partners Common Stock. BGC Partners shall determine the proportion of the net proceeds that shall be paid to U.S. Opco, on the one hand, and Global Opco, on the other hand. Such determination shall be based on BGC Partners’ reasonable judgment as to the proportion of the total fair value, as of the date of issuance of the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interest and Global Opco Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to this Section 4.11(a)(i), represented by U.S. Opco or Global Opco, respectively, as of such date.

(ii) Mandatory Reinvestment by Holdings. After the Closing, in the event of any issuances of Holdings Limited Partnership Interests pursuant to the BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan as such plan is amended from time to time, Holdings shall contribute, directly or indirectly through its Subsidiaries, the net proceeds, if any, received in respect of such issuance to the Opcos in exchange for (A) a U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interest consisting of (1) a number of U.S. Opco Units equal to the number of additional Holdings Units underlying such Holdings Limited Partnership Interests so issued multiplied by (2) the Holdings Ratio as of immediately prior to the issuance of Holdings Limited Partnership Interest and (B) a Global Opco Limited Partnership Interest consisting of a number of Global Opco Units equal to (1) the number of additional Holdings Units underlying such Holdings Limited Partnership Interests so issued multiplied by (2) the Holdings Ratio as of immediately prior to the issuance of

 

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Holdings Limited Partnership Interest. BGC Partners shall determine the proportion of the net proceeds that shall be paid to U.S. Opco, on the one hand, and Global Opco, on the other hand. Such determination shall be based on BGC Partners’ reasonable judgment as to the proportion of the total fair value, as of the date of issuance of the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interest and Global Opco Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to this Section 4.11(a)(ii), represented by U.S. Opco or Global Opco, respectively, as of such date.

(iii) Voluntary Reinvestment by BGC Partners. After the Closing, BGC Partners (with the consent of the board of directors of BGC Partners) may elect to have a member of the BGC Partners Group purchase from the Opcos an equal number of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units for a price equal to the Per Unit Price for each set of one U.S. Opco Unit and one Global Opco Unit. Such member of the BGC Partners Group may use cash and/or other assets to make such purchases. In the event that non-cash consideration is used to make such purchases, the value of the aggregate non-cash consideration shall be determined in good faith by the general partner of U.S. Opco and Global Opco, as the case may be, taking into account, if relevant, the acquisition cost thereof. BGC Partners shall determine the proportion of the amount that it receives for such purchase that shall be paid to U.S. Opco, on the one hand, and Global Opco, on the other hand. Such determination shall be based on BGC Partners’ reasonable judgment as to the proportion of the total fair value, as of the date of issuance of the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interest and Global Opco Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to this Section 4.11(a)(iii), represented by U.S. Opco or Global Opco, respectively, as of such date.

(b) Pre-Emptive Rights. (i) In the event of any issuance of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units to any member of the BGC Partners Group pursuant to Section 4.11(a)(i) or 4.11(a)(iii) (the member of the BGC Partners Group receiving such U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units, the “Receiving Party” ), Cantor shall have the right (the “Purchase Right” ) to cause any member of the Holdings Group (such Person designated by Cantor, the “Purchase Right Party” ) to acquire and be issued, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 4.11(b), an aggregate number of additional U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units that would restore the U.S. Opco Group Percentage Interest and Global Opco Group Percentage Interest that the Cantor Group indirectly holds through the Holdings Group to that which it held immediately prior to such issuance to the Receiving Party (assuming for purposes of this calculation that (A) the Purchase Right were exercised and the related sale were closed immediately after the related issuance of the applicable U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units to the Receiving Party and (B) the Purchase Right Party shall have been issued any U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units for which such Purchase Right Party shall be entitled to receive pursuant to any exercised, but not yet closed, outstanding Election; provided , however , that, if such other Election shall not close in accordance with this Section 4.11(b) prior to the closing of this Purchase Right, the calculation shall be re-calculated excluding such Election) (the “Percentage Adjustment” ). In any exercise of a Purchase Right, the Purchase Right Party may elect to acquire less than the aggregate number of additional U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units that such Purchase Right Party shall be entitled to purchase pursuant to such Purchase Right (in which case, the Purchase Right with respect to the unexercised portion of the additional U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units shall survive and continue in effect on the terms

 

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contemplated by this Section 4.11(b)); provided , however , that, in all cases, the number of U.S. Opco Units so purchased shall equal the number of Global Opco Units so purchased.

(ii) Any U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units issued to a Receiving Party or a Purchase Right Party shall be in the form of U.S. Opco Regular Limited Partnership Interests (including the associated U.S. Opco Regular Partnership Units) and Global Opco Regular Limited Partnership Interests (and the associated Global Opco Regular Partnership Units), as the case may be.

(iii) In the event of the approval or authorization of any issuance of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units to the Receiving Party that shall give rise to the Purchase Right in accordance with this Section 4.11(b), the general partners of U.S. Opco and Global Opco shall promptly provide separate written notice thereof (but in any event no later than three (3) Business Days prior to the issuance thereof unless waived by the applicable Purchase Right Party), to Holdings, which notice shall state the number of U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units issuable to such Purchase Right Party, the date of issuance and the Per Unit Price payable by the Purchase Right Party (which shall be equal the Per Unit Price paid by the Receiving Party) (the “Notice” ).

(iv) In the event that Cantor elects to exercise its Purchase Right (an “Election” ), Cantor shall deliver a written notice of exercise to each of U.S. Opco and Global Opco on or prior to ten (10) days after the related issuance of U.S. Opco Regular Partnership Interests and Global Opco Regular Partnership Interests to the Receiving Party, which notice of exercise shall include (A) an irrevocable commitment by the Purchase Right Party to purchase as promptly as practicable an amount of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units equal to the amount specified in the Notice (or, if Cantor shall so elect, an irrevocable commitment to purchase an amount of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units less than that amount specified in the Notice ( provided , however , that the number of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units so purchased consist of the same number of units)) at the Per Unit Price specified in the Notice, (B) a statement detailing which Purchase Right Party member(s) will purchase the U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units (and, if more than one Purchase Right Party member shall purchase such U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units, a statement including the amounts that each such Purchase Right Party member shall purchase) and (C) a guarantee by Holdings of the obligations of the Purchase Right Party to complete the purchase and pay the Purchase Consideration therefor. The irrevocable commitment and the issuance of the additional U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units pursuant to the Purchase Right will be conditioned upon the closing of the related issuance of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units to the Receiving Party, the absence of any injunction, order, law, regulation or similar matter that prohibits the consummation of such issuance and the receipt of all regulatory or governmental approvals (including of self regulatory approvals) that shall be required for the applicable Purchase Right Party to acquire the U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units; provided , however , that any such purchase shall close no later than 120 days following the Election to exercise its Purchase Right. At the closing of the Purchase Right, (x) the Purchase Right Party shall pay to (1) U.S. Opco an amount in cash and/or other assets equal to the product of the Per Unit Price specified in the Notice and the number of U.S. Opco Units being issued to such Purchase Right Party’s Group

 

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pursuant to the exercise of such Purchase Right and (2) Global Opco an amount in cash and/or other assets equal to the product of the Per Unit Price specified in the Notice and the number of Global Opco Units being issued to such Purchase Right Party’s Group pursuant to the exercise of such Purchase Right (such amount in clauses (1) and (2), the “Purchase Consideration” ), and (y) in exchange therefor (1) U.S. Opco shall issue a U.S. Opco Regular Limited Partnership Interest consisting of the applicable number of U.S. Opco Regular Limited Partnership Units and (2) Global Opco shall issue a Global Opco Regular Limited Partnership Interest consisting of the applicable number of Global Opco Regular Limited Partnership Units. In the event that non-cash consideration is used to make such purchases, the value of the aggregate non-cash consideration shall be determined in good faith by the Audit Committee of BGC Partners, taking into account, if relevant, the acquisition cost thereof.

(v) In the event that U.S. Opco or Global Opco, as the case may be, shall: (A) pay a dividend on U.S. Opco Interests or Global Opco Interests, as the case may be, in the form of U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, or make a distribution on U.S. Opco Interests or Global Opco Interests, as the case may be, in the form of U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, (B) subdivide the outstanding U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, into a greater number of U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be; (C) combine the outstanding U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, into a smaller number of U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be; (D) make a distribution on U.S. Opco Interests or Global Opco Interests, as the case may be, in limited partnership interests other than U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be; or (E) issue by reclassification of the outstanding U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, any limited partnership interests, then the U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, issuable pursuant to each outstanding and unexercised Purchase Right immediately prior to such action (including any Purchase Right for which a notice of exercise shall have been delivered but shall not close prior to such action) shall be adjusted so that the applicable Purchase Right Party that thereafter elects to exercise, or closes, such Purchase Right in accordance with this Section shall receive the number of U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, that it would have owned immediately following such action if it had exercised such Purchase Right in full, and been issued the U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units, as the case may be, underlying the Purchase Right, immediately prior to such action.

(c) Concurrent Issuance of Holdings Exchangeable Units Upon Reinvestment by the Holdings Group. Concurrently with the issuance of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units to the Purchase Right Party, Cantor or any member of the Cantor Group designated by Cantor shall contribute to Holdings the Purchase Consideration, and in exchange therefor, subject to Section 4.11(e), simultaneously with the issuance of U.S. Opco and Global Opco Units to the Purchase Right Party pursuant to Section 4.11(b), Holdings shall issue to Cantor or the designated member of the Cantor Group, a Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest consisting of a number of Holdings Exchangeable Units equal to the number of U.S. Opco Units issued to the Purchase Right Party.

 

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(d) Parity Between U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units; Intention for Ratios To Equal One. To the extent that any U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units are issued pursuant to this Section 4.11, an equal number of Global Opco Units or U.S. Opco Units, respectively, shall be issued. It is the non-binding intention of the Parties that the BGC Partners Ratio and the Holdings Ratio shall in each case equal one (1). In furtherance of the foregoing, (i) in the event of any issuance of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units to any member of the BGC Partners Group pursuant to Section 4.11(a)(iii), immediately following such an issuance, BGC Partners shall declare a pro rata stock dividend so that the number of issued and outstanding shares of BGC Partners Common Stock shall be increased by a number equal to (x) the additional U.S. Opco Units issued to the BGC Partners Group pursuant to Section 4.11(a)(iii), multiplied by (y) the BGC Partners Ratio as of immediately prior to the issuance of such U.S. Opco Units; and (ii) in the event of any issuance of U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units to any member of the Holdings Group pursuant to Section 4.11(b), immediately following such an issuance, Holdings shall declare a pro rata dividend so that the number of issued and outstanding Holdings Units shall be increased by a number equal to (x) the additional U.S. Opco Units issued to the Holdings Group pursuant to Section 4.11(b), multiplied by (y) the Holdings Ratio as of immediately prior to the issuance of such U.S. Opco Units; provided , however , that, in each of cases (a) and (b), no fractional share of BGC Partners Common Stock or fractional Holdings Unit shall be issued and, in lieu thereof, BGC Partners and Holdings, as the case may be, shall be entitled to pay cash to the Person who otherwise would have received such fractional share of BGC Partners Common Stock or fractional Holdings Unit based on the market price of BGC Partners Common Stock as determined by BGC Partners or Holdings, as the case may be.

(e) No Fractional Units or Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, U.S. Opco, Global Opco, Holdings and BGC Partners shall not transfer or issue any fractional U.S. Opco Units, Global Opco Units, Holdings Units or BGC Partners Common Stock, as the case may be. In lieu thereof, upon any issuance of additional U.S. Opco Units, Global Opco Units, Holdings Units or BGC Partners Common Stock pursuant to this Section 4.11, the applicable Person shall transfer U.S. Opco Units, Global Opco Units, Holdings Units or BGC Partners Common Stock, as the case may be, rounded to the nearest whole unit or share.

SECTION 4.12 Distributions to Holders of BGC Partners Common Stock . It is the non-binding intention of BGC Partners to match the distribution policy of Holdings, so that BGC Partners uses a substantial portion of the cash that it receives from the Opcos to distribute as dividends to the holders of BGC Partners Common Stock; provided , however , that nothing in this Section shall prohibit BGC Partners from reinvesting in the Opcos pursuant to Section 4.11(a) or shall require Cantor to exercise its Purchase Right pursuant to Section 4.11(b).

SECTION 4.13 Intellectual Property License . Cantor for itself and on behalf of those of its Subsidiaries that own any right, title or interest in those Intellectual Property assets which are currently used or currently contemplated to be used in the conduct of the business of BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries hereby grants to BGC Partners and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-transferable (except as described below) and royalty-free license (the “License” ) to all such Intellectual Property in connection with the operation of the business of BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries on and after the Closing Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the License shall not constitute an assignment or transfer of any Intellectual Property owned by a third party if both (a) such assignment or

 

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transfer would be ineffective or would constitute a default under, or other contravention of, the provisions of a Contract without the approval or consent of a third party, and (b) such approval or consent is not obtained; provided , however , that Cantor agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any such approval or consent (it being understood that such efforts shall not require Cantor to pay to the third party any compensation or other remuneration to obtain such approval or consent). The License shall not be transferable except to any purchaser of (a) all or substantially all of the business or assets of BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries; or (b) a business, division or subsidiary of BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries pursuant to a bona fide acquisition of a line of business of BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries.

ARTICLE V

SURVIVAL AND INDEMNIFICATION

SECTION 5.01 Survival of Agreements . All covenants and agreements of the Parties contained in this Agreement shall survive in accordance with their terms.

SECTION 5.02 Indemnification by Cantor . From and after the Closing Date, Cantor shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless (a) BGC Partners and its Affiliates and each of their directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees (in their capacity as directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees of BGC Partners or its Affiliates), and each of the heirs, executors, successors and permitted assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “BGC Partners Indemnitees” ), (b) the Opcos and their respective Affiliates each of their respective directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees (in their capacity as directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees of the foregoing), and each of the heirs, executors, successors and permitted assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Opco Indemnitees” ), and (c) Holdings and each of its Affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees (in their capacity as directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees of Holdings), and each of the heirs, executors, successors and permitted assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Holdings Indemnitees” ), from and against any and all Indemnifiable Losses of such Persons to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from (without duplication):

(i) any breach of any covenant or agreement of Cantor made in this Agreement; or

(ii) any Excluded Asset or any Excluded Liability.

SECTION 5.03 Indemnification by BGC Partners . From and after the Closing Date, BGC Partners shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless (a) Cantor and its Affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees (in their capacity as directors, officers, general partners, managers and employees of Cantor or its Affiliates), and each of the heirs, executors, successors and permitted assigns of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Cantor Indemnitees” ), (b) the Opco Indemnitees, and (c) the Holdings Indemnitees, from and against any and all Indemnifiable Losses of such Persons to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from (without duplication) any breach of any covenant or agreement of BGC Partners made in this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 5.04 Indemnification by the Opcos . From and after the Closing Date, the Opcos shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless (a) the Cantor Indemnitees, (b) the BGC Partners Indemnitees, and (c) the Holdings Indemnitees, from and against any and all Indemnifiable Losses of such Persons to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from (without duplication):

(i) any breach of any covenant or agreement of U.S. Opco and/or Global Opco made in this Agreement; or

(ii) any Transferred Asset, any Transferred Liability or any of the Transferred Businesses.

If the Opcos shall be obligated to make any payment pursuant to this Section 5.04, BGC Partners shall determine the proportion of such payment that shall be made by U.S. Opco, on the one hand, and Global Opco, on the other hand (it being understood that such determination shall not change the fact that the Opcos shall be jointly and severally liable for any obligation pursuant to this Section 5.04).

SECTION 5.05 Indemnification by Holdings . From and after the Closing Date, Holdings shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless (a) the Cantor Indemnitees, (b) the U.S. Opco Indemnitees, and (c) the Global Opco Indemnitees, from and against any and all Indemnifiable Losses of such Persons to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from (without duplication) any breach of any covenant or agreement of Holdings made in this Agreement.

SECTION 5.06 Notice of Indemnity Claim . Any Indemnitee entitled to indemnification under this Agreement may seek indemnification for any Indemnifiable Loss by giving written notice to the indemnifying party, specifying (a) the basis for such indemnification claim and (b) if known, the aggregate amount of Indemnifiable Loss for which a claim is being made under this Article V. Written notice to such indemnifying party of the existence of such claim shall be given by the Indemnitee as soon as practicable after the Indemnitee first receives notice of the potential claim; provided , however , that any failure to provide such prompt notice of the event giving rise to such claim to the indemnifying party shall not affect the Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under this Article V except to the extent that such failure results in a lack of actual notice of the event giving rise to such claim and such indemnifying party actually incurs an incremental expense or otherwise has been materially prejudiced as a result of such delay.

SECTION 5.07 Third-Party Claims . (a) If an Indemnitee shall receive notice of the assertion by a third-party of any claim, or of the commencement by any such Person of any Action, with respect to which an indemnifying party may be obligated to provide indemnification to such Indemnitee pursuant to this Agreement (collectively, a “Third-Party Claim” ), such Indemnitee shall give such indemnifying party prompt written notice thereof; provided , however , that any failure to provide such prompt notice of the event giving rise to such claim to the indemnifying party shall not affect the Indemnitee’s right to indemnification pursuant to this Article V or relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under this Article V except to the extent that such failure results in a lack of actual notice of the event giving rise to such claim to

 

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the indemnifying party and such indemnifying party actually incurs an incremental expense or otherwise has been materially prejudiced as a result of such delay. Any such notice shall describe the Third-Party Claim in reasonable detail, including, if known, the amount of the Indemnifiable Loss for which indemnification may be available or a good faith estimate thereof.

(b) An indemnifying party may elect (but is not required) to assume the defense of and defend, at such indemnifying party’s own expense and by such indemnifying party’s own counsel, any Third-Party Claim. Within 30 days after the receipt of notice from an Indemnitee in accordance with Section 5.07(a), the indemnifying party shall notify the Indemnitee of its election whether the indemnifying party will assume responsibility for defending such Third-Party Claim, which election shall specify any reservations or exceptions. After notice from an indemnifying party to an Indemnitee of its election to assume the defense of a Third-Party Claim, such Indemnitee shall have the right to participate in the defense, compromise, or settlement thereof, but, as long as the indemnifying party pursues such defense, compromise or settlement with reasonable diligence, the fees and expenses of such Indemnitee incurred in participating in such defense shall be paid by the Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnitee shall be entitled to engage one separate counsel of its own choosing to participate in such defense, compromise or settlement.

(c) If an indemnifying party elects not to assume responsibility for defending a Third-Party Claim, or fails to notify an Indemnitee of its election as provided in Section 5.07(b), such Indemnitee may defend such Third-Party Claim at the cost and expense of the indemnifying party; provided , however , that the indemnifying party may thereafter assume the defense of and defend such Third-Party Claim upon notice to the Indemnitee (but the cost and expense of such Indemnitee in defending such Third-Party Claim incurred from the last day of the notice period under Section 5.07(b) until such date as the indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such Third-Party Claim shall be paid by the indemnifying party).

(d) If an indemnifying party elects not to assume responsibility for defending a Third-Party Claim, or fails to notify an Indemnitee of its election as provided in Section 5.07(b), and has not thereafter assumed such defense as provided in Section 5.07(c), such Indemnitee shall have the right to settle or compromise such Third-Party Claim, and any such settlement or compromise made or caused to be made of such Third-Party Claim in accordance with this Article V shall be binding on the indemnifying party, in the same manner as if a final judgment or decree had been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction in the amount of such settlement or compromise. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Indemnitee shall not compromise or settle a Third-Party Claim without the express prior consent of the indemnifying party (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided , however , that such prior consent shall not be required in the case of any such compromise or settlement if and only if the compromise or settlement includes, as part thereof, a full and unconditional release by the plaintiff or claimant of the Indemnitee and the indemnifying party from all Liability with respect to such Third-Party Claim and does not require the indemnifying party to be subject to any non-monetary remedy.

(e) The indemnifying party shall have the right to compromise or settle a Third-Party Claim the defense of which it shall have assumed pursuant to Section 5.07(b) or Section 5.07(c) and any such settlement or compromise made or caused to be made of a Third-

 

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Party Claim in accordance with this Article V shall be binding on the Indemnitee, in the same manner as if a final judgment or decree had been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction in the amount of such settlement or compromise. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to admit Liability on behalf of the Indemnitee and shall not compromise or settle a Third-Party Claim in each case without the express prior consent of the Indemnitee (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided , however , that such prior consent shall not be required in the case of any such compromise or settlement if and only if the compromise or settlement includes, as a part thereof, a full and unconditional release by the plaintiff or claimant of the Indemnitee from all Liability with respect to such Third-Party Claim and does not require the Indemnitee to make any payment that is not fully indemnified under this Agreement or to be subject to any non-monetary remedy.

SECTION 5.08 Mitigation . Each Indemnitee claiming a right to indemnification shall make commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate any claim or liability that such Indemnitee asserts under this Article V.

SECTION 5.09 Allocation of Loss for Certain Matters . Any Special Allocation Losses to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the Actions set forth on Schedule 5.09 shall be allocated to Holdings pursuant to terms of the New U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement and the New Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement and allocated to the capital accounts of the Limited Partnership Interests of BGC Holdings held by the Cantor Group, the Founding Partners and the Working Partners (each as defined in the New Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement) pursuant to the terms of the New Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement. Any such Action set forth on Schedule 5.09 shall be subject to Section 5.07 as if such Action were a Third-Party Claim.

SECTION 5.10 Exclusive Remedies . Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement, except in the case of a fraud or willful misconduct on the part of a Party hereto and except as specifically set forth in this Article V, there shall be no rights, claims or remedies (whether in Law or in equity) available to any Indemnitee for breaches by any indemnifying party of representations, warranties, covenants or other agreements under this Agreement or otherwise relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; provided , however , that the Parties hereto shall each have and retain all rights and remedies to bring actions for specific performance and/or injunctive relief existing in their favor under this Agreement, at Law or equity, to enforce or prevent a breach or violation of any provision of this Agreement.

SECTION 5.11 Merger Agreement Indemnification . Nothing contained in this Article V shall in any way derogate from Cantor’s obligation to provide indemnification on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.

ARTICLE VI

EMPLOYEE MATTERS

SECTION 6.01 Transfer of Business Employees . No later than immediately prior to the Closing Date, the employment of each Business Employee shall be transferred to BGC

 

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Partners, any of its Subsidiaries or a Transferred Entity to the extent that such Business Employees shall not already be employed by any such entity; provided , however , that any such Business Employee who is on an approved leave of absence (including disability leave) on the Closing Date shall not be transferred as of the Closing Date if such transfer would result in the loss of healthcare or disability insurance coverage and, in such event, the Business Employee shall commence employment with BGC Partners, one of its Subsidiaries or a Transferred Entity as of the date such employee returns from such leave. Each Business Employees who becomes employed by BGC Partners, one of its Subsidiaries or a Transferred Entity in accordance with the preceding sentence, together with the Business Employees, shall be referred to herein collectively as the “Transferred Business Employees” .

SECTION 6.02 Termination of Founding Partners .

(a) As promptly as practicable following each fiscal quarter of BGC Partners, management of BGC Partners shall provide a report to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of BGC Partners specifying all of the Founding Partners whose employment with BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries has been terminated.

(b) To the extent reasonably practicable, management of BGC Partners shall provide notice to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of BGC Partners prior to the termination by BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries of employment of any Founding Partner, if the capital account underlying the Holdings Founding Partner Interests held by such Founding Partner (or in the case of a series of related terminations of a group of Founding Partners, the capital account underlying the Holdings Founding Partner Interests held by such group of Founding Partners) is in excess of $2 million on the date of termination.

ARTICLE VII

TERMINATION

SECTION 7.01 Termination . Upon a termination of the Merger Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate automatically and without notice.

SECTION 7.02 Effect of Termination . In the event of any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.01, no Party (or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective Representatives) shall have any Liability or further obligation to any other Party.

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 8.01 Entire Agreement . This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement among the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and shall supersede all previous negotiations, commitments and writings with respect to such subject matter.

SECTION 8.02 Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction . (a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts-of-law principles of such State.

 

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(b) Each of the Parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be unavailable, any Delaware State court and the Federal court of the United States of America sitting in the State of Delaware) for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby (and agrees that no such action, suit or proceeding relating to this Agreement shall be brought by it or any of its subsidiaries except in such courts). Each of the Parties further agrees that, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to such Person’s respective address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding in Delaware with respect to any matters to which it has submitted to jurisdiction as set forth above in the immediately preceding sentence. Each of the Parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives (and agrees not to plead or claim), any objection to the laying of venue of any action, suit or proceeding arising out of this Agreement in the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be unavailable, in any Delaware State court or the Federal court of the United States of America sitting in the State of Delaware) or that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

SECTION 8.03 Amendment and Modification . This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented only by a written agreement signed by all of the Parties; provided , however , that any such amendment, modification or supplement shall require the prior written approval of the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of eSpeed, if prior to the effective time of the Merger, or the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Surviving Company, if after the effective time of the Merger.

SECTION 8.04 Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries . (a) This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their successors and permitted assigns, but neither this Agreement nor any rights, interests and obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any Party without the prior written consent of each of the other Parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); provided , however , that BGC Partners may assign its rights and obligations to a wholly owned subsidiary of BGC Partners without the prior written consent of the other Party; provided , further , that no such assignment shall relieve BGC Partners of any of its obligations hereunder.

(b) This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Parties and is not intended to confer upon any other Persons any rights or remedies hereunder, except that prior to the effective time of the Merger, eSpeed shall be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement and shall be entitled to enforce the rights of BGC Partners under this Agreement.

SECTION 8.05 Notices . All notices and other communications to be given to any Party hereunder shall be sufficiently given for all purposes hereunder if in writing and delivered by hand, courier or overnight delivery service or three days after being mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with appropriate postage prepaid, or when received in the form of a telegram or facsimile and shall be directed to the address set forth below (or at such other address or facsimile number as such Party shall designate by like notice):

 

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  (a) If to Cantor:

Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

110 East 59th Street

New York, New York 10022

  Attention: General Counsel
  Fax No: (212) 829-4708

with a copy to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

  Attention: Craig M. Wasserman, Esq.
       Gavin D. Solotar, Esq.
  Fax No: (212) 403-2000

 

  (b) If to BGC Partners, U.S. Opco, Global Opco or Holdings:

c/o BGC Partners, LLC

499 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

  Attention: General Counsel
  Fax No: (212) 829-4708

with a copy to:

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

919 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

  Attention: William D. Regner, Esq.
  Fax No: (212) 909-6836

All such notices, demands and other communications shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; when delivered by courier, if delivered by commercial courier service; five (5) Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; and when receipt is mechanically acknowledged, if telecopied. Any Party may by notice given in accordance with this Section 8.05 designate another address or Person for receipt of notices hereunder.

SECTION 8.06 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

SECTION 8.07 Waivers of Default . Waiver by any Party of any default by any other Party of any provision hereof or of any Ancillary Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of such other Party.

[Remainder of page left intentionally blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
BGC PARTNERS, LLC
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
BGC PARTNERS, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
BGC GLOBAL HOLDINGS, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
BGC HOLDINGS, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

[Signature Page to Separation Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008,

by and among Cantor, BGC Partners, U.S. Opco, Global Opco and Holdings]

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

BGC PARTNERS, INC.

 

 

ARTICLE I

NAME OF CORPORATION

The name of the corporation is BGC Partners, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation” ).

ARTICLE II

REGISTERED OFFICE

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, County of New Castle. The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be incorporated and organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL” ).

ARTICLE IV

STOCK

SECTION 1. Authorized Stock . The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is Six Hundred Fifty Million (650,000,000) shares, consisting of (i) Fifty Million (50,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Preferred Stock” ), and (ii) Six Hundred Million (600,000,000) shares of Common Stock (the “Common Stock” ), of which Five Hundred Million (500,000,000) shares are designated as Class A Common Stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Class A Common Stock” ), and One Hundred Million (100,000,000) shares are designated as Class B Common Stock (the “Class B Common Stock” ), par value one cent ($0.01) per share. Shares of Class B Common Stock that are converted into shares of Class A Common Stock shall be retired and not reissued.

SECTION 2. Preferred Stock . The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors” ) as shares of one or


more classes or series. Subject to the provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (hereinafter referred to as this “Certificate of Incorporation” ) and the limitations prescribed by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized by adopting resolutions to issue the shares, fix the number of shares and change the number of shares constituting any series, and to provide for or change the voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including dividend rights (and whether dividends are cumulative), dividend rates, terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions), redemption prices, conversion rights and liquidation preferences of the shares constituting any class or series of the Preferred Stock, without any further action or vote by the stockholders.

SECTION 3. Common Stock .

(a) Voting .

(1) At each annual or special meeting of stockholders, and for all other purposes, (A) each holder of record of shares of Class A Common Stock on the relevant record date shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Class A Common Stock; and (B) each holder of record of shares of Class B Common Stock on the relevant record date shall be entitled to ten (10) votes for each share of Class B Common Stock.

(2) Except as otherwise required by law and this Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation that may be issued from time to time, the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall vote together as a single class on all matters voted on by the stockholders of the Corporation.

(3) None of the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock or the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall have cumulative voting rights.

(b) Dividends; Stock Splits .

(1) Subject to the rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock, and subject to any other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation, holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and shares of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions in cash, stock or property of the Corporation as may be declared thereon by the Board of Directors from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor.

(2) If at any time a dividend or other distribution in cash or other property (other than dividends or other distributions payable in shares of Common Stock or other voting securities or options or warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock or other voting securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock or other voting securities) is paid on the shares of Class A Common Stock or the shares of Class B Common Stock, a like dividend or other distribution in cash or other property shall also be paid on shares of Class A Common Stock or shares of Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, in an equal amount per share. If at any time a dividend or other distribution payable in shares of Common Stock or options or warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock is paid on shares of Class A Common Stock or shares of Class B Common Stock, a like dividend or other distribution shall also be paid on shares of Class A Common Stock or shares of Class B Common Stock, as the

 

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case may be; provided , however , that, for this purpose, if shares of Class A Common Stock or other voting securities, or options or warrants to purchase shares of Class A Common Stock or other voting securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Class A Common Stock or other voting securities, are paid on shares of Class A Common Stock, and shares of Class B Common Stock or voting securities identical to the other securities paid on the shares of Class A Common Stock (except that voting securities paid on the Class B Common Stock may have up to ten (10) times the number of votes per share as voting securities paid on the Class A Common Stock) or options or warrants to purchase shares of Class B Common Stock or such other voting securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Class B Common Stock or such other voting securities, are paid on shares of Class B Common Stock, in an equal amount per share, such dividend or other distribution shall be deemed to be a like dividend or distribution. In the case of any split, subdivision, combination or reclassification of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, the shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, as the case may be, shall also be split, subdivided, combined or reclassified so that the number of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding immediately following such split, subdivision, combination or reclassification shall bear the same relationship to each other as did the number of shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such split, subdivision, combination or reclassification.

(c) Conversion Rights .

(1) Voluntary Conversion of Class B Common Stock . Each share of Class B Common Stock is convertible into one fully paid and non-assessable share of Class A Common Stock at any time at the option of the holder of such share of Class B Common Stock. In order to exercise the conversion privilege, the holder of any shares of Class B Common Stock to be converted shall present and surrender the certificate or certificates representing such shares (if certificated) during usual business hours at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, or if any agent for the registration or transfer of shares of Class B Common Stock is then duly appointed and acting (said agent being hereinafter called the “Transfer Agent” ), then at the office of the Transfer Agent, accompanied by written notice that the holder elects to convert the shares of Class B Common Stock represented by such certificate or certificates, to the extent specified in such notice. Such notice shall also state the name or names (with addresses) in which the certificate or certificates for shares of Class A Common Stock which shall be issuable upon such conversion shall be issued. If required by the Corporation, any certificate for shares of Class B Common Stock surrendered for conversion shall be accompanied by instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Corporation and the Transfer Agent, duly executed by the holder of such shares or his, her or its duly authorized representative. As promptly as practicable after the receipt of such notice and the surrender of the certificate or certificates representing such shares of Class B Common Stock as aforesaid, the Corporation shall issue and deliver at such office to such holder, or on his or her written order, a certificate or certificates for the number of full shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of such shares. Each conversion of shares of Class B Common Stock shall be deemed to have been effected on the date on which such notice shall have been received by the Corporation or the Transfer Agent, as applicable, and the certificate or certificates representing such shares shall have been surrendered (subject to receipt by the Corporation or the Transfer Agent, as applicable,

 

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within thirty (30) days thereafter of any required instruments of transfer as aforesaid), and the person or persons in whose name or names any certificate or certificates for shares of Class A Common Stock shall be issuable upon such conversion shall be deemed to have become on said date the holder or holders of record of the shares represented thereby.

(2) Automatic Conversion of Class B Common Stock . Each Share of Class B Common Stock will automatically convert into one (1) share of Class A Common Stock upon any sale, pledge or other transfer (a “Transfer” ), whether or not for value, by the initial registered holder thereof, upon any Transfer, other than in each case any Transfer by the initial holder to (1) Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “Cantor” ), (2) any entity controlled by Cantor or by Howard W. Lutnick and (3) Howard W. Lutnick, his spouse, his estate, any of his descendants, any of his relatives, or any trust established for his benefit or for the benefit of his spouse, any of his descendants or any of his relatives. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, any holder of Class B Common Stock may pledge his, her or its shares of Class B Common Stock to a pledgee pursuant to a bona fide pledge of the shares as collateral security for indebtedness due to the pledgee so long as the shares are not transferred to or registered in the name of the pledgee. In the event of any pledge meeting these requirements, the pledged shares will not be converted automatically into shares of Class A Common Stock. If the pledged shares of Class B Common Stock may be, become subject to any foreclosure, realization or other similar action by the pledgee, they will be converted automatically into shares of Class A Common Stock upon the occurrence of that action.

(3) Unconverted Shares . If less than all of the shares of Class B Common Stock evidenced by a certificate or certificates surrendered to the Corporation (in accordance with such procedures as the Board of Directors may determine) are converted, the Corporation shall execute and deliver to or upon the written order of the holder of such certificate or certificates a new certificate or certificates evidencing the number of shares of Class B Common Stock which are not converted without charge to the holder.

(4) No Conversion Rights of Class A Common Stock . The Class A Common Stock shall not have any conversion rights.

(5) Reservation of Shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock . The Corporation hereby reserves, and shall at all times reserve and keep available, out of its authorized and unissued shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, for the purposes of effecting conversions of Class B Common Stock and exchanges of Exchangeable Interests (as defined in the Agreement of Limited Partnership of BGC Holdings, L.P, a Delaware limited partnership (as amended from time to time, the “BGC Holdings Partnership Agreement” )) pursuant to the BGC Holdings Partnership Agreement, such number of duly authorized shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock and the exchange of all outstanding Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests and Founding Partner Interests. The Corporation covenants that all the shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock so issuable shall, when so issued, be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

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(d) Liquidation, Dissolution, etc . In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up (either voluntary or involuntary) of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Class A Common Stock and the holders of shares of Class B Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the assets and funds of the Corporation available for distribution, after payments to creditors and to the holders of any Preferred Stock of the Corporation that may at the time be outstanding, in proportion to the number of shares held by them, respectively.

(e) Rights Otherwise Identical . Except as expressly set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation, the rights of the holders of Class A Common Stock shall holders of Class B Common Stock shall be in all respects identical.

SECTION 4. Options, Warrants and Other Rights . The Board of Directors is authorized to create and issue options, warrants and other rights from time to time entitling the holders thereof to purchase securities or other property of the Corporation or any other entity, including any class or series of stock of the Corporation or any other entity and whether or not in connection with the issuance or sale of any securities or other property of the Corporation, for such consideration (if any), at such times and upon such other terms and conditions as may be determined or authorized by the Board of Directors and set forth in one or more agreements or instruments. Among other things and without limitation, such terms and conditions may provide for the following:

(a) adjusting the number or exercise price of such options, warrants or other rights or the amount or nature of the securities or other property receivable upon exercise thereof in the event of a subdivision or combination of any securities, or a recapitalization, of the Corporation, the acquisition by any natural person, company, corporation or similar entity, government, or political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a government (each, a “Person” ) of beneficial ownership of securities representing more than a designated percentage of the voting power of any outstanding series, class or classes of securities, a change in ownership of the Corporation’s securities or a merger, statutory share exchange, consolidation, reorganization, sale of assets or other occurrence relating to the Corporation or any of its securities, and restricting the ability of the Corporation to enter into an agreement with respect to any such transaction absent an assumption by another party or parties thereto of the obligations of the Corporation under such options, warrants or other rights;

(b) restricting, precluding or limiting the exercise, transfer or receipt of such options, warrants or other rights by any Person that becomes the beneficial owner of a designated percentage of the voting power of any outstanding series, class or classes of securities of the Corporation or any direct or indirect transferee of such a Person, or invalidating or voiding such options, warrants or other rights held by any such Person or transferee; and

(c) permitting the Board of Directors (or certain directors specified or qualified by the terms of the governing instruments of such options, warrants or other rights) to redeem, terminate or exchange such options, warrants or other rights.

This Section 4 of Article IV shall not be construed in any way to limit the power of the Board of Directors to create and issue options, warrants or other rights.

 

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ARTICLE V

STOCKHOLDERS

SECTION 1. Meetings of stockholders shall be held at such place, within or without the State of Delaware, as may be designated by or in the manner provided in the Bylaws, or, if not so designated, at the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless and to the extent that the Bylaws so provide.

SECTION 2. Any action to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation.

SECTION 3. Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or, if the Chairman of the Board is unavailable, by any Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or by the holders of a majority of the voting power of the Class B Common Stock.

ARTICLE VI

AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by law, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized and empowered to make, adopt, amend and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation pursuant to a resolution approved by a majority of the Board of Directors or by unanimous written consent. The stockholders may make, adopt, amend, and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation only with, and in addition to any other vote required by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon.

ARTICLE VII

EXCULPATION

No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended. Any repeal or amendment or modification of this Article VII by the stockholders of the Corporation or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VII, will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in applicable law permits the Corporation to provide a broader limitation on a retroactive basis than permitted prior thereto), and will not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of any director of the Corporation at the time of such repeal or amendment or modification or adoption of such inconsistent provision.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE

SECTION 1. Right to Indemnification . Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “ proceeding ”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that, except as provided in this Article VIII, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section 1 of Article VIII shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided , however , that, if the DGCL requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section or otherwise. The Corporation may, by action of the Board of Directors, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Corporation with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.

SECTION 2. Right of Claimant to Bring Suit . If a claim under Section 1 of Article VIII hereof is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such

 

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defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

SECTION 3. Non-Exclusivity of Rights . The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. No amendment or other modification of this Article VIII shall in any way diminish or adversely affect the rights of any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation in respect of any occurrence or matter arising prior to any such repeal or modification.

SECTION 4. Insurance . The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

ARTICLE IX

CORPORATE OPPORTUNITY

SECTION 1. To the greatest extent permitted by law and except as otherwise set forth in this Certificate of Incorporation:

(a) None of any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any fiduciary duty to, nor shall any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives be liable for breach of fiduciary duty to, the Corporation or any of its stockholders. In taking any action, making any decision or exercising any discretion with respect to the Corporation, each Cantor Company and their respective Representatives shall be entitled to consider such interests and factors as it desires, including its own interests and those of its Representatives, and shall have no duty or obligation (i) to give any consideration to the interests of or factors affecting the Corporation, the Corporation’s stockholders or any other person, or (ii) to abstain from participating in any vote or other action of the Corporation, or any board, committee or similar body of any of the foregoing. None of any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall violate a duty or obligation to the Corporation merely because such person’s conduct furthers such person’s own interest, except as specifically set forth in Section 1(c) of this Article IX. Any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives may lend money to, and transact other business with, the Corporation and its Representatives. The rights and obligations of any such person who lends money to, contracts with, borrows from or transacts business with the Corporation or any of its Representatives are the same as those of a person who is not involved with the Corporation or any of its Representatives, subject to other applicable law. No transaction between any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, with the Corporation or any of its Representatives, on the other

 

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hand, shall be voidable solely because any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives has a direct or indirect interest in the transaction. Nothing herein contained shall prevent any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives from conducting any other business, including serving as an officer, director, employee, or stockholder of any corporation, partnership or limited liability company, a trustee of any trust, an executor or administrator of any estate, or an administrative official of any other business or not-for-profit entity, or from receiving any compensation in connection therewith.

(b) None of any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Corporation and its Representatives, or (ii) doing business with any of the Corporation’s or its Representatives’ clients or customers. In the event that any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a Corporate Opportunity for any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any of its Representatives, on the other hand, such Cantor Company or Representatives, as the case may be, shall have no duty to communicate or offer such Corporate Opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Representatives, subject to Section 1(c) of this Article IX. None of any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall be liable to the Corporation, any of its stockholders or any of its Representatives for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact that any Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives pursues or acquires such Corporate Opportunity for itself, directs such Corporate Opportunity to another person or does not present such Corporate Opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Representatives, subject to Section 1(c) of this Article IX.

(c) If a third party presents a Corporate Opportunity to a person who is both a Representative of the Corporation and a Representative of a Cantor Company, expressly and solely in such person’s capacity as a Representative of the Corporation, and such person acts in good faith in a manner consistent with the policy that such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Corporation, then such person (i) shall be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such person has to the Corporation as a Representative of the Corporation with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (ii) shall not be liable to the Corporation, any of its stockholders or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (iii) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Corporation’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such person’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation and its stockholders and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom; provided that a Cantor Company may pursue such Corporate Opportunity if the Company shall decide not to pursue such Corporate Opportunity. If a Corporate Opportunity is not presented to a person who is both a Representative of the Corporation and a Representative of a Cantor Company and, expressly and solely in such person’s capacity as a Representative of the Corporation, such person shall not be obligated to present such Corporate Opportunity to the Corporation or to act as if such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Corporation, and such person shall (i) be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such person has to the Corporation as a Representative of the Corporation with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (ii) shall not be liable to the Corporation, any of its stockholders or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (iii) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to

 

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be in, and not opposed to, the Corporation’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such person’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation and its stockholders and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom.

(d) For purposes of this Article IX:

(1) “Cantor Company” means Cantor and any of its affiliates (other than, if applicable, the Corporation and its affiliates).

(2) “Representatives” means, with respect to any person, the directors, officers, employees, general partners or managing member of such person.

(3) “Corporate Opportunity” means any business opportunity that the Corporation is financially able to undertake, that is, from its nature, in the Corporation’s lines of business, is of practical advantage to the Corporation and is one in which the Corporation has an interest or a reasonable expectancy, and in which, by embracing the opportunities, the self-interest of Cantor or their respective Representatives will be brought into conflict with the Corporation’s self-interest.

SECTION 2. Neither the alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Article IX nor the adoption of any provision inconsistent with this Article IX shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article IX in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action that, but for this Article IX, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS TO CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by law and by this Certificate of Incorporation, and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Article X; provided , however , that (a) any amendment or repeal of Article VII or Article VIII of this Certificate of Incorporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection existing hereunder in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment or repeal; (b) the rights of any series of Preferred Stock shall not be amended after the issuance of shares of such series of Preferred Stock except in accordance with the terms of the certificate of designations for such series of Preferred Stock and the requirements of applicable law; (c) the automatic conversion provisions set forth in Section 3(c) of Article IV herein may not be amended, altered, changed or repealed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock; (d) the number of authorized shares of Class B Common Stock may not be increased or decreased and the rights of the Class B Common Stock (including the rights set forth in this clause (d)) may not be amended, altered, changed or repealed, without the approval of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of Class B Common Stock; and (e) except as set forth in the following sentence, the rights of the Class A Common Stock (including the rights set forth in this clause (e)) may not be amended, altered, changed or repealed in a manner that is disproportionately materially adverse as compared to other holders of capital stock of the Corporation, without the approval of the holders of a majority of the

 

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voting power of all of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock. The number of authorized shares of Class A Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, irrespective of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

 

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Exhibit 3.2

EXECUTION VERSION

AMENDED AND RESTATED

BYLAWS

OF

BGC PARTNERS, INC.

Incorporated under the Laws of the State of Delaware

 

 

ARTICLE I

OFFICES AND RECORDS

SECTION 1. Registered Office . The registered office of BGC Partners, Inc. (the “Corporation” ) in the State of Delaware shall be established and maintained at the office of The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, County of New Castle, and The Corporation Trust Company shall be the registered agent of the Corporation in charge thereof.

SECTION 2. Other Offices . Except as otherwise required by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Corporation may have an office or offices and keep its books, documents and papers outside of the State of Delaware at such place or places as from time to time may be determined by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, any Chief Executive Officer or any President.

SECTION 3. Books and Records . The books and records of the Corporation may be kept outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE II

STOCKHOLDERS

SECTION 1. Annual Meeting . The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place within or without the State of Delaware as may be designated by the Board of Directors, for the purpose of electing Directors and for the transaction of such other business as may be properly brought before the meeting. The Board of Directors may determine that an annual meeting shall not be held at any place, but shall instead be held solely by means of remote communication.

SECTION 2. Special Meetings . Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, a special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board; or, if the Chairman of the Board is unavailable, by any Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or by the holders of a majority of the voting power of the Class B Common Stock. Any special meeting of the stockholders shall be held on such date, at such time and at such place within or without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors or the officer calling the meeting may


designate. The Board of Directors may determine that any special meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any particular place, but shall instead be held solely by means of remote communication. At a special meeting of the stockholders, no business shall be transacted and no corporate action shall be taken other than that stated in the notice of the meeting unless all of the stockholders are present in person or by proxy, in which case any and all business may be transacted at the meeting even though the meeting is held without notice.

SECTION 3. Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations . Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record on the record date established for the giving of notice of such meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in these Bylaws.

In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing Directors, nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the record date for the giving of notice of such meeting, who was a stockholder of record on the record date established for the giving of notice of such meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in these Bylaws.

For nominations or other business to be properly brought by a stockholder, the stockholder must have given timely advance notice in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation (i) with respect to an annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, not later than the close of business on the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the Corporation’s proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided , however , that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not later than the close of business on the later of the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to the date of such proxy statement or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation; and (ii) with respect to a special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation for the election of Directors, not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which notice of the date of the special meeting was mailed to stockholders of the Corporation as provided in Section 4 of this Article II hereof or public disclosure of the date of the special meeting was made, whichever first occurs. Any such notice to be given by a stockholder shall set forth: (a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a Director, all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of Directors in an election contest, or is otherwise

 

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required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act” ), and Rule 14a-11 thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serve as a Director if elected); (b) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of such business, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and (c) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, (x) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner and (y) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner.

Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws shall be eligible to serve as Directors and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of the stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with these Bylaws. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth herein and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with procedures set forth herein, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall be disregarded.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict the procedures required to be followed in connection with stockholder proposals to be brought before a meeting of stockholders pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act and Rule 14a-8 thereunder.

SECTION 4. Notice of Meetings . Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws or by law, a written notice of each meeting of the stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting at the stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation or by a form of electronic transmission to which the stockholder has consented. The notice shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and may vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to a stockholder at his or her address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.

SECTION 5. Quorum . At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum of the stockholders for all purposes, unless the representation of a

 

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larger number of shares shall be required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, in which case the representation of the number of shares so required shall constitute a quorum; provided that at any meeting of the stockholders at which the holders of any class of stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to vote separately as a class, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of such class, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for purposes of such class vote unless the representation of a larger number of shares of such class shall be required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws.

SECTION 6. Adjourned Meetings . Whether or not a quorum shall be present in person or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at such meeting may adjourn from time to time; provided , however , that if the holders of any class of stock of the Corporation are entitled to vote separately as a class upon any matter at such meeting, any adjournment of the meeting in respect of action by such class upon such matter shall be determined by the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of such class present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at such meeting. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof, or the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and may vote at such adjourned meeting, are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or are otherwise publicly announced or disclosed. At the adjourned meeting the stockholders, or the holders of any class of stock entitled to vote separately as a class, as the case may be, may transact any business which might have been transacted by them at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting. The Board of Directors may postpone any meeting of stockholders or cancel any special meeting of stockholders by public announcement or disclosure prior to the time scheduled for the meeting.

SECTION 7. Organization . The Chairman of the Board; or, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer; or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, a President; or, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer and a President, a Vice Chairman, a Chief Operating Officer or a Vice President shall call all meetings of the stockholders to order, and shall act as Chairman of such meetings. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board and all of the Chief Executive Officers, the Presidents, the Vice Chairman, the Chief Operating Officers and the Vice Presidents, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at such meeting shall elect a Chairman.

The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of all meetings of the stockholders; but in the absence of the Secretary, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting. It shall be the duty of the Secretary

 

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of the Corporation to prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, arranged in alphabetical order and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held, for the ten (10) days next preceding the meeting, to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, and shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and subject to the inspection of any stockholder who may be present.

SECTION 8. Voting . Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or by law, each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of the capital stock of the Corporation registered in the name of such stockholder upon the books of the Corporation. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for him or her by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. When directed by the presiding officer or upon the demand of any stockholder, the vote upon any matter before a meeting of stockholders shall be by ballot. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Certificate of Incorporation, (a) Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the voting power present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting of stockholders by the stockholders entitled to vote in the election, and (b) whenever any corporate action, other than the election of Directors is to be taken, it shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders by the stockholders entitled to vote thereon.

Shares of the capital stock of the Corporation belonging to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of Directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes.

SECTION 9. Inspectors of Election; Opening and Closing the Polls . When required by law or directed by the presiding officer or upon the demand of any stockholder entitled to vote, but not otherwise, the polls shall be opened and closed, the proxies and ballots shall be received and taken in charge, and all questions touching the qualification of voters, the validity of proxies and the acceptance or rejection of votes shall be decided at any meeting of the stockholders by one or more Inspectors who may be appointed by the Board of Directors before the meeting, or if not so appointed, shall be appointed by the presiding officer at the meeting. If any person so appointed fails to appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment in like manner. The chairman of the meeting may fix and announce at the meeting the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting.

 

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SECTION 10. Stockholder Action by Written Consent . Any action to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing (which may be a telecopy, telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission), setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation. To be written, signed and dated for the purpose of these Bylaws, a telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission shall set forth or be delivered with information from which the Corporation can determine (i) that it was transmitted by a stockholder or proxy holder or a person authorized to act for a stockholder or proxy holder, and (ii) the date on which it was transmitted, such date being deemed the date on which the consent was signed. Prompt notice of the taking of any corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing.

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1. Number and Tenure . The powers of the Corporation shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of, the Board of Directors. Each Director shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders, and shall hold office for the full term for which such Director is elected and until such Director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until his earlier death or resignation or removal in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws; provided that, a majority of the Directors of the Corporation shall qualify as “independent” Directors in accordance with the published listing requirements of the national securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation, is listed (the “Class A Common Stock” ).

The number of Directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed by, and may be increased or decreased from time to time by, the Board of Directors. Newly created Directorships resulting from any increase in the number of Directors and any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other cause shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors. Any Director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term in which the new Directorship was created or the vacancy occurred and until such Director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified or until his earlier death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.

SECTION 2. Qualifications . Directors need not be residents of the State of Delaware or stockholders of the Corporation.

 

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SECTION 3. Removal, Vacancies and Additional Directors . The stockholders may, at any special meeting the notice of which shall state that it is called for that purpose, remove, with or without cause, any Director and fill the vacancy; provided that whenever any Director shall have been elected by the holders of any class of stock of the Corporation voting separately as a class under the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, such Director may be removed and the vacancy filled only by the holders of that class of stock voting separately as a class. Vacancies caused by any such removal and not filled by the stockholders at the meeting at which such removal shall have been made, or any vacancy caused by the death or resignation of any Director or for any other reason, and any newly created Directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of Directors, may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then in office, although less than a quorum, and any Director so elected to fill any such vacancy or newly created Directorship shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal.

When one or more Directors shall resign effective at a future date, a majority of the Directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each Director so chosen shall hold office as herein provided in connection with the filling of other vacancies.

SECTION 4. Place of Meeting . The Board of Directors may hold its meetings in such place or places in the State of Delaware or outside the State of Delaware as the Board from time to time shall determine.

SECTION 5. Regular Meetings . Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such times and places as the Board from time to time by resolution shall determine. No notice shall be required for any regular meeting of the Board of Directors; but a copy of every resolution fixing or changing the time or place of regular meetings shall be mailed to every Director at least five (5) days, or if by telecopy, telegram, cablegram or other electronic transmission or overnight courier at least two (2) days, before the first meeting held in pursuance thereof.

SECTION 6. Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held whenever called by direction of the Chairman of the Board, or, if the Chairman of the Board is unavailable, by a Vice Chairman acting jointly with a President. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Directors may fix the place and time of the meetings.

Notice of the day, hour and place of holding of each special meeting shall be given by mailing the same at least two (2) days before the meeting or by causing the same to be transmitted by telephone, facsimile, telegram or other electronic transmission at least one (1) day before the meeting to each Director. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business other than an amendment of these Bylaws may be transacted at any special meeting, and an amendment of these Bylaws may be acted upon

 

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if the notice of the meeting shall have stated that the amendment of these Bylaws is one of the purposes of the meeting. At any meeting at which every Director shall be present, even though without any notice, any business may be transacted, including the amendment of these Bylaws.

SECTION 7. Quorum . Subject to the provisions of Section 3 of this Article III, a majority of the members of the Board of Directors in office (but, unless the Board shall consist solely of one Director, in no case less than one-third of the total number of Directors nor less than two Directors) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the vote of the majority of the Directors present at any meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. If at any meeting of the Board there is less than a quorum present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time.

SECTION 8. Organization . The Chairman of the Board; or, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer; or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, a President; or, in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer and a President, a Vice Chairman, a Chief Operating Officer or a Vice President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board and all of the Chief Executive Officers, the Presidents, the Vice Chairmen, the Chief Operating Officers and the Vice Presidents, a Chairman shall be elected from the Directors present. The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary of all meetings of the Directors; but in the absence of the Secretary of the Corporation, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

SECTION 9. Committees . The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the Directors of the Corporation; provided that, the members of any such committee shall comply with the independence requirements of such committee, if any, in accordance with the published listing requirements of the national securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is listed. The Board may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and the affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of

 

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the Corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending these Bylaws; and unless such resolution, these Bylaws, or the Certificate of Incorporation expressly so provides, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock.

A majority of any committee may determine its action and fix the time and place of its meetings, unless the Board shall otherwise provide. Notice of such meetings shall be given to each member of the committee in the manner provided for in this Article III. The Board shall have power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve any such committee; provided that, the Board shall not have the power to dissolve any committee required by the published listing requirements of the national securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is listed. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prevent the Board from appointing one or more committees consisting in whole or in part of persons who are not Directors of the Corporation; provided , however , that no such committee shall have or may exercise any authority of the Board.

Each Committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and, on no less than a quarterly basis, report such minutes to the Board of Directors.

SECTION 10. Conference Telephone Meetings . Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, the members of the Board of Directors or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

SECTION 11. Consent of Directors or Committee in Lieu of Meeting . Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or the electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee, as the case may be.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

SECTION 1. Officers . The officers of the Corporation may include a Chairman of the Board (who can be a Chief Executive Officer), one or more Chief Executive Officers, one or more Presidents, one or more Vice Chairmen, one or more Chief Operating Officers, one or more Chief Financial Officers, one or more Vice Presidents, and one or more Secretaries, and such additional officers, if any, as shall be elected by the Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 of this Article IV.

 

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The Chairman of the Board, one or more Chief Executive Officers, one or more Presidents, one or more Vice Chairmen, one or more Chief Operating Officers, one or more Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents and one or more Secretaries shall be elected by the Board of Directors at its first meeting after each annual meeting of the stockholders. The failure to hold such election shall not of itself terminate the term of office of any officer. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Officers may, but need not, be Directors. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

All officers, agents and employees shall be subject to removal, with or without cause, at any time by the Board of Directors. The removal of an officer without cause shall be without prejudice to his or her contract rights, if any. The election or appointment of an officer shall not of itself create contract rights. All agents and employees other than officers elected by the Board of Directors shall also be subject to removal, with or without cause, at any time by the officers appointing them.

Any vacancy caused by the death, resignation or removal of any officer, or otherwise, may be filled by the Board of Directors, and any officer so elected shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

In addition to the powers and duties of the officers of the Corporation as set forth in these Bylaws, the officers shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as from time to time may be determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 2. Powers and Duties of the Chairman of the Board . The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3. Powers and Duties of the Chief Executive Officers . Each Chief Executive Officer shall serve as a chief executive officer of the Corporation, have general charge and control of all the Corporation’s business and affairs and, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, shall have all powers and shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors.

In addition, the Chief Executive Officer(s) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 4. Powers and Duties of the Presidents . Each President shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have all powers and shall perform all duties incident to the office of President. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board

 

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and a Chief Executive Officer, a President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, a President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation, have general charge and control of all the Corporation’s business and affairs and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 5. Powers and Duties of the Vice Chairmen . Each Vice Chairman shall have such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Chairman of the Board or the Board of Directors.

SECTION 6. Powers and Duties of the Chief Operating Officers . Each Chief Operating Officer shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have all powers and shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chief Operating Officer. In addition, the Chief Operating Officer(s) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer or a President.

SECTION 7. Powers and Duties of the Chief Financial Officers . Each Chief Financial Officer shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have all powers and shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chief Financial Officer. In addition, the Chief Financial Officer(s) shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer or a President.

SECTION 8. Powers and Duties of the Vice Presidents . Each Vice President shall have all powers and shall perform all duties incident to the office of Vice President and shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, an Executive Officer or a President.

SECTION 9. Powers and Duties of the Secretaries . Each Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and the minutes of all meetings of the stockholders in books provided for that purpose. The Secretary shall attend to the giving or serving of all notices of the Corporation; shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation and shall affix the same to such documents and other papers as the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer(s) or the President(s) shall authorize and direct; shall have charge of the stock certificate books, transfer books and stock ledgers and such other books and papers as the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer(s) or the President(s) shall direct, all of which shall at all reasonable times be open to the examination of any Director, upon application, at the office of the Corporation during business hours. Each Secretary shall have all powers and shall perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and shall also have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by these Bylaws or by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer or a President.

 

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SECTION 10. Additional Officers . The Board of Directors may from time to time elect such other officers (who may but need not be Directors), including a Controller, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurers, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Controllers, as the Board may deem advisable and such officers shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer or a President.

The Board of Directors may from time to time by resolution delegate to any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Treasurers any of the powers or duties herein assigned to the Treasurer; and may similarly delegate to any Assistant Secretary or Assistant Secretaries any of the powers or duties herein assigned to the Secretary.

SECTION 11. Giving of Bond by Officers . All officers of the Corporation, if required to do so by the Board of Directors, shall furnish bonds to the Corporation for the faithful performance of their duties, in such penalties and with such conditions and security as the Board shall require.

SECTION 12. Voting Upon Securities . Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, each of the Chairman of the Board, any Chief Executive Officer, any President or any Vice President shall have full power and authority on behalf of the Corporation to give consent in writing or to attend and to act and to vote, or in the name of the Corporation to execute proxies to vote, at any meeting of holders of interests in any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise in which the Corporation may hold an interest, and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise, in person or by proxy, any and all rights, powers and privileges incident to the ownership of such interests. The Board of Directors may from time to time, by resolution, confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

SECTION 13. Compensation of Officers . The officers of the Corporation shall be entitled to receive such compensation for their services as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE V

INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

SECTION 1. Right to Indemnification . Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “ proceeding ”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and

 

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held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law (“ DGCL ”), as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that, except as provided in this Article V, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section 1 of Article V shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided , however , that, if the DGCL requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section or otherwise. The Corporation may, by action of the Board of Directors, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Corporation with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.

SECTION 2. Indemnification Requests . To obtain indemnification under this Article V, a claimant shall submit to the Corporation a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as are reasonably available to the claimant and are reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 2 of Article V, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (1) if requested by the claimant, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined), or (2) if no request is made by the claimant for a determination by Independent Counsel, (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) if a quorum of the Board of Directors consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (iii) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event that the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel at the request of the claimant, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors unless there shall have

 

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occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “Change of Control” as defined in the 1999 Long-Term Incentive Plan of eSpeed, Inc., in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.

SECTION 3. Right of Claimant to Bring Suit . If a claim under Section 1 of this Article V is not paid in full by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after a written claim pursuant to Section 2 of this Article V has been received by the Corporation, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than it permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment) for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

SECTION 4. Binding Determination . If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 2 of this Article V hereof that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Corporation shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 3 of this Article V hereof.

SECTION 5. Preclusion . The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 3 of this Article V that the procedures and presumptions of this Article V are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Corporation is bound by all the provisions of this Article V.

SECTION 6. Non-Exclusivity of Rights . The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Article V shall not be exclusive of any other right that any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of

 

14


Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors or otherwise. No amendment or other modification of this Article V shall in any way diminish or adversely affect the rights of any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation in respect of any occurrence or matter arising prior to any such repeal or modification.

SECTION 7. Insurance . The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL. To the extent that the Corporation maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such director or officer, and each such agent or employee to which rights to indemnification have been granted as provided in Section 8 of this Article V shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such director, officer, employee or agent.

SECTION 8. Indemnification for Employees and Agents . The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification, and rights to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article V with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.

SECTION 9. Illegality . If any provision or provisions of this Article V shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article V (including, without limitation, each portion of this Article V containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Article V (including, without limitation, each such portion of this Article V containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

SECTION 10. Definitions . For purposes of this Article V:

(1) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Corporation who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

(2) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Corporation or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s

 

15


rights under this Article V.

SECTION 11. Notices . Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Corporation under this Article V shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, telex, telegram, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Corporation and shall be effective only upon receipt by the Secretary.

ARTICLE VI

STOCK; SEAL; FISCAL YEAR

SECTION 1. Certificates For Shares of Stock . Certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation shall be in such form, not inconsistent with the Certificate of Incorporation, as shall be approved by the Board of Directors. All certificates shall be signed by the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Vice Chairman, a Chief Operating Officer or a Vice President and by a Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, and shall not be valid unless so signed. Any such signature may be a facsimile.

In case any officer or officers who shall have signed any such certificate or certificates shall cease to be such officer or officers of the Corporation, whether because of death, resignation, removal or otherwise, before such certificate or certificates shall have been delivered by the Corporation, such certificate or certificates may nevertheless be issued and delivered as though the person or persons who signed such certificate or certificates had not ceased to be such officer or officers of the Corporation.

All certificates for shares of stock shall be consecutively numbered as the same are issued. The name of the person owning the shares represented thereby with the number of such shares and the date of issue thereof shall be entered on the books of the Corporation.

Except as hereinafter provided, all certificates surrendered to the Corporation for transfer shall be canceled, and no new certificates shall be issued until former certificates for the same number of shares have been surrendered and canceled.

SECTION 2. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates . Whenever a person owning a certificate for shares of stock of the Corporation alleges that it has been lost, stolen or destroyed, he or she shall file in the office of the Corporation an affidavit setting forth, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, the time, place and circumstances of the loss, theft or destruction, and, if required by the Board of Directors, a bond of indemnity or other indemnification sufficient in the opinion of the Board of Directors to indemnify the Corporation and its agents against any claim that may be made against it or them on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of a new certificate in replacement therefor. Thereupon the Corporation may cause to be issued to such person a new certificate in replacement for the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed. Upon the stub of every new certificate so

 

16


issued shall be noted the fact of such issue and the number, date and the name of the registered owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate in lieu of which the new certificate is issued.

SECTION 3. Transfer of Shares . Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the holder thereof, in person or by his or her attorney duly authorized in writing, and in the case of shares of stock represented by certificates, upon surrender and cancellation of such certificates for the number of shares of stock to be transferred, except as provided in Section 2 of this Article VI.

SECTION 4. Regulations . The Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer and registration of shares of stock of the Corporation.

SECTION 5. Record Date . In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting or to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, as the case may be, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be (i) more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, or (ii) in the case of corporate action to be taken by consent in writing without a meeting, prior to, or more than ten (10) days after, the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, or (iii) more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action.

If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is necessary, shall be the day on which the first written consent is delivered to the Corporation; and the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided , however , that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

SECTION 6. Dividends . Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors shall have power to declare and pay dividends upon shares of stock of the Corporation, but only out of funds available for the payment of dividends as provided by law.

 

17


Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, any dividends declared upon the stock of the Corporation shall be payable on such date or dates as the Board of Directors shall determine. If the date fixed for the payment of any dividend shall in any year fall upon a legal holiday, then the dividend payable on such date shall be paid on the next day not a legal holiday.

SECTION 7. Corporate Seal . The Board of Directors shall provide a suitable seal, containing the name of the Corporation, which seal shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary. A duplicate of the seal may be kept and be used by any officer of the Corporation designated by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer or a President.

SECTION 8. Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be such fiscal year as the Board of Directors from time to time by resolution shall determine.

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Checks, Notes, Etc . All checks, drafts, bills of exchange, acceptances, notes or other obligations or orders for the payment of money shall be signed and, if so required by the Board of Directors, countersigned by such officers of the Corporation and/or other persons as the Board of Directors from time to time shall designate.

Checks, drafts, bills of exchange, acceptances, notes, obligations and orders for the payment of money made payable to the Corporation may be endorsed for deposit to the credit of the Corporation with a duly authorized depository by the Chairman of the Board, any Chief Executive Officer, any President, any Vice President, any Treasurer and/or such other officers or persons as the Board of Directors from time to time may designate.

SECTION 2. Loans . No loans and no renewals of any loans shall be contracted on behalf of the Corporation except as authorized by the Board of Directors. When authorized to do so, any officer or agent of the Corporation may effect loans and advances for the Corporation from any bank, trust company or other institution or from any firm, corporation or individual, and for such loans and advances may make, execute and deliver promissory notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation. When authorized so to do, any officer or agent of the Corporation may pledge, hypothecate or transfer, as security for the payment of any and all loans, advances, indebtedness and liabilities of the Corporation, any and all stocks, securities and other personal property at any time held by the Corporation, and to that end may endorse, assign and deliver the same. Such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

SECTION 3. Contracts . Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws or by law or as otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board,

 

18


any Chief Executive Officer, any President, any Vice Chairmen, any Chief Operating Officer or any Vice President shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, all agreements, bonds, contracts, deeds, mortgages, and other instruments, either for the Corporation’s own account or in a fiduciary or other capacity, and the seal of the Corporation, if appropriate, shall be affixed thereto by any of such officers or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary. The Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, any Chief Executive Officer, any President, any Vice Chairman, any Chief Operating Officer or any Vice President designated by the Board of Directors may authorize any other officer, employee or agent to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, agreements, bonds, contracts, deeds, mortgages, and other instruments, either for the Corporation’s own account or in a fiduciary or other capacity, and, if appropriate, to affix the seal of the Corporation thereto. The grant of such authority by the Board or any such officer may be general or confined to specific instances.

SECTION 4. Waivers of Notice . Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws to any person or persons, a waiver thereof in writing or via electronic transmission by the person or persons entitled to the notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.

SECTION 5. Controlled Company . The Corporation shall not elect to be treated as a “controlled company” as defined in the published listing requirements of the national securities exchange on which the Class A Common Stock is listed.

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws and any amendment thereof may be altered, amended or repealed, or new Bylaws may be adopted, by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting pursuant to a resolution approved by a majority of the Board of Directors or by unanimous written consent of the members of the Board of Directors; but, except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws and any amendment thereof may be altered, amended or repealed or new Bylaws may be adopted by the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding stock of the Corporation, present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at any annual meeting or at any special meeting; provided that, in the case of any special meeting, that notice of such proposed alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption is included in the notice of the meeting.

 

19

Exhibit 4.1

E XECUTION V ERSION

 

 

 

 

BGC P ARTNERS , L.P.

 

 

$150,000,000

 

Senior Notes due April 1, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

N OTE P URCHASE A GREEMENT

 

 

 

 

 

Dated as of March 31, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

(Not a part of the Agreement)

 

S ECTION

   H EADING   

P AGE

S ECTION 1.

  

A UTHORIZATION OF N OTES

   1

         Section 1.1.

  

Authorization

   1

         Section 1.2.

  

Change in Reserve Requirement

   1

S ECTION 2.

  

S ALE AND P URCHASE OF N OTES

   2

         Section 2.1.

  

Background

   2

         Section 2.2.

  

Sale and Purchase of the Notes

   2

         Section 2.3.

  

Affiliate Guaranties

   2

S ECTION 3.

  

C LOSING

   2

S ECTION 4.

  

C ONDITIONS TO C LOSING

   3

         Section 4.1.

  

Representations and Warranties

   3

         Section 4.2.

  

Performance; No Default

   3

         Section 4.3.

  

Compliance Certificates

   3

         Section 4.4.

  

Opinions of Counsel

   4

         Section 4.5.

  

Purchase Permitted by Applicable Law, Etc

   4

         Section 4.6.

  

Sale of Other Notes

   4

         Section 4.7.

  

Payment of Special Counsel Fees

   4

         Section 4.8.

  

Private Placement Number

   5

         Section 4.9.

  

Changes in Legal Structure

   5

         Section 4.10.

  

Guaranties

   5

         Section 4.11.

  

[Intentionally Omitted]

   5

         Section 4.12.

  

Exchange, Novation and First Amendment Agreement

   5

         Section 4.13.

  

Proceedings and Documents

   5

S ECTION 5.

  

R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE C OMPANY

   5

         Section 5.1.

  

Organization; Power and Authority

   5

         Section 5.2.

  

Authorization, Etc

   6

         Section 5.3.

  

Disclosure

   6

         Section 5.4.

  

Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc

   6

         Section 5.5.

  

Governmental Authorizations, Etc

   6

         Section 5.6.

  

Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders

   6

         Section 5.7.

  

Taxes

   7

         Section 5.8.

  

Title to Property; Leases

   7

         Section 5.9.

  

Licenses, Permits, Etc

   7

         Section 5.10.

  

Private Offering by the Company

   8


         Section 5.11.

 

Margin Regulations

   8

         Section 5.12.

 

Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc

   8

         Section 5.13.

 

Status under Certain Statutes

   9

         Section 5.14.

 

Notes Rank Pari Passu

   9

         Section 5.15.

 

Environmental Matters

   9

S ECTION 6.

 

R EPRESENTATIONS OF THE P URCHASER

   9

         Section 6.1.

 

Purchase for Investment

   9

         Section 6.2.

 

Source of Funds

   10

S ECTION 7.

 

[R ESERVED ]

   11

S ECTION 8.

 

P REPAYMENT OF THE N OTES

   11

         Section 8.1.

 

Required Prepayments

   11

         Section 8.2.

 

Optional Prepayments with Make-Whole Amount

   11

         Section 8.3.

 

Change in Control

   12

         Section 8.4.

 

Allocation of Partial Prepayments

   14

         Section 8.5.

 

Maturity; Surrender, Etc

   15

         Section 8.6.

 

Purchase of Notes

   15

         Section 8.7.

 

Make-Whole Amount

   15

S ECTION 9.

 

A FFIRMATIVE C OVENANTS

   16

         Section 9.1.

 

Compliance with Law

   17

         Section 9.2.

 

Insurance

   17

         Section 9.3.

 

Maintenance of Properties

   17

         Section 9.4.

 

Payment of Taxes and Claims

   17

         Section 9.5.

 

Legal Existence, Etc

   17

         Section 9.6.

 

Notes to Rank Pari Passu

   18

         Section 9.7.

 

Books and Records

   18

S ECTION 10.

 

N EGATIVE C OVENANTS

   18

         Section 10.1.

 

Mergers, Consolidations, Etc

   18

         Section 10.2.

 

Transactions with Affiliates

   19

         Section 10.3.

 

Line of Business

   19

         Section 10.4.

 

Terrorism Sanctions Regulations

   19

         Section 10.5.

 

[Reserved]

   20

         Section 10.6.

 

Partnership Agreement

   20

Section 11.

 

E VENTS OF D EFAULT

   20

S ECTION 12.

 

R EMEDIES ON D EFAULT , E TC

   23

         Section 12.1.

 

Acceleration

   23

         Section 12.2.

 

Other Remedies

   24

 

-ii-


         Section 12.3.

  

Rescission

   24

         Section 12.4.

  

No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc

   24

S ECTION 13.

  

R EGISTRATION ; E XCHANGE ; S UBSTITUTION OF N OTES

   24

         Section 13.1.

  

Registration of Notes

   24

         Section 13.2.

  

Transfer and Exchange of Notes

   25

         Section 13.3

  

Replacement of Notes

   25

S ECTION 14.

  

P AYMENTS ON N OTES

   26

         Section 14.1.

  

Place of Payment

   26

         Section 14.2.

  

Home Office Payment

   26

S ECTION 15.

  

E XPENSES , E TC

   26

         Section 15.1.

  

Transaction Expenses

   26

         Section 15.2.

  

Survival

   27

S ECTION 16.

  

S URVIVAL OF R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES ;

E NTIRE A GREEMENT

   27

S ECTION 17.

  

A MENDMENT AND W AIVER

   27

         Section 17.1.

  

Requirements

   27

         Section 17.2.

  

Solicitation of Holders of Notes

   28

         Section 17.3.

  

Binding Effect, Etc

   28

         Section 17.4.

  

Notes Held by Company, Etc

   28

S ECTION 18.

  

N OTICES

   28

S ECTION 19.

  

R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS

   29

S ECTION 20.

  

C ONFIDENTIAL I NFORMATION

   29

S ECTION 21.

  

S UBSTITUTION OF P URCHASER .

   30

S ECTION 22.

  

M ISCELLANEOUS

   31

         Section 22.1.

  

Successors and Assigns

   31

         Section 22.2.

  

Payments Due on Non-Business Days

   31

         Section 22.3.

  

Accounting Terms

   31

         Section 22.4.

  

Severability

   31

         Section 22.5.

  

Construction, Etc

   31

         Section 22.6.

  

Counterparts

   32

         Section 22.7.

  

Governing Law

   32

 

-iii-


         Section 22.8.

  

Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial

   32

Signature

      1

 

-iv-


S CHEDULE  A

 

  

I NFORMATION R ELATING TO P URCHASERS

S CHEDULE  B

 

   —

  

D EFINED T ERMS

S CHEDULE  4.1(b)

 

   —

  

Closing Certificate and Agreement of BGC General Partner

Exhibit 1

 

   —

  

Form of Senior Note due April 1, 2010

E XHIBIT  2.2(a)

 

   —

  

Form of BGC Partners Guaranty

E XHIBIT  2.2(b)

 

   —

  

Form of CFLP Guaranty

E XHIBIT  2.2(c)

 

   —

  

Form of Subsidiary Guaranty

E XHIBIT  4.4(a)(i)

 

   —

  

Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Company

E XHIBIT  4.4(a)(ii)

 

   —

  

Form of Opinion of General Counsel to the Company

E XHIBIT  4.4(b)

 

   —

  

Form of Opinion of Special Counsel to the Purchasers

 

-v-


BGC P ARTNERS , L.P.

199 Water Street

New York, New York 10038

$150,000,000 Senior Notes due April 1, 2010

Dated as of March 31, 2008

T O EACH OF THE P URCHASERS LISTED IN THE ATTACHED

  S CHEDULE A HERETO :

Ladies and Gentlemen:

BGC P ARTNERS , L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Company” ), agrees with each of the purchasers whose names appear at the end hereof (each, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers” ) as follows:

S ECTION  1.        A UTHORIZATION OF N OTES .

Section 1.1.    Authorization .    The Company will authorize the issue and sale of $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Senior Notes due April 1, 2010 (the “Notes,” such term to include any such notes issued in substitution therefor pursuant to Section 13 ). The Notes shall be substantially in the form set out in Exhibit 1 . Certain capitalized and other terms used in this Agreement are defined in Schedule B ; and references to a “Schedule” or an “Exhibit” are, unless otherwise specified, to a Schedule or an Exhibit attached to this Agreement. The Notes shall bear interest from the date of issue at a rate equal to the Applicable Interest Rate. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 1.2.    Change in Reserve Requirement.     (a) If on any date under applicable insurance regulations any holder of a Note is required to post reserves with respect to the Notes (the “Reserve Requirement” ) greater than the Reserve Requirement in effect immediately prior to the date of the Closing, then from and including such date to and until the Interest Reset Date, the interest rate on the Notes shall be adjusted as follows: the then Applicable Interest Rate on the Notes shall be increased by 50 basis points.

(b)    Without limiting the effectiveness of the foregoing, the holders of the Notes shall use their best efforts to notify the Company if an interest rate adjustment as described in Section 1.2(a) is in effect.

(c)    The Company shall notify each of the holders of the Notes in writing, sent in the manner provided in Section 19 , when it believes an Interest Reset Date has occurred, which written notice shall identify such Interest Reset Date. The Interest Reset Date shall be deemed to have occurred on the date identified in the Company’s notice, unless within 30 days after receipt


of such notice, any holder of a Note shall notify the Issuer that its current Reserve Requirement is greater than the Reserve Requirement in effect immediately prior to the date of the Closing, in which case the Interest Reset Date shall not have occurred and interest on the Notes shall continue to accrue as set forth in Section 1.2(a) until the Interest Reset Date.

S ECTION  2.        S ALE AND P URCHASE OF N OTES .

Section 2.1.    Background . CFLP and each of the Purchasers have heretofore entered into the Note Purchase Agreement dated as of March 15, 2005 (the “CFLP Note Agreement” ), pursuant to which CFLP has heretofore issued $250,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its Senior Notes due April 1, 2010 (the “CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010” ).

Pursuant to that certain Note Exchange, Novation and First Amendment Agreement dated March 31, 2008 among the Company, CFLP and the Purchasers, CFLP and the Purchasers have (i) amended the CFLP Note Agreement and (ii) agreed to the surrender, termination and novation of $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010 (the “Designated CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010” ) in exchange for $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes.

Section 2.2.    Sale and Purchase of the Notes . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company will issue and sell to each Purchaser and each Purchaser will purchase from the Company, at the Closing provided for in Section 3 , Notes in the principal amount specified opposite such Purchaser’s name in Schedule A at the purchase price of 100% of the principal amount thereof. The Purchasers’ obligations hereunder are several and not joint obligations and no Purchaser shall have any liability to any Person for the performance or non-performance of any obligation by any other Purchaser hereunder.

Section 2.3.    Affiliate Guaranties . The payment by the Company of all amounts due with respect to the Notes and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement will be absolutely and unconditionally guaranteed by (a) BGC Partners, Inc. (successor by merger of BGC Partners, LLC and eSpeed, Inc.), a Delaware corporation ( “BGC Partners” ), pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.2(a) (as the same may be amended, modified, extended or renewed, the “BGC Partners Guaranty” ) and (b) Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “CFLP” ) pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.2(b) (as the same may be amended, modified, extended or renewed, the “CFLP Guaranty” ).

S ECTION  3 .         C LOSING .

The sale and purchase of the Notes to be purchased by each Purchaser shall occur at the offices of Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, at 10:00 A . M . Chicago time, at a closing (the “Closing” ) on March 31, 2008. At the Closing, the Company will deliver to each Purchaser the Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser in the form of a single Note (or such greater number of Notes in denominations of at least $100,000 as such Purchaser may request) dated the date of the Closing and registered in such Purchaser’s name (or

 

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in the name of its nominee), against delivery by such Purchaser to the Company of Designated CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010 in the same aggregate principal amount as the Notes so purchased. If at the Closing the Company shall fail to tender such Notes to any Purchaser as provided above in this Section 3 , or any of the conditions specified in Section 4 shall not have been fulfilled to such Purchaser’s satisfaction, such Purchaser shall, at its election, be relieved of all further obligations under this Agreement, without thereby waiving any rights such Purchaser may have by reason of such failure or such nonfulfillment.

S ECTION  4.        C ONDITIONS TO C LOSING .

Each Purchaser’s obligation to purchase and pay for the Notes to be sold to such Purchaser at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Purchaser’s satisfaction, prior to or at the Closing, of the following conditions:

Section 4.1.    Representations and Warranties .  (a) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement shall be correct when made and at the time of the Closing.

(b)    The representations and warranties of the BGC General Partner set forth in the Closing Certificate and Agreement (the “BGC General Partner Agreement” ) attached hereto as Schedule 4.1(b) and made a part hereof shall be correct when made and at the time of Closing. Each Purchaser agrees and acknowledges, and each transferee of a Note shall be deemed to have agreed and acknowledged, that no stockholder, director, officer, employee, agent or other representative of the BGC General Partner shall have any liability in respect of or arising out of the BGC General Partner Agreement or the matters contemplated thereby.

(c)    The representations and warranties of BGC Partners set forth in the BGC Partners Guaranty shall be correct when made and at the time of Closing.

(d)    The representations and warranties of CFLP set forth in the CFLP Guaranty shall be correct when made and at the time of Closing.

Section 4.2.    Performance; No Default .     The Company shall have performed and complied with all agreements and conditions contained in this Agreement required to be performed or complied with by it prior to or at the Closing, and after giving effect to the issue and sale of the Notes, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Section 4.3.    Compliance Certificates .

(a)     Company Officer’s Certificate .    The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser a Company Officer’s Certificate, dated the date of the Closing, certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.1(a), 4.2 and 4.9 have been fulfilled.

(b)     Company Authority Certificate .    The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate of an authorized officer, dated the date of Closing, certifying as to the resolutions attached thereto and other legal proceedings relating to the authorization, execution and delivery of the Notes and this Agreement.

 

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(c)     BGC General Partner Secretary’s Certificate .  The BGC General Partner shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate of its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, dated the date of Closing, certifying as to the resolutions attached thereto and other corporate proceedings related to the authorization, execution and delivery of the Notes, this Agreement and the BGC General Partner Agreement.

(d)     BGC Partners Secretary’s Certificate .  BGC Partners shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate of its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, dated the date of Closing, certifying as to the resolutions set forth in the BGC Partners Guaranty and other corporate proceedings related to the authorization, execution and delivery of the BGC Partners Guaranty.

(e)     CFLP Secretary’s Certificate .    CFLP shall have delivered to such Purchaser a certificate of CF General Partner’s Secretary or Assistant Secretary, dated the date of Closing, certifying as to the resolutions set forth in the CFLP Guaranty and other corporate proceedings related to the authorization, execution and delivery of the CFLP Guaranty.

Section 4.4.    Opinions of Counsel .  Such Purchaser shall have received opinions in form and substance satisfactory to such Purchaser, dated the date of the Closing (a) from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, counsel for the Company, BGC Partners, CFLP and the BGC General Partner, covering the matters set forth in Exhibit 4.4(a) and covering such other matters incident to the transactions contemplated hereby as such Purchaser or its counsel may reasonably request (and the Company, BGC Partners, CFLP and the BGC General Partner hereby instruct their counsel to deliver such opinion to the Purchasers) and (b) from Chapman and Cutler LLP, the Purchasers’ special counsel in connection with such transactions, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit 4.4(b) and covering such other matters incident to such transactions as such Purchaser may reasonably request.

Section 4.5.    Purchase Permitted by Applicable Law, Etc .  On the date of the Closing such Purchaser’s purchase of Notes shall (a) be permitted by the laws and regulations of each jurisdiction to which such Purchaser is subject, without recourse to provisions (such as Section 1405(a)(8) of the New York Insurance Law) permitting limited investments by insurance companies without restriction as to the character of the particular investment, (b) not violate any applicable law or regulation (including, without limitation, Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) and (c) not subject such Purchaser to any tax, penalty or liability under or pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, which law or regulation was not in effect on the date hereof. If requested by such Purchaser in writing at least three Business Days in advance of the date of the Closing, such Purchaser shall have received an Officer’s Certificate certifying as to such matters of fact as such Purchaser may reasonably specify to enable such Purchaser to determine whether such purchase is so permitted.

Section 4.6.    Sale of Other Notes .   Contemporaneously with the Closing, the Company shall sell to each other Purchaser, and each other Purchaser shall purchase, the Notes to be purchased by it at the Closing as specified in Schedule A .

Section 4.7.    Payment of Special Counsel Fees .    Without limiting the provisions of Section 15.1 , the Company shall have paid on or before the Closing the fees, charges and

 

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disbursements of the Purchasers’ special counsel referred to in Section 4.4 to the extent reflected in a statement of such counsel rendered to the Company at least one Business Day prior to the Closing.

Section 4.8.    Private Placement Number .    A Private Placement Number issued by Standard & Poor’s CUSIP Service Bureau (in cooperation with the SVO) shall have been obtained for the Notes.

Section 4.9.    Changes in Legal Structure . Neither the Company nor the BGC General Partner shall have changed its jurisdiction of organization or been a party to any merger, consolidation or other reorganization or succeeded to all or any substantial part of the liabilities of any other entity, at any time following the date of the most recent financial statements referred to in Schedule 5.5 (other than in connection with the Separation and the Merger).

Section 4.10.    Guaranties. On or prior to the date of the Closing, the BGC Partners Guaranty and the CFLP Guaranty shall each be in form and substance satisfactory to such Purchaser and its special counsel, shall have been duly executed and delivered by the parties thereto and shall be in full force and effect and such Purchaser shall have received a true, correct and complete copy thereof.

Section 4.11.     [Intentionally Omitted].

Section 4.12.    Exchange, Novation and First Amendment Agreement .    On or prior to the date of the Closing, the closing conditions set forth in Section 3 of the Exchange, Novation and First Amendment Agreement shall have been consummated to the satisfaction of the Purchasers and their special counsel and the Purchasers and their special counsel shall have received true, correct and complete copies of each of the agreements, certificates, legal opinions and other documents delivered pursuant to said Section 3.

Section 4.13.    Proceedings and Documents . All legal and other proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all documents and instruments incident to such transactions shall be satisfactory to such Purchaser and its special counsel, and such Purchaser and its special counsel shall have received all such counterpart originals or certified or other copies of such documents as such Purchaser or such special counsel may reasonably request.

S ECTION  5 .         R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE C OMPANY .

The Company represents and warrants to each Purchaser that:

Section 5.1.    Organization; Power and Authority . The Company is a limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and is duly qualified as a foreign limited partnership and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has the legal

 

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power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease, to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact, to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Notes and to perform the provisions hereof and thereof.

Section 5.2.    Authorization, Etc .    This Agreement and the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary legal action on the part of the Company, and this Agreement constitutes, and upon execution and delivery thereof each Note will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (a) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

Section 5.3.    Disclosure .  Since December 31, 2006, there has been no change in the financial condition, operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company or any Subsidiary except changes that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no fact known to the Company that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect that has not been set forth herein.

Section 5.4.    Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc .  The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Notes will not (a) contravene, result in any breach of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation of any Lien in respect of any property of the Company or any Subsidiary under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan, purchase or credit agreement, lease, corporate charter or by-laws, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected, (b) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any order, judgment, decree, or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary, (c) violate any provision of any statute or other rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary, or (d) require any consent or approval of the limited partners or, in the case of the general partner of the Company, any consent or approval which has not been obtained and which is not in full force and effect, the members of the BGC General Partner, the partners or stockholders of any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any other third party, except in the case of the foregoing clauses (a) and (b), any contravention, breach, default, Lien or conflict which individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.5.    Governmental Authorizations, Etc .  No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration, filing or declaration with, any Governmental Authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement or the Notes.

S ection 5.6.    Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders.   (a) There are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary or any property of the Company or

 

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any Subsidiary in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)    Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default under any term of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound, or any order, judgment, decree or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority or is in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation (including without limitation Environmental Laws or the USA Patriot Act) of any Governmental Authority, which default or violation, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 5.7.    Taxes .  The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all tax returns that are required to have been filed in any jurisdiction, and have paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes and assessments levied upon them or their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent, except for any taxes and assessments (a) the amount of which is not individually or in the aggregate Material or (b) the amount, applicability or validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, has established adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP. The Company knows of no basis for any other tax or assessment that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries in respect of federal, state or other taxes for all fiscal periods are adequate. The federal income tax liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries have been finally determined (whether by reason of completed audits or the statute of limitations having run) for all fiscal years up to and including the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003.

Section 5.8.    Title to Property; Leases .  The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and sufficient title to their respective properties that individually or in the aggregate are Material, including all such properties referred to in Section 5.5 or purported to have been acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary after said date (except as sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business), in each case free and clear of Liens prohibited by this Agreement. All leases that individually or in the aggregate are Material are valid and subsisting and are in full force and effect in all material respects.

Section 5.9.    Licenses, Permits, Etc.     (a) The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess all licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, patents, copyrights, proprietary software, service marks, trademarks and trade names, or rights thereto, that individually or in the aggregate are Material, without known conflict with the rights of others.

(b)    To the best knowledge of the Company, no product of the Company infringes in any Material respect any license, permit, franchise, authorization, patent, copyright, proprietary software, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned by any other Person.

(c)    To the best knowledge of the Company, there is no Material violation by any Person of any right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any patent, copyright,

 

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proprietary software, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned or used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 5.10.    Private Offering by the Company .  Neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has offered the Notes or any similar Securities for sale to, or solicited any offer to buy any of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect thereof with, any Person other than the Purchasers, each of which has been offered the Notes at a private sale for investment. Neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf has taken, or will take, any action that would subject the issuance or sale of the Notes to the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act or to the registration requirements of any securities or blue sky laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

Section 5.11.    Margin Regulations .  As the Notes are being issued in exchange for the CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010, no part of the proceeds from the sale of the Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of buying or carrying any margin stock within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12 CFR 221), or for the purpose of buying or carrying or trading in any securities under such circumstances as to involve the Company in a violation of Regulation X of said Board (12 CFR 224) or to involve any broker or dealer in a violation of Regulation T of said Board (12 CFR 220). Margin stock does not constitute more than 2% of the value of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the Company does not have any present intention that margin stock will constitute more than 2% of the value of such assets. As used in this Section, the terms “margin stock” and “purpose of buying or carrying” shall have the meanings assigned to them in said Regulation U.

Section 5.12.    Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc .  (a) The issuance of the Notes by the Company hereunder will not violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto.

(b)    Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is, or will become, a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (ii) engages or will engage in any dealings or transactions, or is or will be otherwise associated, with any such Person. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA Patriot Act.

(c)    As the Notes are being issued in exchange for the CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010, no part of the proceeds from the issuance of the Notes hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, assuming in all cases that such Act applies to the Company.

 

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Section 5.13.    Status under Certain Statutes .  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the ICC Termination Act of 1995, as amended, or the Federal Power Act, as amended.

Section 5.14.    Notes Rank Pari Passu .    The obligations of the Company under this Agreement and the Notes rank at least pari passu in right of payment with all other unsecured Senior Debt (actual or contingent) of the Company, including, without limitation, all unsecured Senior Debt of the Company described in Schedule 5.15 to the BGC Partners Guaranty.

Section 5.15.    Environmental Matters .  (a) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has knowledge of any claim or has received any notice of any claim, and no proceeding has been instituted raising any claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or other assets, alleging any damage to the environment or violation of any Environmental Laws, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)    Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has knowledge of any facts which would give rise to any claim, public or private, of violation of Environmental Laws or damage to the environment emanating from, occurring on or in any way related to real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or to other assets or their use, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)    Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has stored any Hazardous Materials on real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or has disposed of any Hazardous Materials in a manner contrary to any Environmental Laws in each case in any manner that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(d)    All buildings on all real properties now owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Subsidiary are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, except where failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

S ECTION  6.        R EPRESENTATIONS OF THE P URCHASER .

Section 6.1.    Purchase for Investment .  (a) Each Purchaser severally represents that it is acquiring the Notes for its own account or for one or more separate accounts maintained by such Purchaser or for the account of one or more pension or trust funds and not with a view to the distribution thereof; provided that the disposition of such Purchaser’s or their property shall at all times be within such Purchaser’s or their control. Each Purchaser understands that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from registration is available, except under circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption is required by law, and that the Company is not required to register the Notes.

(b)    Each Purchaser understands and agrees that it will not transfer the Notes or any part or portion thereof held by it (i) to any Person who is not an Institutional Investor or who is a Competitor or (ii) in violation of applicable law.

 

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Section 6.2.    Source of Funds .  Each Purchaser severally represents that it will pay the purchase price of the Notes with Designated CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010. Each Purchaser severally further represents that at least one of the following statements was an accurate representation as to each source of funds (a “Source” ) used by such Purchaser to pay the purchase price of the Designated CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010 exchanged by such Purchaser hereunder:

(a) the Purchaser is an insurance company and the Source is an “insurance company general account” (as the term is defined in the United States Department of Labor’s Prohibited Transaction Exemption ( “PTE” ) 95-60) in respect of which the reserves and liabilities (as defined by the annual Statement for Life Insurance Companies approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (the “NAIC Annual Statement” )) for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any employee benefit plan together with the amount of the reserves and liabilities for the general account contract(s) held by or on behalf of any other employee benefit plans maintained by the same employer (or affiliate thereof as defined in PTE 95-60) or by the same employee organization in the general account do not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total reserves and liabilities of the general account (exclusive of separate account liabilities) plus surplus as set forth in the NAIC Annual Statement filed with such Purchaser’s state of domicile; or

(b) the Source is a separate account that is maintained solely in connection with such Purchaser’s fixed contractual obligations under which the amounts payable, or credited, to any employee benefit plan (or its related trust) that has any interest in such separate account (or to any participant or beneficiary of such plan (including any annuitant)) are not affected in any manner by the investment performance of the separate account; or

(c) the Source is either (i) an insurance company pooled separate account, within the meaning of PTE 90-1, or (ii) a bank collective investment fund, within the meaning of the PTE 91-38 and, except as have been disclosed by such Purchaser to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (c), no employee benefit plan or group of plans maintained by the same employer or employee organization beneficially owns more than 10% of all assets allocated to such pooled separate account or collective investment fund; or

(d) the Source constitutes assets of an “investment fund” (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption) managed by a “qualified professional asset manager” or “QPAM” (within the meaning of Part V of the QPAM Exemption), no employee benefit plan’s assets that are included in such investment fund, when combined with the assets of all other employee benefit plans established or maintained by the same employer or by an affiliate (within the meaning of Section V(c)(1) of the QPAM Exemption) of such employer or by the same employee organization and managed by such QPAM, exceed 20% of the total client assets managed by such QPAM, the conditions of Part l(c) and (g) of the QPAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the QPAM nor a Person controlling or controlled by the QPAM (applying the definition of “control” in Section V(e) of the

 

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QPAM Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Company and (i) the identity of such QPAM and (ii) the names of all employee benefit plans whose assets are included in such investment fund have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (d); or

(e) the Source constitutes assets of a “plan(s)” (within the meaning of Section IV of PTE 96-23 (the “INHAM Exemption” )) managed by an “in-house asset manager” or “INHAM” (within the meaning of Part IV of the INHAM exemption), the conditions of Part I(a), (g) and (h) of the INHAM Exemption are satisfied, neither the INHAM nor a Person controlling or controlled by the INHAM (applying the definition of “control” in Section IV(d) of the INHAM Exemption) owns a 5% or more interest in the Company and (i) the identity of such INHAM and (ii) the name(s) of the employee benefit plan(s) whose assets constitute the Source have been disclosed to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (e); or

(f) the Source is a governmental plan that is covered neither by ERISA nor Section 4975 of the Code; or

(g) the Source is one or more employee benefit plans, or a separate account or trust fund comprised of one or more employee benefit plans, each of which has been identified to the Company in writing pursuant to this clause (g); or

(h) the Source does not include assets of any employee benefit plan, other than a plan exempt from the coverage of ERISA or which is not subject to Section 4975 of the Code.

As used in this Section 6.2 , the terms “employee benefit plan”, “governmental plan” and “separate account” shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA.

S ECTION  7.    [R ESERVED ].

S ECTION  8.    P REPAYMENT OF THE N OTES .

Section 8.1.    Required Prepayments .  No regularly scheduled prepayment of the principal of the Notes is required prior to the final maturity date thereof.

Section 8.2.    Optional Prepayments with Make-Whole Amount .    The Company may, at its option, upon notice as provided below, prepay at any time all, or from time to time any part of, the Notes, in an amount not less than 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding in the case of a partial prepayment, at 100% of the principal amount so prepaid, together with interest accrued thereon to the date of such prepayment, and the Make-Whole Amount determined for the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount. The Company will give each holder of Notes written notice of each optional prepayment under this Section 8.2 not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for such

 

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prepayment. Each such notice shall specify such date (which shall be a Business Day), the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid on such date, the principal amount of each Note held by such holder to be prepaid (determined in accordance with Section 8.4 ), and the interest to be paid on the prepayment date with respect to such principal amount being prepaid, and shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer as to the estimated Make-Whole Amount due in connection with such prepayment (calculated as if the date of such notice were the date of the prepayment), setting forth the details of such computation. Two Business Days prior to such prepayment, the Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer specifying the calculation of such Make-Whole Amount as of the specified prepayment date.

Section 8.3.    Change in Control .    (a)  Notice of Change in Control or Control Event. The Company will, within five Business Days after any Responsible Officer has knowledge of the occurrence of any Change in Control or Control Event (or thirty Business Days in the case of the death of Howard Lutnick that gives rise to a Control Event), give written notice of such Change in Control or Control Event to each holder of Notes unless notice in respect of such Change in Control (or the Change in Control contemplated by such Control Event) shall have been given pursuant to subparagraph (b) of this Section 8.3 . If a Change in Control has occurred, such notice shall contain and constitute an offer to prepay Notes as described in subparagraph (c) of this Section 8.3 and shall be accompanied by the certificate described in subparagraph (g) of this Section 8.3 .

(b)     Condition to Company Action.     The Company will not take any action that consummates or finalizes a Change in Control unless (i) at least 30 days prior to such action it shall have given to each holder of Notes written notice containing and constituting an offer to prepay Notes as described in subparagraph (c) of this Section 8.3 , accompanied by the certificate described in subparagraph (g) of this Section 8.3 , and (ii) contemporaneously with such action, it prepays all Notes required to be prepaid in accordance with this Section 8.3 .

(c)     Offer to Prepay Notes.     The offer to prepay Notes contemplated by subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 8.3 shall be an offer to prepay, in accordance with and subject to this Section 8.3 , all, but not less than all, the Notes held by each holder (in this case only, “holder” in respect of any Note registered in the name of a nominee for a disclosed beneficial owner shall mean such beneficial owner) on a date (which date shall be a Business Day) specified in such offer (the “Proposed Prepayment Date” ). If such Proposed Prepayment Date is in connection with an offer contemplated by subparagraph (a) of this Section 8.3 , such date shall be not less than 30 days and not more than 120 days after the date of such offer (if the Proposed Prepayment Date shall not be specified in such offer, the Proposed Prepayment Date shall be the first Business Day after the 45th day after the date of such offer).

(d)     Rejection.     A holder of Notes may accept the offer to prepay made pursuant to this Section 8.3 by causing a notice of such acceptance to be delivered to the Company not later than 15 days after receipt by such holder of the most recent offer of prepayment. A failure by a holder of Notes to respond to an offer to prepay made pursuant to this Section 8.3 shall be deemed to constitute a rejection of such offer by such holder.

 

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(e)     Prepayment.     Prepayment of the Notes to be prepaid pursuant to this Section 8.3 shall be at 100% of the principal amount of such Notes, together with interest on such Notes accrued to the date of prepayment, but without Make-Whole Amount or other premium. The prepayment shall be made on the Proposed Prepayment Date except as provided in subparagraph (f) of this Section 8.3 .

(f)     Deferral Pending Change in Control.     The obligation of the Company to prepay Notes pursuant to the offers required by subparagraph (c) and accepted in accordance with subparagraph (d) of this Section 8.3 is subject to the occurrence of the Change in Control in respect of which such offers and acceptances shall have been made. In the event that such Change in Control has not occurred on the Proposed Prepayment Date in respect thereof, the prepayment shall be deferred until, and shall be made on, the date on which such Change in Control occurs. To the extent reasonably practicable, the Company shall keep each holder of Notes reasonably and timely informed of (i) any such deferral of the date of prepayment, (ii) the date on which such Change in Control and the prepayment are expected to occur, and (iii) any determination by the Company that efforts to effect such Change in Control have ceased or been abandoned (in which case the offers and acceptances made pursuant to this Section 8.3 in respect of such Change in Control shall be deemed rescinded).

(g)     Officer’s Certificate.     Each offer to prepay the Notes pursuant to this Section 8.3 shall be accompanied by a certificate, executed by a Senior Financial Officer of the Company and dated the date of such offer, specifying: (i) the Proposed Prepayment Date; (ii) that such offer is made pursuant to this Section 8.3 ; (iii) the principal amount of each Note offered to be prepaid; (iv) the interest that would be due on each Note offered to be prepaid, accrued to the Proposed Prepayment Date; (v) that the conditions of this Section 8.3 have been fulfilled; and (vi) in reasonable detail, the nature and date or proposed date of the Change in Control.

(h)     Certain Definitions.      “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any person or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) (other than the Control Group) shall have acquired the beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any outstanding class of Capital Stock having ordinary voting power in the election of directors of CF General Partner or (ii) the Control Group shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, Capital Stock of CF General Partner possessing the voting power under normal circumstances to cast 70% or more of the total votes entitled to be cast for the election of directors of CF General Partner or (iii) the Control Group shall no longer have the voting power or the contractual right to elect a majority of CF General Partner’s directors or (iv) CF General Partner shall no longer be the sole managing general partner of CFLP; provided, however, that no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred under the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) so long as within thirty (30) days of any of the foregoing events, a majority of the board of directors of CF General Partner shall consist of at least two then current Permitted Executives who were also Permitted Executives immediately prior to the Change in Control. For purposes of this Section 8(h) and subject to Section 8(i) , the term “Permitted Executives” means, at any time, Stuart Fraser, Lee Amaitis, Philip Marber, Stephen Merkel, Kevin Foley, Shaun Lynn and Daniel LaVecchia.

 

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“Control Group” means, subject to Section 8(i) : Howard W. Lutnick so long as he is alive and, upon his death, (a) his heirs or estate or both and (b) any of Stuart Fraser, Lee Amaitis, Philip Marber, Stephen Merkel, Kevin Foley, Shaun Lynn and Daniel LaVecchia or a trust controlled by one or more of the foregoing and Edie Lutnick and/or Allison Lutnick for the benefit of the heirs of Howard W. Lutnick.

“Control Event” means:

(i) the execution by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates of any agreement with respect to any proposed transaction or event or series of transactions or events which, individually or in the aggregate, may reasonably be expected to result in a Change in Control, or

(ii) the execution of any written agreement which, when fully performed by the parties thereto, would result in a Change in Control.

(i) At such time that the Company shall deliver to each holder of the Notes evidence that (I) the Guarantee Agreement, dated as of August 27, 2004, between CFLP and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ( “JPMorgan” ), as amended, (II) the Guarantee Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2004, between CFLP and JP Morgan, as amended, (III) the Guarantee Agreement (Second 2004 Series), dated as of December 17, 2004, between CFLP and JPMorgan, as amended, and (IV) the Guarantee Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2005, between CFLP and JPMorgan, as amended, shall have each been amended to reflect the following definitions of “Permitted Executives” and “Control Group,” then, for purposes of Section 8(h) , the same terms shall be automatically amended to read as follows:

“Permitted Executives” shall mean, at any time, any then current chairman, vice chairman, chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief legal officer, and chief financial officer (including for this purpose any of multiple persons holding such offices as “co” officers), and the deputies of such officers, of any of CFLP, CF General Partner, BGC Partners, the Company, Cantor Fitzgerald Securities or Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.

“Control Group” shall mean: Howard W. Lutnick or a revocable trust controlled by him so long as he is alive and, upon his death (a) his heirs or estate or both and (b) any one or more Permitted Executives or a trust controlled by (i) any one or more Permitted Executives and (ii) Edie Lutnick and/or Allison Lutnick for the benefit of the heirs of Howard W. Lutnick.

(j) All calculations contemplated in this Section 8.3 involving the Capital Stock of any Person shall be made with the assumption that all convertible Securities of such Person then outstanding and all convertible Securities issuable upon the exercise of any warrants, options and other rights outstanding at such time were converted at such time and that all options, warrants and similar rights to acquire shares of Capital Stock of such Person were exercised at such time.

Section 8.4.    Allocation of Partial Prepayments .    In the case of each partial prepayment of the Notes pursuant to Section 8.2 , the principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid shall be allocated among all of the Notes at the time outstanding in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to

 

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the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof not theretofore called for prepayment. All prepayments made pursuant to Section 8.3 shall be applied only to the Notes of the holders who have elected to participate in such prepayment.

Section 8.5.    Maturity; Surrender, Etc .    In the case of each prepayment of Notes pursuant to this Section 8 , the principal amount of each Note to be prepaid shall mature and become due and payable on the date fixed for such prepayment (which shall be a Business Day), together with interest on such principal amount accrued to such date and the applicable Make-Whole Amount, if any. From and after such date, unless the Company shall fail to pay such principal amount when so due and payable, together with the interest and Make-Whole Amount, if any, as aforesaid, interest on such principal amount shall cease to accrue. Any Note paid or prepaid in full shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled and shall not be reissued, and no Note shall be issued in lieu of any prepaid principal amount of any Note.

Section 8.6.    Purchase of Notes .    The Company will not and will not permit any Affiliate that it Controls to purchase, redeem, prepay or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of the outstanding Notes except upon the payment or prepayment of the Notes in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Notes. The Company will promptly cancel all Notes acquired by it or any Affiliate pursuant to any payment, prepayment or purchase of Notes pursuant to any provision of this Agreement and no Notes may be issued in substitution or exchange for any such Notes.

Section 8.7.    Make-Whole Amount .    The term “Make-Whole Amount” means, with respect to any Note, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Discounted Value of the Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to the Called Principal of such Note over the amount of such Called Principal; provided that the Make-Whole Amount may in no event be less than zero. For the purposes of determining the Make-Whole Amount, the following terms have the following meanings:

“Called Principal” means, with respect to any Note, the principal of such Note that is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1 , as the context requires.

“Discounted Value” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the amount obtained by discounting all Remaining Scheduled Payments with respect to such Called Principal from their respective scheduled due dates to the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in accordance with accepted financial practice and at a discount factor (applied on the same periodic basis as that on which interest on the Notes is payable) equal to the Reinvestment Yield with respect to such Called Principal.

“Reinvestment Yield” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the sum of (A) .50% plus (B) the yield to maturity implied by (i) the yields reported as of 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, on the display designated as “Page PX1” (or such other display as may replace Page PX1 on Bloomberg Financial Markets (“Bloomberg”) or, if Page PX1 (or its successor screen on Bloomberg) is unavailable, the

 

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Telerate Access Service screen which corresponds most closely to Page PX1 for the most recently issued actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date, or (ii) if such yields are not reported as of such time or the yields reported as of such time are not ascertainable (including by way of interpolation), the Treasury Constant Maturity Series Yields reported, for the latest day for which such yields have been so reported as of the second Business Day preceding the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal, in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) (or any comparable successor publication) for actively traded U.S. Treasury securities having a constant maturity equal to the Remaining Average Life of such Called Principal as of such Settlement Date. Such implied yield will be determined, if necessary, by (a) converting U.S. Treasury bill quotations to bond-equivalent yields in accordance with accepted financial practice and (b) interpolating linearly between (1) the actively traded U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and greater than such Remaining Average Life and (2) the actively traded U.S. Treasury security with the maturity closest to and less than such Remaining Average Life. The Reinvestment Yield shall be rounded to the number of decimal places as appears in the coupon of the applicable Note.

“Remaining Average Life” means, with respect to any Called Principal, the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) obtained by dividing (a) such Called Principal into (b) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the principal component of each Remaining Scheduled Payment with respect to such Called Principal by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth year) that will elapse between the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal and the scheduled due date of such Remaining Scheduled Payment.

“Remaining Scheduled Payments” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, all payments of such Called Principal and interest thereon that would be due after the Settlement Date with respect to such Called Principal if no payment of such Called Principal were made prior to its scheduled due date; provided that if such Settlement Date is not a date on which interest payments are due to be made under the terms of the Notes, then the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued to such Settlement Date and required to be paid on such Settlement Date pursuant to Section 8.2 or 12.1 . For the avoidance of doubt, the Applicable Interest Rate then in effect shall be used in connection with any computation of the Remaining Scheduled Payments.

“Settlement Date” means, with respect to the Called Principal of any Note, the date on which such Called Principal is to be prepaid pursuant to Section 8.2 or has become or is declared to be immediately due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1 , as the context requires.

S ECTION  9.    A FFIRMATIVE C OVENANTS .

The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

 

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Section 9.1.    Compliance with Law .    The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations to which each of them is subject, including, without limitation, ERISA, the USA Patriot Act and Environmental Laws, and will obtain and maintain in effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations necessary to the ownership of their respective properties or to the conduct of their respective businesses, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that non-compliance with such laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or failures to obtain or maintain in effect such licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.2.    Insurance .    The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms and in such amounts (including deductibles, co-insurance and self-insurance, if adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto) as is customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same or a similar business and similarly situated and the failure of which to so maintain would have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.3.    Maintenance of Properties .    The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and keep, or cause to be maintained and kept, their respective properties in good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times; provided that this Section shall not prevent the Company or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and the Company has concluded that such discontinuance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.4.    Payment of Taxes and Claims .    The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file all tax returns required to be filed in any jurisdiction and to pay and discharge all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes, assessments, governmental charges, or levies imposed on them or any of their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent and all claims for which sums have become due and payable that have or might become a Lien on properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary; provided that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary need pay any such tax or assessment or claims or file any such tax return if (a) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is contested by the Company or such Subsidiary on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Company or a Subsidiary has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of the Company or such Subsidiary or (b) the nonpayment of all such taxes, assessments and claims in the aggregate or failure to file such tax returns could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.5.    Legal Existence, Etc .    Subject to Section 10.1 , the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence as a limited partnership and its status as not being taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Subject to Sections 8.4

 

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and 8.5 of the BGC Partners Guaranty, the Company will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect the legal existence of each of its Subsidiaries (unless merged into the Company or a Wholly-owned Subsidiary) and all rights and franchises of the Company and its Subsidiaries unless, in the good faith judgment of the Company, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such legal existence, right or franchise could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 9.6.    Notes to Rank Pari Passu.     The Notes and all other obligations under this Agreement of the Company are and at all times shall rank at least pari passu in right of payment with all other present and future unsecured Senior Debt (actual or contingent) of the Company.

Section 9.7.    Books and Records .    The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain proper books of record and account in conformity with GAAP and all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having legal or regulatory jurisdiction over the Company, or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

S ECTION  10.        N EGATIVE C OVENANTS .

The Company covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

Section 10.1.    Mergers, Consolidations, Etc.     The Company will not consolidate with or be a party to a merger with any other Person, or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets; provided that:

(a)    the Company may consolidate or merge with or into any other Person if (i) the corporation, limited liability company or other legal entity which results from such consolidation or merger (the “Surviving Person” ) is organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, (ii) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all of the Notes, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observation of all of the covenants in the Notes and this Agreement to be performed or observed by the Company are expressly assumed in writing by the Surviving Person and the Surviving Person shall furnish to the holders of the Notes an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Required Holders to the effect that the instrument of assumption has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of the Surviving Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, (iii) BGC Partners, CFLP and any Subsidiary Guarantor shall confirm in writing its obligations under the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or the Subsidiary Guaranty, as the case may be, and (iv) at the time of such consolidation or merger and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; and

(b)    the Company may sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to any Person for consideration which represents the fair market value of such

 

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assets (as determined in good faith by a Senior Financial Officer of the Company at the time of such sale or other disposition if (i) the acquiring Person (the “Acquiring Person” ) is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, (ii) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all the Notes, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants in the Notes and in this Agreement to be performed or observed by the Company are expressly assumed in writing by the Acquiring Person and the Acquiring Person shall furnish to the holders of the Notes an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Required Holders to the effect that the instrument of assumption has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of such Acquiring Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, (iii) BGC Partners, CFLP and any Subsidiary Guarantor shall confirm in writing its obligations under the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or the Subsidiary Guaranty, as the case may be and (iv) at the time of such sale or disposition and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist.

Section 10.2.    Transactions with Affiliates.   The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to enter into, directly or indirectly, any Material transaction or Material group of related transactions (including without limitation the purchase, lease, sale or exchange of properties of any kind or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate (other than the Company or a Subsidiary), except upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of the Company or such Subsidiary and in the case of any transaction or transactions with any Affiliate other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary, in the ordinary course of the Company’s or such Subsidiary’s business; provided that management or other fees, compensation, employee benefit arrangement or indemnification programs, plans or arrangements pertaining to limited or general partners of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business or approved by the General Partner of the Company shall in each such case be deemed not to be in violation of this Section 10.2 ; provided further that intercompany lending transactions upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of the Company or such Subsidiary shall, in each such case, be deemed not to be in violation of this Section 10.2.

Section 10.3.    Line of Business .  The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to engage in any business if, as a result, the general nature of the business in which the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, would then be engaged would be substantially changed from the general nature of the business in which the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are engaged on the date of this Agreement as described in the definitive proxy statement of eSpeed Inc. related to the Merger, as filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008.

Section 10.4.    Terrorism Sanctions Regulations .    The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to (a) become a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated

 

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Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (b) knowingly engage in any dealings or transactions with any such Person.

Section 10.5.    [Reserved] .

Section 10.6.    Partnership Agreement .    The Company shall not, directly or indirectly, amend, supplement or otherwise modify the BGC Partnership Agreement in any manner which would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to a holder of the Notes.

S ECTION  11.        E VENTS OF D EFAULT .

An “Event of Default” shall exist if any of the following conditions or events shall occur and be continuing:

(a)    the Company defaults in the payment of any principal or Make-Whole Amount, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise; or

(b)    the Company defaults in the payment of any interest on any Note for more than five Business Days after the same becomes due and payable; or

(c)    (i) BGC Partners defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained in Section 6.1(e), Section 6.2(a) or Sections 8.1 through 8.5 of the BGC Partners Guaranty and, in the case of a default of Sections 8.1 through 8.5, such default is not remedied within 10 Business Days after the earlier of (A) a Responsible Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default and (B) the BGC Partners receiving written notice of such default from any holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this Section 11(c) ); or (ii) CFLP defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained in Section 6.1(e), Section 6.2(a) or Sections 8.1 through 8.5 of the CFLP Guaranty and, in the case of a default of Sections 8.1 through 8.5, such default is not remedied within 10 Business Days after the earlier of (A) a Responsible Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default and (B) the CFLP receiving written notice of such default from any holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this Section 11(c) ); or

(d)    the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP or any Subsidiary Guarantor defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained herein (other than those referred to in Sections 11(a) , (b)  and  (c) ), the BGC General Partner Agreement, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty, as the case may be, and such default is not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such default and (ii) the Company receiving written notice of such default from any holder of a Note (any such written notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this Section 11(d) ); or

 

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(e)    any representation or warranty made in writing by or on behalf of the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP or any Subsidiary Guaranty or by any officer of the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP or any Subsidiary Guarantor in this Agreement, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty, any Subsidiary Guaranty or the BGC General Partner Agreement or in any writing furnished in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, as the case may be, proves to have been false or incorrect in any material respect on the date as of which made; or

(f)    (i) the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any Subsidiary is in default (as principal or as guarantor or other surety) in the payment of any principal of or premium or make-whole amount or interest on any Debt that is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount of at least $25,000,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or (ii) the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any Subsidiary is in default in the performance of or compliance with any term of any evidence of any Debt in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $25,000,000 or of any mortgage, indenture or other agreement relating thereto or any other condition exists, and as a consequence of such default or condition such Debt has become or has been declared due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment, or (iii) as a consequence of the occurrence or continuation of any event or condition (other than the passage of time or the right of the holder of Debt to convert such Debt into equity interests), (1) the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any Subsidiary has become obligated to purchase or repay Debt before its regular maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $25,000,000, or (2) one or more Persons has required the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any Subsidiary so to purchase or repay such Debt, or (iv) an “Event of Default” (as defined therein) shall have occurred and be continuing under the CFLP Note Purchase Agreement; or

(g)    the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any Subsidiary (i) is generally not paying, or admits in writing its inability to pay, its debts as they become due, (ii) files, or consents by answer or otherwise to the filing against it of, a petition for relief or reorganization or arrangement or any other petition in bankruptcy, for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar law of any jurisdiction, (iii) makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (iv) consents to the appointment of a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, (v) is adjudicated as insolvent or to be liquidated, or (vi) takes corporate action for the purpose of any of the foregoing; or

(h)    a court or other Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction enters an order appointing, without consent by the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, a

 

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custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, or constituting an order for relief or approving a petition for relief or reorganization or any other petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy or insolvency law of any jurisdiction, or ordering the dissolution, winding-up or liquidation, the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, or any such petition shall be filed against, the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries and such petition shall not be dismissed within 60 days; or

(i)    a final judgment or judgments for the payment of money aggregating in excess of $25,000,000 (excluding for purposes of such determination such amount of any insurance proceeds paid to or on behalf of, the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner, or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries in respect of such judgment or judgments or unconditionally acknowledged in writing to be payable by the insurance carrier that issued the related insurance policy) are rendered against one or more of the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP, the CF General Partner, and the Company’s Subsidiaries and which judgments are not, within 60 days after entry thereof, bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within 60 days after the expiration of such stay; or

(j)    if (i) any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standards of ERISA or the Code for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standards or extension of any amortization period is sought or granted under Section 412 of the Code, (ii) a notice of intent to terminate any Plan shall have been or is reasonably expected to be filed with the PBGC or the PBGC shall have instituted proceedings under ERISA Section 4042 to terminate or appoint a trustee to administer any Plan or the PBGC shall have notified the Company or any ERISA Affiliate that a Plan may become a subject of any such proceedings, (iii) the aggregate “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(18) of ERISA) under all Plans, determined in accordance with Title IV of ERISA, shall exceed $2,000,000, (iv) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate shall have incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, (v) the Company or any ERISA Affiliate withdraws from any Multiemployer Plan, or (vi) the Company or any Subsidiary establishes or amends any employee welfare benefit plan that provides post-employment welfare benefits in a manner that would increase the liability of the Company or any Subsidiary thereunder; and any such event or events described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, either individually or together with any other such event or events, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or

(k)    the Company shall cease to exist or be deemed to cease to exist as a limited partnership under the laws of the State of Delaware, whether by voluntary or involuntary winding-up, liquidation, dissolution or termination, or proceedings are initiated to wind-up, liquidate, dissolve or terminate the Company or an event occurs which, by operation of law or by an agreement of the BGC General Partner, or otherwise,

 

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would result in a winding-up, liquidation or dissolution, or termination of the Company; or

(l)    the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty shall cease to be in full force and effect for any reason whatsoever, including, without limitation, a determination by any Governmental Authority that the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty is invalid, void or unenforceable or BGC Partners CFLP or any Subsidiary Guarantor which is a party to any such Subsidiary Guaranty, as the case may be, shall contest or deny in writing the validity or enforceability of any of its obligations under such BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty, but excluding any Subsidiary Guaranty which ceases to be in full force and effect by reason of the express provisions of Section 7.7(b) of the BGC Partners Guaranty; or

(m)    the SIPC shall apply for, or announce its intention to apply for, a protective decree with respect to any of the Company’s Subsidiaries under the jurisdiction of SIPC, as provided in the SIPA, and the failure of any such Subsidiary to obtain the dismissal of such application within 30 days.

As used in Section 11(j) , the terms “employee benefit plan” and “employee welfare benefit plan” shall have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in Section 3 of ERISA.

S ECTION  12.        R EMEDIES ON D EFAULT , E TC .

Section 12.1.    Acceleration .    (a) If an Event of Default with respect to the Company described in Section 11(g), (h)  or (k)  (other than an Event of Default described in clause (i) of Section 11(g) or described in clause (vi) of Section 11(g) by virtue of the fact that such clause encompasses clause (i) of Section 11(g) ) has occurred, all the Notes then outstanding shall automatically become immediately due and payable.

(b)    If any other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any holder or holders of more than 51% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may at any time at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company as provided in Section 18(iii) , declare all the Notes then outstanding to be immediately due and payable.

(c)    If any Event of Default described in Section 11(a)  or  (b) has occurred and is continuing, any holder or holders of Notes at the time outstanding affected by such Event of Default may at any time, at its or their option, by notice or notices to the Company as provided in Section 18(iii) , declare all the Notes held by it or them to be immediately due and payable.

Upon any Note’s becoming due and payable under this Section 12.1 , whether automatically or by declaration, such Note will forthwith mature and the entire unpaid principal amount of such Note, plus (i) all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including, but not limited to, interest accrued thereon at the Default Rate) and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount determined in respect of such principal amount (to the full extent permitted by applicable law), shall all be immediately due and payable, in each and every case without presentment, demand, protest or

 

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further notice, all of which are hereby waived. The Company acknowledges, and the parties hereto agree, that each holder of a Note has the right to maintain its investment in the Notes free from repayment by the Company (except as herein specifically provided for), and that the provision for payment of a Make-Whole Amount by the Company in the event that the Notes are prepaid or are accelerated as a result of an Event of Default, is intended to provide compensation for the deprivation of such right under such circumstances.

Section 12.2.    Other Remedies .    If any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and irrespective of whether any Notes have become or have been declared immediately due and payable under Section 12.1 , the holder of any Note at the time outstanding may proceed to protect and enforce the rights of such holder by an action at law, suit in equity or other appropriate proceeding, whether for the specific performance of any agreement contained herein or in any Note, or for an injunction against a violation of any of the terms hereof or thereof, or in aid of the exercise of any power granted hereby or thereby or by law or otherwise.

Section 12.3.    Rescission .  At any time after any Notes have been declared due and payable pursuant to Section 12.1(b) or (c) , the holders of more than 51% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company, may rescind and annul any such declaration and its consequences if (a) the Company has paid all overdue interest on the Notes, all principal of and Make-Whole Amount, if any, on any Notes that are due and payable and are unpaid other than by reason of such declaration, and all interest on such overdue principal and Make-Whole Amount, if any, and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) any overdue interest in respect of the Notes, at the Default Rate, (b) neither the Company nor any other Person shall have paid any amounts which have become due solely by reason of such declaration, (c) all Events of Default and Defaults, other than non-payment of amounts that have become due solely by reason of such declaration, have been cured or have been waived pursuant to Section 17 , and (d) no judgment or decree has been entered for the payment of any monies due pursuant hereto or to the Notes. No rescission and annulment under this Section 12.3 will extend to or affect any subsequent Event of Default or Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 12.4.    No Waivers or Election of Remedies, Expenses, Etc .  No course of dealing and no delay on the part of any holder of any Note in exercising any right, power or remedy shall operate as a waiver thereof or otherwise prejudice such holder’s rights, powers or remedies. No right, power or remedy conferred by this Agreement or by any Note upon any holder thereof shall be exclusive of any other right, power or remedy referred to herein or therein or now or hereafter available at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise. Without limiting the obligations of the Company under Section 15 , the Company will pay to the holder of each Note on demand such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover all costs and expenses of such holder incurred in any enforcement or collection under this Section 12 , including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, expenses and disbursements.

S ECTION  13.        R EGISTRATION ; E XCHANGE ; S UBSTITUTION OF N OTES .

Section 13.1. Registration of Notes .   The Company shall keep at its principal executive office a register for the registration and registration of transfers of Notes. The name and address of each holder of one or more Notes, each transfer thereof and the name and address of each

 

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transferee of one or more Notes shall be registered in such register. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the Person in whose name any Note shall be registered shall be deemed and treated as the owner and holder thereof for all purposes hereof, and the Company shall not be affected by any notice or knowledge to the contrary. The Company shall give to any holder of a Note that is an Institutional Investor promptly upon request therefor, a complete and correct copy of the names and addresses of all registered holders of Notes.

Section 13.2.    Transfer and Exchange of Notes .    Upon surrender of any Note to the Company at the address and to the attention of the designated officer (all as specified in Section 18(iii)) for registration of transfer or exchange (and in the case of a surrender for registration of transfer accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed by the registered holder of such Note or such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing and accompanied by the relevant name, address and other information for notices of each transferee of such Note or part thereof), within ten Business Days thereafter, the Company shall execute and deliver, at the Company’s expense (except as provided below), one or more new Notes (as requested by the holder thereof) in exchange therefor, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the unpaid principal amount of the surrendered Note. Each such new Note shall be payable to such Person as such holder may request and shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 1 . Each such new Note shall be dated and bear interest from the date to which interest shall have been paid on the surrendered Note or dated the date of the surrendered Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp tax or governmental charge imposed in respect of any such transfer of Notes. Any transferee, by its acceptance of a Note registered in its name (or the name of its nominee), shall be deemed to have made the representation set forth in Section 6.2 . The Company shall not be required to re-register any Note transferred in violation of Section 6.1(b) or if such representation pursuant to said Section 6.2 is false or incorrect in any material respect on the date as of which made.

Section 13.3.    Replacement of Notes .    Upon receipt by the Company at the address and to the attention of the designated officer (all as specified in Section 18(iii) ) of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the ownership of and the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any Note (which evidence shall be, in the case of an Institutional Investor, notice from such Institutional Investor of such ownership and such loss, theft, destruction or mutilation), and

(a)    in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it ( provided that if the holder of such Note is, or is a nominee for, an original Purchaser or another holder of a Note with a minimum net worth of at least $50,000,000 or a Qualified Institutional Buyer, such Person’s own unsecured agreement of indemnity shall be deemed to be satisfactory), or

(b)    in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation thereof,

within fifteen Business Days thereafter, the Company at its own expense shall execute and deliver, in lieu thereof, a new Note, dated and bearing interest from the date to which interest shall have been paid on such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note or dated the date of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note if no interest shall have been paid thereon.

 

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S ECTION  14.        P AYMENTS ON N OTES .

Section 14.1.    Place of Payment .    Subject to Section 14.2 , payments of principal, Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest becoming due and payable on the Notes shall be made in New York, New York, at the principal office of the Company in such jurisdiction. The Company may at any time, by notice to each holder of a Note, change the place of payment of the Notes so long as such place of payment shall be either the principal office of the Company in such jurisdiction or the principal office of a bank or trust company in such jurisdiction.

Section 14.2.    Home Office Payment .  So long as any Purchaser or its nominee shall be the holder of any Note, and notwithstanding anything contained in Section 14.1 or in such Note to the contrary, the Company will pay all sums becoming due on such Note for principal, Make-Whole Amount, if any, and interest by the method and at the address specified for such purpose below such Purchaser’s name in Schedule A , or by such other method or at such other address as such Purchaser shall have from time to time specified to the Company in writing for such purpose, without the presentation or surrender of such Note or the making of any notation thereon, except that upon written request of the Company made concurrently with or reasonably promptly after payment or prepayment in full of any Note, such Purchaser shall surrender such Note for cancellation, reasonably promptly after any such request, to the Company at its principal executive office or at the place of payment most recently designated by the Company pursuant to Section 14.1 . Prior to any sale or other disposition of any Note held by a Purchaser or its nominee, such Purchaser will, at its election, either endorse thereon the amount of principal paid thereon and the last date to which interest has been paid thereon or surrender such Note to the Company in exchange for a new Note or Notes pursuant to Section 13.2 . The Company will afford the benefits of this Section 14.2 to any Institutional Investor that is the direct or indirect transferee of any Note purchased by a Purchaser under this Agreement and that has made the same agreement relating to such Note as the Purchasers have made in this Section 14.2 .

S ECTION  15.        E XPENSES , E TC .

Section 15.1.    Transaction Expenses .    Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Company will pay all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees of a special counsel and, if reasonably required by the Required Holders, local or other counsel) incurred by the Purchasers and each other holder of a Note in connection with such transactions and in connection with any amendments, waivers or consents under or in respect of this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty (whether or not such amendment, waiver or consent becomes effective), including, without limitation: (a) the costs and expenses incurred in enforcing or defending (or determining whether or how to enforce or defend) any rights under this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty or in responding to any subpoena or other legal process or informal investigative demand issued in connection with this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty, or by reason of being a holder of any Note, and (b) the costs and expenses, including financial advisors’ fees, incurred in connection with the insolvency or bankruptcy of BGC Partners, CFLP, the Company or any Subsidiary or in connection with any work-out or restructuring of the transactions contemplated hereby, by the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty,

 

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the CFLP Guaranty or by any Subsidiary Guaranty. The Company will pay, and will save each Purchaser and each other holder of a Note harmless from, all claims in respect of any fees, costs or expenses, if any, of brokers and finders (other than those, if any, retained by a Purchaser or other holder in connection with its purchase of the Notes).

Section 15.2.    Survival .    The obligations of the Company under this Section 15 will survive the payment or transfer of any Note, the enforcement, amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or by any Subsidiary Guaranty, and the termination of this Agreement.

S ECTION  16.        S URVIVAL OF R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES ; E NTIRE A GREEMENT .

All representations and warranties contained herein or in any Subsidiary Guaranty shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty and any Subsidiary Guaranty, the purchase or transfer by any Purchaser of any Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any Note, and may be relied upon by any subsequent holder of a Note, regardless of any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of such Purchaser or any other holder of a Note. All statements contained in any certificate or other instrument delivered by or on behalf of the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP or any Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to this Agreement, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty, the BGC General Partner Agreement or any Subsidiary Guaranty shall be deemed representations and warranties of the Company, the BGC General Partner, BGC Partners, CFLP or such Subsidiary Guarantor under this Agreement, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty, the BGC General Partner Agreement or such Subsidiary Guaranty, as the case may be. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty and any Subsidiary Guaranty embody the entire agreement and understanding between each Purchaser and the Company and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.

S ECTION  17.        A MENDMENT AND W AIVER .

Section 17.1.    Requirements .    This Agreement and the Notes may be amended, and the observance of any term hereof or of the Notes may be waived (either retroactively or prospectively), with (and only with) the written consent of the Company and the Required Holders, except that (a) no amendment or waiver of any of the provisions of Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 21 hereof, or any defined term (as it is used therein), will be effective as to any Purchaser unless consented to by such Purchaser in writing, and (b) no such amendment or waiver may, without the written consent of the holder of each Note at the time outstanding affected thereby, (i) subject to the provisions of Section 12 relating to acceleration or rescission, change the amount or time of any prepayment or payment of principal of, or reduce the rate or change the time of payment or method of computation of interest or of the Make-Whole Amount on, the Notes, (ii) change the percentage of the principal amount of the Notes the holders of which are required to consent to any such amendment or waiver, or (iii) amend any of Section 8, 11(a), 11(b), 12, 17 or 20 . The BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty and any Subsidiary Guaranty may be amended in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

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Section 17.2.    Solicitation of Holders of Notes .

(a)     Solicitation .    The Company will provide each holder of the Notes (irrespective of the amount of Notes then owned by it) with sufficient information, sufficiently far in advance of the date a decision is required, to enable such holder to make an informed and considered decision with respect to any proposed amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the provisions hereof or of the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty. The Company will deliver executed or true and correct copies of each amendment, waiver or consent effected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 17 to each holder of outstanding Notes promptly following the date on which it is executed and delivered by, or receives the consent or approval of, the requisite holders of Notes.

(b)     Payment .    The Company will not directly or indirectly pay or cause to be paid any remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or additional interest, fee or otherwise, or grant any security or provide other credit support, to any holder of Notes as consideration for or as an inducement to the entering into by any holder of Notes of any waiver or amendment of any of the terms and provisions hereof unless such remuneration is concurrently paid, or security is concurrently granted or other credit support concurrently provided, on the same terms, ratably to each holder of Notes then outstanding even if such holder did not consent to such waiver or amendment.

Section 17.3.    Binding Effect, Etc .  Any amendment or waiver consented to as provided in this Section 17 applies equally to all holders of Notes and is binding upon them and upon each future holder of any Note and upon the Company without regard to whether such Note has been marked to indicate such amendment or waiver. No such amendment or waiver will extend to or affect any obligation, covenant, agreement, Default or Event of Default not expressly amended or waived or impair any right consequent thereon. No course of dealing between the Company and the holder of any Note nor any delay in exercising any rights hereunder or under any Note, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty shall operate as a waiver of any rights of any holder of such Note. As used herein, the term “this Agreement” and references thereto shall mean this Agreement as it may from time to time be amended or supplemented.

Section 17.4.    Notes Held by Company, Etc .    Solely for the purpose of determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty, or have directed the taking of any action provided herein or in the Notes to be taken upon the direction of the holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, Notes directly or indirectly owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding.

S ECTION  18.        N OTICES .

All notices and communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and sent (a) by telefacsimile if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a

 

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recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), or (b) by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested (postage prepaid), or (c) by a recognized overnight delivery service (with charges prepaid). Any such notice must be sent:

(i)    if to any Purchaser or its nominee, to such Purchaser or nominee at the address specified for such communications in Schedule A , or at such other address as such Purchaser or nominee shall have specified to the Company in writing,

(ii)    if to any other holder of any Note, to such holder at such address as such other holder shall have specified to the Company in writing, or

(iii)    if to the Company, to the Company at its address set forth at the beginning hereof to the attention of General Counsel, with a copy to BGC Partners at 199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038 Attention: General Counsel, and a copy to CFLP at 499 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, Attention: General Counsel, or in any such case at such other address as the Company, BGC Partners or CFLP, as the case may be, shall have specified to the holder of each Note in writing.

Notices under this Section 18 will be deemed given only when actually received.

S ECTION  19.        R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS .

This Agreement, the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty or any Subsidiary Guaranty and all documents relating thereto, including, without limitation, (a) consents, waivers and modifications that may hereafter be executed, (b) documents received by any Purchaser at the Closing (except the Notes themselves), and (c) financial statements, certificates and other information previously or hereafter furnished to any Purchaser, may be reproduced by such Purchaser by any photographic, photostatic, electronic, digital or other similar process and such Purchaser may destroy any original document so reproduced. The Company agrees and stipulates that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding (whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by such Purchaser in the regular course of business) and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence. This Section 19 shall not prohibit the Company or any other holder of Notes from contesting any such reproduction to the same extent that it could contest the original, or from introducing evidence to demonstrate the inaccuracy of any such reproduction.

S ECTION  20.        C ONFIDENTIAL I NFORMATION .

For the purposes of this Section 20 , “Confidential Information” means information delivered to any Purchaser by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with the transactions contemplated by or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement that is proprietary in nature and that was clearly marked or labeled or otherwise adequately identified when received by such Purchaser as being confidential information of the Company or such Subsidiary;

 

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provided that such term does not include information that (a) was publicly known or otherwise known to such Purchaser prior to the time of such disclosure, (b) subsequently becomes publicly known through no act or omission by such Purchaser or any Person acting on such Purchaser’s behalf, (c) otherwise becomes known to such Purchaser other than through disclosure by the Company or any Subsidiary or (d) constitutes financial statements delivered to such Purchaser under Section 7.1 that are otherwise publicly available. Each Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of such Confidential Information in accordance with procedures adopted by such Purchaser in good faith to protect confidential information of third parties delivered to such Purchaser; provided that such Purchaser may deliver or disclose Confidential Information to (i) its directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents, attorneys and Affiliates (to the extent such disclosure reasonably relates to the administration of the investment represented by its Notes), (ii) its financial advisors and other professional advisors who agree to hold confidential the Confidential Information substantially in accordance with the terms of this Section 20 , (iii) any other holder of any Note that is an Institutional Investor, (iv) any Institutional Investor to which it sells or offers to sell such Note or any part thereof or any participation therein (if such Person is not a Competitor and has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20 ), (v) any Person from which it offers to purchase any Security of the Company (if such Person has agreed in writing prior to its receipt of such Confidential Information to be bound by the provisions of this Section 20 ), (vi) any federal or state regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such Purchaser, (vii) the NAIC or the SVO or, in each case, any similar organization, or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about such Purchaser’s investment portfolio or (viii) any other Person to which such delivery or disclosure may be necessary or appropriate (w) to effect compliance with any law, rule, regulation or order applicable to such Purchaser, (x) in response to any subpoena or other legal process, (y) in connection with any litigation to which such Purchaser is a party or (z) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to the extent such Purchaser may reasonably determine such delivery and disclosure to be necessary or appropriate in the enforcement or for the protection of the rights and remedies under such Purchaser’s Notes and this Agreement. Each holder of a Note, by its acceptance of a Note, will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to be entitled to the benefits of this Section 20 as though it were a party to this Agreement. On reasonable request by the Company in connection with the delivery to any holder of a Note of information required to be delivered to such holder under this Agreement or requested by such holder (other than a holder that is a party to this Agreement or its nominee), such holder will enter into an agreement with the Company embodying the provisions of this Section 20 .

S ECTION  21.        S UBSTITUTION OF P URCHASER .

Each Purchaser shall have the right to substitute any one of its Affiliates as the purchaser of the Notes that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, by written notice to the Company, which notice shall be signed by both such Purchaser and such Affiliate, shall contain such Affiliate’s agreement to be bound by this Agreement and shall contain a confirmation by such Affiliate of the accuracy with respect to it of the representations set forth in Section 6 . Upon receipt of such notice, any reference to such Purchaser in this Agreement (other than in this Section 21 ) shall be deemed to refer to such Affiliate in lieu of such original Purchaser. In the event that such Affiliate is so substituted as a Purchaser hereunder and such Affiliate thereafter transfers to such

 

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original Purchaser all of the Notes then held by such Affiliate, upon receipt by the Company of notice of such transfer, any reference to such Affiliate as a “Purchaser” in this Agreement (other than in this Section 21 ) shall no longer be deemed to refer to such Affiliate, but shall refer to such original Purchaser, and such original Purchaser shall again have all the rights of an original holder of the Notes under this Agreement.

S ECTION 22.        M ISCELLANEOUS .

Section 22.1.    Successors and Assigns .    All covenants and other agreements contained in this Agreement by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns (including, without limitation, any permitted subsequent holder of a Note) whether so expressed or not.

Section 22.2.    Payments Due on Non-Business Days .    Anything in this Agreement or the Notes to the contrary notwithstanding (but without limiting the requirement in Section 8.4 that the notice of any optional prepayment specify a Business Day as the date fixed for such prepayment), any payment of principal of or Make-Whole Amount or interest on any Note that is due on a date other than a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day without including the additional days elapsed in the computation of the interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day; provided that if the maturity date of any Note is a date other than a Business Day, the payment otherwise due on such maturity date shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and shall include the additional days elapsed in the computation of interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 22.3.    Accounting Terms .    All accounting terms used herein which are not expressly defined in this Agreement have the meanings respectively given to them in accordance with GAAP. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, (a) all computations made pursuant to this Agreement shall be made in accordance with GAAP and (b) all financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Section 22.4.    Severability .    Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall (to the full extent permitted by law) not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 22.5.    Construction, Etc .    Each covenant contained herein shall be construed (absent express provision to the contrary) as being independent of each other covenant contained herein, so that compliance with any one covenant shall not (absent such an express contrary provision) be deemed to excuse compliance with any other covenant. Where any provision herein refers to action to be taken by any Person, or which such Person is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether such action is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.

For the avoidance of doubt, all Schedules and Exhibits attached to this Agreement shall be deemed to be a part hereof.

 

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Section 22.6.    Counterparts .    This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Each counterpart may consist of a number of copies hereof, each signed by less than all, but together signed by all, of the parties hereto.

Section 22.7.    Governing Law .    This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the law of the State of New York , excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such State that would permit the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than such State.

Section 22.8.    Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial.     (a) The Company irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Notes. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company irrevocably waives and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense or otherwise, any claim that it is not subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(b)    The Company consents to process being served by or on behalf of any holder of Notes in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 22.8(a) by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to it at its address specified in Section 18 or at such other address of which such holder shall then have been notified pursuant to said Section. The Company agrees that such service upon receipt (i) shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon it in any such suit, action or proceeding and (ii) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be taken and held to be valid personal service upon and personal delivery to it. Notices hereunder shall be conclusively presumed received as evidenced by a delivery receipt furnished by the United States Postal Service or any reputable commercial delivery service.

(c)    Nothing in this Section 22.8 shall affect the right of any holder of a Note to serve process in any manner permitted by law, or limit any right that the holders of any of the Notes may have to bring proceedings against the Company in the courts of any appropriate jurisdiction or to enforce in any lawful manner a judgment obtained in one jurisdiction in any other jurisdiction.

(d)    T HE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT ON OR WITH RESPECT TO THIS A GREEMENT , THE N OTES OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT EXECUTED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THEREWITH .

*    *    *    *    *

 

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If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign the form of agreement on a counterpart of this Agreement and return it to the Company, whereupon this Agreement shall become a binding agreement between you and the Company.

 

Very truly yours,

BGC P ARTNERS , L.P.

 

By:

 

BGC H OLDINGS , LLC

   

Its General Partner

 

By:

 

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

   

Stephen M. Merkel

   

Executive Managing Director

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

A MERICAN U NITED L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Kent R. Adams

 

Name:

 

Kent R. Adams

 

Title:

 

V.P. Fixed Income Securities

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

P ROTECTIVE L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Diane S. Griswold

 

Name:

 

Diane S. Griswold

 

Title:

 

Second Vice President

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

ING USA A NNUITY AND L IFE I NSURANCE

    C OMPANY

RELIASTAR L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:    

 

ING Investment Management LLC, as

Agent

 

By

 

/s/ Paul Aronson

   

Name:

 

Paul Aronson

   

Title:

 

Vice President

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

M IDLAND N ATIONAL L IFE I NSURANCE

    C OMPANY

By:

 

    Guggenheim Partners Advisory Company,

    its agent

By

 

/s/ Michael Damaso

 

Name:

 

Michael Damaso

 

Title:

 

Senior Managing Director

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

M ODERN W OODMEN OF A MERICA

By

 

/s/ Douglas A. Pannier

 

Name:

 

Douglas A. Pannier

 

Title:

 

Portfolio Manager, Private Placements

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

M UTUAL OF O MAHA I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Curtis R. Caldwell

 

Name:

 

Curtis R. Caldwell

 

Title:

 

Vice President

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

N ORTH A MERICAN C OMPANY FOR L IFE AND

    H EALTH I NSURANCE

By:

 

    Guggenheim Partners Advisory Company,

    its agent

By

 

/s/ Michael Damaso

 

Name:

 

Michael Damaso

 

Title:

 

Senior Managing Director

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

O HIO N ATIONAL L IFE A SSURANCE

    C ORPORATION

By

 

/s/ Jed R. Martin

 

Name:

 

Jed R. Martin

 

Title:

 

Vice President, Private Placements

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

T HE O HIO N ATIONAL L IFE I NSURANCE

    C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Jed R. Martin

 

Name:

 

Jed R. Martin

 

Title:

 

Vice President, Private Placements

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

P ACIFIC L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

(N OMINEE : M AC & C O )

By

 

/s/ Cathy L. Schwartz

 

Name:

 

Cathy L. Schwartz

 

Title:

 

Assistant Vice President

By

 

/s/ Peter S. Fiek

 

Name:

 

Peter S. Fiek

 

Title:

 

Assistant Secretary

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

P HOENIX L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ John H. Beers

 

Name:

 

John H. Beers

 

Title:

 

Vice President

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

P IONEER M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

American United Life Insurance Company,

Its Agent

 

By

 

/s/ Kent R. Adams

   

Name:

 

Kent R. Adams

   

Title:

 

V.P. Fixed Income Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

P RINCIPAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

Principal Global Investors, LLC, a

Delaware limited liability company, its

Authorized Signatory

 

By

 

/s/ Ann P. Hesselink

   

Name:

 

Ann P. Hesselink

   

Title:

 

Assistant General Counsel

 

By

 

/s/ Karen A. Pearston

   

Name:

 

Karen A. Pearston

   

Title:

 

Vice President &

Associate General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

RGA R EINSURANCE C OMPANY , a Missouri

    corporation

By:

 

Principal Global Investors, LLC, a

Delaware limited liability company, its

Authorized Signatory

 

By

 

/s/ Ann P. Hesselink

   

Name:

 

Ann P. Hesselink

   

Title:

 

Assistant General Counsel

 

By

 

/s/ Karen A. Pearston

   

Name:

 

Karen A. Pearston

   

Title:

 

Vice President &

Associate General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

S YMETRA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY , a

    Washington corporation

By:

 

Principal Global Investors, LLC, a

Delaware limited liability company, its

Authorized Signatory

 

By

 

/s/ Ann P. Hesselink

   

Name:

 

Ann P. Hesselink

   

Title:

 

Assistant General Counsel

 

By

 

/s/ Karen A. Pearston

   

Name:

 

Karen A. Pearston

   

Title:

 

Vice President &

Associate General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

N ATIONAL B ENEFIT L IFE I NSURANCE

    C OMPANY

By:

 

Conning Asset Management Company, as

Investment Manager

By

   

/s/ Robert M. Mills

   

Name:

 

Robert M. Mills

   

Title:

 

Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

P RIMERICA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

Conning Asset Management Company, as

Investment Manager

By

   

/s/ Robert M. Mills

   

Name:

 

Robert M. Mills

   

Title:

 

Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

T HE S TATE L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

American United Life Insurance Company,

Its Agent

 

By

 

/s/ Kent R. Adams

   

Name:

 

Kent R. Adams

   

Title:

 

V.P. Fixed Income Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

S UN L IFE A SSURANCE C OMPANY OF C ANADA

By

   

/s/ Deborah J. Foss

   

Name:

 

Deborah J. Foss

   

Title:

 

Managing Director, Head of Private

Debt, Private Fixed Income

By

   

/s/ David Belanger

   

Name:

 

David Belanger

   

Title:

 

Senior Director, Private Fixed Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

S UN L IFE A SSURANCE C OMPANY OF C ANADA

    (U.S.)

By

   

/s/ Deborah J. Foss

   

Name:

 

Deborah J. Foss

   

Title:

 

Managing Director, Head of Private

Debt, Private Fixed Income

By

   

/s/ David Belanger

   

Name:

 

David Belanger

   

Title:

 

Senior Director, Private Fixed Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

T EACHERS I NSURANCE AND A NNUITY

      A SSOCIATION OF A MERICA

 

By

 

/s/ Jose Minaya

   

Name:

 

Jose Minaya

   

Title:

 

Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

U NITED OF O MAHA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

   

/s/ Curtis R. Caldwell

   

Name:

 

Curtis R. Caldwell

   

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

L INCOLN L IFE & A NNUITY C OMPANY OF N EW

    Y ORK

By:

 

Delaware Investment Advisers, a series of

Delaware Management Business Trust,

Attorney-In-Fact

   

By

 

/s/ Frank G. LaTorraca

     

Name:

 

Frank G. LaTorraca

     

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

T HE L INCOLN N ATIONAL L IFE I NSURANCE

    C OMPANY

By:

 

Delaware Investment Advisers, a series of

Delaware Management Business Trust,

Attorney-In-Fact

   

By

 

/s/ Frank G. LaTorraca

     

Name:

 

Frank G. LaTorraca

     

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


This Agreement is hereby accepted and agreed to as of the date thereof.

 

F IRST P ENN -P ACIFIC L IFE I NSURANCE

    C OMPANY

By:

 

Delaware Investment Advisers, a series of

Delaware Management Business Trust,

Attorney-In-Fact

   

By

 

/s/ Frank G. LaTorraca

     

     Name:

 

Frank G. LaTorraca

     

     Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, L.P.

Note Purchase Agreement


D EFINED T ERMS

As used herein, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Section hereof following such term:

“Acquiring Person” is defined in Section 10.1(b) .

“Affiliate” means, at any time, and with respect to any Person, any other Person that at such time directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such first Person, and with respect to the Company, shall include any Person beneficially owning or holding, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests of the Company or any Subsidiary or any corporation of which the Company and its Subsidiaries beneficially own or hold, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests. As used in this definition, Control means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to an Affiliate is a reference to an Affiliate of the Company.

“Anti-Terrorism Order” means Executive Order No. 13,244 of September 24, 2001, Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism, 66 U.S. Fed. Reg. 49,079 (2001), as amended.

“Applicable Interest Rate” means, the sum of (a) 5.19% per annum plus (b), during any Interest Rate Adjustment Period, the Interest Rate Adjustment plus (c) any interest rate adjustment as described in Section 1.2(a) .

“BGC General Partner” means BGC Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or any successor general partner of the Company.

“BGC General Partner Agreement” is defined in Section 4.1(b) .

“BGC Partners” is defined in Section 2.3 and shall include any successor that becomes such in the manner prescribed in Section 8.4(a) of the CFLP Guaranty.

“BGC Partners Guaranty” is defined in Section 2.3 .

“BGC Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Company, dated as of December 7, 2004, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and hereof.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York City are required or authorized to be closed.

S CHEDULE B

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


“Capital Lease” means, at any time, a lease with respect to which the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.

“Capital Stock” means any all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

“CF General Partner” means CF Group Management, Inc., a New York “S” corporation, or any successor managing general partner of CFLP.

“CFLP” is defined in Section 2.3 and shall include any successor that becomes such in the manner prescribed in Section 8.4(a) of the CFLP Guaranty.

“CFLP Guaranty” is defined in Section 2.3 .

CFLP Note Agreement ” is defined in Section 2.1 .

“CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010” is defined in Section 2.1 .

“Change in Control” is defined in Section 8.3 .

“Closing” is defined in Section 3 .

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.

“Company” means BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership or any successor that becomes such in the manner prescribed in Section 10.1 .

Competing Business ” means the business of (a) acting as a “broker” or “dealer” (as each such term is defined in Section 3(a)(4) and (5), respectively, of the Exchange Act) in connection with the provision of financial products and commodities and (b) the sale and distribution of price information.

“Competitor” means at any particular time (a) any Person which at such time is engaged in a Competing Business, or (b) any Person which at such time, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by or is under common Control with a Person that at such time is engaged in a Competing Business (but not any Person which does not, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries Control, and is not Controlled by and is not under common Control with a Person that is engaged in a Competing Business); provided in any event that:

 

B-2


(i) the provision of investment advisory services by a Person to a Plan which is owned or Controlled by a Person which would otherwise be a Competitor shall not, in and of itself, cause the Person providing such services to be deemed to be a Competitor;

(ii) in no event shall an Institutional Investor be deemed to be a Competitor if such Institutional Investor is a pension plan sponsored by a Person which would otherwise be deemed to be a Competitor but which pension plan is a regular investor in privately placed Securities, and such pension plan has established procedures which will prevent confidential information supplied to such pension plan by the Company from being transmitted or otherwise made available to such plan sponsor;

(iii) an Institutional Investor that would otherwise be deemed to be a Competitor pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition by virtue of its ownership or Control as a portfolio investment of the equity Securities of any Person which is a Competitor, shall not be deemed to be a Competitor if such Institutional Investor has established procedures which will prevent confidential information supplied to such Institutional Investor by the Company from being transmitted or otherwise made available to such Person; and

(iv) any Private Placement Agent that would otherwise be deemed to be a Competitor pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition, shall not be deemed to be a Competitor if such Private Placement Agent holds the Notes only in connection with its role as an intermediary in the prompt and expeditious sale in accordance with customary financial market conditions of the Note or Notes owned by one Institutional Investor who is not a Competitor (it being understood and agreed by the parties hereto that each and every Purchaser named on Schedule A to this Agreement shall be deemed not to be a Competitor) to another purchasing Institutional Investor who is not a Competitor and such Private Placement Agent has established procedures which will prevent confidential information supplied to either the selling or buying Institutional Investor by the Company from being transmitted or otherwise made available to such Private Placement Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity other than as the agent and intermediary in connection with such sale of any such Note or Notes.

“Confidential Information” is defined in Section 20 .

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of Voting Equity Interests, by contract or otherwise.

“Control Event” is defined in Section 8.3 .

“Control Group” is defined in Section 8.3 .

 

B-3


“Debt” with respect to any Person means, at any time, without duplication,

(a)     its liabilities for borrowed money and its redemption obligations in respect of Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock;

(b)    its liabilities for the deferred purchase price of property acquired by such Person (excluding accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business but including all liabilities created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to any such property);

(c)    (i) all liabilities appearing on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Capital Leases and (ii) all liabilities which would appear on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Synthetic Leases assuming such Synthetic Leases were accounted for as Capital Leases;

(d)    all liabilities for borrowed money secured by any Lien with respect to any property owned by such Person (whether or not it has assumed or otherwise become liable for such liabilities);

(e)    all its liabilities in respect of letters of credit or instruments serving a similar function issued or created for its account by banks and other financial institutions which are, in substance, financial guarantees (whether or not representing obligations for borrowed money), it being understood for greater certainty that such instruments shall not include undrawn letters of credit not appearing as debt on the balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, in any such case entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Subsidiaries or undrawn letters of credit backing Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business by the Company or any Subsidiary;

(f)    the aggregate Swap Termination Value of all Swap Contracts of such Person; and

(g)    any Guaranty of such Person with respect to liabilities of a type described in any of clauses (a) through (f) hereof.

Debt of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described in clauses (a) through (g) to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is deemed to be extinguished under GAAP, but shall in any event exclude Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business of such Person. For avoidance of doubt, no part or portion of any partner’s capital of any limited or general partner of the Company shall be deemed or construed to constitute Debt for any purpose under this Agreement.

 

B-4


“Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business” with respect to any Person means, at any time and without duplication,

(a)    Debt incurred in the ordinary course of the securities, commodities and other financial products transaction business as conducted by the Company or any Subsidiary constituting payables to brokers, dealers and clearing organizations representing amounts due on undelivered securities, commodities and other financial products and payables to customers, representing amounts due on cash, margin transactions and undelivered securities, commodities and other financial products;

(b)    Debt incurred pursuant to securities, commodities and other financial products financed under repurchase agreements or lending arrangements accounted for in the ordinary course of business as collateralized financing transactions and recorded at the contractual amount at which the securities, commodities or other financial products will be financed, including accrued interest;

(c)    Swap Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), the purpose of which in each such case is to protect at least one of the parties thereto from the fluctuations of interest rates, exchange rates or foreign rates applicable to such parties’ assets, liabilities or exchange transactions, including all cancellations, buy-backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any such Swap Contract; provided that there shall be excluded therefrom any Swap Termination Value;

(d)    obligations of any Subsidiary in respect of customer funds; and

(e)    any Guaranty by the Company or any Subsidiary of any liability described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (d).

“Default” means an event or condition the occurrence or existence of which would, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, become an Event of Default.

“Default Rate” means that rate of interest that is the greater of (i) 2% per annum above the rate of interest then in effect on the Notes or (ii) 2% over the rate of interest publicly announced by Citibank, N.A. in New York, New York as its “base” or “prime” rate.

“Designated CFLP Notes due April 1, 2010” is defined in Section 2.1 .

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including but not limited to those related to Hazardous Materials.

“Equity Interests” means in the case of a corporation, shares of Capital Stock of any class or series, including warrants, rights, participating interests or options to purchase or otherwise

 

B-5


acquire any class or series of Capital Stock or securities exchangeable for or convertible into any class or series of Capital Stock, and in the case of any other Person or entity shall mean any class or series of partnership interests, units, membership interests or like interests constituting equity, and in the case of each of the foregoing, any part or portion thereof or participation in any of the foregoing.

“Event of Default” is defined in Section 11 .

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“Exchange, Novation and First Amendment Agreement” means that certain Note Exchange, Novation and First Amendment Agreement dated as of March 31, 2008 between and among CFLP, the Company and each of the holders of the CFLP Senior Notes due April 1, 2010.

“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or any successor thereto.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States of America.

“Governmental Authority” means

(a)    the government of

(i)    the United States of America or any state or other political subdivision thereof, or

(ii)    any other jurisdiction in which the Company or any Subsidiary conducts all or any part of its business, or which asserts jurisdiction over any properties of the Company or any Subsidiary, or

(b)    any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of, or pertaining to, any such government including, without limitation, any securities or commodities exchange, clearing corporation or self-regulatory organization.

“G.S.A. Rules” means the rules and regulations promulgated under the Government Securities Act of 1986, Public Law 99-571, October 28, 1996, by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department to regulate government Security broker-dealers.

“Guaranty” means, with respect to any Person and without duplication, any obligation (except the endorsement in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection) of such Person guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any Debt, dividend or other obligation of any other Person in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including (without limitation) obligations incurred through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, by such Person:

 

B-6


(a)    to purchase such Debt or obligation or any property constituting security therefor;

(b)    to advance or supply funds (i) for the purchase or payment of such Debt or obligation, or (ii) to maintain any working capital or other balance sheet condition or any income statement condition of any other Person or otherwise to advance or make available funds for the purchase or payment of such Debt or obligation;

(c)    to lease properties or to purchase properties or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Debt or obligation of the ability of any other Person to make payment of the Debt or obligation; or

(d)    otherwise to assure the owner of such Debt or obligation against loss in respect thereof.

In any computation of the Debt or other liabilities of the obligor under any Guaranty, the Debt or other obligations that are the subject of such Guaranty shall be assumed to be direct obligations of such obligor.

“Hazardous Material” means any and all pollutants, toxic or hazardous wastes or any other substances, including all substances listed in or regulated in any Environmental Law that might pose a hazard to health and safety, the removal of which may be required or the generation, manufacture, refining, production, processing, treatment, storage, handling, transportation, transfer, use, disposal, release, discharge, spillage, seepage, or filtration of which is or shall be restricted, regulated, prohibited or penalized by any applicable law including, but not limited to, asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum, petroleum products, lead based paint, radon gas or similar restricted, prohibited or penalized substances.

“holder” means, with respect to any Note, the Person in whose name such Note is registered in the register maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 13.1 .

“Institutional Investor” means (a) any purchaser of a Note, (b) any holder of a Note holding (together with one or more of its Affiliates) more than 5% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, (c) any bank, trust company, savings and loan association or other financial institution, any pension plan, any investment company, any insurance company, any broker or dealer, or any other similar financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form, and (d) any Related Fund of any holder of any Note.

“Interest Rate Adjustment” means 0.25% per annum.

“Interest Rate Adjustment Period” means the entirety of any Fiscal Quarter (as defined in the BGC Partners Guaranty) during which Consolidated Debt (as defined in the BGC Partners Guaranty) exceeded 55% of Consolidated Capitalization (as defined in the BGC Partners Guaranty) for any part or portion thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, an Interest Rate Adjustment Period shall include the entire applicable Fiscal Quarter, notwithstanding that

 

B-7


Consolidated Debt did not exceed 55% of Consolidated Capitalization for the entirety of such Fiscal Quarter.

“Interest Reset Date” means the first date on which, under applicable insurance regulations, the Reserve Requirement applicable to each holder of the Notes is equal to or less than the applicable Reserve Requirement in effect immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date.

“Lien” means, with respect to any Person, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance, or any interest or title of any vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or of such Person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capital Lease, upon or with respect to any property or asset of such Person (including in the case of stock, stockholder agreements, voting trust agreements and all similar arrangements).

“Make-Whole Amount” is defined in Section 8.7 .

“Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock” means a class of Preferred Stock that matures or is mandatorily redeemable by the issuer on a specified date or dates or upon the occurrence of specified events that are certain to occur. It does not include Preferred Stock of a Person solely because such Person has an obligation to repurchase such Preferred Stock from one or more holders at the holder’s option. It is acknowledged that none of the partnership interests in the Company, as of the date hereof, constitute Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock.

“Material” means material in relation to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Notes, the ability of BGC Partners to perform its obligations under the BGC Partners Guaranty or the ability of CFLP to perform its obligations under the CFLP Guaranty, or (c) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the Notes, the BGC Partners Guaranty or the CFLP Guaranty.

“Merger” means the merger of BGC Partners with and into eSpeed, Inc., contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007 and February 1, 2008, by and among BGC Partners, CFLP, eSpeed, BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, BGC Global Holdings, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, and BGC Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, as from time to time further amended or supplemented prior to the date of the Closing.

“Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among BGC Partners Inc., the Company, eSpeed, BGC Partners L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P., dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007 and February 1, 2008.

 

B-8


“NAIC” means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any successor thereto.

“Notes” is defined in Section 1 .

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer or of any other officer of the Company or the BGC General Partner, as the case may be, whose responsibilities extend to the subject matter of such certificate.

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA or any successor thereto.

“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust, unincorporated organization, business entity or Governmental Authority.

“Plan” means an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA and that is or, within the preceding five years, has been established or maintained, or to which contributions are or, within the preceding five years, have been made or required to be made, by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or with respect to which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.

“Preferred Stock” means any class of capital stock of a Person that is preferred over any other class of capital stock (or similar equity interests) of such Person as to the payment of dividends or the payment of any amount upon liquidation or dissolution of such Person.

Private Placement Agent ” shall mean any company organized as a “broker” or “dealer” (as each such term is defined in Section 3(a) (4) and (5), respectively, of the Exchange Act) of recognized national standing regularly engaged as an intermediary in the placement or sale to and among Institutional Investors of Debt Securities exempt from registration under the Securities Act.

“property” or “properties” means, unless otherwise specifically limited, real or personal property of any kind, tangible or intangible, choate or inchoate.

“Purchaser” is defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement.

“QPAM Exemption” means Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption 84-14 issued by the United States Department of Labor, as amended.

“Qualified Institutional Buyer” means any Person who is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of such term as set forth in Rule 144A(a)(1) under the Securities Act.

 

 

B-9


“Related Fund” means, with respect to any holder of any Note, any fund or entity that (a) invests in Securities or bank loans, and (b) is advised or managed by such holder, the same investment advisor as such holder or by an affiliate of such holder or such investment advisor.

“Required Holders” means, at any time, the holders of more than 51% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding (exclusive of Notes then owned by the Company or any of its Affiliates).

Reserve Requirement ” is defined in Section 1.2(a) .

“Responsible Officer” means any Senior Financial Officer and any other officer of the Company or CFLP, as the case may be, with responsibility for the administration of the relevant portion of this Agreement.

“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States, or any successor thereto.

“Securities” or “Security” shall have the same meaning as in Section 2(1) of the Securities Act.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

Senior Debt ” means all Debt of the Company which is not expressed to be subordinate or junior in rank to any other Debt of the Company.

“Senior Financial Officer” means the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer, any senior vice president or the treasurer of the Company.

“Separation” means the separation of the BGC business of CFLP from the other businesses and operations of CFLP on the terms and subject the conditions set forth in the Separation Agreement.

“Separation Agreement” means the Separation agreement in substantially the form attached to the Merger Agreement as Exhibit G.

“SIPA” means the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, as amended from time to time.

“SIPC” means the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.

“Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any other Person in which such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries owns sufficient equity or voting interests to enable it or them (as a group) ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, to elect a majority of the directors (or Persons performing similar functions) of such second Person, and any partnership or joint venture if more than a 50% interest in the

 

B-10


profits or capital thereof is owned by such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (unless such partnership can and does ordinarily take major business actions without the prior approval of such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries). Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to a “Subsidiary” is a reference to a Subsidiary of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, Freedom International Brokerage Company, an Ontario corporation, shall in no event be deemed or construed to constitute a Subsidiary of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

“Subsidiary Guarantor” is defined in Section 2.3 and shall include any successor that becomes such in the manner prescribed in Section 7.7 of the BGC Partners Guaranty.

“Subsidiary Guaranty” is defined in Section 2.3 .

Surviving Person ” is defined in Section 10.1(a) .

“SVO” means the Securities Valuation Office of the NAIC or any successor to such Office.

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all interest rate swap transactions, basis swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, currency options, spot contracts or any other similar transactions or any of the foregoing (including, but without limitation, any options to enter into any of the foregoing), and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement.

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amounts(s) determined as the mark-to-market values(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts.

“Synthetic Lease” means, at any time, any lease (including leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of any property (a) that is accounted for as an operating lease under GAAP and (b) in respect of which the lessee retains or obtains ownership of the property so leased for U.S. federal income tax purposes, other than any such lease under which such Person is the lessor.

“USA Patriot Act” means United States Public Law 107-56, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA

 

B-11


P ATRIOT A CT ) Act of 2001, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

Voting Equity Interests ” means, without duplication, Equity Interests of any class or classes, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to elect a majority of the corporate directors (or Persons performing similar functions).

“Wholly-owned Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary one hundred percent (100%) of all of the Equity Interests (except directors’ qualifying shares) and voting interests of which are owned by any one or more of the Company and the Company’s other Wholly-owned Subsidiaries at such time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B-12


[F ORM OF N OTE ]

BGC P ARTNERS , L.P.

Senior Note due April 1, 2010

 

No.             

   [Date]

$                 

   PPN 08863@AA5

F OR V ALUE R ECEIVED , the undersigned, BGC P ARTNERS , L.P. (herein called the “Company” ), a limited partnership organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby promises to pay to                      , or registered assigns, the principal sum of                          D OLLARS (or so much thereof as shall not have been prepaid) on April 1, 2010, with interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months) on the unpaid balance thereof (a) at the Applicable Interest Rate (as defined in the Note Purchase Agreement referred to below) from the date hereof, payable semiannually, on the first day of April and October in each year commencing with the October 1 next succeeding the date hereof, until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and (b) to the extent permitted by law, at a rate per annum from time to time equal to the greater of (i) 2% per annum above the rate of interest then in effect on this Note or (ii) 2% over the rate of interest publicly announced by Citibank, N.A. from time to time in New York, New York as its “base” or “prime” rate, on any overdue payment of interest and, during the continuance of an Event of Default, on the unpaid balance hereof and on any overdue payment of any Make-Whole Amount, payable semiannually as aforesaid (or, at the option of the registered holder hereof, on demand).

Payments of principal of, interest on and any Make-Whole Amount with respect to this Note are to be made in lawful money of the United States of America at New York, New York or at such other place as the Company shall have designated by written notice to the holder of this Note as provided in the Note Purchase Agreement referred to below.

This Note is one of a series of Senior Notes (herein called the “Notes” ) issued pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008 (as from time to time amended, the “Note Purchase Agreement” ), among the Company and the respective Purchasers named therein and is entitled to the benefits thereof. Each holder of this Note will be deemed, by its acceptance hereof, to have (i) agreed to the confidentiality provisions set forth in Section 20 of the Note Purchase Agreement and (ii) made the representation set forth in Section 6.2 of the Note Purchase Agreement. Unless otherwise indicated, capitalized terms used in this Note shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Note Purchase Agreement.

This Note is a registered Note and, as provided in the Note Purchase Agreement, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, duly endorsed, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed, by the registered holder hereof or such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, a new Note for a like principal amount will be issued to, and registered in the name of, the transferee. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer, the

 

E XHIBIT  1

(to Note Purchase Agreement)


Company may treat the person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for the purpose of receiving payment and for all other purposes, and the Company will not be affected by any notice to the contrary.

This Note and the holder hereof are entitled equally and ratably with the holders of all of the Notes to the rights and benefits provided pursuant to the terms and provisions of the BGC Partners Guaranty, the CFLP Guaranty and any Subsidiary Guaranty (as each such term is defined in the Note Purchase Agreement). Reference is hereby made to each of the foregoing for a statement of the nature and extent of the benefits and security for the Notes afforded thereby and the rights of the holders of the Notes, the Company, BGC Partners, CFLP and any Subsidiary Guarantor (as each such term is defined in the Note Purchase Agreements) in respect thereof.

This Note is subject to optional prepayment, in whole or from time to time in part, at the times and on the terms specified in the Note Purchase Agreement, but not otherwise.

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the principal of this Note may be declared or otherwise become due and payable in the manner, at the price (including any applicable Make-Whole Amount) and with the effect provided in the Note Purchase Agreement.

This Note shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the law of the State of New York, New York excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such State that would require application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than such State.

 

BGC P ARTNERS , L.P.

 

By:

 

BGC H OLDINGS , LLC

   

Its General Partner

 

By

 
   

Its:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E-1-2

Exhibit 4.2

E XECUTION V ERSION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC P ARTNERS , I NC .

 

 

 

 

 

Re: $150,000,000 Senior Notes due April 1, 2010

of

BGC P ARTNERS , L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

G UARANTY

 

 

 

 

 

D ATED AS OF M ARCH  31, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

(Not a part of this Guaranty)

 

S ECTION

   H EADING   P AGE

S ECTION  1.

  

    D EFINITIONS

  2

S ECTION  2.

  

    G UARANTY OF N OTES AND N OTE P URCHASE A GREEMENT

  2

S ECTION  3.

  

    G UARANTY OF P AYMENT AND P ERFORMANCE

  2

S ECTION  4.

  

    G ENERAL P ROVISIONS R ELATING TO THE G UARANTY

  3

S ECTION  5 .

  

    R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE G UARANTOR

  8
  

Section 5.1.

  

    Organization; Power and Authority

  8
  

Section 5.2.

  

    Authorization, Etc

  8
  

Section 5.3.

  

    Disclosure

  8
  

Section 5.4.

  

    Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries;
            Affiliates

  8
  

Section 5.5.

  

    Financial Statements; Material Liabilities

  9
  

Section 5.6.

  

    Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc

  9
  

Section 5.7.

  

    Governmental Authorizations, Etc

  10
  

Section 5.8.

  

    Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders

  10
  

Section 5.9.

  

    Taxes

  11
  

Section 5.10.

  

    Title to Property; Leases

  11
  

Section 5.11.

  

    Licenses, Permits, Etc

  11
  

Section 5.12.

  

    Compliance with ERISA

  11
  

Section 5.13.

  

    Private Offering by the Guarantor

  12
  

Section 5.14.

  

    Margin Regulations

  12
  

Section 5.15.

  

    Existing Debt; Future Liens

  13
  

Section 5.16.

  

    Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc.

  13
  

Section 5.17.

  

    Status under Certain Statute

  14
  

Section 5.18.

  

    Notes Rank Pari Passu

  14
  

Section 5.19.

  

    Environmental Matters

  14

S ECTION  6.

  

    I NFORMATION AS TO THE G UARANTOR

  14
  

Section 6.1.

  

    Financial and Business Information

  14
  

Section 6.2.

  

    Officer’s Certificate

  17
  

Section 6.3.

  

    Visitation

  18

S ECTION  7.

  

    A FFIRMATIVE C OVENANTS

  18
  

Section 7.1.

  

    Compliance with Law

  18


  

Section 7.2.

  

    Insurance

  18
  

Section 7.3.

  

    Maintenance of Properties

  19
  

Section 7.4.

  

    Payment of Taxes and Claims

  19
  

Section 7.5.

  

    Legal Existence, Etc

  19
  

Section 7.6.

  

    Notes to Rank Pari Passu

  19
  

Section 7.7.

  

    Guaranty by Subsidiaries.

  19
  

Section 7.8.

  

    Books and Records

  21
  

Section 7.9.

  

    Ownership

  21

S ECTION  8.

  

    N EGATIVE C OVENANTS

  21
  

Section 8.1.

  

    Consolidated Capital

  21
  

Section 8.2.

  

    Limitations on Debt

  21
  

Section 8.3.

  

    Limitation on Liens

  21
  

Section 8.4.

  

    Mergers, Consolidations, Etc. of Guarantor; Replacement of

            CF General Partner

  24
  

Section 8.5.

  

    Sale of Assets

  25
  

Section 8.6.

  

    Transactions with Affiliates

  27
  

Section 8.7.

  

    Line of Business

  28
  

Section 8.8.

  

    Terrorism Sanctions Regulations

  28
  

Section 8.9.

  

    [Reserved]

  28
  

Section 8.10.

  

    Partnership Agreement

  28

S ECTION 9.

  

    [R ESERVED ]

  28

S ECTION  10.

  

    S URVIVAL OF R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES ; E NTIRE
    A GREEMENT

  28

S ECTION  11.

  

    A MENDMENT AND W AIVER

  28
  

Section 11.1.

  

    Requirements

  28
  

Section 11.2.

  

    Solicitation of Holders of Notes.

  29
  

Section 11.3.

  

    Binding Effect, Etc

  29
  

Section 11.4.

  

    Notes Held by Guarantor, Etc

  29

S ECTION  12.

  

    N OTICES

  29

S ECTION  13.

  

    R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS

  30

S ECTION 14.

  

    C ONFIDENTIAL I NFORMATION

  30

S ECTION  15.

  

    M ISCELLANEOUS

  31
  

Section 15.1.

  

    Successors and Assigns

  31
  

Section 15.2.

  

    Payments Due on Non-Business Days

  31

 

-ii-


  

Section 15.3.

  

    Accounting Terms

  31
  

Section 15.4.

  

    Severability

  31
  

Section 15.5.

  

    Construction, Etc

  31
  

Section 15.6.

  

    Counterparts

  31
  

Section 15.7.

  

    Governing Law

  32
  

Section 15.8.

  

    Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial

  32
  

Section 15.9.

  

    Indemnity

  32

Signature

  1

S CHEDULES

 

S CHEDULE A

 

    —

  

    Defined Terms

S CHEDULE 5.4

 

    —

  

    Subsidiaries of the Guarantor and Ownership of Subsidiary Stock

S CHEDULE 5.5

 

    —

  

    Financial Statements

S CHEDULE 5.15

 

    —

  

    Existing Debt

S CHEDULE 8.2(b)

 

    —

  

    Existing Priority Debt

 

-iii-


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

G UARANTY

BGC P ARTNERS , I NC .

199 Water Street

New York, NY 10338

$150,000,000 Senior Notes due April 1, 2010

OF

BGC P ARTNERS , L.P.

Dated as of March 31, 2008

This G UARANTY (the or this “Guaranty” ) is entered into by the undersigned BGC P ARTNERS , I NC . (successor by merger of BGC Partners, LLC and eSpeed, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (the “Guarantor” ), as of March 31, 2008.

E C I T A L S

A.    On the date hereof, BGC Partners, L.P. a Delaware limited partnership (the “Company” ), entered into the Note Purchase Agreement dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “Note Purchase Agreement” ), with the Purchasers named in Schedule A thereto (together with their successors and assigns, the “Purchasers” ).

B.    Pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement the Company is issuing and selling $150,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its Senior Notes due April 1, 2010 (the “Notes” ) on the terms provided in the Note Purchase Agreement. The Purchasers and each and every other holder from time to time of the Notes are sometimes hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Holders” and, individually, as a “Holder.”

C.    The Guarantor directly or indirectly owns all of the outstanding partnership interests of the Company.

D.    The Purchasers have required as a condition of their purchase of the Notes to be purchased by them that the Company cause the Guarantor to enter into this Guaranty as security for the Notes, and the Company has agreed to cause the Guarantor to execute this Guaranty in order to induce the Purchasers to purchase the Notes and thereby benefit the Company and its Affiliates by providing funds to enable the Company to have funds available for general partnership purposes.

E.    The Guarantor is desirous that the Purchasers enter into the Note Purchase Agreement and purchase the Notes, and by doing so the Purchasers will be conferring substantial financial and other benefits on the Guarantor.

F.    Pursuant to a guaranty (the “CFLP Guaranty” ), Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “CFLP” ), has also unconditionally guaranteed the Notes. Pursuant to a


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

subsidiary guaranty (the “Subsidiary Guaranty” ), Subsidiary Guarantors (as therein defined) may in the future unconditionally guarantee the Notes. CFLP and the Subsidiary Guarantors, together with any other Person which shall become Guarantor of the Notes pursuant to the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement or this Guaranty, are sometimes hereinafter referred to individually as an “other Guarantor” and collectively as the “other Guarantors”.

N OW , T HEREFORE , as required by the Note Purchase Agreement and in consideration of the premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency whereof are hereby acknowledged, the Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees as follows:

S ECTION  1.        D EFINITIONS .

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings set forth in Schedule A hereto unless herein defined or the context shall otherwise require.

S ECTION  2.        G UARANTY OF N OTES AND N OTE P URCHASE A GREEMENT .

The Guarantor hereby irrevocably, absolutely and unconditionally guarantees to the Holders: (a) the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes from time to time outstanding, as and when such payments shall become due and payable, whether by lapse of time, upon redemption or prepayment, by extension or by acceleration or declaration or otherwise (including (to the extent legally enforceable) interest due on overdue payments of principal, premium, if any, or interest at the rate set forth in the Notes and interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in the Notes after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Company, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) in Federal or other immediately available funds of the United States of America which at the time of payment or demand therefor shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, (b) the full and prompt performance and observance by the Company of each and all of the obligations, covenants and agreements required to be performed or owed by the Company under the terms of the Notes and the Note Purchase Agreement and (c) the full and prompt payment, upon demand by any Holder, of all costs and expenses, legal or otherwise (including attorneys’ fees), if any, as shall have been expended or incurred in the protection or enforcement of any rights, privileges or liabilities in favor of the Holders under or in respect of the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement or under this Guaranty or in any consultation or action in connection therewith or herewith and in each and every case irrespective of the validity, regularity, or enforcement of any of the Notes or Note Purchase Agreement or any of the terms thereof or any other like circumstance or circumstances.

S ECTION  3.        G UARANTY OF P AYMENT AND P ERFORMANCE .

This is a guarantee of payment and performance and the Guarantor hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right to require that any action on or in respect of any Note, the Note Purchase Agreement or any other Guaranty be brought against the Company, CFLP, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any other Person or that resort be had to any direct or

 

-2-


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

indirect security for the Notes or for this Guaranty or any other remedy. Any Holder may, at its option, proceed hereunder against the Guarantor in the first instance to collect monies when due, the payment of which is guaranteed hereby, without first proceeding against the Company or any other Person and without first resorting to any direct or indirect security for the Notes or for this Guaranty or any other remedy. The liability of the Guarantor hereunder shall in no way be affected or impaired by any acceptance by any Holder of any direct or indirect security for, or other guaranties of, any Debt, liability or obligation of the Company or any other Person to any Holder or by any failure, delay, neglect or omission by any Holder to realize upon or protect any such guarantees, Debt, liability or obligation or any notes or other instruments evidencing the same or any direct or indirect security therefor or by any approval, consent, waiver, or other action taken, or omitted to be taken by any such Holder.

S ECTION  4.        G ENERAL P ROVISIONS R ELATING TO THE G UARANTY .

(a)    The Guarantor hereby consents and agrees that any Holder or Holders from time to time, with or without any further notice to or assent from the other Guarantors may, without in any manner affecting the liability of the Guarantor under this Guaranty, and upon such terms and conditions as any such Holder or Holders may deem advisable:

(1)    extend in whole or in part (by renewal or otherwise), modify, change, compromise, release or extend the duration of the time for the performance or payment of any Debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any other Person secondarily or otherwise liable for any Debt, liability or obligations of the Company on the Notes, or waive any Default with respect thereto, or waive, modify, amend or change any provision of any other agreement or this Guaranty; or

(2)    sell, release, surrender, modify, impair, exchange or substitute any and all property, of any nature and from whomsoever received, held by, or for the benefit of, any such Holder as direct or indirect security for the payment or performance of any Debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of any other Person secondarily or otherwise liable for any Debt, liability or obligation of the Company on the Notes; or

(3)    settle, adjust or compromise any claim of the Company against any other Person secondarily or otherwise liable for any Debt, liability or obligation of the Company on the Notes.

The Guarantor hereby ratifies and confirms any such extension, renewal, change, sale, release, waiver, surrender, exchange, modification, amendment, impairment, substitution, settlement, adjustment or compromise and that the same shall be binding upon it, and hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses, counterclaims or offsets which it might or could have by reason thereof, it being understood that the Guarantor shall at all times be bound by this Guaranty and remain liable hereunder.

 

-3-


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

(b)    The Guarantor hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law:

(1)    notice of acceptance of this Guaranty by the Holders or of the creation, renewal or accrual of any liability of the Company, present or future, or of the reliance of such Holders upon this Guaranty (it being understood that every Debt, liability and obligation described in Section 2 hereof shall conclusively be presumed to have been created, contracted or incurred in reliance upon the execution of this Guaranty);

(2)    demand of payment by any Holder from the Company or any other Person indebted in any manner on or for any of the Debt, liabilities or obligations hereby guaranteed; and

(3)    presentment for the payment by any Holder or any other Person of the Notes or any other instrument, protest thereof and notice of its dishonor to any party thereto and to the Guarantor.

The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guaranty and the rights of any Holder to enforce such obligations by any proceedings, whether by action at law, suit in equity or otherwise, shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination (other than by payment in full of the Notes and the obligations of the Company under the Note Purchase Agreement), whether by reason of any claim of any character whatsoever or otherwise and shall not be subject to any defense, set-off, counterclaim (other than any compulsory counterclaim), recoupment or termination whatsoever.

(c)    The obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be binding upon the Guarantor and its successors and assigns, and shall remain in full force and effect until the entire principal, interest and premium, if any, on the Notes and all other sums due pursuant to Section 2 shall have been paid and such obligations shall not be affected, modified or impaired upon the happening from time to time of any event, including without limitation any of the following, whether or not with notice to or the consent of the Guarantor:

(1)    the genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, any other Guaranty or any other agreement or any of the terms of any thereof, the continuance of any obligation on the part of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person on or in respect of the Notes or under the Note Purchase Agreement, any other Guaranty or any other agreement or the power or authority or the lack of power or authority of the Company to issue the Notes or the Company to execute and deliver the Note Purchase Agreement or any other agreement or of any other Guarantor to execute and deliver the other Guaranty to which it is a party or to perform any of its obligations hereunder or thereunder or the existence or continuance of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person as a legal entity; or

(2)    any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance by the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person of any obligations of any kind or character whatsoever under the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement; or

 

-4-


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

(3)    any creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, receivership or other insolvency proceeding of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person or in respect of the property of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any merger, consolidation, reorganization, dissolution, liquidation, the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of or winding up of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person; or

(4)    impossibility or illegality of performance on the part of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person of its obligations under the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement; or

(5)    in respect of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person, any change of circumstances, whether or not foreseen or foreseeable, whether or not imputable to the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person, or other impossibility of performance through fire, explosion, accident, labor disturbance, floods, droughts, embargoes, wars (whether or not declared), civil commotion, acts of God or the public enemy, delays or failure of suppliers or carriers, inability to obtain materials, action of any federal or state regulatory body or agency, change of law or any other causes affecting performance, or any other force majeure, whether or not beyond the control of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person and whether or not of the kind hereinbefore specified; or

(6)    any attachment, claim, demand, charge, Lien, order, process, encumbrance or any other happening or event or reason, similar or dissimilar to the foregoing, or any withholding or diminution at the source, by reason of any taxes, assessments, expenses, Debt, obligations or liabilities of any character, foreseen or unforeseen, and whether or not valid, incurred by or against the Company, the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any claims, demands, charges or Liens of any nature, foreseen or unforeseen, incurred by the Company, the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person, or against any sums payable in respect of the Notes or under the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or other agreement so that such sums would be rendered inadequate or would be unavailable to make the payments herein provided; or

(7)    any order, judgment, decree, ruling or regulation (whether or not valid) of any court of any nation or of any political subdivision thereof or any body, agency, department, official or administrative or regulatory agency of any thereof or any other action, happening, event or reason whatsoever which shall delay, interfere with, hinder or prevent, or in any way adversely affect, the performance by the Company, the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person of its respective obligations under or in respect of the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement; or

(8)    the failure of the Guarantor to receive any benefit from or as a result of its execution, delivery and performance of this Guaranty; or

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

(9)    any failure or lack of diligence in collection or protection, failure in presentment or demand for payment, protest, notice of protest, notice of default and of nonpayment, any failure to give notice to the Guarantor of failure of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person to keep and perform any obligation, covenant or agreement under the terms of the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement or failure to resort for payment to the Company, any other Guarantor or to any other Person or to any other guaranty or to any property, security, Liens or other rights or remedies; or

(10)    the acceptance of any additional security or other guaranty, the advance of additional money to the Company or any other Person, the renewal or extension of the Notes or amendments, modifications, consents or waivers with respect to the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement, or the sale, release, substitution or exchange of any security for the Notes; or

(11)    any merger or consolidation of the Company, the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person into or with any other Person or any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of any of the assets of the Company, any other Guarantor or any other Person to any other Person, or any change in the ownership of any shares of the Company, the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person; or

(12)    any defense whatsoever that: (i) the Company or any other Person might have to the payment of the Notes (principal, premium, if any, or interest), other than payment thereof in Federal or other immediately available funds, or (ii) the Company or any other Person might have to the performance or observance of any of the provisions of the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement, whether through the satisfaction or purported satisfaction by the Company, the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person of its debts due to any cause such as bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, merger, consolidation, reorganization, dissolution, liquidation, winding-up or otherwise, other than the defense of indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Notes; or

(13)    any act or failure to act with regard to the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement or anything which might vary the risk of the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person; or

(14)    any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or any other Person in respect of the obligations of the Guarantor, any other Guarantor or other Person under this Guaranty, any other Guaranty or any other agreement, other than the defense of indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Notes;

provided that the specific enumeration of the above-mentioned acts, failures or omissions shall not be deemed to exclude any other acts, failures or omissions, though not specifically mentioned above, it being the purpose and intent of this Guaranty and the parties hereto that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be discharged,

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

impaired or varied except by the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes in accordance with their respective terms whenever the same shall become due and payable as in the Notes provided and all other sums due and payable under the Note Purchase Agreement, at the place specified in and all in the manner and with the effect provided in the Notes and the Note Purchase Agreement, as each may be amended or modified from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, it is understood that repeated and successive demands may be made and recoveries may be had hereunder as and when, from time to time, the Company shall default under or in respect of the terms of the Notes or the Note Purchase Agreement and that notwithstanding recovery hereunder for or in respect of any given default or defaults by the Company under the Notes or the Note Purchase Agreement, this Guaranty shall remain in full force and effect and shall apply to each and every subsequent default.

(d)    All rights of any Holder may be transferred or assigned at any time and shall be considered to be transferred or assigned at any time or from time to time upon the transfer of any Note whether with or without the consent of or notice to the Guarantor under this Guaranty or to the Company.

(e)    To the extent of any payments made under this Guaranty, the Guarantor shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holder upon whose Notes such payment was made, but the Guarantor covenants and agrees that such right of subrogation shall be subordinate in right of payment to the prior indefeasible final payment in cash in full of all amounts due and owing by the Company with respect to the Notes and the Note Purchase Agreement and by the Guarantor under this Guaranty, and the Guarantor shall not take any action to enforce such right of subrogation, and the Guarantor shall not accept any payment in respect of such right of subrogation, until all amounts due and owing by the Company under or in respect of the Notes and the Note Purchase Agreement and all amounts due and owing by the Guarantor hereunder have indefeasibly been finally paid in cash in full. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence at any time prior to the later of the indefeasible payment in cash in full of the Notes and all other amounts payable under the Notes, the Note Purchase Agreement and this Guaranty, such amount shall be held in trust for the benefit of the Holders and shall forthwith be paid to the Holders to be credited and applied to the amounts due or to become due with respect to the Notes and all other amounts payable under the Note Purchase Agreement and this Guaranty, whether matured or unmatured. The Guarantor acknowledges that it has received direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by the Note Purchase Agreement and that the waiver set forth in this paragraph (e) is knowingly made as a result of the receipt of such benefits.

(f)    The Guarantor agrees that to the extent the Company, any other Guarantors or any other Person makes any payment on any Note, which payment or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, voided, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered, rescinded or is required to be retained by or repaid to a trustee, receiver, or any other Person under any bankruptcy code, common law, or equitable cause, then and to the extent of such payment, the obligation or the part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect with respect to the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, as if said payment had not been made. The liability of the Guarantor hereunder shall not be reduced or discharged, in whole or in part, by any payment to any Holder from any source that is thereafter paid,

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

returned or refunded in whole or in part by reason of the assertion of a claim of any kind relating thereto, including, but not limited to, any claim for breach of contract, breach of warranty, preference, illegality, invalidity, or fraud asserted by any account debtor or by any other Person.

(g)    No Holder shall be under any obligation: (1) to marshall any assets in favor of the Guarantor or in payment of any or all of the liabilities of the Company under or in respect of the Notes or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder or (2) to pursue any other remedy that the Guarantor may or may not be able to pursue themselves and that may lighten the Guarantor’s burden, any right to which the Guarantor hereby expressly waives.

(h)    The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guaranty rank pari passu in right of payment with all other Debt of the Guarantor which is not secured or which is not expressly subordinated in right of payment to any other Debt of the Guarantor.

S ECTION  5.        R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES OF THE G UARANTOR .

The Guarantor represents and warrants to each Purchaser that:

Section 5.1.    Organization; Power and Authority .    The Guarantor is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Guarantor has the legal power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease, to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact, to execute and deliver this Guaranty and to perform the provisions hereof.

Section 5.2.    Authorization, Etc .    This Guaranty has been duly authorized by all necessary legal action on the part of the Guarantor, and this Guaranty constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (a) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (b) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

Section 5.3.    Disclosure .    Since December 31, 2006, there has been no change in the financial condition, operations, business, properties or prospects of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary except changes that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no fact known to the Guarantor that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect that has not been set forth herein.

Section 5.4.    Organization and Ownership of Shares of Subsidiaries; Affiliates . (a)  Schedule 5.4 contains (except as noted therein) complete and correct lists (i) of the Guarantor’s Subsidiaries, showing, as to each Subsidiary, the correct name thereof, the jurisdiction of its organization, the percentage of shares of each class of its Capital Stock or

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

similar equity interests outstanding owned by the Guarantor and each other Subsidiary, (ii) of the Guarantor’s Affiliates, other than Subsidiaries, and (iii) of the Guarantor’s directors and senior officers.

(b)    Ownership interests in the Guarantor are as set forth in Schedule 5.4 .

(c)    All of the outstanding shares of Capital Stock or similar equity interests of each Subsidiary shown in Schedule 5.4 as being owned by the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Guarantor or another Subsidiary free and clear of any Lien (except as otherwise disclosed in Schedule 5.4 ).

(d)    Each Subsidiary identified in Schedule 5.4 is a partnership, limited liability company, corporation or other legal entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other legal entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required by law, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary has the partnership, limited liability, corporate or other power and authority to own or hold under lease the properties it purports to own or hold under lease and to transact the business it transacts and proposes to transact.

(e)    No Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise subject to, any legal, regulatory, contractual or other restriction (other than this Guaranty, the agreements listed on Schedule 5.4 and customary limitations imposed by corporate law or similar statutes and regulatory restrictions) restricting in any Material respect the ability of such Subsidiary to pay dividends out of profits or make any other similar distributions of profits to the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries that owns outstanding shares of Capital Stock or similar equity interests of such Subsidiary.

Section 5.5.    Financial Statements; Material Liabilities .  The Guarantor has delivered to each Purchaser copies of the financial statements of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 5.5 . All of said financial statements (including in each case the related schedules and notes) fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates specified in such financial statements and the consolidated results of their operations and cash flows for the respective periods so specified and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods involved except as set forth in the notes thereto (subject, in the case of any interim financial statements, to normal year-end adjustments). The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries do not have any Material liabilities that are not disclosed on such financial statements or otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Documents.

Section 5.6.    Compliance with Laws, Other Instruments, Etc .  (a) The execution, delivery and performance by the Guarantor of this Guaranty will not (i) contravene, result in any breach of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation of any Lien in respect of any property of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan, purchase or credit agreement, lease, corporate charter or by-laws, limited liability company agreement,

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

partnership agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which the Guarantor or any Subsidiary is bound or by which the Guarantor or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected, (ii) conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any order, judgment, decree, or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority applicable to the Guarantor or any Subsidiary, (iii) violate any provision of any statute or other rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Guarantor or any Subsidiary, or (iv) require any consent or approval of the limited partners or, in the case of the general partner of the Guarantor, any consent or approval which has not been obtained and which is not in full force and effect, the stockholders of the CF General Partner, the partners or stockholders of any of the Guarantor’s Subsidiaries or any other third party, except in the case of the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), any contravention, breach, default, Lien or conflict which individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)    Without limiting clause (a) of this Section 5.6 :

(i)    FINRA has been designated and currently is the examining authority for BGC Financial Inc. ( “BGCFI” ). CFBGCFI is a member organization in good standing of FINRA and is duly registered as a broker-dealer, in good standing, in each state or other jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned by it or the transaction of its business makes such registration necessary. BGCFI and its Affiliates possess all of the licenses and registrations from and with any governmental agency or instrumentality, or any securities or commodities exchange or self-regulatory organization, necessary or appropriate for the conduct of its business, as such business is presently conducted; and

(ii)    Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is in arrears with respect to any assessment made upon it by SIPC that is due and payable.

Section 5.7.    Governmental Authorizations, Etc .  No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration, filing or declaration with, any Governmental Authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by the Guarantor of this Guaranty.

S ection 5.8.    Litigation; Observance of Agreements, Statutes and Orders.   (a) There are no actions, suits, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Guarantor, threatened against or affecting the Guarantor or any Subsidiary or any property of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)    Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is in default under any term of any agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound, or any order, judgment, decree or ruling of any court, arbitrator or Governmental Authority or is in violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation (including without limitation Environmental Laws or the USA Patriot Act) of any Governmental Authority, which default or violation, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

Section 5.9.    Taxes .  The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries have filed all tax returns that are required to have been filed in any jurisdiction and that are Material, and have paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes and assessments levied upon them or their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent, except for any taxes and assessments (a) the amount of which is not individually or in the aggregate Material or (b) the amount, applicability or validity of which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which the Guarantor or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, has established adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP. The Guarantor knows of no basis for any other tax or assessment that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in respect of federal, state or other taxes for all fiscal periods are adequate. The federal income tax liabilities of eSpeed, Inc., the predecessor to the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries have been finally determined (whether by reason of completed audits or the statute of limitations having run) for all Fiscal Years up to and including the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2003.

Section 5.10.    Title to Property; Leases .  The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries have good and sufficient title to their respective properties that individually or in the aggregate are Material, including all such properties reflected in the most recent audited balance sheet referred to in Section 5.5 or purported to have been acquired by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary after said date (except as sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business), in each case free and clear of Liens prohibited by this Guaranty. All leases that individually or in the aggregate are Material are valid and subsisting and are in full force and effect in all material respects.

Section 5.11.    Licenses, Permits, Etc .    (a) The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries own or possess all licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, patents, copyrights, proprietary software, service marks, trademarks and trade names, or rights thereto, that individually or in the aggregate are Material, without known conflict with the rights of others.

(b)    To the best knowledge of the Guarantor, no product of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries infringes in any respect any license, permit, franchise, authorization, patent, copyright, proprietary software, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned by any other Person, except as would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)    To the best knowledge of the Guarantor, there is no Material violation by any Person of any right of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any patent, copyright, proprietary software, service mark, trademark, trade name or other right owned or used by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 5.12.    Compliance with ERISA .  (a) The Guarantor and each ERISA Affiliate have operated and administered each Plan in compliance with all applicable laws except for such instances of noncompliance as have not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Guarantor nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3 of ERISA), and no event, transaction or condition has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to result in the incurrence of any such liability by the Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate, in either case pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or to such penalty or excise tax provisions or to Section 401(a)(29) or 412 of the Code or Section 4068 of ERISA, other than such liabilities or Liens as would not be individually or in the aggregate Material.

(b)    The present value of the aggregate benefit liabilities under each of the Plans (other than Multiemployer Plans), determined as of the end of such Plan’s most recently ended plan year on the basis of the actuarial assumptions specified for funding purposes in such Plan’s most recent actuarial valuation report, did not exceed the aggregate current value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term “benefit liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 4001 of ERISA and the terms “current value” and “present value” have the meaning specified in Section 3 of ERISA.

(c)    The Guarantor and its ERISA Affiliates have not incurred withdrawal liabilities (and are not subject to contingent withdrawal liabilities) under Section 4201 or 4204 of ERISA in respect of Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate are Material.

(d)    The expected post retirement benefit obligation (determined as of the last day of the Guarantor’s most recently ended Fiscal Year in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 106, without regard to liabilities attributable to continuation coverage mandated by Section 4980B of the Code) of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries is not Material.

(e)    The execution and delivery of this Guaranty will not involve any transaction that is subject to the prohibitions of Section 406(a)(i) of ERISA or in connection with which a tax could be imposed pursuant to Section 4975(c)(1)(A)-(D) of the Code. The representation by the Guarantor in the first sentence of this Section 5.12(e) is made in reliance upon and subject to the accuracy of your representation in Section 6.2 of the Note Purchase Agreement as to the sources of the funds used to pay the purchase price of the Designated CFLP Notes to be purchased by such Purchaser.

Section 5.13.    Private Offering by the Guarantor .  Neither the Guarantor nor anyone acting on its behalf has offered the Notes, this Guaranty or any similar Securities for sale to, or solicited any offer to buy any of the same from, or otherwise approached or negotiated in respect thereof with, any Person other than the Purchasers, each of which has been offered the Notes at a private sale for investment. Neither the Guarantor nor anyone acting on its behalf has taken, or will take, any action that would subject the issuance or sale of the Notes to the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act or to the registration requirements of any securities or blue sky laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

Section 5.14.    Margin Regulations.   Margin stock does not constitute more than 2% of the value of the consolidated assets of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries and the Guarantor does not have any present intention that margin stock will constitute more than 2% of the value of such

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

assets. As used in this Section, the terms “margin stock” and “purpose of buying or carrying” shall have the meanings assigned to them in said Regulation U.

Section 5.15.    Existing Debt; Future Liens .  (a)  Schedule 5.15 sets forth a complete and correct list of all outstanding Debt of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as of March 28, 2008 (including a description of the obligors and obligees, principal amount outstanding and collateral therefor, if any, and Guaranty thereof, if any), since which date there has been no Material change in the amounts, interest rates, sinking funds, installment payments or maturities of the Debt of the Guarantor or its Subsidiaries. Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is in default and no waiver of default is currently in effect, in the payment of any principal or interest on any Debt of the Guarantor or such Subsidiary and no event or condition exists with respect to any Debt of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary that would permit (or that with notice or the lapse of time, or both, would permit) one or more Persons to cause such Debt to become due and payable before its stated maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment.

(b)    Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.15 , neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary has agreed or consented to cause or permit in the future (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any of its property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to be subject to a Lien not permitted by Section 8.3 .

(c)    Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is a party to, or otherwise subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing Debt of the Guarantor or such Subsidiary, any agreement relating thereto or any other agreement (including, but not limited to, its charter or other organizational document) which limits the amount of, or otherwise imposes restrictions on the incurring of, Debt of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary, except as specifically indicated in Schedule 5.15 .

Section 5.16.    Foreign Assets Control Regulations, Etc .  (a) Neither the sale of the Notes nor the use of the proceeds thereof will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto.

(b)    Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary (i) is, or will become, a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (ii) engages or will engage in any dealings or transactions, or is or will be otherwise associated, with any such Person. The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA Patriot Act.

(c)    No part of the proceeds, if any, from the sale of the Notes will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, assuming in all cases that such Act applies to the Guarantor.

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

Section 5.17.    Status under Certain Statutes .  Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary is subject to regulation under the Investment Guarantor Act of 1940, as amended, the ICC Termination Act of 1995, as amended, or the Federal Power Act, as amended.

Section 5.18.    Notes Rank Pari Passu .  The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guaranty rank at least pari passu in right of payment with all other unsecured Senior Debt (actual or contingent) of the Guarantor, including, without limitation, all unsecured Senior Debt of the Guarantor described in Schedule 5.15 hereto.

Section 5.19.    Environmental Matters .  (a) Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary has knowledge of any claim or has received any notice of any claim, and no proceeding has been instituted raising any claim against the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or other assets, alleging any damage to the environment or violation of any Environmental Laws, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)    Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary has knowledge of any facts which would give rise to any claim, public or private, of violation of Environmental Laws or damage to the environment emanating from, occurring on or in any way related to real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or to other assets or their use, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c)    Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary has stored any Hazardous Materials on real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or has disposed of any Hazardous Materials in a manner contrary to any Environmental Laws in each case in any manner that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(d)    All buildings on all real properties now owned, leased or operated by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary are in compliance with applicable Environmental Laws, except where failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

S ECTION  6.        I NFORMATION AS TO THE G UARANTOR .

Section 6.1.    Financial and Business Information .  The Guarantor shall deliver to each holder of Notes that is an Institutional Investor:

(a)     Quarterly Statements — within 60 days after the end of each Fiscal Quarter in each Fiscal Year of the Guarantor (other than the last Fiscal Quarter of each such Fiscal Year), duplicate copies of:

(i)    an unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter, and

(ii)    unaudited consolidated statements of income, changes in partners’ capital and cash flows of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for such quarter,

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding periods in the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP applicable to quarterly financial statements generally, and certified by a Senior Financial Officer as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported on and their results of operations and cash flows, subject to changes resulting from year-end adjustments;

(b)     Annual Statements — within 90 days after the end of each Fiscal Year of the Guarantor, duplicate copies of,

(i)    a consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, as at the end of such year, and

(ii)    consolidated statements of income, changes in partners’ capital and cash flows of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, for such year,

prepared in accordance with GAAP, and accompanied by:

(1)    an opinion thereon of independent public auditors of recognized national standing, which opinion shall state that such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported upon and their results of operations and cash flows and have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, and that the examination of such auditors in connection with such financial statements has been made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, and that such audit provides a reasonable basis for such opinion in the circumstances,

(2)    a report of such auditors stating that they have reviewed Section 8 of this Guaranty and the associated definitions in Schedule B to the Note Purchase Agreement and stating further whether, in making their audit, they have become aware of any condition or event that then constitutes a Default or an Event of Default, and, if they are aware that any such condition or event then exists, specifying the nature and period of the existence thereof (it being understood that such certificate shall be limited to the items that independent certified public auditors customarily cover in such certificates pursuant to the professional standards and customs in their profession); and

(3)    an unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such year, and an unaudited consolidated statement of income, changes in partners’ capital and cash flows of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous Fiscal Year, all in reasonable detail, prepared in accordance with GAAP applicable to such annual financial statements generally, and certified by a Senior

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

Financial Officer as fairly presenting, in all material respects, the financial position of the companies being reported on and their results of operations and cash flows;

(c)     SEC and Other Reports — promptly upon their becoming available, one copy of (i) each financial statement, report, notice or proxy statement sent by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary to its principal lending banks as a whole, if any, (excluding information sent to such banks in the ordinary course of administration of a bank facility, such as information relating to pricing and borrowing availability or to its public Securities holders generally) and (ii) each regular or periodic report, each registration statement (without exhibits except as expressly requested by such holder), and each prospectus and all amendments thereto publicly filed by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary with the SEC or FINRA and of all press releases and other statements made available generally by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary to the public concerning developments that are Material;

(d)    [Reserved];

(e)     Notice    of Default or Event of Default — promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after a Responsible Officer becoming aware of the existence of any Default or Event of Default or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default hereunder or that any Person has given any notice or taken any action with respect to a claimed default of the type referred to in Section 11(f) of the Note Purchase Agreement, a written notice specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Guarantor is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto;

(f)     ERISA Matters — promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after a Responsible Officer becoming aware of any of the following, a written notice setting forth the nature thereof and the action, if any, that the Guarantor or an ERISA Affiliate proposes to take with respect thereto:

(i)    with respect to any Plan, any reportable event, as defined in Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations thereunder, for which notice thereof has not been waived pursuant to such regulations as in effect on the date hereof; or

(ii)    the taking by the PBGC of steps to institute, or the threatening by the PBGC of the institution of, proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan, or the receipt by the Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate of a notice from a Multiemployer Plan that such action has been taken by the PBGC with respect to such Multiemployer Plan; or

(iii)    any event, transaction or condition that could result in the incurrence of any liability by the Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to

 

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Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of the Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or such penalty or excise tax provisions, if such liability or Lien, taken together with any other such liabilities or Liens then existing, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(g)     Notices from Governmental Authority — promptly, and in any event within 30 days of receipt thereof, copies of any notice to the Guarantor or any Subsidiary from any federal or state Governmental Authority relating to any order, ruling, statute or other law or regulation that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

(h)     Requested Information — with reasonable promptness, such other data and information relating to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries or relating to the ability of the Guarantor to perform its obligations hereunder and under the Notes as from time to time may be reasonably requested by any such holder of Notes.

Section 6.2.    Officer’s Certificate .  Each set of financial statements delivered to a holder of Notes pursuant to Section 6.1(a) or Section 6.1(b) hereof shall be accompanied by a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer setting forth:

(a)     Covenant Compliance — the information (including, where appropriate, detailed calculations) required in order to establish whether the Guarantor was in compliance with the requirements of Section 8.1 through Section 8.5 , inclusive, during the applicable Fiscal Quarter covered by such financial statements, or in the case of the financial statements for a Fiscal Year, during the fourth Fiscal Quarter of such Fiscal Year (including with respect to each such Section, where applicable, the calculations of the maximum or minimum amount, ratio or percentage, as the case may be, permissible under the terms of such Sections, and the calculation of the amount, ratio or percentage then in existence, and in the case of Section 8.2 , whether and to what extent and degree Consolidated Debt exceeded 55% of Consolidated Capitalization at any time during the applicable Fiscal Quarter to which such compliance certificate relates, or in the case of the compliance certificate for a Fiscal Year, during the fourth Fiscal Quarter of such Fiscal Year, the period or periods of time during which Consolidated Debt so exceeded Consolidated Capitalization and, as applicable, when a related Interest Rate Adjustment Period begins, the amount of interest payable on the Notes constituting the Interest Rate Adjustment and the date on which such amount of interest is payable or was paid); and

(b)     Event of Default — a statement that such Senior Financial Officer has reviewed the relevant terms hereof and has made, or caused to be made, under his or her supervision, a review of the transactions and conditions of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries from the beginning of the Fiscal Quarter or Fiscal Year covered by the statements then being furnished to the date of the certificate and that such review shall not have disclosed the existence during such period of any condition or event that

 

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constitutes a Default or an Event of Default or, if any such condition or event existed or exists (including, without limitation, any such event or condition resulting from the failure of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary to comply with any Environmental Law), specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Guarantor shall have taken or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 6.3.    Visitation .  The Guarantor shall permit the representatives of each holder of Notes that is an Institutional Investor:

(a)     No Default — if no Default or Event of Default then exists, at the expense of such holder and upon reasonable prior notice to the Guarantor, to visit the principal executive office of the Guarantor, to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries with the Guarantor’s officers, and (with the opportunity to participate and consent of the Guarantor, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) its independent public auditors, and (with the consent of the Guarantor, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld) to visit the other offices and properties of the Guarantor and each Subsidiary, all at such reasonable times and as often as may be reasonably requested in writing; and

(b)     Default — if a Default or Event of Default then exists, at the expense of the Guarantor, to visit and inspect any of the offices or properties of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary, to examine all their respective books of account, records, reports and other papers, to make copies and extracts therefrom, and to discuss their respective affairs, finances and accounts with their respective officers and independent public auditors (and by this provision the Guarantor authorizes said auditors to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries), all at such times and as often as may be reasonably requested.

S ECTION  7.        A FFIRMATIVE C OVENANTS .

The Guarantor covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

Section 7.1.    Compliance with Law .  The Guarantor will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations to which each of them is subject, including, without limitation, ERISA, the USA Patriot Act and Environmental Laws, and will obtain and maintain in effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations necessary to the ownership of their respective properties or to the conduct of their respective businesses, in each case to the extent necessary to ensure that non-compliance with such laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or failures to obtain or maintain in effect such licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.2.    Insurance .  The Guarantor will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms

 

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and in such amounts (including deductibles, co-insurance and self-insurance, if adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto) as is customary in the case of entities of established reputations engaged in the same or a similar business and similarly situated and the failure of which to so maintain would have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.3.    Maintenance of Properties .  The Guarantor will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and keep, or cause to be maintained and kept, their respective properties in good repair, working order and condition (other than ordinary wear and tear), so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times; provided that this Section shall not prevent the Guarantor or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operation and the maintenance of any of its properties if such discontinuance is desirable in the conduct of its business and the Guarantor has concluded that such discontinuance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.4.    Payment of Taxes and Claims .  The Guarantor will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file all tax returns required to be filed in any jurisdiction and to pay and discharge all taxes shown to be due and payable on such returns and all other taxes, assessments, governmental charges, or levies imposed on them or any of their properties, assets, income or franchises, to the extent such taxes and assessments have become due and payable and before they have become delinquent and all claims for which sums have become due and payable that have or might become a Lien on properties or assets of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary; provided that neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary need pay any such tax or assessment or claims or file any such tax return if (a) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is contested by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Guarantor or a Subsidiary has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of the Guarantor or such Subsidiary or (b) the nonpayment of all such taxes, assessments and claims in the aggregate or failure to file such tax returns could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.5.    Legal Existence, Etc .  Subject to Section 8.4 , the Guarantor will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence as a limited partnership and its status as not being taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Subject to Sections 8.4 and 8.5 , the Guarantor will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect the legal existence of each of its Subsidiaries (unless merged into the Guarantor or a Wholly-owned Subsidiary) and all rights and franchises of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries unless, in the good faith judgment of the Guarantor, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such legal existence, right or franchise could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.6.    Notes to Rank Pari Passu.   The obligations under this Guaranty of the Guarantor are and at all times shall rank at least pari passu in right of payment with all other present and future unsecured Senior Debt (actual or contingent) of the Guarantor.

Section 7.7.    Guaranty by Subsidiaries .  (a) The Guarantor may, at its election, at any time and from time to time, cause any Subsidiary which is not then a Subsidiary Guarantor to

 

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become a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to a Subsidiary Guaranty; provided that concurrently therewith the Guarantor shall deliver to each of the holders of the Notes the following items:

(i)    an executed counterpart of a Guaranty substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.2(c) to the Note Purchase Agreement or joinder agreement in respect of an existing Subsidiary Guaranty, as appropriate;

(ii)    a certificate signed by an authorized officer of such Subsidiary making representations and warranties to the effect of those contained in Sections 5.1, 5.2, 5.6 and 5.7 , but with respect to such Subsidiary and such Subsidiary Guaranty, as applicable;

(iii)    such documents and evidence with respect to such Subsidiary as the Required Holders may reasonably request in order to establish the existence and good standing of such Subsidiary and the authorization of the transactions contemplated by such Subsidiary Guaranty; and

(iv)    an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Required Holders to the effect that such Subsidiary Guaranty has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of such Subsidiary enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as an enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles.

(b)    The holders of the Notes acknowledge and agree that such holders will discharge and release any Subsidiary Guarantor (other than a Subsidiary that becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor by application of Section 8.5(iii)(2) ) from the Subsidiary Guaranty to which it is a party pursuant to the written request of the Guarantor, provided that (i) either (1) such Subsidiary Guarantor has been released and discharged as an obligor and/or guarantor under and in respect of all Priority Debt or (2) the liability of such Subsidiary Guarantor as obligor and/or guarantor in respect of all Priority Debt is at the time of discharge and release of such Subsidiary Guaranty incurred within the limitations of Section 8.2(b) , and, in either event, the Guarantor so certifies to the holders of the Notes in a certificate that shall accompany such request for release and discharge, which certificate shall also include information in reasonable detail to show compliance with Section 8.2(b) if such release and discharge is requested pursuant to clause (2) hereof, (ii) any such release and discharge shall be expressly conditioned upon receipt by the holders of the Notes of a written agreement executed by the Subsidiary Guarantor to be released pursuant to which such Subsidiary Guarantor shall agree that if, for any reason whatsoever, it thereafter becomes an obligor and/or guarantor under and in respect of any Priority Debt, then such Subsidiary Guarantor shall contemporaneously provide written notice thereof to the holders of the Notes accompanied by either (1) an executed Subsidiary Guaranty of such Subsidiary Guarantor or (2) a certificate of the Guarantor certifying to the holders of the Notes that the liability of such Subsidiary Guarantor as an obligor and/or guarantor under or in respect of Priority Debt is incurred within the limitations of Section 8.2(b) , which certificate shall also include information in reasonable detail to show compliance with Section 8.2(b) , and (iii) at the time of such release and discharge, the Guarantor shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the holders of the Notes certifying that no Default or Event of Default exists.

 

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Section 7.8.    Books and Records .  The Guarantor will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain proper books of record and account in conformity with GAAP and all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having legal or regulatory jurisdiction over the Guarantor, or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

Section 7.9.    Ownership .  The Guarantor will at all times Control, directly or indirectly, the Company.

S ECTION  8.        N EGATIVE C OVENANTS .

The Guarantor covenants that so long as any of the Notes are outstanding:

Section 8.1.    Consolidated Capital.   The Guarantor will at all times keep and maintain Consolidated Capital at an amount not less than $227,500,000, with the determination of compliance by the Guarantor with this Section 8.1 to be made as at the end of each Fiscal Quarter.

Section 8.2.    Limitations on Debt.   (a)  The Guarantor will not at any time permit Consolidated Debt to exceed 55% of Consolidated Capitalization; provided, that, subject to compliance with Section 6.2(a) and payment of interest at the Applicable Interest Rate, the Guarantor may permit Consolidated Debt to exceed 55% of Consolidated Capitalization, but in no event may Consolidated Debt exceed 60% of Consolidated Capitalization.

(b)    The Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise incur or in any manner be or become liable in respect of any Priority Debt, unless at the time of the creation, issuance, assumption, guarantee or incurrence thereof and after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, the aggregate amount of all Consolidated Priority Debt (including the Priority Debt then to be created, issued, assumed, guaranteed or otherwise incurred) does not exceed 15% of Consolidated Partners’ Capital.

(c)    Any Person which becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof shall for all purposes of this Section 8.2 be deemed to have created, assumed or incurred at the time it becomes a Subsidiary all Debt of such Person existing immediately after it becomes a Subsidiary.

Section 8.3.    Limitation on Liens.   The Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create or incur, or suffer to be incurred or to exist, any Lien on its or their property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or upon any income or profits therefrom, or transfer any property for the purpose of subjecting the same to the payment of obligations in priority to the payment of its or their general creditors, or acquire or agree to acquire, or permit any Subsidiary to acquire, any property or assets upon conditional sales agreements or other title retention devices, except:

(a)    Liens for taxes and assessments or governmental charges or levies and Liens securing claims or demands of mechanics and materialmen; provided that payment thereof is not at the time required by Section 7.4 ;

 

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(b)    Liens of or resulting from any judgment or award, (i) the time for the appeal or petition for rehearing of which shall not have expired, or (ii) in respect of which the Guarantor or a Subsidiary shall at all times in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or proceeding for a review and in respect of which a stay of execution pending such appeal or proceeding for review shall have been secured; provided that the Guarantor or such Subsidiary (1) is contesting such judgment or award on a timely basis, in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, and (2) has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of the Guarantor or such Subsidiary, as the case may be;

(c)    Liens in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other like laws, warehousemen’s and attorney’s liens and statutory landlords’ liens and Liens to secure statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds or other Liens of like general nature, in any such case incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money; provided that any such Lien secures only amounts not due and payable or the payment of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate actions or proceedings;

(d)    Liens incidental to the conduct of business or the ownership of properties and assets (including Liens to secure the performance of bids, tenders or trade contracts), in any such case incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money; provided that any such Lien does not materially impair the business of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the value of the related property for the purposes of such business;

(e)    survey exceptions or minor encumbrances, leases or subleases granted to others, easements or reservations, or rights of others for rights-of-way, utilities and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real properties, (i) which are necessary for the conduct of the activities of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries or which customarily exist on properties similarly situated or (ii) which do not materially impair their use in the operation of the business of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the value of such properties;

(f)    Liens securing Debt of a Subsidiary to the Guarantor or to another Wholly-owned Subsidiary;

(g)    Liens existing as of the date of this Guaranty and described on Schedule 5.15 hereto;

(h)    Liens securing Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business of the Guarantor’s Subsidiaries;

(i)    Liens created or incurred after the date of the Closing given to secure the payment of the purchase price incurred in connection with the acquisition or purchase or the cost of construction of property or of assets useful and intended to be used in carrying on the business of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary, and Liens existing on such property or

 

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assets at the time of acquisition thereof or at the time of completion of construction, as the case may be, so long as such existing Liens were not incurred, extended or renewed (by or with the consent of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary) in contemplation of such acquisition or purchase; provided that (i) the Lien shall attach solely to the property or assets acquired, purchased or constructed, (ii) such Lien shall have been created or incurred within 120 days of the date of acquisition or purchase or completion of construction, as the case may be, (iii) at the time of acquisition or purchase or of completion of construction of such property or assets, the aggregate amount remaining unpaid on all Debt secured by Liens on such property or assets, whether or not assumed by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary, shall not exceed an amount equal to 100% of the lesser of the total purchase price or fair market value at the time of acquisition or purchase (as determined in good faith by the Managing General Partner of the Guarantor) or the cost of construction on the date of completion thereof, (iv) Debt secured by any such Lien shall have been created or incurred within the applicable limitations provided in Section 8.2 , and (v) at the time of creation, issuance, assumption, guarantee or incurrence of the Debt secured by such Lien and after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

(j)    any Lien existing on property or assets of a Person at the time such Person is consolidated with or merged into the Guarantor or a Subsidiary or is otherwise acquired by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary and concurrently therewith becomes a Subsidiary, or any Lien existing on any property or assets acquired by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary at the time such property or assets are so acquired (whether or not the Debt secured thereby shall have been assumed), provided that (i) each such Lien shall extend solely to the property or assets so acquired, (ii) any Debt secured by any such Lien shall have been created or incurred within the applicable limitations provided in Section 8.2 , and (iii) at the time of creation, issuance, assumption, guarantee or incurrence of the Debt secured by such Lien and after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

(k)    Liens created or incurred after the date of the Closing given to secure Debt of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary in addition to the Liens permitted by the preceding clauses (a) through (j) hereof; provided that (i) all Debt secured by such Liens shall have been incurred within the limitations provided in Section 8.2(b) and (ii) at the time of creation, issuance, assumption, guarantee or incurrence of the Debt secured by such Lien and after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof, no Default or Event of Default would exist; and

(l)    any extension, renewal or refunding of any Lien permitted by the preceding clauses (g), (i) and (j) of this Section 8.3 in respect of the same property theretofore subject to such Lien in connection with the extension, renewal or refunding of the Debt secured thereby; provided that (i) such extension, renewal or refunding of Debt shall be without increase in the principal amount remaining unpaid as of the date of such extension, renewal or refunding, (ii) such Lien shall attach solely to the same such property, and (iii) at the time of such extension, renewal or refunding and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist.

 

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Section 8.4.    Mergers, Consolidations, Etc. of Guarantor; Replacement of CF General Partner.   The Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary (other than, except for the Company, a Subsidiary which is the subject of a sale or other disposition pursuant to Section 8.5 ) to, consolidate with or be a party to a merger with any other Person, or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets; provided that:

(a)    other than the Company, provision for which is made in Section 10.1 of the Note Purchase Agreement, any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or into the Guarantor or any Wholly-owned Subsidiary so long as in (1) any merger or consolidation involving the Guarantor, the Guarantor shall be the surviving or continuing entity, (2) in any merger or consolidation involving a Wholly-owned Subsidiary (and not the Guarantor or the Company), the Wholly-owned Subsidiary shall be the surviving or continuing corporation or limited liability company, and (3) in any merger or consolidation involving a Subsidiary Guarantor in which such Subsidiary Guarantor is not the surviving or continuing corporation or limited liability company, the due and punctual performance and observance of all covenants in the Subsidiary Guaranty to be performed or observed by such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be expressly assumed in writing by the acquiring Person and the acquiring Person shall furnish to the holders of the Notes an opinion of counsel satisfactory to such holders to the effect that the instrument of assumption has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of such acquiring Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles;

(b)    the Guarantor may consolidate or merge with or into any other Person if (1) the Person which results from such consolidation or merger, if not the Guarantor (the “surviving Person” ) is solvent and organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, Canada, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, (2) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all of the Notes, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observation of all of the covenants in the Notes and this Guaranty to be performed or observed by the Guarantor are expressly assumed in writing by the surviving Person and the surviving Person shall furnish to the holders of the Notes an opinion of counsel satisfactory to such holders to the effect that the instrument of assumption has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of the surviving Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, (3) CFLP and any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have confirmed in writing the due and punctual performance and observation of all of its respective obligations under the CFLP Guaranty or the Subsidiary Guaranty to which it is a party, as the case may be, and (4) at the time of such consolidation or merger and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; and

 

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(c)    the Guarantor may sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (other than as provided in Section 8.5 ) to any Person for consideration which represents the fair market value of such assets (as determined in good faith by the Managing General Partner of the Guarantor) at the time of such sale or other disposition if (1) the acquiring Person is solvent and organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, Canada, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, (2) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all the Notes, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants in the Notes and in this Guaranty to be performed or observed by the Guarantor are expressly assumed in writing by the acquiring Person and the acquiring Person shall furnish to the holders of the Notes an opinion of counsel satisfactory to such holders to the effect that the instrument of assumption has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding contract and agreement of such acquiring Person enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement of such terms may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, (3) CFLP and any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have confirmed in writing the due and punctual performance and observation of all of its respective obligations under the CFLP Guaranty or the Subsidiary Guaranty to which it is a party, as the case may be, and (4)   at the time of such sale or disposition and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default would exist.

Section 8.5.        Sale of Assets .    The Guarantor will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease, transfer, abandon or otherwise dispose of assets (except assets sold in the ordinary course of business for fair market value and except as provided in Section 8.4(a)(iii)) ; provided that the foregoing restrictions do not apply to:

(i)    [Reserved]

(ii)    the disposition of cash and/or Capital Stock to the Cantor Relief Fund (or such other entity designated by the CF General Partner) for the benefit of the families of employees of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries who were lost on September 11, 2001; or

(iii)    (1) the sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of assets of a Subsidiary (the “Transferring Subsidiary” ) to the Guarantor or another Subsidiary (the “Receiving Subsidiary” ); provided that to the extent the Guarantor and/or one or more Subsidiaries shall own less than the same percentage of the Equity Interests in the Receiving Subsidiary as in the Transferring Subsidiary, such transfer shall not be permitted unless the transfer of the pro rata portion of the assets (and the Consolidated Net Income generated by such assets) which corresponds to such reduced Equity Interest shall otherwise be permitted pursuant to clause (iv) of this Section 8.5 ; or

(2)    the transfer or other disposition by the Guarantor of its interest in any directly owned Subsidiary (a “Transferred Subsidiary” ) to a Subsidiary; provided that (A) such Subsidiary is directly owned by the Guarantor or by one or more other

 

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Subsidiaries, (B) none of such Subsidiaries (other than the Transferred Subsidiary) at any time has outstanding any Debt or material liabilities or operations other than acting in its capacity as a holding company for such Transferred Subsidiary or a Subsidiary which, directly or indirectly, owns such Transferred Subsidiary and (C) all such Subsidiaries (other than the Transferred Subsidiary) become Subsidiary Guarantors in accordance with Section 7.7(a) ; and provided further that to the extent the Guarantor as a result of the transfer would own, directly or indirectly, less than the same percentage of the Equity Interest of the Transferred Subsidiary as immediately prior to such transfer or other disposition, such transfer shall not be permitted unless the transfer of the pro rata portion of the interests (and the Consolidated Net Income generated by such interests) which corresponds to such reduced Equity Interest shall otherwise be permitted pursuant to clause (iv) of this Section 8.5 ; or

(iv)    the sale or other disposition of assets for cash or other property to a Person or Persons if all of the following conditions are met:

(1)    the portion of Consolidated Net Income generated by such assets does not, together with the portion of Consolidated Net Income generated by all other assets of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries previously disposed of during the same Fiscal Year (other than in the ordinary course of business or pursuant to clause (i), (ii) or, subject in each case to the proviso therein, (iii)(1) or (iii)(2) of this Section 8.5 ), does not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Income, determined as of the end of the immediately preceding Fiscal Year;

(2)    in the opinion of the Guarantor’s Managing General Partner, the sale or other disposition is in the best interests of the Guarantor and is for fair value (provided that a pro rata in kind distribution of assets to partners of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary that is otherwise effected in compliance with this Section 8.5(iv) shall be deemed to be for fair value); and

(3)    immediately before and immediately after the consummation of the transaction and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

provided, however, that for purposes of the foregoing calculation of 10% of Consolidated Net Income, there shall not be included any disposed assets if during the periods specified below, an amount equal to the Net Cash Proceeds of the disposition were or are applied as specified. The specified applications and time periods are: (A) within 180 days before or after the date of sale of such assets, to the acquisition of assets useful and intended to be used in the operation of the business of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as described in Section 8.7 and having a fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Managing General Partner of the Guarantor) at least equal to the Net Cash Proceeds (less any amount thereof offered for prepayment of Senior Debt pursuant to the next following clause (B)) in respect of the assets so disposed of, and/or (B) within 180 days after the date of sale of such assets, to the offer on a pro rata basis of prepayment of Senior Debt of the Guarantor (it being understood and agreed that the proceeds from the

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

disposition of any assets to be applied pursuant to this clause (B) to the offer of prepayment of Senior Debt of the Guarantor other than the Notes may be applied in amounts and to holders of such other Senior Debt as the Guarantor may determine in its sole and absolute discretion). With respect to any pro rata offer of prepayment of the Notes by the Guarantor pursuant hereto, it is agreed that:

(w)    the timing and manner of such offer of prepayment to the holders of the Notes shall be in the manner contemplated by Section 8.2 of the Note Purchase Agreement, excepting only that any such prepayment of the Notes pursuant to this Section 8.5 shall be at par and in no event with a Make-Whole Amount or other premium;

(x)    any holder of the Notes may decline any offer of prepayment pursuant to this clause (B);

(y)    the failure of any such holder to accept or decline any such offer of prepayment shall be deemed to be an election by such holder to decline such prepayment; and

(z)    if such offer is so accepted, the proceeds so offered towards the prepayment of the Notes and accepted shall be prepaid and applied in the manner provided in Section 8.2 of the Note Purchase Agreement, excepting only that such prepayment shall be at par without payment of Make-Whole Amount or other premium.

To the extent that any holder of the Notes declines or is deemed to have declined such offer of prepayment, the amount of the prepayment offered to such holder shall satisfy the Guarantor’s obligations under clause (B) hereof with respect to the related asset disposition and to the extent of such amount so offered and the Guarantor may use the remaining amount of such prepayment so declined for general corporate purposes.

Section 8.6.    Transactions with Affiliates.   The Guarantor will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to enter into, directly or indirectly, any Material transaction or Material group of related transactions (including without limitation the purchase, lease, sale or exchange of properties of any kind or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate (other than the Guarantor or a Subsidiary), except upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Guarantor or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of the Guarantor or such Subsidiary and in the case of any transaction or transactions with any Affiliate other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary, in the ordinary course of the Guarantor’s or such Subsidiary’s business; provided that management or other fees, compensation, employee benefit arrangement or indemnification programs, plans or arrangements pertaining to limited or general partners of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business or approved by the Managing General Partner of the Guarantor shall in each such case be deemed not to be in violation of this Section 8.6 ; provided further that intercompany lending transactions upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Guarantor or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, than it would

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate of the Guarantor or such Subsidiary shall, in each such case, be deemed not to be in violation of this Section 8.6 .

Section 8.7.    Line of Business .    The Guarantor will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to engage in any business if, as a result, the general nature of the business in which the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, would then be engaged would be substantially changed from the general nature of the business in which the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are engaged on the date of this Guaranty as described in the Memorandum.

Section 8.8.    Terrorism Sanctions Regulations .    The Guarantor will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to (a) become a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (b) knowingly engage in any dealings or transactions with any such Person.

Section 8.9.    [Reserved] .

Section 8.10.    Partnership Agreement .    The Guarantor shall not, directly or indirectly, amend, supplement or otherwise modify the BGC Partnership Agreement in any manner which would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to a holder of the Notes.

S ECTION  9.        [R ESERVED ] .

S ECTION  10.      S URVIVAL OF R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES ; E NTIRE A GREEMENT .

All representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the execution and delivery of this Guaranty, the purchase or transfer by any Purchaser of any Note or portion thereof or interest therein and the payment of any Note, and may be relied upon by any subsequent Holder, regardless of any investigation made at any time by or on behalf of such Purchaser or any other Holder. All statements contained in any certificate or other instrument delivered by or on behalf of the Guarantor pursuant to this Guaranty shall be deemed representations and warranties of the Guarantor under this Guaranty. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Guaranty embodies the entire agreement and understanding between each Purchaser and the Guarantor and supersede all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.

S ECTION  11.      A MENDMENT AND W AIVER .

Section 11.1.    Requirements .    This Guaranty may be amended, and the observance of any term hereof may be waived (either retroactively or prospectively), with (and only with) the written consent of the Guarantor and the Required Holders; provided, that without the written consent of the holders of all of the Notes then outstanding, no such waiver, modification, alteration or amendment shall be effective which will reduce the scope of the guaranty set forth in this Guaranty, amend any of the terms or provisions of Section 2 hereof or amend this

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

Section 11 .    No such amendment or modification shall extend to or affect any obligation not expressly amended or modified or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 11.2.    Solicitation of Holders of Notes .

(a)     Solicitation .  The Guarantor will provide each holder of the Notes (irrespective of the amount of Notes then owned by it) with sufficient information, sufficiently far in advance of the date a decision is required, to enable such holder to make an informed and considered decision with respect to any proposed amendment, waiver or consent in respect of any of the provisions hereof. The Guarantor will deliver executed or true and correct copies of each amendment, waiver or consent effected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11 to each holder of outstanding Notes promptly following the date on which it is executed and delivered by, or receives the consent or approval of, the requisite holders of Notes.

(b)     Payment .  The Guarantor will not directly or indirectly pay or cause to be paid any remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or additional interest, fee or otherwise, or grant any security or provide other credit support, to any holder of Notes as consideration for or as an inducement to the entering into by any holder of Notes of any waiver or amendment of any of the terms and provisions hereof unless such remuneration is concurrently paid, or security is concurrently granted or other credit support concurrently provided, on the same terms, ratably to each holder of Notes then outstanding even if such holder did not consent to such waiver or amendment.

Section 11.3.    Binding Effect, Etc .  Any amendment or waiver consented to as provided in this Section 11 applies equally to all holders of Notes and is binding upon them and upon each future holder of any Note and upon the Guarantor without regard to whether such Note has been marked to indicate such amendment or waiver. No such amendment or waiver will extend to or affect any obligation, covenant, agreement, Default or Event of Default not expressly amended or waived or impair any right consequent thereon. No course of dealing between the Guarantor and the holder of any Note nor any delay in exercising any rights hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any rights of any holder of such Note. As used herein, the term “this Guaranty” and references thereto shall mean this Guaranty as it may from time to time be amended or supplemented.

Section 11.4.    Notes Held by Guarantor, Etc .    Solely for the purpose of determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under this Guaranty or have directed the taking of any action provided herein or in the Notes to be taken upon the direction of the holders of a specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding, Notes directly or indirectly owned by the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding.

S ECTION  12.        N OTICES .

All notices and communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing and sent (a) by telefacsimile if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), or (b) by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested (postage prepaid), or (c) by a recognized overnight delivery service (with charges prepaid). Any such notice must be sent:

(i)    if to any Purchaser or its nominee, to such Purchaser or nominee at the address specified for such communications in Schedule A to the Note Purchase Agreement, or at such other address as such Purchaser or nominee shall have specified to the Guarantor or the Company in writing,

(ii)    if to any other holder of any Note, to such holder at such address as such other holder shall have specified to the Guarantor or the Company in writing, or

(iii)    if to the Guarantor, to the Guarantor at its address set forth at the beginning hereof to the attention of General Counsel, with a copy to CFLP at 499 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, Attention: General Counsel, or at such other address as the Guarantor or CFLP, as the case may be, shall have specified to the holder of each Note in writing.

Notices under this Section 12 will be deemed given only when actually received.

S ECTION  13.        R EPRODUCTION OF D OCUMENTS .

This Guaranty and all documents relating thereto, including, without limitation, (a) consents, waivers and modifications that may hereafter be executed, (b) documents received by any Purchaser at the Closing (except the Notes themselves), and (c) financial statements, certificates and other information previously or hereafter furnished to any Purchaser, may be reproduced by such Purchaser by any photographic, photostatic, electronic, digital or other similar process and such Purchaser may destroy any original document so reproduced. The Guarantor agrees and stipulates that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding (whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by such Purchaser in the regular course of business) and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence. This Section 13 shall not prohibit the Guarantor or any other holder of Notes from contesting any such reproduction to the same extent that it could contest the original, or from introducing evidence to demonstrate the inaccuracy of any such reproduction.

S ECTION  14.        C ONFIDENTIAL I NFORMATION .

The terms and provisions of Section 20 of the Note Purchase Agreement are incorporated herein by reference mutis mutandi .

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

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S ECTION  15.        M ISCELLANEOUS .

Section 15.1.    Successors and Assigns .    All covenants and other agreements contained in this Guaranty by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns (including, without limitation, any permitted subsequent Holder) whether so expressed or not.

Section 15.2.    Payments Due on Non-Business Days .    Anything in this Guaranty to the contrary notwithstanding (but without limiting the requirement in Section 8.4 of the Note Purchase Agreement that the notice of any optional prepayment specify a Business Day as the date fixed for such prepayment), any payment of principal of or Make-Whole Amount or interest on any Note that is due on a date other than a Business Day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day without including the additional days elapsed in the computation of the interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day; provided that if the maturity date of any Note is a date other than a Business Day, the payment otherwise due on such maturity date shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and shall include the additional days elapsed in the computation of interest payable on such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 15.3.    Accounting Terms .    All accounting terms used herein which are not expressly defined in this Guaranty or the Note Purchase Agreement have the meanings respectively given to them in accordance with GAAP. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, (i) all computations made pursuant to this Guaranty shall be made in accordance with GAAP and (ii) all financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Section 15.4.    Severability .    Any provision of this Guaranty that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall (to the full extent permitted by law) not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 15.5.    Construction, Etc .    Each covenant contained herein shall be construed (absent express provision to the contrary) as being independent of each other covenant contained herein, so that compliance with any one covenant shall not (absent such an express contrary provision) be deemed to excuse compliance with any other covenant. Where any provision herein refers to action to be taken by any Person, or which such Person is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether such action is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.

For the avoidance of doubt, all Schedules and Exhibits attached to this Guaranty shall be deemed to be a part hereof.

Section 15.6.    Counterparts .    This Guaranty may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which together shall constitute one instrument. Each counterpart may consist of a number of copies hereof, each signed by less than all, but together signed by all, of the parties hereto.

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

Section 15.7.    Governing Law .  This Guaranty shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the parties shall be governed by, the law of the State of New York , excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such State that would permit the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than such State.

Section 15.8.    Jurisdiction and Process; Waiver of Jury Trial .    (a)    The Guarantor irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or federal court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Guaranty. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Guarantor irrevocably waives and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense or otherwise, any claim that it is not subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(b)    The Guarantor consents to process being served by or on behalf of any holder of Notes in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 15.8(a) by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to it at its address specified in Section 12 or at such other address of which such holder shall then have been notified pursuant to said Section. The Guarantor agrees that such service upon receipt (i) shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon it in any such suit, action or proceeding and (ii) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be taken and held to be valid personal service upon and personal delivery to it. Notices hereunder shall be conclusively presumed received as evidenced by a delivery receipt furnished by the United States Postal Service or any reputable commercial delivery service.

(c)    Nothing in this Section 15.8 shall affect the right of any Holder to serve process in any manner permitted by law, or limit any right that the holders of any of the Notes may have to bring proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any appropriate jurisdiction or to enforce in any lawful manner a judgment obtained in one jurisdiction in any other jurisdiction.

(d)    T HE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION BROUGHT ON OR WITH RESPECT TO THIS G UARANTY OR ANY OTHER DOCUMENT EXECUTED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THEREWITH .

Section 15.9.    Indemnity .    To the fullest extent of applicable law, the Guarantor shall indemnify and save each holder of the Notes harmless from and against any losses which may arise in connection with any of the obligations hereby guaranteed being or becoming for any reason whatsoever in whole or in part void, voidable, contrary to law, invalid, ineffective or otherwise unenforceable by the holder of the Notes or any of them in accordance with its terms (all of the foregoing collectively, an “Indemnifiable Circumstance” ). For greater certainty, these losses shall include without limitation all obligations hereby guaranteed which would have been payable by the Company but for the existence of an Indemnifiable Circumstance; provided, that the extent of the Guarantor’s aggregate liability under this Section 15.9 shall not at any time

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

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exceed the amount (but for any Indemnifiable Circumstance) otherwise guaranteed pursuant to Section 2 .

[T HE R EMAINDER OF T HIS P AGE I NTENTIONALLY L EFT B LANK ]

 

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BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

 

If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign the form of agreement on the accompanying counterpart on this Guaranty and return it to the Guarantor, whereupon the foregoing, shall become a binding agreement between you and the Guarantor.

 

Very truly yours,

BGC P ARTNERS , I NC .

By

 

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

 

Executive Vice President, General Counsel

& Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

A MERICAN U NITED L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Kent R. Adams

 

    Name:

 

Kent R. Adams

 

    Title:

 

V.P. Fixed Income Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

P ROTECTIVE L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Diane S. Griswold

 

Name:

 

Diane S. Griswold

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

ING USA A NNUITY AND L IFE I NSURANCE

C OMPANY

RELIASTAR L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

ING Investment Management LLC, as

Agent

 

By

 

/s/ Paul Aronson

   

Name:

 

Paul Aronson

   

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

M IDLAND N ATIONAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

  Guggenheim Partners Advisory Company,

its agent

By

 

/s/ Michael Damaso

 

Name:

 

Michael Damaso

 

Title:

 

Senior Managing Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

M ODERN W OODMEN OF A MERICA

By

 

/s/ Douglas A. Pannier

 

Name:

 

Douglas A. Pannier

 

Title:

 

Portfolio Manager, Private Placements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

M UTUAL OF O MAHA I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Curtis R. Caldwell

 

Name:

 

Curtis R. Caldwell

 

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

N ORTH A MERICAN C OMPANY FOR L IFE AND

H EALTH I NSURANCE

By:

 

Guggenheim Partners Advisory Company,

its agent

By

 

/s/ Michael Damaso

 

Name:

 

Michael Damaso

 

Title:

 

Senior Managing Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

O HIO N ATIONAL L IFE A SSURANCE

C ORPORATION

By

 

/s/ Jed R. Martin

 

Name:

 

Jed R. Martin

 

Title:

 

Vice President, Private Placements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

T HE O HIO N ATIONAL L IFE I NSURANCE

C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Jed R. Martin

 

Name:

 

Jed R. Martin

 

Title:

 

Vice President, Private Placements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

P ACIFIC L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

(N OMINEE : M AC & C O )

By

 

/s/ Cathy L. Schwartz

 

Name:

 

Cathy L. Schwartz

 

Title:

 

Assistant Vice President

By

 

/s/ Peter S. Fiek

 

Name:

 

Peter S. Fiek

 

Title:

 

Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

P HOENIX L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ John H. Beers

 

Name:

 

John H. Beers

 

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

P IONEER M UTUAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

American United Life Insurance

Company, Its Agent

 

By

 

/s/ Kent R. Adams

   

Name:

 

Kent R. Adams

   

Title:

 

V.P. Fixed Income Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

P RINCIPAL L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

Principal Global Investors, LLC, a

Delaware limited liability company, its

Authorized Signatory

 

By

 

/s/ Ann P. Hesselink

   

Name:

 

Ann P. Hesselink

   

Title:

 

Assistant General Counsel

 

By

 

/s/ Karen A. Pearston

   

Name:

 

Karen A. Pearston

   

Title:

 

Vice President &

Associate General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

RGA R EINSURANCE C OMPANY , a Missouri

corporation

By:

 

Principal Global Investors, LLC, a

Delaware limited liability company, its

Authorized Signatory

 

By

 

/s/ Ann P. Hesselink

   

Name:

 

Ann P. Hesselink

   

Title:

 

Assistant General Counsel

 

By

 

/s/ Karen A. Pearston

   

Name:

 

Karen A. Pearston

   

Title:

 

Vice President &

Associate General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

S YMETRA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY , a
Washington corporation

By:

 

Principal Global Investors, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company, its
Authorized Signatory

 

By

 

/s/ Ann P. Hesselink

   

Name:

 

Ann P. Hesselink

   

Title:

 

Assistant General Counsel

 

By

 

/s/ Karen A. Pearston

   

Name:

 

Karen A. Pearston

   

Title:

 

Vice President &
Associate General Counsel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

N ATIONAL B ENEFIT L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

Conning Asset Management Company, as
Investment Manager

By

 

/s/ Robert M. Mills

 

Name:

 

Robert M. Mills

 

Title:

 

Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

P RIMERICA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

Conning Asset Management Company, as
Investment Manager

By

 

/s/ Robert M. Mills

 

Name:

 

Robert M. Mills

 

Title:

 

Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

T HE S TATE L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

American United Life Insurance
Company, Its Agent

By

 

/s/ Kent R. Adams

 

Name:

 

Kent R. Adams

 

Title:

 

V.P. Fixed Income Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

S UN L IFE A SSURANCE C OMPANY OF C ANADA

By

 

/s/ Deborah J. Foss

 

Name:

 

Deborah J. Foss

 

Title:

 

Managing Director, Head of Private
Debt, Private Fixed Income

By

 

/s/ David Belanger

 

Name:

 

David Belanger

 

Title:

 

Senior Director, Private Fixed Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

S UN L IFE A SSURANCE C OMPANY OF C ANADA
(U.S.)

By

 

/s/ Deborah J. Foss

 

Name:

 

Deborah J. Foss

 

Title:

 

Managing Director, Head of Private
Debt, Private Fixed Income

By

 

/s/ David Belanger

 

Name:

 

David Belanger

 

Title:

 

Senior Director, Private Fixed Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

T EACHERS I NSURANCE AND A NNUITY
  A SSOCIATION OF A MERICA

By

 

/s/ Jose Minaya

 

Name:

 

Jose Minaya

 

Title:

 

Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

U NITED OF O MAHA L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By

 

/s/ Curtis R. Caldwell

 

Name:

 

Curtis R. Caldwell

 

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

L INCOLN L IFE & A NNUITY C OMPANY OF N EW

Y ORK

By:

 

Delaware Investment Advisers, a series of

Delaware Management Business Trust,

Attorney-In-Fact

 

By

 

/s/ Frank G. LaTorraca

   

Name:

 

Frank G. LaTorraca

   

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

T HE L INCOLN N ATIONAL L IFE I NSURANCE

C OMPANY

By:

 

Delaware Investment Advisers, a series of

Delaware Management Business Trust,

Attorney-In-Fact

 

By

 

/s/ Frank G. LaTorraca

   

Name:

 

Frank G. LaTorraca

   

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

The foregoing is hereby agreed

and accepted as of March 31, 2008.

 

F IRST P ENN -P ACIFIC L IFE I NSURANCE C OMPANY

By:

 

Delaware Investment Advisers, a series of

Delaware Management Business Trust,

Attorney-In-Fact

 

By

 

/s/ Frank G. LaTorraca

   

Name:

 

Frank G. LaTorraca

   

Title:

 

Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

S CHEDULE A

D EFINED T ERMS

As used herein, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Section hereof following such term:

“Affiliate” means, at any time, and with respect to any Person, any other Person that at such time directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such first Person, and with respect to the Guarantor, shall include any Person beneficially owning or holding, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary or any corporation of which the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries beneficially own or hold, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of any class of voting or equity interests. As used in this definition, Control means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to an Affiliate is a reference to an Affiliate of the Guarantor.

“Anti-Terrorism Order” means Executive Order No. 13,244 of September 24, 2001, Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit or Support Terrorism, 66 U.S. Fed. Reg. 49,079 (2001), as amended.

“Applicable Interest Rate” means, the sum of (a) 5.19% per annum plus (b), during any Interest Rate Adjustment Period, the Interest Rate Adjustment.

“BGC General Partner” means BGC GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or any successor general partner of the Company.

“BGC General Partner Agreement” is defined in Section 4.1(b) of the Note Purchase Agreement.

“BGC Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Company, dated as of December 7, 2004, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and hereof.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which commercial banks in New York City are required or authorized to be closed.

“Cantor Relief Fund” means, Cantor Relief Fund, a Delaware not-for-profit corporation.

“Capital Lease” means, at any time, a lease with respect to which the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

“Capital Stock” means any all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

“CFLP” means Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership or any successor that becomes such in the manner prescribed in Section 8.4(a) of the CFLP Guaranty.

“CFLP General Partner” means CF Group Management, Inc., a New York “S” corporation, or any successor general partner of CFLP.

“CFLP Guaranty” is defined in the Recitals to this Guaranty.

“CFLP Note Purchase Agreement” means that certain note purchase agreement dated March 15, 2005 among CFLP and the Purchasers named in Schedule A thereto.

“CFS” means Cantor Fitzgerald Securities, a New York general partnership, and its successors and assigns.

“Closing” is defined in Section 3 of the Note Purchase Agreement.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time.

“Company” means BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership or any successor that becomes such in the manner prescribed in Section 8.4(a) .

“Competing Business” means the business of (a) acting as a “broker” or “dealer” (as each such term is defined in Section 3(a)(4) and (5), respectively, of the Exchange Act) in connection with the provision of financial products and commodities and (b) the sale and distribution of price information.

“Competitor” means at any particular time (a) any Person which at such time is engaged in a Competing Business, or (b) any Person which at such time, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries Controls, or is Controlled by or is under common Control with a Person that at such time is engaged in a Competing Business (but not any Person which does not, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries Control, and is not Controlled by and is not under common Control with a Person that is engaged in a Competing Business); provided in any event that:

(i)      the provision of investment advisory services by a Person to a Plan which is owned or Controlled by a Person which would otherwise be a Competitor shall not, in and of itself, cause the Person providing such services to be deemed to be a Competitor;

(ii)     in no event shall an Institutional Investor be deemed to be a Competitor if such Institutional Investor is a pension plan sponsored by a Person which would

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

otherwise be deemed to be a Competitor but which pension plan is a regular investor in privately placed Securities, and such pension plan has established procedures which will prevent confidential information supplied to such pension plan by the Guarantor from being transmitted or otherwise made available to such plan sponsor;

(iii)    an Institutional Investor that would otherwise be deemed to be a Competitor pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition by virtue of its ownership or Control as a portfolio investment of the equity Securities of any Person which is a Competitor, shall not be deemed to be a Competitor if such Institutional Investor has established procedures which will prevent confidential information supplied to such Institutional Investor by the Guarantor from being transmitted or otherwise made available to such Person; and

(iv)    any Private Placement Agent that would otherwise be deemed to be a Competitor pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition, shall not be deemed to be a Competitor if such Private Placement Agent holds the Notes only in connection with its role as an intermediary in the prompt and expeditious sale in accordance with customary financial market conditions of the Note or Notes owned by one Institutional Investor who is not a Competitor (it being understood and agreed by the parties hereto that each and every Purchaser named on Schedule A to this Agreement shall be deemed not to be a Competitor) to another purchasing Institutional Investor who is not a Competitor and such Private Placement Agent has established procedures which will prevent confidential information supplied to either the selling or buying Institutional Investor by the Guarantor from being transmitted or otherwise made available to such Private Placement Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity other than as the agent and intermediary in connection with such sale of any such Note or Notes.

“Consolidated Capitalization” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, and without duplication, the sum of (a) Consolidated Debt plus (b) Consolidated Partners’ Capital.

“Consolidated Debt” means, without duplication, all Debt of the Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis eliminating intercompany items.

“Consolidated Net Income” for any period and without duplication means the gross revenues of the Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries for such period less all expenses and other proper charges (including taxes on income), after excluding extraordinary gains and losses and net earnings of any Subsidiary to the extent such Subsidiary is restricted by law, by contract or otherwise from paying dividends or otherwise advancing funds to the Guarantor, all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Partners’ Capital ” means all items which in conformity with GAAP would be included under Stockholders’ Equity on a consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor, plus Minority Interest representing ownership by CFLP in BGC Holdings L.P. or any other consolidated subsidiary of the Guarantor, plus mandatorily redeemable partnership interests representing the founding partners’ equity interest in BGC Holdings L.P.

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

“Consolidated Priority Debt” means, without duplication, all Priority Debt of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis eliminating inter-Guarantor items.

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of Voting Equity Interests, by contract or otherwise.

“Debt” with respect to any Person means, at any time, without duplication,

(a)    its liabilities for borrowed money and its redemption obligations in respect of Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock;

(b)    its liabilities for the deferred purchase price of property acquired by such Person (excluding accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business but including all liabilities created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to any such property);

(c)    (i) all liabilities appearing on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Capital Leases and (ii) all liabilities which would appear on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Synthetic Leases assuming such Synthetic Leases were accounted for as Capital Leases;

(d)    all liabilities for borrowed money secured by any Lien with respect to any property owned by such Person (whether or not it has assumed or otherwise become liable for such liabilities);

(e)    all its liabilities in respect of letters of credit or instruments serving a similar function issued or created for its account by banks and other financial institutions which are, in substance, financial guarantees (whether or not representing obligations for borrowed money), it being understood for greater certainty that such instruments shall not include undrawn letters of credit not appearing as debt on the balance sheet of the Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries, in any such case entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries or undrawn letters of credit backing Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary;

(f)    the aggregate Swap Termination Value of all Swap Contracts of such Person; and

(g)    any Guaranty of such Person with respect to liabilities of a type described in any of clauses (a) through (f) hereof.

Debt of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described in clauses (a) through (g) to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is deemed to be extinguished under GAAP, but shall in

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

any event exclude Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business of such Person. For avoidance of doubt, no part or portion of any partner’s capital of any limited or general partner of the Guarantor shall be deemed or construed to constitute Debt for any purpose under this Agreement.

“Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business” with respect to any Person means, at any time and without duplication,

(a)    Debt incurred in the ordinary course of the securities, commodities and other financial products transaction business as conducted by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary constituting payables to brokers, dealers and clearing organizations representing amounts due on undelivered securities, commodities and other financial products and payables to customers, representing amounts due on cash, margin transactions and undelivered securities, commodities and other financial products;

(b)    Debt incurred pursuant to securities, commodities and other financial products financed under repurchase agreements or lending arrangements accounted for in the ordinary course of business as collateralized financing transactions and recorded at the contractual amount at which the securities, commodities or other financial products will be financed, including accrued interest;

(c)    Swap Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), the purpose of which in each such case is to protect at least one of the parties thereto from the fluctuations of interest rates, exchange rates or foreign rates applicable to such parties’ assets, liabilities or exchange transactions, including all cancellations, buy-backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any such Swap Contract; provided that there shall be excluded therefrom any Swap Termination Value;

(d)    obligations of any Subsidiary in respect of customer funds; and

(e)    any Guaranty by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary of any liability described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (d).

“Default” means an event or condition the occurrence or existence of which would, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, become an Event of Default.

“Default Rate” means that rate of interest that is the greater of (i) 2% per annum above the rate of interest then in effect on the Notes or (ii) 2% over the rate of interest publicly announced by Citibank, N.A. in New York, New York as its “base” or “prime” rate.

Designated CFLP Notes ” is defined in the Note Purchase Agreement.

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including but not limited to those related to Hazardous Materials.

“Equity Interests” means in the case of a corporation, shares of Capital Stock of any class or series, including warrants, rights, participating interests or options to purchase or otherwise acquire any class or series of Capital Stock or securities exchangeable for or convertible into any class or series of Capital Stock, and in the case of any other Person or entity shall mean any class or series of partnership interests, units, membership interests or like interests constituting equity, and in the case of each of the foregoing, any part or portion thereof or participation in any of the foregoing.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is treated as a single employer together with the Guarantor under Section 414(b) and (c) of the Code.

“Event of Default” is defined in Section 11 of the Note Purchase Agreement.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“Fiscal Quarter” means each period of three calendar months ending on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year.

“Fiscal Year” means each period of twelve calendar months ending on December 31 of each year.

“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or any successor thereto.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time in the United States of America.

“Governmental Authority” means

(a)    the government of

(i)      the United States of America or any state or other political subdivision thereof, or

(ii)     any other jurisdiction in which the Guarantor or any Subsidiary conducts all or any part of its business, or which asserts jurisdiction over any properties of the Guarantor or any Subsidiary, or

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

(b)    any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of, or pertaining to, any such government including, without limitation, any securities or commodities exchange, clearing corporation or self-regulatory organization.

“G.S.A. Rules” means the rules and regulations promulgated under the Government Securities Act of 1986, Public Law 99-571, October 28, 1996, by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department to regulate government Security broker-dealers.

“Guarantor” is defined in the introductory paragraph hereto.

“Guaranty” means, with respect to any Person and without duplication, any obligation (except the endorsement in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection) of such Person guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any Debt, dividend or other obligation of any other Person in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including (without limitation) obligations incurred through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, by such Person:

(a)    to purchase such Debt or obligation or any property constituting security therefor;

(b)    to advance or supply funds (i) for the purchase or payment of such Debt or obligation, or (ii) to maintain any working capital or other balance sheet condition or any income statement condition of any other Person or otherwise to advance or make available funds for the purchase or payment of such Debt or obligation;

(c)    to lease properties or to purchase properties or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Debt or obligation of the ability of any other Person to make payment of the Debt or obligation; or

(d)    otherwise to assure the owner of such Debt or obligation against loss in respect thereof.

In any computation of the Debt or other liabilities of the obligor under any Guaranty, the Debt or other obligations that are the subject of such Guaranty shall be assumed to be direct obligations of such obligor.

“Hazardous Material” means any and all pollutants, toxic or hazardous wastes or any other substances, including all substances listed in or regulated in any Environmental Law that might pose a hazard to health and safety, the removal of which may be required or the generation, manufacture, refining, production, processing, treatment, storage, handling, transportation, transfer, use, disposal, release, discharge, spillage, seepage, or filtration of which is or shall be restricted, regulated, prohibited or penalized by any applicable law including, but not limited to, asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum, petroleum products, lead based paint, radon gas or similar restricted, prohibited or penalized substances.

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

“holder” means, with respect to any Note, the Person in whose name such Note is registered in the register maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 13.1 of the Note Purchase Agreement.

“Institutional Investor” means (a) any purchaser of a Note, (b) any holder of a Note holding (together with one or more of its Affiliates) more than 5% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, (c) any bank, trust Guarantor, savings and loan association or other financial institution, any pension plan, any investment Guarantor, any insurance Guarantor, any broker or dealer, or any other similar financial institution or entity, regardless of legal form, and (d) any Related Fund of any holder of any Note.

“Interest Rate Adjustment” means 0.25% per annum.

“Interest Rate Adjustment Period” means the entirety of any Fiscal Quarter during which Consolidated Debt exceeded 55% of Consolidated Capitalization for any part or portion thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, an Interest Rate Adjustment Period shall include the entire applicable Fiscal Quarter, notwithstanding that Consolidated Debt did not exceed 55% of Consolidated Capitalization for the entirety of such Fiscal Quarter.

“Lien” means, with respect to any Person, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance, or any interest or title of any vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or of such Person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capital Lease, upon or with respect to any property or asset of such Person (including in the case of stock, stockholder agreements, voting trust agreements and all similar arrangements).

“Make-Whole Amount” is defined in Section 8.7 of the Note Purchase Agreement.

“Managing General Partner” means the CFLP General Partner or such other general partner as may be designated as such pursuant to Section 3.01(e) of the Partnership Agreement.

“Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock” means a class of Preferred Stock that matures or is mandatorily redeemable by the issuer on a specified date or dates or upon the occurrence of specified events that are certain to occur. It does not include Preferred Stock of a Person solely because such Person has an obligation to repurchase such Preferred Stock from one or more holders at the holder’s option. It is acknowledged that none of the partnership interests in the Guarantor, as of the date hereof, constitute Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock.

“Material” means material in relation to the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, affairs, financial condition, assets or properties of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the ability of the Guarantor to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Notes, or (c) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Notes.

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means any Plan that is a “multiemployer plan” (as such term is defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

“NAIC” means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any successor thereto.

“NASD” means The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or any successor thereto.

“Net Assets” with respect to any Person and without duplication, means the excess (if positive) of (a) such Person’s consolidated assets over (b) such Person’s consolidated liabilities, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

“Net Cash Proceeds” means, with respect to any asset sales subject to Section 8.5(iv) , the cash proceeds actually received by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, in respect of such sale, net of commissions and expenses of the transaction and the amount reasonably estimated by the Guarantor as representing the tax payable by the Guarantor, a Subsidiary or partners of the Guarantor, in any such case as a result of such disposition.

“Notes” is defined in the recitals hereof.

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate of a Senior Financial Officer or of any other officer of the Guarantor or the BGC General Partner, as the case may be, whose responsibilities extend to the subject matter of such certificate.

“Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of CFLP, dated as of May 21, 2004, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and hereof.

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA or any successor thereto.

“Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability Guarantor, association, trust, unincorporated organization, business entity or Governmental Authority.

“Plan” means an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA and that is or, within the preceding five years, has been established or maintained, or to which contributions are or, within the preceding five years, have been made or required to be made, by the Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate or with respect to which the Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.

“Preferred Stock” means any class of capital stock of a Person that is preferred over any other class of capital stock (or similar equity interests) of such Person as to the payment of dividends or the payment of any amount upon liquidation or dissolution of such Person.

“Priority Debt” means, without limitation, (a) all Debt of any Subsidiary, other than:

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

(i)      all Debt of the Guarantor’s consolidated Subsidiaries existing as of March 28, 2008 and disclosed on Schedule 8.2(b);

(ii)     all Debt of a Person existing at the time such Person is acquired by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary, if concurrently therewith such Person becomes a Subsidiary, provided that such Debt was not created or incurred in contemplation of such acquisition;

(iii)    all Debt of any Subsidiary if and so long as such Subsidiary is a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to a Subsidiary Guaranty;

(iv)     Debt Incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business of any Subsidiary;

(v)      Debt of a Subsidiary owing to the Guarantor or to a Wholly-owned Subsidiary; and

(vi)     the renewal, extension or refunding of any Debt described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (v); provided that (1) such extension, renewal or refunding shall be without increase in the principal amount remaining unpaid as of the date of such extension, renewal or refunding in excess of the out-of-pocket costs of incurring such Debt and (2) at the time of such extension, renewal or refunding and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; and

(b)    all Debt of the Guarantor secured by any Lien within the limitations of Section 8.3(k) .

“Private Placement Agent” shall mean any company organized as a “broker” or “dealer” (as each such term is defined in Section 3(a) (4) and (5), respectively, of the Exchange Act) of recognized national standing regularly engaged as an intermediary in the placement or sale to and among Institutional Investors of Debt Securities exempt from registration under the Securities Act.

“property” or “properties” means, unless otherwise specifically limited, real or personal property of any kind, tangible or intangible, choate or inchoate.

“Purchaser” is defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement.

“QPAM Exemption” means Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption 84-14 issued by the United States Department of Labor, as amended.

“Qualified Institutional Buyer” means any Person who is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of such term as set forth in Rule 144A(a)(1) under the Securities Act.

“Receiving Subsidiary” is defined in Section 8.5 .

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

“Related Fund” means, with respect to any holder of any Note, any fund or entity that (i) invests in Securities or bank loans, and (ii) is advised or managed by such holder, the same investment advisor as such holder or by an affiliate of such holder or such investment advisor.

“Required Holders” means, at any time, the holders of more than 51% in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding (exclusive of Notes then owned by the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates).

“Responsible Officer” means any Senior Financial Officer and any other officer of the Guarantor with responsibility for the administration of the relevant portion of this Agreement.

“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States, or any successor thereto.

“Securities” or “Security” shall have the same meaning as in Section 2(1) of the Securities Act.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“Senior Debt” means all Debt of the Guarantor which is not expressed to be subordinate or junior in rank to any other Debt of the Guarantor.

“Senior Financial Officer” means the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer, any senior vice president or the treasurer of the Guarantor.

“SIPA” means the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, as amended from time to time.

“SIPC” means the Securities Investor Protection Corporation.

“Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any other Person in which such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries owns sufficient equity or voting interests to enable it or them (as a group) ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, to elect a majority of the directors (or Persons performing similar functions) of such second Person, and any partnership or joint venture if more than a 50% interest in the profits or capital thereof is owned by such first Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries or such first Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries (unless such partnership can and does ordinarily take major business actions without the prior approval of such Person or one or more of its Subsidiaries). Unless the context otherwise clearly requires, any reference to a “Subsidiary” is a reference to a Subsidiary of the Guarantor. For the avoidance of doubt, Freedom International Brokerage Guarantor, an Ontario corporation, shall in no event be deemed or construed to constitute a Subsidiary of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.

“Subsidiary Guarantor” is defined in the Recitals hereto.

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

“Subsidiary Guaranty” is defined in the Recitals hereto.

“SVO” means the Securities Valuation Office of the NAIC or any successor to such Office.

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all interest rate swap transactions, basis swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, currency options, spot contracts or any other similar transactions or any of the foregoing (including, but without limitation, any options to enter into any of the foregoing), and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement.

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amounts(s) determined as the mark-to-market values(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts.

“Synthetic Lease” means, at any time, any lease (including leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of any property (a) that is accounted for as an operating lease under GAAP and (b) in respect of which the lessee retains or obtains ownership of the property so leased for U.S. federal income tax purposes, other than any such lease under which such Person is the lessor.

“Transferred Subsidiary” is defined in Section 8.5 .

“Transferring Subsidiary” is defined in Section 8.5 .

“USA Patriot Act” means United States Public Law 107-56, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA P ATRIOT A CT ) Act of 2001, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.

“Voting Equity Interests” means, without duplication, Equity Interests of any class or classes, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to elect a majority of the corporate directors (or Persons performing similar functions).

“Wholly-owned Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary one hundred percent (100%) of all of the Equity Interests (except directors’ qualifying shares) and voting interests of

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty


BGC Partners, Inc.

   Guaranty

 

which are owned by any one or more of the Guarantor and the Guarantor’s other Wholly-owned Subsidiaries at such time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGC Partners, Inc. Guaranty

Exhibit 4.3

CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.

499 PARK AVENUE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022

April 1, 2008

BGC Partners, Inc.

199 Water Street

New York, NY 10338

Re: Guaranty of BGC Partners, Inc. dated as of March 31, 2008

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This letter serves to memorialize the understanding of BGC Partners, Inc. (the “Guarantor”) and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. (the “Company”) with respect to the Guaranties, each dated as of March 31, 2008, whereby each of the Company and the Guarantor has unconditionally guaranteed the notes being issued to certain holders pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008, among BGC Partners, L.P. and such holders. The Company hereby agrees that in the event the Guarantor pays any amounts in respect of its obligations under the Guaranty provided by it, the Company shall immediately reimburse the Guarantor for the amount paid in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds.

If this letter accurately reflects our understanding of the matters addressed herein, kindly countersign this letter in the space provided below.

 

      Very truly yours,  
      Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.
      By:  

/s/ Stephen Merkel

 
      Name:   Stephen Merkel  
      Title:   Executive Managing Director, General Counsel and Secretary  
Acknowledged and Agreed:        
BGC Partners, Inc.        
By:  

/s/ Stephen Merkel

       
Name:   Stephen Merkel        
Title:   Executive Managing Director, General Counsel and Secretary        

Exhibit 10.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

OF

BGC HOLDINGS, L.P. 1

Amended and Restated as of March 31, 2008

 

 

 

1

THE TRANSFER OF THE PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS DESCRIBED IN THIS AGREEMENT IS RESTRICTED AS DESCRIBED HEREIN.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01.   Definitions    2
SECTION 1.02.   Other Definitional Provisions    19
SECTION 1.03.   References to Schedules    19
ARTICLE II
FORMATION, CONTINUATION AND POWERS
SECTION 2.01.   Formation    19
SECTION 2.02.   Name    19
SECTION 2.03.   Purpose and Scope of Activity    20
SECTION 2.04.   Principal Place of Business    20
SECTION 2.05.   Registered Agent and Office    20
SECTION 2.06.   Authorized Persons    20
SECTION 2.07.   Term    21
SECTION 2.08.   Treatment as Partnership    21
SECTION 2.09.   Compliance with Law; Offset Rights    21
ARTICLE III
MANAGEMENT
SECTION 3.01.   Management by the General Partner    21
SECTION 3.02.   Role and Voting Rights of Limited Partners; Authority of Partners    23
SECTION 3.03.   Partner Obligations    24
ARTICLE IV
PARTNERS; CLASSES OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
SECTION 4.01.   Partners    26
SECTION 4.02.   Interests    26
SECTION 4.03.   Admission and Withdrawal of Partners    29
SECTION 4.04.   Liability to Third Parties; Capital Account Deficits    31
SECTION 4.05.   Classes    32
SECTION 4.06.   Certificates    32
SECTION 4.07.   Uniform Commercial Code Treatment of Units    32
SECTION 4.08.   Priority Among Partners    32

 

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ARTICLE V
CAPITAL AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS
SECTION 5.01.   Capital    33
SECTION 5.02.   Withdrawals; Return on Capital    34
SECTION 5.03.   Maintenance of Capital Accounts    34
SECTION 5.04.   Allocations and Tax Matters    34
SECTION 5.05.   General Partner Determinations    35
SECTION 5.06.   Books and Accounts    35
SECTION 5.07.   Tax Matters Partner    36
SECTION 5.08.   Tax Information    36
SECTION 5.09.   Withholding    36
ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTIONS
SECTION 6.01.   Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests    37
SECTION 6.02.   Limitation on Distributions    39
ARTICLE VII
TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS
SECTION 7.01.   Transfers Generally Prohibited    39
SECTION 7.02.   Permitted Transfers    39
SECTION 7.03.   Admission as a Partner Upon Transfer    41
SECTION 7.04.   Transfer of Units and Capital with the Transfer of an Interest    41
SECTION 7.05.   Encumbrances    41
SECTION 7.06.   Legend    42
SECTION 7.07.   Effect of Transfer Not in Compliance with this Article    42
ARTICLE VIII
EXCHANGE RIGHTS
SECTION 8.01   Exchange Rights    42
SECTION 8.02.   No Fractional Shares of BGC Partners Common Stock    47
SECTION 8.03.   Taxes in Respect of an Exchange    47
SECTION 8.04.   Reservation of BGC Partners Common Stock    47
SECTION 8.05.   Compliance with Applicable Laws in the Exchange    48
SECTION 8.06.   Adjustments to Exchange Ratio    48
SECTION 8.07.   Redemption for Opco Units    49

 

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ARTICLE IX
DISSOLUTION
SECTION 9.01.   Dissolution    51
SECTION 9.02.   Liquidation    52
SECTION 9.03.   Distributions    52
SECTION 9.04.   Reconstitution    53
SECTION 9.05.   Deficit Restoration    53
ARTICLE X
INDEMNIFICATION AND EXCULPATION
SECTION 10.01.   Exculpation    53
SECTION 10.02.   Indemnification    53
SECTION 10.03.   Insurance    56
SECTION 10.04.   Subrogation    57
SECTION 10.05.   No Duplication of Payments    57
SECTION 10.06.   Survival    57
ARTICLE XI
EXTRAORDINARY ITEMS
SECTION 11.01.   Certain Arrangements Regarding Extraordinary Items    57
ARTICLE XII
FOUNDING PARTNERS, WORKING PARTNERS AND REU PARTNERS
SECTION 12.01.   Units    59
SECTION 12.02.   Transfers of Founding Partner Interests, Working Partner Interests and REU Interests    64
SECTION 12.03.   Redemption of a Founding/Working Partner Interest    81
SECTION 12.04.   Purchase Price for Redemption; Other Redemption Provisions    83
SECTION 12.05.   Redemption of Opco Units Following a Redemption of Founding/Working Partner Interests or REU Interest    84
SECTION 12.06.   Section 7704 of the Code    85
SECTION 12.07.   Provisions Relating to Issuances of Shares of BGC Partners Common Stock and Distributions    86
SECTION 12.08.   Application of Proceeds From Sale of Shares of BGC Partners Common Stock by a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner    86

 

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ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 13.01.   Amendments    87
SECTION 13.02.   Benefits of Agreement    89
SECTION 13.03.   Waiver of Notice    89
SECTION 13.04.   Jurisdiction and Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial    89
SECTION 13.05.   Successors and Assigns    90
SECTION 13.06.   Confidentiality    90
SECTION 13.07.   Notices    91
SECTION 13.08.   No Waiver of Rights    91
SECTION 13.09.   Power of Attorney    91
SECTION 13.10.   Severability    92
SECTION 13.11.   Headings    92
SECTION 13.12.   Entire Agreement    92
SECTION 13.13.   Governing Law    92
SECTION 13.14.   Counterparts    92
SECTION 13.15.   Opportunity; Fiduciary Duty    93
SECTION 13.16.   Reimbursement of Expenses    95
SECTION 13.17.   Effectiveness    95
SECTION 13.18.   Parity of Units    95
SECTION 13.19.   Limitation on Challenge Period and Exclusive Remedies Available to Partners with Respect to any Redemption of Units    95

 

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This AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (together with all exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto, this “Agreement” ) of BGC Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership” ), dated as of March 31, 2008, is by and among BGC GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ( “BGC GP LLC” ), as the general partner of the Partnership, Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “Cantor” ), as a limited partner, BGC Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ( “BGC Partners” ), and the Persons to be admitted as Partners (as defined below) or otherwise parties hereto as set forth herein.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Partnership was formed as a limited partnership under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, Del. Code Ann. tit. 6, §17-101, et seq ., as amended from time to time (the “Act” ), pursuant to an Agreement of Limited Partnership, dated as of August 24, 2004, by and among BGC Holdings II, LLC, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Initial General Partner” ) and Cantor, as limited partner (as amended and restated on July 15, 2005, the “Original Limited Partnership Agreement” ); and

WHEREAS, Cantor, BGC Partners, BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “U.S. Opco” ), BGC Global Holdings, L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership ( “Global Opco” ), and the Partnership have entered into that certain Separation Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “Separation Agreement” ), pursuant to which, among other things, Cantor has agreed to separate the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business, the Market Data Business and the Fulfillment Business (each as defined in the Separation Agreement and together, the “BGC Businesses” ) from the remainder of the businesses of Cantor by contributing the BGC Businesses to BGC Partners and its applicable Subsidiaries, including U.S. Opco and Global Opco, in the manner and on the terms and conditions set forth in the Separation Agreement (the “Separation” );

WHEREAS, as part of the Separation, the Initial General Partner withdrew as general partner of the Partnership;

WHEREAS, as part of the Separation, BGC GP LLC accepted the General Partnership Interest and was admitted as the General Partner and continued the Partnership without dissolution;

WHEREAS, as part of the Separation, certain partners of Cantor associated with the BGC Businesses are having their limited partner interests in Cantor redeemed (the “Cantor Redemption” ) for, among other things, Limited Partnership Interests held by Cantor and are being admitted as Founding Partners, and such interests shall be designated as Founding Partner Interests when held by such Persons and as Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests when held by Cantor;

WHEREAS, as a part of the compensation of certain employees of the BGC Businesses, concurrently with the Merger, the Partnership is issuing REU Interests to such employees of the BGC Business, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;


WHEREAS, certain of the Limited Partnership Interests designated as Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests, Founding Partner Interests or REU Interests will be exchangeable with BGC Partners for shares of BGC Partners Common Stock, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Partners are amending and restating the Original Limited Partnership Agreement in order to, among other things, provide for or attest to the foregoing transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, effective immediately.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto hereby adopt the following as the amended and restated “partnership agreement” of the Partnership within the meaning of the Act:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

“Accounting Period” means (a) in the case of the first Accounting Period, the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending at the next Closing of the Books Event, and (b) in the case of each subsequent Accounting Period, the period commencing immediately after a Closing of the Books Event and ending at the next Closing of the Books Event.

“Act” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Action” means any action, claim, suit, litigation, proceeding (including arbitral) or investigation.

“Acquired Global Opco Interest” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.07.

“Acquired Interests” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.07.

“Acquired U.S. Opco Interest” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.07.

“Additional Amounts” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(c)(ii).

“Adjusted Capital Account” means, with respect to the Founding/Working Partner Interest of a Founding/Working Partner or the REU Interest of an REU Partner, as the case may be, and subject to Section 6.01(c) and (d), the Capital Account balance with respect to such Interest determined without regard to (a) any adjustment pursuant to the penultimate sentence of Section 5.03 or, unless otherwise deemed appropriate by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, the provisions of Exhibit D or (b) the balance of any Extraordinary Account and adjusted to reflect, to the extent deemed appropriate by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, any special allocations to such Interest pursuant to Section 5.04(b) not otherwise reflected in the Capital Account of such Interest. Any gain recognized or deemed recognized as a result of such distribution shall not affect any Adjusted Capital Account unless

 

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otherwise deemed appropriate by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion. The Adjusted Capital Account is used for calculating amounts payable to certain Founding/Working Partners or REU Partners, as the case may be, upon termination or redemption of their Founding/Working Partner Interest or the REU Interest, as the case may be.

“Adjusted Capital Account Surplus” means, with respect to the Working Partner Interest of a Working Partner, the Adjusted Capital Account with respect to such Working Partner Interest less the Capital Return Account with respect to such Working Partner Interest.

“Adjustment Amount” means, with respect to the Founding/Working Partner Interest of a Founding/Working Partner or the REU Interest of an REU Partner, the sum of (i) the amounts of all distributions, if any, paid to any such Partner with respect to such Partner’s Founding/Working Partner Interest or REU Interest, as the case may be, subsequent to the Calculation Date or such other date as is provided herein for calculating the amount payable to such Partner, and (ii) the outstanding principal of any loan and accrued and unpaid interest thereon or any other indebtedness (including negative participations, if any) of such Partner owed to the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity, whether or not actually reflected on the books of the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first Person.

“Affiliated Entities” shall mean the limited and general partnerships, corporations or other entities owned, controlled by or under common control with the Partnership.

“AFR” means the applicable federal rate pursuant to Section 1274 of the Code as in effect from time to time. Unless otherwise determined by the General Partner, AFR shall mean the short term AFR.

“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Ancillary Agreements” means “Ancillary Agreements” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

“any employer or secondary contributor” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.07.

“Applicable Tax Rate” means the estimated highest aggregate marginal statutory U.S. federal, state and local income, franchise and branch profits tax rates (determined taking into account the deductibility of state and local income taxes for federal income tax purposes and the creditability or deductibility of foreign income taxes for federal income tax purposes) ( “Tax Rate” ) applicable to any Partner on income of the same character and source as the income allocated to such Partner pursuant to Sections 5.04(a) and (b) for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, as determined by the tax matters partner in its discretion; provided that, in the case of a Partner that is a partnership, grantor trust or other pass-through entity under U.S. federal income tax law, the Tax Rate applicable to such Partner for purposes of determining the Applicable Tax Rate shall be the weighted average of the Tax Rates of such Partner’s members,

 

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grantor-owners or other beneficial owners (weighted in proportion to their relative economic interests in such Partner), as determined by the tax matters partner in its discretion; provided , further , that if any such member, grantor-owner or other beneficial owner of such Partner is itself a partnership, grantor trust or other pass-through entity similar principles shall be applied by the tax matters partner in its discretion to determine the Tax Rate of such member, grantor-owner or other beneficial owner.

“Article XI Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(b).

“Assumed Tax Amount” shall mean, with respect to any Units held by a Partner, the product of all items of income or gain allocated to a Partner with respect to such Units (reduced, but not below zero (0), by all items of loss or deduction allocated to such Partner with respect to such Units) times the Assumed Tax Rate.

“Assumed Tax Rate” shall mean 50%.

“Bankruptcy” (including the form “Bankrupt” ) means, with respect to a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, (a) the making of an assignment for the benefit of creditors by such Partner, (b) the filing of a voluntary petition in bankruptcy by such Partner, (c) the adjudication of such Partner as a bankrupt or insolvent, or the entry against such Partner of an order for relief in any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding; provided that such order for relief or involuntary proceeding is not stayed or dismissed within 120 days, (d) the filing by such Partner of a petition or answer seeking for itself or any reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any bankruptcy statute, law or regulation, or (e) the filing by such Partner of an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any proceeding of that nature. With respect to a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, “Bankruptcy” shall also include the appointment of or the seeking of the appointment of (in each case by any person), a trustee, receiver or liquidator of it or of all or any substantial part of the properties of such Partner. With respect to a corporate Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, Bankruptcy shall also include the occurrence of any of the aforementioned events with respect to the beneficial owner of a majority of the stock of such Partner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no event shall constitute the “Bankruptcy” of a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, unless the General Partner so determines in its sole and absolute discretion.

“Base Amount” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(b)(iii).

“BGC Businesses” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“BGC GP LLC” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“BGC Partners” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement; provided that, after the effective time of the Merger, “BGC Partners” shall refer to the surviving company in the Merger.

“BGC Partners Class A Common Stock” means (1) prior to the Merger, the Class A Units of BGC Partners; and (2) after the Merger, the Class A common stock, par value $0.01

 

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per share, of BGC Partners (it being understood that if the BGC Partners Class A Common Stock, as a class, shall be reclassified, exchanged or converted into another security (including as a result of a merger, consolidation or otherwise) or the right to receive such security, each reference to BGC Partners Class A Common Stock in this Agreement shall refer to such other security into which the BGC Partners Class A Common Stock was reclassified, exchanged or converted).

“BGC Partners Class B Common Stock” means (1) prior to the Merger, the Class B Units of BGC Partners; and (2) after the Merger, the Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Partners (it being understood that if the BGC Partners Class B Common Stock, as a class, shall be reclassified, exchanged or converted into another security (including as a result of a merger, consolidation or otherwise) or the right to receive such security, each reference to BGC Partners Class B Common Stock in this Agreement shall refer to such other security into which the BGC Partners Class B Common Stock was reclassified, exchanged or converted).

“BGC Partners Common Stock” means (1) prior to the Merger, the limited liability company interests of BGC Partners; and (2) after the Merger, the BGC Partners Class A Common Stock or the BGC Partners Class B Common Stock, as applicable.

“BGC Partners Company” means any member of the BGC Partners Group.

“BGC Partners Group” means BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries (other than the Partnership and its Subsidiaries, U.S. Opco and its Subsidiaries and Global Opco and its Subsidiaries).

“BGC 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.

“Book Value” of an asset shall mean the value of an asset on the books and records of the Partnership (as adjusted pursuant to the penultimate sentence of Section 5.03) except that the initial Book Value of an asset contributed to the Partnership shall be the amount credited to the Capital Account of the contributing Partner with respect to such contribution.

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.

Calculation Date ” means, at the election of the General Partner, (a) the date on which a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Founding/Working Partner or a Terminated or Bankrupt REU Partner, as the case may be (the “termination date” ); or (b) any date selected by the General Partner between the termination date and the 120th day preceding the date on which a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be ( provided , however , that if such day is not the last day of a calendar month, the General Partner may select as the

 

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Calculation Date the last day of the month preceding the month in which such 120th preceding the termination date; provided , however , that if such 120th day is not the last day of a calendar month, the General Partner may select as the Calculation Date the last day of the month preceding the month in which such 120th preceding day occurs.

“Cantor” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Cantor Company” means any member of the Cantor Group.

“Cantor Group” means Cantor and its Subsidiaries (other than the Partnership and its Subsidiaries or any member of the BGC Partners Group).

“Cantor HDIV Tax Payment Account” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term “HDIV Tax Payment Account” in the Cantor Partnership Agreement.

“Cantor Partnership Agreement” shall mean the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Cantor, as it may be amended from time to time.

“Cantor Redemption” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Capital” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s capital in the Partnership as reflected in such Partner’s Capital Account.

“Capital Account” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s capital account established on the books and records of the Partnership.

“Capital Return Account” shall mean, with respect to any Partner’s Interest, the excess, if any, of (i) the initial Capital Account with respect to such Interest, increased by any subsequent capital contributions with respect to such Interest and reduced by the amount of any losses or deductions (or items thereof) allocated to such Partner with respect to such Interest in excess of income or gain allocated to such Partner with respect to such Interest, over (ii) the aggregate of all distributions made to such Partner with respect to such Interest pursuant to Section 6.01 less the Assumed Tax Amount with respect to such Interest; provided that in no event shall a Capital Return Account be negative.

“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 24, 2004.

“CFLP HDII Account” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term “HDII Account” in the Cantor Partnership Agreement.

CFLP HDII Special Allocation Rate ” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term “HDII Special Allocation Rate” in Cantor Partnership Agreement.

“CFLP HDII Account Reduction Obligation” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term “HDII Account Reduction Obligation” in the Cantor Partnership Agreement.

 

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“CFLP HDIII Account” shall have the meaning ascribed to the term “HDIII Account” in the Cantor Partnership Agreement.

“Challenge” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.19(a) of this Agreement.

“Challenge Deadline” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.19(a) of this Agreement.

“Closing of the Books Event” means any of (a) the close of the last day of each calendar year and each calendar quarter, (b) the dissolution of the Partnership, (c) the acquisition of an additional interest in the Partnership by any new or existing Partner in exchange for more than a de minimis amount of property, (d) the distribution by the Partnership to a Partner of more than a de minimis amount of Partnership property as consideration for an interest in the Partnership, or (e) any other time that the General Partner determines to be appropriate for an interim closing of the Partnership’s books.

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute thereto.

“Competing Business” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(c)(iii).

“Competing Owner” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(c)(vi).

“Competitive Activities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(c)(iii).

“Contribution” means “Contribution” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

“Corporate Opportunity” means any business opportunity that the Partnership is financially able to undertake, that is, from its nature, in any of the Partnership’s lines of business, of practical advantage to the Partnership and one in which the Partnership has an interest or a reasonable expectancy, and in which, by embracing the opportunities, the self-interest of Cantor, BGC Partners or their respective Representatives will be brought into conflict with the Partnership’s self-interest.

“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.

“DGCL” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02(a).

“Disinterested Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02(i)(i).

“Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.19.

 

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“Electing Partner” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(e).

“Eligible Recipient” means (a) any Limited Partner, (b) any Cantor Company or any Affiliate, employee or partner of a Cantor Company, or (c) any other Person selected by the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by Majority in Interest); provided that such Person in this clause (c) shall not be primarily engaged in any business that competes with any business conducted directly by the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries in each case at the time of issuance of the Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, to such Person.

“Encumbrance” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.05.

“Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” means the Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution calculated using the Tax Matters Partner’s estimate of the aggregate amount of taxable income or gain to be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 5.04(a) for the applicable period (excluding any items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item).

“Estimated Tax Due Date” means (a) in the case of a Partner that is not an individual, the 15th day of each April, June, September and December or (b) in the case of a Partner that is an individual, the 15th day of each April, June, September and January.

“Excess Prior Distributions” means, with respect to any Working Partner Interest of a Working Partner, the excess, if any, of (a) the aggregate of all distributions made to such Working Partner with respect to such Working Partner Interest pursuant to Section 6.01 less the Assumed Tax Amount with respect to such Working Partner Interest, over (b) such Working Partner’s initial Capital Account with respect to such Working Partner Interest, increased by any Capital contributions with respect to such Working Partner Interest and reduced by the amount of any net loss or deduction (or items thereof) allocated pursuant to Section 5.04 to such Working Partner with respect to such Working Partner Interest in excess of net income or gain allocated pursuant to Section 5.04 to such Working Partner in respect of such Working Partner Interest. In no event shall Excess Prior Distributions be negative.

“Exchange” means an exchange of all or a portion of an Exchange Right Interest with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Common Stock, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

“Exchange Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(e).

“Exchange Effective Time” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(f).

“Exchange Ratio” means, with respect to each Exchange, one (1) Exchange Right Unit shall be exchangeable for one (1) share of BGC Partners Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 8.06.

“Exchange Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(e).

 

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“Exchange Right” means the right of a holder of an Exchange Right Interest to exchange all or a portion of such Exchange Right Interest with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Common Stock, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

“Exchange Right Interest” means any of (a) an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest, (b) if and to the extent that Cantor shall so determine with respect to all or a portion of a Founding Partner Interest pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii), such Founding Partner Interest or portion thereof, (c) if and to the extent that the General Partner shall so determine (with the consent of a Majority in Interest) with respect to all or a portion of an REU Interest pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii), such REU Interest or portion thereof and (d) if and to the extent that the General Partner shall so determine (with the consent of a Majority in Interest) with respect to all or a portion of a Working Partner Interest pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iv), such Working Partner Interest or portion thereof.

“Exchange Right Unit” means (a) any Unit designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partner Unit, (b) if and to the extent that Cantor shall have determined that a Founding Partner Unit shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii), such Founding Partner Unit, (c) if and to the extent that the General Partner shall have determined (with the consent of a Majority in Interest) that an REU shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii), such REU or (d) if and to the extent that the General Partner shall have determined (with the consent of a Majority in Interest) that a Working Partner Unit shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iv), such Working Partner Unit.

“Exchangeable Limited Partner” means (a) any Cantor Company that holds an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest and that has not ceased to hold such Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest and (b) any Person to whom a Cantor Company has Transferred an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest and, prior to or at the time of such Transfer, whom Cantor has agreed shall be designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partner for purposes of this Agreement.

“Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest” means, with respect to any Exchangeable Limited Partner, such Partner’s Exchangeable Limited Partner Units and Capital designated as an “Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Exchangeable Limited Partner Units and having such Capital. For the avoidance of doubt, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.03(c)(iii), Founding/Working Partner Interests, Working Partner Interests and REU Interests shall be deemed not to be Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests.

“Exchangeable Limited Partner Unit” means any Unit designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partner Unit.

“Exempt Organization” means a charitable organization, private foundation or other similar organization that is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 of the Code.

“Extraordinary Account” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

 

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“Extraordinary Expenditures” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

“Extraordinary Income Items” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(a).

“Extraordinary Percentage Interest” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(d)(ii).

“Final Adjudication” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.19(b).

“Final Adjudication Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.19(b).

“Five Year Units” means any Working Partner Units acquired by a Working Partner who becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner after the 60-month anniversary of the later of the date on which such Partner acquired such Working Partner Units from the Partnership, but on or prior to the 120-month anniversary of such date.

“Founding Partner” means a holder of Founding Partner Interests; provided that any member of the Cantor Group and Howard W. Lutnick (including any entity directly or indirectly controlled by Howard W. Lutnick or any trust of which he is a grantor, trustee or beneficiary) shall not be a Founding Partner.

“Founding Partner Interest” means, with respect to any Founding Partner, such Partner’s Founding Partner Units and Capital designated as “Founding Partner Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 (such Schedule to include the Adjusted Capital Account and Capital Account of such Founding Partner immediately following the Cantor Redemption, reduced as provided for under the Cantor Partnership Agreement by an amount equal to one-sixth of the sum of (i) the “adjusted capital account” (as such term was then defined in the Cantor Partnership Agreement, and subject to adjustment under the terms of the Cantor Redemption) of such Founding Partner’s units in Cantor which were redeemed in the Cantor Redemption and (ii) the CFLP HD II Account or CFLP HD III Account, if any, attributable to such units) in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Units and having such Capital.

“Founding Partner Unit” means any Unit (High Distribution Units, High Distribution II Units, High Distribution III Units, High Distribution IV Units, Grant Units or Matching Grant Units) that are received by such Partner in the Cantor Redemption or received by such Partner from a Cantor Company and, in each case, designated as a Founding Partner Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“Founding/Working Partner” means any holder of a Founding Partner Interest and/or a Working Partner Interest.

“Founding/Working Partner Interest” means a Founding Partner Interest or a Working Partner Interest.

“Founding/Working Partner Unit” means any Unit underlying a Founding/Working Partner Interest.

 

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“General Partner” means BGC GP LLC or any Person who has been admitted, as herein provided, as an additional or substitute general partner, and who has not ceased to be a general partner, each in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

“General Partnership Interest” means, with respect to the General Partner, such Partner’s Unit and Capital designated as the “General Partnership Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner being a General Partner and having such Unit and Capital.

“Global Opco” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Global Opco Capital” means “Capital” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Global Opco General Partner” means the “General Partner” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Global Opco General Partnership Interest” means the “General Partnership Interest” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Global Opco Interest” means an “Interest” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement” means the amended and restated limited partnership agreement of Global Opco, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

“Global Opco Limited Partnership Interest” means the “Limited Partnership Interest” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Global Opco Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” means the “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Global Opco Units” means “Units” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Grant Tax Payment Account” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(g)(i).

“Grant Units” means any Unit designated as a Grant Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“Group” means the Cantor Group or the BGC Partners Group, as applicable.

“HDII Account” means, with respect to any Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution II Units, such Founding/Working Partner’s HDII account established on the books and records of the Partnership.

 

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“HDII Account Reduction Obligation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.01(b)(iv).

“HDII Contributions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.01(b)(ii)(A).

“HDII Special Allocation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.01(b)(iii).

“HDII Special Allocation Rate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.01(b)(iii).

“HDIII Account” means, with respect to any Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution III Units, such Founding/Working Partner’s HDIII account established on the books and records of the Partnership.

“HDIII Account Reduction Obligation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.01(c).

“High Distribution Units” means any Unit designated as a High Distribution Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“High Distribution II Units” means any Unit designated as a High Distribution II Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“High Distribution III Units” means any Unit designated as a High Distribution III Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“High Distribution IV Units” means any Unit designated as a High Distribution IV Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“Holdings Group” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries (other than U.S. Opco, Global Opco and their respective Subsidiaries).

“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 Units issued and outstanding as of such time.

“Hypothetical Unit” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(d)(iii).

“Independent Counsel” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02(i)(ii).

“Initial General Partner” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Initial Vesting Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(d)(i).

“Interest” means the General Partnership Interest and any Limited Partnership Interest (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a Regular Limited Partnership Interest, an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, the Founding Partner Interest, the REU Interest and the Working Partner Interest).

 

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“Limited Partner” means a Regular Limited Partner (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Exchangeable Limited Partners and the Special Voting Limited Partners), a Founding Partner, the REU Partner or a Working Partner, each in its capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership.

“Limited Partnership Interests” means the Regular Limited Partnership Interests, the Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, the Founding Partner Interests, the REU Interests and the Working Partner Interests.

“Majority in Interest” means the Exchangeable Limited Partner(s) holding a majority of the Units underlying the Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests outstanding as of the applicable record date.

“Matching Grant Tax Payment Account” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(i)(i).

“Matching Grant Units” means any Unit designated as a Matching Grant Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“Matching Post-Termination Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(h)(i).

“Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007, and as further amended from time to time, by and among BGC Partners, Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., eSpeed, Inc., U.S. Opco, Global Opco and the Partnership.

“Merger” means the merger of BGC Partners and eSpeed, Inc. set forth in the Merger Agreement.

“NIC” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.07.

“NIC Liability” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.07.

“Opcos” means U.S. Opco and Global Opco.

“Original Limited Partnership Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Participation Plan” means the participation plan of the Partnership, as amended from time to time, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

“Partner Obligations” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03(a).

“Partners” means the Limited Partners (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the

 

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Regular Limited Partners, the Exchangeable Limited Partners, the Special Voting Limited Partner, the Founding Partners, the REU Partners and the Working Partners) and the General Partner, and “Partner” means any of the foregoing.

“Partnership” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“PAYE” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.07.

“Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(b)(ii).

“Percentage Interest” means, as of the applicable calculation time, with respect to a Partner, the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the number of Units held by such Partner over the number of Units held by all Partners.

“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, limited liability company, governmental entity or other entity of any kind, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

“Personal Representative” shall mean the executor, administrator or other personal representative of any deceased or disabled Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, or any trustee of the estate of any bankrupt or deceased Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be.

“Post-Termination Payment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(f)(i).

“Pre Five Year Units” means any Working Partner Units acquired by a Working Partner who becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner on or prior to the 60-month anniversary of the date on which such Partner acquired such Working Partner Units.

“proceeding” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02(a).

“Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” means, for each Partner for each fiscal quarter or other applicable period, such Partner’s Proportionate Tax Share for such fiscal quarter or other applicable period.

“Proportionate Tax Share” means, with respect to a Partner, the product of (a) the Tax Distribution for the fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, as applicable, and (b) the Percentage Interest of such Partner for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period. In the event that the Percentage Interest of a Partner changes during any fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, the Proportionate Tax Share of such Partner and the other Partners, as the case may be, for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period shall be appropriately adjusted to take into account the Partners’ varying interests.

“Publicly Traded Shares” means shares of BGC Partners Common Stock (if listed on any national securities exchange or included for quotation in any quotation system in the United States (even if such shares are restricted securities under the Securities Act) and any

 

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shares of capital stock of any other entity, if such shares are of a class that is listed on any national securities exchange or included for quotation in any quotation system in the United States (even if such shares are restricted securities under the Securities Act).

“Redemption Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.19(a).

“Reduction Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.01(c).

“Regular Limited Partner” means any Person who has acquired a Regular Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement and who shall have been admitted to the Partnership as a Regular Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement and shall not have ceased to be a Regular Limited Partner under the terms of this Agreement.

“Regular Limited Partnership Interest” means, with respect to any Regular Limited Partner, such Partner’s Units (including, any Units designated as Exchange Right Units), Capital, designated as a “Regular Limited Partnership Interest” (including, for the avoidance of doubt, designation as an “Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest” and the “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest”) on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Units and having such Capital.

“Requested Exchange Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01(e).

“Representatives” means, with respect to any Person, the Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, general partners, agents, accountants, managing member, employees, counsel and other advisors and representatives of such Person.

“REU” means any Unit designated as an REU in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

“REU Interest” means, with respect to any REU Partner, such Partner’s REUs and Capital designated as “REU Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such REUs and having such Capital.

“REU Partner” means a holder of REU Interests.

“REU Post-Termination Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.03(e)(i).

“REU Post-Termination Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.02(j)(i).

“Restricted Period” means (a) with respect to the obligations described in clauses (i) and (v) of Section 3.03(a), the period from the date on which a Person first becomes a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner (or, with respect to a Partner holding Founding

 

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Partner Units, the date on which such Person first became a partner of Cantor), through the date on which such Person ceases, for any reason, to be a Partner, (b) with respect to the obligations described in clause (iii) of Section 3.03(a), the period from the date on which a Person first becomes a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner (or, with respect to a Partner holding Founding Partner Units, the date on which such Person first became a partner of Cantor), through the one-year period immediately following the date on which such Person ceases, for any reason, to be a Partner, (c) with respect to the obligations described in clause (ii) of

Section 3.03(a), the period from the date on which a Person first becomes a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner (or, with respect to a Partner holding Founding Partner Units, the date on which such Person first became a Partner of Cantor) through the two-year period immediately following the date on which such Person ceases, for any reason, to be a Partner, and (d) with respect to the obligations described in clauses (iv) and (vi) of Section 3.03(a), the period from the date on which a Person first becomes a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner (or, with respect to a Partner holding Founding Partner Units, the date on which such Person first became a partner of Cantor) through the four-year period immediately following the date on which such Person ceases, for any reason, to be a Partner.

“Securities Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.06 of this Agreement.

“Separation” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Separation Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Special Item” means the matters set forth on Schedule A .

“Special Voting Limited Partner” means the Regular Limited Partner holding the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement and who shall have been admitted to the Partnership as a Regular Limited Partner designated as the Special Voting Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement and shall not have ceased to be a Regular Limited Partner designated as the Special Voting Limited Partner under the terms of this Agreement.

“Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” means, with respect to the Special Voting Limited Partner, such Partner’s Unit and Capital designated as the “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Unit and having such Capital.

“Special Voting Partnership Unit” means the Unit designated as the Special Voting Partnership Unit in accordance with this Agreement.

“Subsidiary” means, as of the relevant date of determination, with respect to any Person, any corporation or 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 held, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

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“Tax Distribution” means, for any fiscal quarter or fiscal year or other period of the Partnership during the term of the Partnership, the product of (a) the aggregate amount of taxable income or gain allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 5.04(a) for such period (excluding any item of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item) and (b) the Applicable Tax Rate for such period.

“Ten Year Units” means any Working Partner Units acquired by a Working Partner who becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner after the 120-month anniversary of the date on which such Partner acquired such Units.

“Termination” (including the form “Terminated” ) shall mean, with respect to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, (a) the actual termination of the employment of such Partner, such that such Partner is no longer an employee of the Opcos or any Affiliated Entities, for any reason whatsoever, including termination by the employer with or without cause, by such Partner or by reason of death, or (b) in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, the termination by the General Partner, which may occur without termination of a Partner’s employment, of the Partner’s status as a Partner by reason of the determination by the General Partner that such Partner has breached this Agreement or that such Partner has otherwise ceased to provide substantial services to the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity (such as by going or being placed on “garden leave” or entering into a similar type of arrangement), even if such cessation is at the direction of the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity. Termination shall also include the date on which a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner ceases to be a Partner for any other reason including the date on which all of a Partner’s Units are redeemed pursuant to Section 12.03. With respect to a corporate or other entity Partner, Termination shall also include the Termination of the beneficial owner, grantor, beneficiary or trustee of such Partner. A Partner shall be considered to be Terminated immediately upon the occurrence of the events described above (or, in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, as of the first day of the fiscal quarter in which the event giving rise to such Termination occurs); provided , however , that such Partner (or in the case of a deceased Partner, the Personal Representative of such Partner), and the General Partner may agree in writing that such Partner shall not become a Terminated Partner until such later time as selected at any time by the General Partner or as is set forth in such written agreement.

“Transfer” means any transfer, sale, conveyance, assignment, gift, hypothecation, pledge or other disposition, whether voluntary or by operation of law, of all or any part of an Interest or any right, title or interest therein.

“Transferee” means the transferee in a Transfer or proposed Transfer.

“Transferor” means the transferor in a Transfer or proposed Transfer.

“UCC” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.07.

“Under Three-Year Units” means any Working Partner Units acquired by a Working Partner who becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Working Partner prior to the 36 month anniversary of the date such Partner acquired such Units.

 

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“Unit” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s partnership interest in the Partnership entitling the holder to a share in the Partnership’s profits, losses and operating distributions as provided in this Agreement (including any Unit designated as an Exchange Right Unit, a Founding Partner Unit, an REU or a Working Partner Unit).

“U.S. Opco” means BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

“U.S. Opco Capital” means “Capital” as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“U.S. Opco General Partner” means the “General Partner” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“U.S. Opco General Partnership Interest” means the “General Partnership Interest” as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“U.S. Opco Interest” means an “Interest” as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement” means the amended and restated limited partnership agreement of U.S. Opco, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.

“U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interest” means the “Limited Partnership Interest” as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“U.S. Opco Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” means the “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“U.S. Opco Units” means “Units” as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Vested Percentage” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.01(d)(i).

“Working Partner” means a holder of Working Partner Interests.

“Working Partner Interest” means, with respect to any Working Partner, such Partner’s Working Partner Units and Capital designated as “Working Partner Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Working Partner Units and having such Capital.

“Working Partner Unit” means any Unit (including High Distribution Units, High Distribution II Units, High Distribution III Units, High Distribution IV Units, Grant Units or Matching Grant Units) designated as a Working Partner Unit in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 1.02. Other Definitional Provisions . 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 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, appendix, annex and schedule references not attributed to a particular document shall be references to such exhibits, appendixes, annexes and schedules to this Agreement.

SECTION 1.03. References to Schedules . The General Partner shall maintain and revise from time to time all schedules referred to in this Agreement in accordance with this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in Section 13.01 to the contrary, any such revision shall not be deemed an amendment to this Agreement, and shall not require any further act, vote or approval of any Person.

ARTICLE II

FORMATION, CONTINUATION AND POWERS

SECTION 2.01. Formation . Effective as of 8:01 p.m., Wilmington, Delaware time, on August 24, 2004, the Partnership was formed pursuant to the laws of the State of Delaware pursuant to a Certificate of Limited Partnership. The Original Limited Partnership Agreement was entered into on August 24, 2004 and amended on July 15, 2005 and, prior to the effectiveness of this Agreement, constituted the partnership agreement (as defined in the Act) of the parties thereto. The Original Limited Partnership Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety to be this Agreement effective immediately prior to the closing of the Contribution pursuant to the Separation Agreement, and this Agreement shall thereafter constitute the partnership agreement (as defined in the Act) of the parties hereto.

SECTION 2.02. Name . The name of the Partnership is “BGC Holdings, L.P.”

 

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SECTION 2.03. Purpose and Scope of Activity . The purposes of the Partnership shall be to perform its obligations under the Ancillary Agreements; to hold, directly or indirectly, U.S. Opco General Partnership Interest, the U.S. Opco Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interests, the Global Opco General Partnership Interest, the Global Opco Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest and Global Opco Limited Partnership Interests; to administer the exchanges of Exchange Right Units in accordance with this Agreement and the Separation Agreement; to administer and manage the Partnership’s relationship with Cantor, the Founding/Working Partners, the REU Partners, BGC Partners and the Opcos and its rights and obligations under the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party (including by exercising its rights thereunder); and to engage in any activity, and to take any action, necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, convenient or incidental to carrying out the foregoing purposes to the extent consistent with applicable laws (including entering into agreements, opening bank accounts, making filings, applications and reports, consenting to service of process, appointing an attorney to receive service of process and executing any other papers and instruments which may be necessary, convenient or incidental thereto).

SECTION 2.04. Principal Place of Business . For purposes of the Act, the principal place of business of the Partnership shall be located in New York, New York or at such other place as may hereafter be designated from time to time by the General Partner. The Partnership, committee and officer meetings shall take place at the Partnership’s principal place of business unless decided otherwise for any particular meeting.

The Partnership may qualify to transact business in such other states and under such assumed business names (for which all applicable assumed business name certificates or filings shall be made) as the General Partner shall determine. Each Partner shall execute, acknowledge, swear to and deliver all certificates or other documents necessary or appropriate to qualify, continue and terminate the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in such jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct or cease to conduct business, as applicable.

SECTION 2.05. Registered Agent and Office . The registered agent for service of process is, and the mailing address of the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware is in care of, The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware. At any time, the Partnership may designate another registered agent and/or registered office.

SECTION 2.06. Authorized Persons . The execution and causing to be filed of the Certificate of Limited Partnership by the applicable authorized Persons on behalf of the General Partner are hereby specifically ratified, adopted and confirmed. The officers of the Partnership and the General Partner are hereby designated as authorized Persons to act in connection with executing and causing to be filed, when approved by the appropriate governing body or bodies hereunder, any certificates required or permitted to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and any certificates (and any amendments and/or restatements thereof) necessary for the Partnership to file in any jurisdiction in which the Partnership is required to make a filing.

 

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SECTION 2.07. Term . The term of the Partnership began on the date the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership became effective, and the Partnership shall have perpetual existence unless sooner dissolved as provided in Article IX.

SECTION 2.08. Treatment as Partnership . Except as otherwise required pursuant to a determination within the meaning of Section 1313(a)(1) of the Code, the parties shall treat the Partnership as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes and agree not to take any action or fail to take any action which action or inaction would be inconsistent with such treatment.

SECTION 2.09. Compliance with Law; Offset Rights . (a) The Partnership shall use its best efforts to comply with any and all governmental requirements applicable to it, including the making of any and all necessary or advisable governmental registrations.

(b) Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner agrees to use his, her or its best efforts to comply with any and all governmental requirements applicable to the Partnership and the Affiliated Entities. Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner agrees to indemnify the Partnership and the Affiliated Entities against any loss, claim, damage or cost, including attorneys’ fees and expenses resulting from a failure to comply with any such requirement occasioned by such Partner’s willful misconduct or gross negligence.

(c) Upon a breach of this Agreement by, or the Termination or Bankruptcy of, a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner that is subject to the Partner Obligations, or in the event that any such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, owes any amount to the Partnership or to any Affiliated Entity or fails to pay any amount to any other Person with respect to which amount the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity is a guarantor or surety or is similarly liable (in each case whether or not such amount is then due and payable), the Partnership shall have the right to set off the amount that such Partner owes to the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity or any such other Person under any agreement or otherwise and the amount of any cost or expense incurred or projected to be incurred by the Partnership in connection with such breach, such Termination or Bankruptcy or such indebtedness (including attorneys’ fees and expenses and any diminution in value of any Partnership assets and including in each case both monetary obligations and the fair market value of any non-cash item and amounts not yet due or incurred) against any amounts that it owes to such Partner under this Agreement or otherwise, or to reduce the Capital Account, the Base Amount and/or the distributions (quarterly or otherwise) of such Partner by any such amount.

ARTICLE III

MANAGEMENT

SECTION 3.01. Management by the General Partner . (a) Subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be vested solely in, and directed and exercised solely by, the General Partner. In furtherance of the activities of the Partnership, subject to the terms and provisions of this

 

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Agreement, the General Partner shall have all rights and powers, statutory or otherwise, possessed by general partners of limited partnerships under the laws of the State of Delaware.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the General Partner has full and exclusive power and authority to do, on behalf of the Partnership, all things that are deemed necessary, appropriate or desirable by the General Partner to conduct, direct and manage the business and other affairs of the Partnership and is authorized and empowered, on behalf and in the name of the Partnership, to carry out and implement, directly or through such agents as the General Partner may appoint, such actions and execute such documents as the General Partner may deem necessary or advisable, or as may be incidental to or necessary for the conduct of the business of the Partnership. Without limiting the foregoing, and notwithstanding other provisions contained in this Agreement, the General Partner shall have the authority to waive the application of any provision of this Agreement with respect to a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner or all or a portion of a Founding/Working Partner’s or REU Partner’s Units; provided that no waiver shall be enforceable as against the General Partner and the Partnership unless in writing and signed by the General Partner. Unless expressly otherwise provided in this Agreement, all determinations, judgments and/or actions, that may be made or taken, or not made or not taken, with respect to the Founding/Working Partners or the REU Partners by the General Partner in its discretion pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, shall be in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner. All determinations and judgments made by the General Partner with respect to the Founding/Working Partners or the REU Partners, as the case may be, in good faith and not in violation of the terms of the Agreement shall be conclusive and binding on all Founding/Working Partners or the REU Partners, as the case may be.

(c) The General Partner agrees to use its best efforts to meet all requirements of the Code and currently applicable regulations, rulings and other procedures of the Internal Revenue Service to ensure that the Partnership will be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as a partnership.

(d) The General Partner may appoint officers, managers or agents of the Partnership and may delegate to such officers, managers or agents all or part of the powers, authorities, duties or responsibilities possessed by or imposed on the General Partner pursuant to this Agreement (without limitation on the General Partner’s ability to exercise such powers, authorities or responsibilities directly at any time); provided that, notwithstanding anything herein or in any other agreement to the contrary, the General Partner may remove any such officer, manager or agent, and may revoke any or all such powers, authorities and responsibilities so delegated to any such person, in each case at any time with or without cause. The officers of the Partnership shall consist of such positions and titles that the General Partner may in its discretion designate or create, including a Chairman, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, one or more Assistant Treasurers, a Secretary or one or more Assistant Secretaries. A single person may hold more than one office. Each officer shall hold office until his successor is chosen, or until his death, resignation or removal from office.

 

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Each of such officers shall have such powers and duties with respect to the business and other affairs of the Partnership, and shall be subject to such restrictions and limitations, as are prescribed from time to time by the General Partner; provided , however , that each officer shall at all times be subject to the direction and control of the General Partner in the performance of such powers and duties.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, without the prior written consent of Cantor, the General Partner shall not take any action that may adversely affect Cantor’s Purchase Rights (as defined in the Separation Agreement) in Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement.

SECTION 3.02. Role and Voting Rights of Limited Partners; Authority of Partners . (a)  Limitation on Role of Limited Partners. No Limited Partner shall have any right of control or management power over the business or other affairs of the Partnership as a result of its status as a Limited Partner except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. No Limited Partner shall participate in the control of the Partnership’s business in any manner that would, under the Act, subject such Limited Partner to any liability beyond those liabilities expressly contemplated hereunder, including holding himself, herself or itself out to third parties as a general partner of the Partnership; provided that any Limited Partner may be an employee of the Partnership or of any Affiliated Entities and perform such duties and do all such acts required or appropriate in such role, and no such performance or acts shall subject such Limited Partner to any liability beyond those liabilities expressly contemplated hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in accordance with, and to the fullest extent permitted by the Act (including Section 17-303 thereof), Limited Partners (directly or through an Affiliate) (i) may consult with and advise the General Partner or any other Person (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) with respect to any matter, including the business of the Partnership, (ii) may, or may cause the General Partner or any other Person (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) to, take or to refrain from taking any action, including by proposing, approving, consenting or disapproving, by voting or otherwise, with respect to any matter, including the business of the Partnership, (iii) may transact business with the General Partner (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) or the Partnership, and (iv) may be an officer, director, partner or stockholder of the General Partner (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) or have its Representatives serve as officers or directors of the General Partner (including, if applicable, of the general partner of the General Partner) without incurring additional liabilities to third parties.

(b) No Limited Partner Voting Rights. To the fullest extent permitted by Section 17-302(f) of the Act, the Limited Partners shall not have any voting rights under the Act, this Agreement or otherwise, and shall not be entitled to consent to, approve or authorize any actions by the Partnership or the General Partner, except in each case as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement.

(c) Authority of Partners. Except as set forth herein with respect to the General Partner, no Limited Partner shall have any power or authority, in such Partner’s capacity as a Limited Partner, to act for or bind the Partnership except to the extent that such Limited Partner is so authorized in writing prior thereto by the General Partner. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as set forth herein with respect to

 

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the General Partner, no Limited Partner, as such, shall, except as so authorized, have any power or authority to incur any liability or execute any instrument, agreement or other document for or on behalf of the Partnership, whether in the Partnership’s name or otherwise. Persons dealing with the Partnership are entitled to rely conclusively upon the power and authority of the General Partner. Each Limited Partner hereby agrees that, except to the extent provided in this Agreement and except to the extent that such Limited Partner shall be the General Partner, it will not participate in the management or control of the business and other affairs of the Partnership, will not transact any business for the Partnership and will not attempt to act for or bind the Partnership.

(d) Consent Rights . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the General Partner shall not take any of the following actions without the written consent of a Majority in Interest:

(i) decreasing the amount distributed to Partners pursuant to Article VI or Section 12.03 with respect to any fiscal quarter or other period;

(ii) amending this Agreement pursuant to Section 13.01, or directing the Partnership in its capacity as the U.S. Opco General Partner and/or Global Opco General Partner, as the case may be, to amend or consent to an amendment of the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement and/or Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement, as the case may be;

(iii) taking any other action, or directing the Partnership in its capacity as the U.S. Opco General Partner and/or Global Opco General Partner, as the case may be, to take any other action, that may adversely affect any member of the Cantor Group’s exercise of its rights under Article XII or its right to exchange certain Exchange Right Units, together with Limited Partnership Interests and related Capital for shares of BGC Partners Common Stock under Article VIII; and/or

(iv) Transferring any U.S. Opco Units or Global Opco Units beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries.

(e) Founding/Working Partners . Each of the Founding/Working Partners shall have the rights and obligations set forth in this Agreement, including Article XII, and each of the Founding/Working Partners shall remain a Founding/Working Partner until he, she or it ceases to be a Limited Partner pursuant to this Agreement.

(f) REU Partners . Each of the REU Partners shall have the rights and obligations set forth in this Agreement, including Article XII, and each of the REU Partners shall remain an REU Partner until he, she or it ceases to be a Limited Partner pursuant to this Agreement.

SECTION 3.03. Partner Obligations . (a) Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner agrees that, in addition to any other obligations that he, she or it may have under this Agreement, he, she or it shall have a duty of loyalty to the Partnership and further agrees during the Restricted Period, not to, either directly or indirectly (including by or through an Affiliate) (collectively, clauses (i) through (vi), the “Partner Obligations” ):

 

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(i) breach such Limited Partner’s duty of loyalty to the Partnership;

(ii) engage in any activity of the nature set forth in clause (A) of the definition of Competitive Activity;

(iii) engage in any activity of the nature set forth in clauses (B) through (E) of the definition of Competitive Activity or take any action that results directly or indirectly in revenues or other benefit for such Limited Partner or any third party that is or could be considered to be engaged in any activity of the nature set forth in clauses (B) through (E) of the definition of Competitive Activity, except as otherwise agreed to in writing by the General Partner, in its sole and absolute discretion;

(iv) make or participate in the making of (including through the applicable Partner’s or any of his, her or its Affiliates’ respective Representatives) any comments to the media (print, broadcast, electronic or otherwise) that are disparaging regarding (A) BGC Partners, any of the Affiliated Entities or any of their Affiliates, or (B) the senior executive officers of BGC Partners, any Affiliated Entity, or any of their Affiliates, or are otherwise contrary to the interests of BGC Partners, any Affiliated Entity or any of their Affiliates, as determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion;

(v) except as otherwise permitted in Section 13.15, take advantage of, or provide another person with the opportunity to take advantage of, a “corporate opportunity” (as such term would apply to the Partnership if it were a corporation) including opportunities related to intellectual property, which for this purpose shall require granting BGC Partners a right of first refusal for BGC Partners to acquire any assets, stock or other ownership interest in a business being sold by any Partner or Affiliate of such Partner, if an investment in such business would constitute a “corporate opportunity” (as such term would apply to the Partnership if it were a corporation), that has not been presented to and rejected by BGC Partners, or that BGC Partners rejects but reserves for possible further action by BGC Partners in writing, unless otherwise consented to by the General Partner in writing in its sole and absolute discretion; or

(vi) otherwise take any action to harm, that harms, or that reasonably could be expected to harm BGC Partners, any of the Affiliated Entities or any of their Affiliates, or any Affiliated Entity, including, without limitation, any breach of the provisions of Section 13.06 hereof.

The determination of whether a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner has breached its Partner Obligations will be made in good faith by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, which determination will be final and binding.

(b) If a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner breaches his, her or its Partner Obligations as determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, then, in addition to any other rights or remedies that the General Partner may

 

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have, and unless otherwise determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, the Partnership shall redeem all of the Units held by such Partner for a redemption price equal to their Base Amount, and such Partner shall have no right to receive any further distributions, including any Additional Amounts, or any other distributions or payments of cash, stock or property, to which such Partner otherwise might be entitled.

(c) Without limiting any of the foregoing, for all purposes of this Agreement, any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner that breaches any Partner Obligation shall be subject to all of the consequences (including the consequences provided for in Sections 12.02 and 12.03 applicable to a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, that engages in a Competitive Activity).

(d) Any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner that breaches his, her or its Partner Obligations shall indemnify the Partnership for and pay any resulting attorneys’ fees and expenses of the Partnership, as well as any and all damages resulting from such breach.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, and unless Cantor shall determine otherwise, none of the obligations, limitations, restrictions or other provisions set forth in Sections 3.03(a), 3.03(b), 3.03(c) or 3.03(d) shall apply to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner that is also a Cantor Company or any of its Affiliates or any partner or member of a Cantor Company or any of its Affiliates.

ARTICLE IV

PARTNERS; CLASSES OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

SECTION 4.01. Partners . The Partnership shall have (a) a General Partner; (b) one or more Regular Limited Partners (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Exchangeable Limited Partners and the Special Voting Limited Partner); (c) one or more Founding/Working Partners; and (d) one or more REU Partners. Schedule 4.01 sets forth the name and address of the Partners. Schedule 4.01 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the identity or address of the Partners in accordance with this Agreement. Each Person admitted to the Partnership as a Partner pursuant to this Agreement shall be a partner of the Partnership until such Person ceases to be a Partner in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

SECTION 4.02. Interests . (a)  Generally. (i)  Classes of Interests . Interests in the Partnership shall be divided into two classes: (A) a General Partnership Interest and (B) Limited Partnership Interests (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Regular Limited Partnership Interests, the Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, the Founding Partner Interests, the REU Interests and the Working Partner Interests (which shall not constitute separate classes or groups of partnership interests within the meaning of the Act)). The General Partnership Interest and the Limited Partnership Interests shall consist of, and be issued as, Units and Capital (with all of the Units associated with the Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests designated as Exchangeable Limited Partner Units;

 

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with all of the Units associated with the Founding Partner Interests designated as Founding Partner Units; with all of the Units associated with the REU Interests designated as REUs; with all of the Units associated with the Working Partner Interests designated as Working Partner Units; and with all of the Units associated with the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest designated as the Special Voting Partnership Unit). The aggregate number of authorized Units is 600,000,000. The aggregate number of authorized Units shall not be changed, modified or adjusted from that set forth in the immediately preceding sentence; provided that, in the event that the total number of authorized Units of U.S. Opco under the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement shall be increased or decreased after the date of this Agreement, then the total number of authorized Units shall be correspondingly increased or decreased by the same number by the General Partner without any act, vote or approval of any other Person. Any Units repurchased by or otherwise transferred to the Partnership or otherwise forfeited or cancelled shall be cancelled and thereafter deemed to be authorized but unissued, and may be subsequently issued as Units for all purposes hereunder in accordance with this Agreement.

(ii) Issuances of Additional Units . Any authorized but unissued Units may be issued:

(1) pursuant to the Contribution and Schedule 2.03 of the Separation Agreement;

(2) to members of the Cantor Group in connection with an investment in the Partnership by the members of the Cantor Group as provided in Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement;

(3) with respect to Founding/Working Partner Units, to an Eligible Recipient, in each case as directed by the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest);

(4) as otherwise agreed by each of the General Partner and the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest);

(5) pursuant to the Participation Plan or in connection with the Merger;

(6) to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner pursuant to Section 5.01(c);

(7) to any Partner in connection with a conversion of an issued Unit and Interest into a different class or type of Unit and Interest in accordance with this Agreement; and

(8) to Cantor (or any member of the Cantor Group) pursuant to Sections 12.02 and 12.03;

provided that each Person to be issued additional Units pursuant to clause (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5) of this sentence shall, as a condition to such issuance, execute and deliver to the Partnership an agreement in which such Person agrees to be admitted as a Partner

 

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with respect to such Units and bound by this Agreement and any other agreements, documents or instruments specified by the General Partner; provided , however , that if such Person (A) is at the time of such issuance a Partner of the applicable class of Interests being issued or (B) has previously entered into an agreement pursuant to which such Person shall have agreed to become a Partner and be bound by this Agreement with respect to the applicable class of Interests being issued (which agreement is in effect at the time of such issuance), such Person shall not be required to enter into any such agreements unless otherwise determined by the General Partner. Upon any such issuance, any such Person not already a Partner shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the issued Interests.

(b) General Partnership Interest. The Partnership shall have one General Partnership Interest. The Unit issued to the General Partner in respect of such Partner’s General Partnership Interest is set forth on Schedule 4.02 . Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the Unit in respect of such Partner’s General Partnership Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(c) Regular Limited Partnership Interests. (i) The Partnership may have one or more Regular Limited Partnership Interests. The number of Units issued to each Regular Limited Partner in respect of such Partner’s Regular Limited Partnership Interest is set forth on Schedule 4.02 . Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the Units in respect of such Partner’s Regular Limited Partnership Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(ii) The Partnership shall have one Regular Limited Partnership Interest designated as the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, as provided in Section 4.03(b). There shall only be one (1) Unit associated with the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest.

(d) Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests. The Partnership may have one or more Regular Limited Partnership Interests designated as Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests. The number of Exchangeable Limited Partner Units issued to each Exchangeable Limited Partner in respect of such Partner’s Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest is set forth on Schedule 4.02 . Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the Exchangeable Limited Partner Units in respect of such Partner’s Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(e) Founding Partners. The Partnership may have one or more Founding Partner Interests. The Founding Partner Interests shall be sub-divided into six classes: (A) Grant Units, (B) Matching Grant Units, (C) High Distribution Units, (D) High Distribution II Units, (E) High Distribution III Units, and (F) High Distribution IV Units. Each class shall be governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including Article XII. The number and class of Founding Partner Units Transferred or issued to each Founding Partner in respect of such Founding Partner Units is set forth on Schedule 4.02 . Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the

 

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issuance or allocation of the Founding Partner Units in respect of such Partner’s Founding Partner Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(f) Working Partners. The Partnership may have one or more Working Partner Interests. The Working Partner Interests shall be sub-divided into six classes: (A) Grant Units, (B) Matching Grant Units, (C) High Distribution Units, (D) High Distribution II Units, (E) High Distribution III Units, and (F) High Distribution IV Units. Each class shall be governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including Article XII. The number and class of Working Partner Units Transferred or issued to each Working Partner in respect of such Working Partner Units is set forth on Schedule 4.02. Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the Working Partner Units in respect of such Partner’s Working Partner Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(g) REU Partners. The Partnership may have one or more REU Interests. Each REU Interests shall be governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including Article XII, and the terms and conditions of the grant of such REU Interest, which terms and conditions shall be determined by the General Partner in its sole discretion. The number and class of REUs Transferred or issued to each REU Partner in respect of such REUs is set forth on Schedule 4.02. Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the REUs in respect of such Partner’s REU Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(h) No Additional Classes of Interests. There shall be no additional classes of partnership interests in the Partnership.

SECTION 4.03. Admission and Withdrawal of Partners . (a)  General Partner. (i) The General Partner is BGC GP, LLC. On the date of this Agreement, BGC GP LLC shall have the General Partnership Interest, which shall have the Units and the Capital set forth on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 , respectively.

(ii) The admission of a Transferee as a General Partner, and resignation or withdrawal of any General Partner, shall be governed by Section 7.02.

(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of the General Partner’s entire General Partnership Interest as provided in Section 7.02(e), such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such General Partnership Interest and shall cease to be the General Partner.

(b) Regular Limited Partners. (i) The initial Limited Partners are BGC GP LLC, Cantor and BGC Partners, and the initial Special Voting Limited Partner is BGC GP LLC. On the date of this Agreement, immediately following the Separation, the Limited Partners shall have the Limited Partnership Interests (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest), which shall have the Units (including those designated as Exchangeable Limited Partnership Units) and the Capital set forth on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 , respectively.

 

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(ii) The admission of a Transferee as a Regular Limited Partner pursuant to any Transfer permitted by Section 7.02(a), 7.02(b), 7.02(c), or 7.02(d) as applicable, shall be governed by Section 7.02, and the admission of a Person as a Regular Limited Partner in connection with the issuance of additional Regular Limited Partnership Interests and Units pursuant to Section 4.02(a)(ii) shall be governed by such applicable Section.

(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of a Regular Limited Partner’s entire Regular Limited Partnership Interest as provided in Section 7.02(a), 7.02(b), 7.02(c) or 7.02(d), as applicable, such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such Regular Limited Partnership Interest and shall cease to be a Regular Limited Partner.

(c) Founding Partners. (i) On the date of this Agreement, immediately following the Separation and pursuant to the Cantor Redemption, the Founding Partners shall receive the Founding Partner Interests, which shall have the Units (including the class designation) and the Capital and Adjusted Capital Account set forth on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 , respectively. Upon the Transfer of such Founding Partner Interests to the Founding Partners by Cantor, pursuant to the Cantor Redemption, the Founding Partners are hereby deemed automatically admitted as Limited Partners with respect to such Interests and bound by this Agreement.

(ii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of the Founding Partner’s entire Founding Partner Interest as provided in Section 7.02(c) or Article XII, as applicable, such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such Founding Partner Interest, and shall cease to be a Founding Partner.

(iii) Any Founding Partner Interest Transferred to any Cantor Company, pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03 or otherwise, shall cause such Founding Partner Interest and related Units (or portion thereof) to automatically be designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest and the related Units (or portion thereof) shall automatically be designated as Exchangeable Limited Partnership Units, and the Cantor Company acquiring such Interest shall have all rights and obligations of a holder of Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests with respect to such Interest.

(d) Working Partners. (i) On the date of this Agreement, immediately following the Separation, there shall be no Working Partners.

(ii) The admission of a Person as a Working Partner in accordance with the issuance of additional Working Partner Units shall be governed by Section 4.02 and Article XII.

(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of the Working Partner’s entire Working Partner Interest as provided in Section 7.02(d) or Article XII, as applicable, such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets,

 

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properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such Working Partner Interest, and shall cease to be a Working Partner.

(e) REU Partners. (i) On the date of this Agreement, concurrently with the Merger, the REU Partners shall receive the REU Interests, which shall have the Units set forth on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 , respectively, and shall be admitted as limited partners with respect to such Interests and bound by this Agreement. Upon the issuance of such REU Interests to the REU Partners, such REU Partners shall be deemed automatically admitted as Limited Partners with respect to such Interests and bound by this Agreement. Each REU Interests shall initially have zero (0) dollars in Capital. Each grant of an REU Interest shall set forth an amount (the “REU Post-Termination Amount” ), potentially payable to the holder of such REU Interest following the redemption of such REU Interest in accordance with Section 12.03(c), as well as a vesting schedule setting forth the portion of the REU Post-Termination Amount that shall become payable in such circumstances and the terms and conditions of such vesting; provided that unless otherwise specified, the REU Post-Termination Amount shall vest over three (3) years on a pro rata basis.

(ii) The admission of a Person as an REU Partner after the date of this Agreement in accordance with the issuance of additional REUs shall be governed by Section 4.02 and Article XII and the terms and conditions of the grant of such additional REUs, which shall be determined by the General Partner in its sole discretion.

(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of the REU Partner’s entire REU Partner Interest as provided in Section 7.02(f) or Article XII, as applicable, or upon an REU Redemption as provided in Section 12.03(c)(iii), such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such REU Partner Interest, and shall cease to be an REU Partner.

(f) No Additional Partners. No additional Partners shall be admitted to the Partnership except in accordance with this Article IV; provided that additional Working Partners and additional REU Partners shall be admitted in accordance with this Article IV or Article XII.

SECTION 4.04. Liability to Third Parties; Capital Account Deficits. (a) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the Act, the General Partner shall have unlimited personal liability for the satisfaction and discharge of all debts, liabilities, contracts and other obligations of the Partnership. The General Partner shall not be personally liable for the return of any portion of the capital contribution of any Limited Partner, the return of which shall be made solely from the Partnership’s assets.

(b) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the Act or this Agreement, no Limited Partner shall be liable for the debts, liabilities, contracts or other obligations of the Partnership. Each Limited Partner shall be liable only to make its capital contributions as provided in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement or as otherwise agreed by such Limited Partner and the Partnership in writing after the date of this

 

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Agreement and shall not be required, after its capital contribution shall have been paid, to make any further capital contribution to the Partnership or to lend any funds to the Partnership except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement or as otherwise agreed by such Limited Partner and the Partnership in writing after the date of this Agreement. No Limited Partner shall be required to repay the Partnership, any Partner or any creditor of the Partnership any negative balance in such Limited Partner’s Capital Account, except as provided in Section 12.01(b)(x).

(c) No Partner shall be liable to make up any deficit in its Capital Account; provided that nothing in this Section 4.04(c) shall relieve a Partner of any liability it may otherwise have, either pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or pursuant to the terms of any agreement to which the Partnership or such Partner may be a party (including Section 12.01(b)(x)).

SECTION 4.05. Classes . Any Person may own one or more classes of Interests. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the ownership of other classes of Interests shall not affect the rights or obligations of a Partner with respect to other classes of Interests. As used in this Agreement, the General Partner, the Limited Partners (including the Special Voting Limited Partner, the Exchangeable Limited Partners, the Founding Partners, the REU Partners and the Working Partners) shall be deemed to be separate Partners even if any Partner holds more than one class of Interest. References to a certain class of Interest with respect to any Partner shall refer solely to that class of Interest of such Partner and not to any other class of Interest, if any, held by such Partner.

SECTION 4.06. Certificates . The Partnership may, in the discretion of the General Partner, issue any or all Units in certificated form, which certificates shall be held by the Partnership as custodian for the applicable Partners. The form of any such certificates shall be approved by the General Partner and include the legend required by Section 7.06. If certificates are issued, a transfer of Units will require delivery of an endorsed certificate.

SECTION 4.07. Uniform Commercial Code Treatment of Units . Each Unit in the Partnership shall constitute a “security” within the meaning of, and governed by, (i) Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code (including Section 8-102(a)(15) thereof) as in effect from time to time in the State of Delaware (6 Del. C . § 8-101, et seq .) (the “UCC” ), and (ii) Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code of any other applicable jurisdiction that now or hereafter substantially includes the 1994 revisions to Article 8 thereof as adopted by the American Law Institute and the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and approved by the American Bar Association on February 14, 1995. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any provision of this Agreement is inconsistent with any non-waivable provision of Article 8 of the UCC, such provision of Article 8 of the UCC shall control. The Partnership shall maintain books for the purpose of registering the Transfer of Units. Any Transfer of Units shall be effective as of the registration of the Transfer of such Units in the books and records of the Partnership.

SECTION 4.08. Priority Among Partners . No Partner shall be entitled to any priority or preference over any other Partner either as to return of capital contributions or as to

 

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profits, losses or distributions, except to the extent that this Agreement may be deemed to establish such a priority or preference.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

SECTION 5.01. Capital . (a)  Capital Accounts. There shall be established on the books and records of the Partnership a Capital Account for each Partner. Schedule 5.01 sets forth the names and the Capital Account of the Partners as of the date of this Agreement. Schedule 5.01 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the identity or Capital Accounts in accordance with this Agreement.

(b) Capital Contributions. (i) On the date of this Agreement, contributions of assets, property and/or cash shall be made by or on behalf of the Partners listed on Schedule 4.01 in connection with the Contribution, pursuant to the terms set forth in the Separation Agreement.

(ii) In return for such initial contributions, Interests shall be issued or Transferred to the Partners as provided on Schedule 5.01.

(iii) The parties shall treat the contributions described in this Section 5.01(b) as contributions pursuant to Section 721 of the Code in which no gain or loss is recognized to any extent, except as otherwise required pursuant to a determination within the meaning of Section 1313(a)(1) of the Code.

(iv) Except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01(b)(i) or, with respect to the Founding/Working Partners or REU Partners, as the case may be, only, in Article XII, no capital contributions shall be required (A) unless otherwise determined by the General Partner and agreed to by the contributing Partner, or (B) unless otherwise determined by the General Partner in connection with the admission of a new Partner or the issuance of additional Interests to a Partner.

(v) The Partnership may invest or cause to be invested all amounts received by the Partnership as capital contributions in its sole and absolute discretion.

(c) Additional Contributions. Subject to Section 4.02(a)(ii) and Article XII, at any time and from time to time, subject to the prior written consent of the compensation committee of BGC Partners (or its designee), the Partnership may offer and grant additional Working Partner Units or REUs in the Partnership to existing or new Founding/Working Partners or REU Partners, in each case, at a price per Working Partner Unit or REU, as the case may be, determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion and for such other consideration or for no consideration determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion; provided that no offeree shall be obligated to accept such offer; provided, further, that solely for the purposes of this Section 5.01(c), the price per Working Partner Unit of a High Distribution II Unit or High Distribution III Unit shall be deemed to include the associated HDII Account or HDIII Account, respectively. Any payment for Working Partner Units or REUs purchased by a

 

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new or existing Partner pursuant to this Section 5.01(c) may be made, in the General Partner’s sole and absolute discretion, in the form of Publicly Traded Shares, valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares (as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or any other national securities exchange or quotation system on which such shares are then listed or quoted) during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding each payment (or such other fair and reasonable pricing method as may be reasonably selected by the General Partner), or in the form of other property valued at its then-fair market value, as reasonably determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion. Any net proceeds for any such Working Partner Units or REUs purchased by a new or existing Partner pursuant to this Section 5.01(c) shall be contributed by the Partnership to U.S. Opco and Global Opco, as the case may be, in exchange for U.S. Opco Units and Global Opco Units from each of U.S. Opco and Global Opco, as the case may be, in an amount equal to the number of Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, being so issued or Transferred, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement.

SECTION 5.02. Withdrawals; Return on Capital . No Partner shall be entitled to withdraw or otherwise receive any distributions in respect of any Interest (including the associated Units or Capital), except as provided in Section 6.01 or 9.03. The Partners shall not be entitled to any return on their Capital.

SECTION 5.03. Maintenance of Capital Accounts . As of the end of each Accounting Period, the balance in each Partner’s Capital Account shall be adjusted by (a) increasing such balance by (i) such Partner’s allocable share of each item of the Partnership’s income and gain for such Accounting Period (allocated in accordance with Section 5.04(a)) and (ii) the amount of cash or the fair market value (or book value, if so agreed by the applicable Partner and the General Partner) of other property (determined in accordance with Section 5.05) contributed to the Partnership by such Partner in respect of such Partner’s related Interest during such Accounting Period, net of liabilities assumed by the Partnership with respect to such other property, and (b) decreasing such balance by (i) the amount of cash or the fair market value (or book value, if so agreed by the applicable Partner and the General Partner) of other property (determined in accordance with Section 5.04) distributed to such Partner in respect of such class of Interest associated with such Capital Account pursuant to this Agreement, net of liabilities (if any) assumed by such Partner with respect to such other property, and (ii) such Partner’s allocable share of each item of the Partnership’s deduction and loss for such Accounting Period (allocated in accordance with Section 5.04(a)). The balances in each Partner’s Capital Account may also be adjusted by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion and with the consent of a Majority in Interest at the time and in the manner permitted by the capital accounting rules of the Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f). The foregoing and the other provisions of this Agreement relating to the maintenance of Capital Accounts are intended to comply with Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b), and shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent therewith.

SECTION 5.04. Allocations and Tax Matters . (a)  Book Allocations . After giving effect to the allocations set forth in Section 2 of Exhibit D hereto and Section 6.01(d), for purposes of computing Capital Accounts and allocating any items of income, gain, loss or deduction thereto, with respect to each Accounting Period, all items of income, gain, loss or

 

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deduction of the Partnership shall be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Partners in proportion to their Percentage Interest as of the end of such Accounting Period; provided that any and all items of income, gain, loss or deduction to the extent resulting from a Special Item will be allocated entirely to the Capital Accounts of the Limited Partnership Interests (other than the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest), pro rata in proportion to the number of Units underlying such Interests or in other proportion as determined by a Majority in Interest (it being the intention that, in all cases, BGC Partners, as the holder of the Special Voting Limited Partner Interest or otherwise, shall not bear the benefits and burdens of the Special Item). For purposes of the foregoing, except as may be otherwise agreed by the General Partner and the holders of a Majority in Interest, items of income, gain, loss and deductions of the Partnership allocable to the Partners shall be calculated in the same manner in which such items are calculated for federal income tax purposes with the following adjustments: (i) items of gain, loss and deduction shall be computed based on the Book Values of the Partnership’s assets rather than upon the assets’ adjusted bases for federal income tax purposes; (ii) the amount of any adjustment to the Book Value of any assets of the Partnership pursuant to Section 743 of the Code shall not be taken into account; (iii) any tax exempt income received by the Partnership shall be taken into account as an item of income; and (iv) any expenditure of the Partnership described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code and any expenditure considered to be an expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code pursuant to Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) of the Code shall be treated as a deductible expense. The General Partner may, with the consent of a Majority in Interest, make such other adjustments to the calculation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction as it deems appropriate to more properly reflect the income or loss of the Partnership.

(b) Tax Allocations . Except as otherwise required under Section 704(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, the Partnership shall cause each item of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership to be allocated among the Partners for U.S. federal, state and local income and, where relevant, non-U.S. tax purposes in the same manner that each such item is allocated to the Partners’ Capital Accounts or as otherwise provided herein. Allocations required by Section 704(c) of the Code shall be made using the “traditional method” described in Treasury Regulation section 1.704-3(b).

SECTION 5.05. General Partner Determinations . All determinations, valuations and other matters of judgment required to be made for purposes of this Article V, including with respect to allocations to Capital Accounts and accounting procedures and tax matters not expressly provided for by the terms of this Agreement, or for determining the value of any type or form of proceeds, contribution or distributions hereunder shall be made by the General Partner in good faith. In the event that an additional Partner is admitted to the Partnership and contributes property to the Partnership, or an existing Partner contributes additional property to the Partnership, pursuant to this Agreement, the value of such contributed property shall be the fair market value (or book value, if so agreed by the applicable Partner and the General Partner) of such property as reasonably determined by the General Partner.

SECTION 5.06. Books and Accounts . (a) The Partnership shall at all times keep or cause to be kept true and complete records and books of account, which records and books shall be maintained in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

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Such records and books of account shall be kept at the principal place of business of the Partnership by the General Partner. The Limited Partners shall have the right to gain access to all such records and books of account (including schedules thereto) for inspection and view (at such reasonable times as the General Partner shall determine) for any purpose reasonably related to their Interests. The Partnership’s accounts shall be maintained in U.S. dollars.

(b) The Partnership’s fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the thirty-first day of December of each year, or shall be such other period designated by the General Partner. At the end of each fiscal year, the Partnership’s accounts shall be prepared, presented to the General Partner and submitted to the Partnership’s auditors for examination.

(c) The Partnership’s auditors shall be an independent accounting firm of international reputation to be appointed from time to time by the General Partner. The Partnership’s auditors shall be entitled to receive promptly such information, accounts and explanations from the General Partner and each Partner that they deem reasonably necessary to carry out their duties. The Partners shall provide such financial, tax and other information to the Partnership as may be reasonably necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Partnership.

SECTION 5.07. Tax Matters Partner . The General Partner is hereby designated as the tax matters partner of the Partnership, in accordance with the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 6231 of the Code and any similar provisions under any other state or local or non-U.S. tax laws. The General Partner shall have the authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to (a) make an election under Section 754 of the Code on behalf of the Partnership, and each Partner agrees to provide such information and documentation as the General Partner may reasonably request in connection with any such election, (b) determine the manner in which “excess nonrecourse liabilities” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.752-3(a)(3)) are allocated among the Partners and (c) make any other election or determination with respect to taxes (including with respect to depreciation, amortization and accounting methods).

SECTION 5.08. Tax Information . The Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and mail as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each taxable year of the Partnership, to each Partner (and each other Person that was such a Partner during such taxable year or its legal representatives), U.S. Internal Revenue Service Schedule K-1, “Partner’s Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc.,” or any successor schedule or form, for such Person.

SECTION 5.09. Withholding . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Partnership is authorized to withhold from distributions and allocations to the Partners, and to pay over to any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority any amounts believed in good faith to be required to be so withheld pursuant to the Code or any provision of any other federal, state, local or foreign law and, for all purposes under this Agreement, shall treat such amounts (together with any amounts that are withheld from payments to the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries attributable to a direct or indirect Partner of the Partnership) as distributed to those Partners with respect to which such amounts were withheld. If the Partnership is obligated

 

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to pay any amount to a taxing authority on behalf of (or in respect of an obligation of) a Partner (including, federal, state and local or other withholding taxes), then such Partner shall indemnify the Partnership in full for the entire amount of any Tax (but not any interest, penalties and expenses associated with such payment). If the Partnership elects to withhold or make any payment to any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority in respect of a payment that otherwise would be made to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner shall cooperate with the General Partner by providing such information or forms as are reasonably requested by the General Partner in connection with such withholding or the making of such payments. Each Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner who is an employee of the Partnership, the Opcos, their Subsidiaries or of an Affiliated Entity (or whose stock or other beneficial interest is owned by such an employee) authorizes the Partnership to withhold additional amounts for payment on behalf of such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner of federal, state and local income tax from the compensation paid to such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner (or owner of stock or other beneficial interest of a corporate or other entity Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner).

ARTICLE VI

DISTRIBUTIONS

SECTION 6.01. Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests . (a) Subject to the remaining sentence of this Section 6.01(a), the Partnership shall distribute to each Partner from such Partner’s Capital Account (i) on or prior to each Estimated Tax Due Date such (y) Partner’s Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution for such fiscal quarter, plus (z) with respect to Partners who are members of the Cantor Group, the Founding/Working Partners and the REU Limited Partners, an amount (positive or negative) calculated using the methodology contemplated by the definition “Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” (taking into account for this purpose items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item and disregarding all other items) for such fiscal quarter in respect of any items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item, and (ii) as promptly as practicable after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Partnership (but otherwise on such date and time as determined by the General Partner) an amount equal to all amounts allocated to such Partner’s Capital Account with respect to such quarter (reduced by the amount of any prior distributions pursuant to this Section 6.01(a)), with such distribution to occur on such date and time as determined by the General Partner; provided that distributions pursuant to this clause (ii) shall be made to a Partner only to the extent of the positive balance in such Partner’s Capital Account unless otherwise determined by the General Partner; provided , however , that in each case appropriate adjustments shall be made to reflect any amounts treated as distributed pursuant to Section 5.09; provided , further , however , that with the prior written consent of the holders of a Majority in Interest, the Partnership may decrease the amount distributed from such Partners’ Capital Accounts; provided , further , that the Partnership shall not be obligated to make distributions in excess of its cash available for such distributions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 6.01, if the Partnership is unable to make the distributions contemplated by the foregoing as a result of any Special Item, then the Partnership shall use reasonable best efforts to borrow such amounts as are necessary to make distributions that would have been received by the BGC Partners Group in the absence of any such Special Item and to make the Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distributions to

 

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the Cantor Group and to Founding/Working Partners, and the costs of any such costs borrowing shall be treated as a Special Item. No distributions shall be made by the Partnership except as expressly contemplated by Sections 6.01 and 9.03(a) and Article XII.

(b) In accordance with Article XI, the General Partner may determine to withhold from distributions pursuant to this Section 6.01 amounts reflecting an Extraordinary Income Item or an Extraordinary Expenditure with respect to Founding/Working Partner Interests or REU Interests.

(c) The General Partner, with the consent of a Majority in Interest, may direct the Partnership to distribute all or part of any amount that is otherwise distributable to a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, under this Section 6.01 in the form of a distribution of Publicly Traded Shares, valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares, as reported by the national securities exchange or quotation system upon which such shares are then listed or quoted, during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding the distribution (or such other fair and reasonable pricing method as may be selected by the General Partner), or in other property valued at its then-fair market value, as determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion. The distribution of Publicly Traded Shares or other property to a Partner pursuant to this Section 6.01(c) shall result in a reduction in such Partner’s Capital Account and Adjusted Capital Account by an amount equal to the value of such distributed shares or property determined as provided in this Section 6.01(c). Any gain recognized or deemed recognized as a result of such distribution shall not affect any Adjusted Capital Account unless otherwise deemed appropriate by mutual agreement of the General Partner and a Majority in Interest, in their sole and absolute discretion.

(d) The General Partner, with the consent of a Majority in Interest, in its sole and absolute discretion, may direct the Partnership, upon a Founding/Working Partner’s or REU Partner’s death, retirement, withdrawal from the Partnership or other full or partial redemption of Units, to distribute to such Partner (or to his or her Personal Representative, as the case may be) a number of Publicly Traded Shares or an amount of other property that the General Partner determines is appropriate in light of the goodwill associated with such Partner and his, her or its Units, such Partner’s length of service, responsibilities and contributions to the Partnership and/or other factors deemed to be relevant by the General Partner. Notwithstanding Sections 5.01 and 5.04, the distribution of Publicly Traded Shares or other property to a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, pursuant to this Section 6.01(d) shall result in a net reduction in such Partner’s Capital Account and Adjusted Capital Account, unless otherwise determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion. To the extent necessary or appropriate to give effect to the intent of this provision, as determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, the Partnership shall make a special allocation to the distributee Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, of gain, if any, that arises on any such distribution of the Publicly Traded Shares or other property.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no amount shall be distributed to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner in respect of income or gain allocable to such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner pursuant to Section 2

 

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of Exhibit D to this Agreement except to the extent the General Partner determines in its sole and absolute discretion that such a distribution is consistent with the intent of this Agreement.

SECTION 6.02. Limitation on Distributions . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Partnership and the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership, shall not be required to make a distribution to a Partner on account of its interest in the Partnership if such distribution would violate the Act or any other applicable law.

ARTICLE VII

TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

SECTION 7.01. Transfers Generally Prohibited . No Partner may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any of rights, title and interest in and to, its Interest, except as permitted by the terms and conditions set forth in this Article VII (and, with respect to the Founding/Working Partners and the REU Partners only, Article XII). The Schedules shall be revised pursuant to Section 1.03 from time to time to reflect any change in the Partners or Interests to reflect any Transfer permitted by this Article VII.

SECTION 7.02. Permitted Transfers . (a)  Regular Limited Partnership Interests . No Regular Limited Partner (other than the Special Voting Limited Partner, which shall be governed by Section 7.02(b)) may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Regular Limited Partnership Interest (other than the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, which shall be governed by Section 7.02(b)), except any such Transfer (i) pursuant to Section 4.03(b)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation or Section 4.03(b)(iv) or 8.01, (ii) if such Regular Limited Partner shall be a member of the Cantor Group, to any Person; or (iii) for which the General Partner and the Exchangeable Limited Partners (with such consent to require the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest) shall have provided their respective prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). With respect to any Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest Transferred by a Cantor Company to another Person, Cantor may elect, prior to or at the time of such Transfer, either (1) that such Person shall receive such Interest in the form of an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest and that such Person shall thereafter be an Exchangeable Limited Partner for purposes of this Agreement so long as such Person continues to hold such Interest or (2) that such Person shall receive such Interest in the form of a Regular Limited Partnership Interest (other than an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest or a Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest), and that such Person shall not be an Exchangeable Limited Partner for purposes of this Agreement as a result of holding such Interest. For the avoidance of doubt, if Cantor shall not so elect, such Transferred Interest shall not be designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest.

(b) Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest . The Special Voting Limited Partner may not Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, except any such Transfer (i) to a wholly owned Subsidiary of BGC Partners; provided that, in the event that such transferee shall cease to be a wholly owned Subsidiary

 

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of BGC Partners, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest shall automatically be Transferred to BGC Partners, without the requirement of any further action on the part of the Partnership, BGC Partners or any other Person; or (ii) pursuant to Section 4.03(b)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation. Upon removal of any Special Voting Limited Partner, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest shall be transferred to the Person being admitted as the new Special Voting Limited Partner, simultaneously with admission and without the requirement of any action on the part of the Special Voting Limited Partner being removed or any other Person.

(c) Founding Partner Interest. No Founding Partner may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Founding Partner Interest, except any such Transfer (i) pursuant to a redemption as set forth in Section 12.03; (ii) pursuant to Section 4.03(c)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation or Section 4.03(c)(iii) or 8.01; (iii) to any Cantor Company; provided that in the event that such transferee shall cease to be a Cantor Company, such Founding Partner Interest shall automatically Transfer to Cantor; (iv) with the consent of a Majority in Interest, to any other Founding Partner; or (v) with the mutual consent of the General Partner and a Majority in Interest (which consent may be withheld for any reason or for no reason whatsoever), to any other Person.

(d) Working Partner Interest. No Working Partner may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Working Partner Interest, except any such Transfer (i) pursuant to a redemption as set forth in Section 12.03; (ii) pursuant to Section 4.03(d)(iii) or 8.01; (iii) to any Cantor Company; provided that in the event that such transferee shall cease to be a Cantor Company, such Working Partner Interest shall automatically Transfer to Cantor; or (iv) with the mutual consent of the General Partner and a Majority in Interest (which consent may be withheld for any reason or for no reason whatsoever), to any other Person.

(e) General Partnership Interest. The General Partner may not Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its General Partnership Interest, except any such Transfer (i) to a new General Partner in accordance with this Section, (ii) with the prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of the Special Voting Limited Partner, to any other Person, or (iii) pursuant to Section 4.03(a)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation. Any General Partner may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Special Voting Limited Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, and the General Partner may resign from the Partnership for any reason or for no reason whatsoever; provided , however , that, as a condition to any such removal or resignation, (A) the Special Voting Limited Partner shall first appoint another Person as the new General Partner; (B) such Person shall be admitted to the Partnership as the new General Partner (upon the execution and delivery of an agreement to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and such other agreements, documents or instruments requested by the resigning General Partner); and (C) such resigning or removed General Partner shall Transfer its entire General Partnership Interest to the new General Partner. The admission of the new General Partner shall be deemed effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of the resignation

 

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of the resigning General Partner, and shall otherwise have the effects set forth in Section 4.03(a)(iii). Upon removal of any General Partner, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the General Partnership Interest shall be transferred to the Person being admitted as the new General Partner, simultaneously with admission and without the requirement of any action on the part of the General Partner being removed or any other Person.

(f) REU Interest . No REU Partner may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its REU Interest, except any such Transfer (i) pursuant to a redemption as set forth in Section 12.03; (ii) pursuant to Section 4.03(e)(i) concurrently with the Merger or Section 4.03(e)(iii) or 8.01; (iii) to any Cantor Company; provided that in the event that such transferee shall cease to be a Cantor Company, such REU Interest shall automatically Transfer to Cantor; or (iv) with the mutual consent of the General Partner and a Majority in Interest (which consent may be withheld for any reason or for no reason whatsoever), to any other Person.

SECTION 7.03. Admission as a Partner Upon Transfer . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, a Transferee who has otherwise satisfied the requirements of Section 7.02 shall become a Partner, and shall be listed as a “Regular Limited Partner , “Exchangeable Limited Partner , “Special Voting Limited Partner , “Founding Partner , “REU Partner , “Working Partner” or “General Partner” as applicable, on Schedule 4.01 , and shall be deemed to receive the Interest being Transferred, in each case only at such time as such Transferee executes and delivers to the Partnership an agreement in which the Transferee agrees to be admitted as a Partner and bound by this Agreement and any other agreements, documents or instruments specified by the General Partner and such agreements (when applicable) shall have been duly executed by the General Partner; provided , however , that if such Transferee (a) is at the time of such Transfer a Partner of the applicable class of Interests being Transferred, (b) receives Interests in the Cantor Redemption or (c) has previously entered into an agreement pursuant to which the Transferee shall have agreed to become a Partner and be bound by this Agreement (which agreement is in effect at the time of such Transfer), such Transferee shall not be required to enter into any such agreements unless otherwise determined by the General Partner; provided , further , that the Transfers, admissions to and withdrawals from the Partnership as Partners, contemplated by Sections 4.03(a)(i), 4.03(b)(i) or 4.03(c)(i) shall not require the execution or delivery of any further agreements or other documentation hereunder.

SECTION 7.04. Transfer of Units and Capital with the Transfer of an Interest . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each Partner who Transfers an Interest shall be deemed to have Transferred the entire Interest, including the associated Units and Capital of such Interest, or, if a portion of an Interest is being Transferred, each Partner who Transfers a portion of an Interest shall specify the number of Units being so Transferred and such Transfer shall include a proportionate amount of Capital of such Interest, to the Transferee.

SECTION 7.05. Encumbrances . No Partner may charge or encumber its Interest or otherwise subject its Interest to a lien, pledge, security interest, right of first refusal, option or other similar limitation (an “Encumbrance” ), except in each case for those created by this Agreement; provided , however , that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, an Exchangeable Limited Partner may Encumber its Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest in connection with any bona fide bank financing transaction.

 

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SECTION 7.06. Legend . Each Partner agrees that any certificate issued to it to evidence its Interests shall have inscribed conspicuously on its front or back the following legend:

THE PARTNERSHIP INTEREST IN BGC HOLDINGS, L.P. REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED UNITS AND CAPITAL) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT” ), OR REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR FOREIGN JURISDICTION, AND THIS PARTNERSHIP INTEREST MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, EXCEPT (A) EITHER (1) WHILE A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER APPLICABLE REGISTRATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS ARE IN EFFECT OR (2) PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (INCLUDING, IF APPLICABLE, REGULATION S THEREUNDER) AND SUCH OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS AND (B) IF PERMITTED BY THE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF BGC HOLDINGS, L.P., AS IT MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, WHICH CONTAINS STRICT PROHIBITIONS ON TRANSFERS, SALES, ASSIGNMENTS, PLEDGES, HYPOTHECATIONS, ENCUMBRANCES OR OTHER DISPOSITIONS OF THIS PARTNERSHIP INTEREST OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED UNITS AND CAPITAL).

SECTION 7.07. Effect of Transfer Not in Compliance with this Article . Any purported Transfer of all or any part of a Partner’s Interest, or any interest therein, that is not in compliance with this Article VII (and, in the case of the Founding/Working Partner Interests or REU Interests, Article XII) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be void ab initio and shall be of no effect.

ARTICLE VIII

EXCHANGE RIGHTS

SECTION 8.01. Exchange Rights . (a) An Exchange Right Interest shall be exchangeable, at the option of such Limited Partner holding such Interest, with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Common Stock, on the terms, and subject to the conditions, set forth in this Article VIII.

(b) (i) An Exchangeable Limited Partner shall be entitled to exchange all or a portion of its Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest; provided that, in the case of the Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest issued on the date of this Agreement or prior to the first anniversary of the Closing Date (as defined in the Separation Agreement), such Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest may be exchanged hereunder only on or after the first anniversary of the Closing Date (as defined in the Separation Agreement) or for

 

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exchanges that occur prior to the Merger or pursuant to the next sentence. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary in this Agreement, prior to the first anniversary of the Closing Date (as defined in the Separation Agreement), Cantor or any Cantor Company shall be entitled to exchange from time to time a portion of its Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests for up to an aggregate of 20 million shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock; provided that any such exchange shall be conditioned upon the consummation of a broad-based public offering including all shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock received upon such exchange, where such offering is underwritten by a nationally recognized investment banking firm.

(ii) A Founding Partner shall not be entitled to exchange any portion of its Founding Partner Interest; provided , however , that the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest) may, in their sole discretion, cause all or a portion of the outstanding Founding Partner Units to be exchangeable (including mandatorily exchangeable) with BGC Partners for shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock pursuant to Section 8.01(c)(ii); provided , however , that BGC Partners shall not be required to effectuate such an exchange if such Founding Partner Interest shall be subject to any Encumbrance; provided , further , that in the case of any exchange of High Distribution II Units or High Distribution III Units by a Founding Partner, BGC Partners shall not be required to effectuate such exchange unless and until such Partner shall have paid in full any then outstanding CFLP HDII Account or CFLP HDIII Account with respect to such Units. The terms and conditions on which such Founding Partner Units shall become exchangeable (including the circumstances in which such Founding Partner Units shall be mandatorily exchangeable and/or cease to be exchangeable) shall be determined by the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cantor shall not be able to make a Founding Partner Interest exchangeable if the terms and conditions of such exchange would in any way diminish or adversely affect the rights of BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries (it being understood that an obligation by BGC Partners to deliver shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock upon exchange shall not be deemed to diminish or adversely affect the rights of BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries).

(iii) An REU Partner shall not be entitled to exchange any portion of its REU Interest; provided , however , that BGC Partners may, with the written consent of a Majority in Interest, cause all or a portion of the outstanding REUs to be exchangeable (including mandatorily exchangeable) with BGC Partners for shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock pursuant to Section 8.01(c)(iii); provided , however , that BGC Partners shall not be required to effectuate such an exchange if such REU Interest shall be subject to any Encumbrance. The terms and conditions on which such REUs shall become exchangeable (including the circumstances in which such REUs shall cease to be mandatorily exchangeable and/or exchangeable) shall be determined by BGC Partners, with the written consent of a Majority in Interest.

(iv) A Working Partner shall not be entitled to exchange any portion of its Working Partner Interest; provided , however , that BGC Partners may, with the written consent of a Majority in Interest, cause all or a portion of the outstanding

 

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Working Partner Units to be exchangeable (including mandatorily exchangeable) with BGC Partners for shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock pursuant to Section 8.01(c)(iv); provided , however , that BGC Partners shall not be required to effectuate such an exchange if such Working Partner Interest shall be subject to any Encumbrance; provided , further , that in the case of any exchange of High Distribution II Units or High Distribution III Units by a Working Partner, BGC Partners shall not be required to effectuate such exchange unless and until such Partner shall have paid in full any then outstanding HDII Account or HDIII Account with respect to such Units. The terms and conditions on which such Working Partner Units shall become exchangeable (including the circumstances in which such Working Partner Units shall be mandatorily exchangeable and/or cease to be exchangeable) shall be determined by BGC Partners, with the written consent of a Majority in Interest.

(v) Provisions of this Article VIII that apply to the exchange of an entire Exchange Right Interest shall also apply to an exchange of a portion of an Exchange Right Interest. Each Exchange shall be expressed in terms of a number of Units underlying the Exchange Right Interest being exchanged. Cantor may, on one occasion, designate any Exchange or Exchanges made as of a single date or as part of a series of related transactions as being intended to qualify for tax-deferred treatment under Section 351 of the Code, in which case BGC Partners shall take such actions, at BGC Partners’ expense, as may be reasonably requested by Cantor to achieve such tax treatment. Subject to Section 4.09 of the Separation Agreement, BGC Partners acknowledges that for purposes of the foregoing, a request by Cantor to form a new parent holding company to which all of the holders of BGC Partners Common Stock are required to transfer their shares in connection with the consummation of an Exchange shall be a reasonable request.

(c) (i) Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests issued on the date of this Agreement pursuant to the Contribution and any Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests issued after the date of this Agreement shall be exchangeable for a number of shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio multiplied by the Units so exchanged; provided that, in the event that (A) the Electing Partner elects to receive BGC Partners Class A Common Stock and/or (B) there shall be not be any authorized and unissued shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock, such Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests shall be exchangeable for a number of shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio multiplied by the Units so exchanged.

(ii) If a Founding Partner Interest shall have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii), such Founding Partner Interest shall be exchangeable for a number of shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio multiplied by the Units so exchanged.

(iii) If an REU Interest shall have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii), such REU Interest shall be exchangeable for a number of shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio multiplied by the Units so exchanged.

 

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(iv) If a Working Partner Interest shall have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iv), such Working Partner Interest shall be exchangeable for a number of shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio multiplied by the Units so exchanged.

(d) A holder of an Exchange Right Interest is not entitled to any rights of a holder of BGC Partners Common Stock with respect to such Exchange Right Interest until such Interest shall have been exchanged therefor in accordance with this Article VIII.

(e) To exercise the Exchange Right, a holder of an Exchange Right Interest who elects to exercise its Exchange Right (an “Electing Partner” ) shall prepare and deliver to BGC Partners and the Partnership a written request signed by such Electing Partner (i) stating the amount of Exchange Right Units, together with the Exchange Right Interests and a proportionate amount of Capital (or portion thereof), that such Electing Partner desires to exchange, (ii) stating the Business Day on which the Electing Partner shall elect to have such Exchange consummated in accordance with this Article VIII (the date so selected by the Electing Partner, the “Requested Exchange Effective Date” ), (iii) solely in the case of Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests, stating, whether such Electing Partner desires to receive BGC Partners Class A Common Stock in lieu of all or a portion of the BGC Partners Class B Common Stock otherwise issuable (and if so, the number of shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock such Electing Partner desires to receive), and (iv) representing, warranting and certifying to each of BGC Partners and Partnership that, as of the date of such notice and as of the Exchange Effective Date, (A) such Electing Partner is entitled to exchange the portion of the Exchange Right Units that the Electing Partner desires to exchange pursuant to this Article VIII, (B) such Electing Partner is the sole record and beneficial owner of such Exchange Right Units, together with Exchange Right Interests and a proportionate amount of Capital, free and clear of all Encumbrances other than those created by this Agreement, (C) upon consummation of the Exchange, BGC Partners will have all right, title and interest in and to the Exchange Right Interest and related Unit received in such exchange, free and clear of all Encumbrances (other than any created by this Agreement or under any agreement, contract, law or order to which BGC Partners is a party or otherwise subject), and (D) in the case of any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner exercising an Exchange Right, an acknowledgement of such Partner’s responsibility for certain tax and tax related liabilities as provided in Section 12.07 (each such request, an “Exchange Request” ). The General Partner shall effectuate such Exchange on the Requested Exchange Effective Date or otherwise promptly effectuate such Exchange (such date, the “Exchange Effective Date” ). Each of BGC Partners and the General Partner shall have the right to determine whether any Exchange Request is proper or to waive any infraction, or any requirement, of these procedures. Once delivered, an Exchange Request shall be irrevocable.

(f) Each Exchange shall be consummated effective as of the close of BGC Partners’ business on the applicable Exchange Effective Date (such time, the “Exchange Effective Time” ), and the Electing Partner shall be deemed to have become the holder of record of the applicable number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock at such Exchange Effective Time, and all rights of the Electing Partner in respect of the portion of the Exchange Right Units, together with the Exchange Right Interest, and a proportionate

 

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amount of Capital as determined pursuant to Section 8.01(h) so exchanged shall terminate at such Exchange Effective Time; provided , however , that the obligation of BGC Partners to consummate any Exchange shall be conditioned upon (i) the absence of any injunction, order, law or regulation of any governmental or regulatory authority of competent jurisdiction that prohibits the consummation of such Exchange or the redemption contemplated by Section 8.07 in accordance with its terms, (ii) the receipt of all material regulatory and governmental approvals (including registration under the Securities Act, or the availability of an exemption from the requirements for such registration and self regulatory approvals) that are required to consummate such Exchange and the redemption contemplated by Section 8.07 in accordance with its terms (and each of the parties involved in such Exchange shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all such approvals), (iii) the certifications set forth in Section 8.01(e) shall be true and correct when made and as of the Exchange Effective Time, and (iv) the redemption contemplated by Section 8.07 shall be capable of being consummated in accordance with the terms thereof.

(g) Upon receipt by BGC Partners of an Exchange Right Interest and related Exchange Right Units (or portion thereof) pursuant to any Exchange, the Exchange Right Interest and related Exchange Rights Units (or portion thereof) being so exchanged shall automatically be designated as a Regular Limited Partnership Interest and related Units (or portion thereof), shall have all rights and obligations of a holder of Regular Limited Partnership Interests and shall cease to be designated as an Exchange Right Interest (and for the avoidance of doubt, shall not be exchangeable pursuant to this Section 8.01).

(h) (i) In the case of an Exchange of an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest (or portion thereof) pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(i) or a Founding Partner Interest (or portion thereof) pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii), and subject to any additional adjustment as may be required under Section 8.01(i), the aggregate Capital Account of the Units so exchanged shall equal a pro rata portion of the total aggregate Capital Account of all Exchangeable Limited Partner Units and Founding Partner Units then outstanding, reflecting the portion of all such Exchangeable Limited Partner Units and Founding Partner Units then outstanding represented by the Units so exchanged. The aggregate Capital Account of the Electing Partner in such Partner’s remaining Units shall be reduced by an equivalent amount. If the aggregate Capital Account of such Electing Partner is insufficient to permit such a reduction without resulting in a negative Capital Account, the amount of such insufficiency shall be satisfied by reallocating Capital from the Capital Accounts of the Exchangeable Limited Partners and the Founding Partners to the Capital Account of the Units so exchanged, pro rata based on the number of Units underlying the outstanding Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests and the Founding Partner Interests or based on other factors as determined by a Majority in Interest.

(ii) In the case of an Exchange of an REU Interest (or portion thereof) pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii) or a Working Partner Interest (or portion thereof) pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iv), and subject to any additional adjustment as may be required under Section 8.01(i), the aggregate Capital Account of the Units so exchanged shall equal the Capital Account of the REU Interest (or portion thereof) or Working Partner Interest (or portion thereof), as the case may be, represented by such Units.

 

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(i) If, prior to an Exchange of an Exchange Right Interest, there has been an allocation of items of income, gain, loss or deduction resulting from a Special Item, then (A) the Capital Account of the Units so exchanged shall be further adjusted so that Units received by BGC Partners in the Exchange shall not reflect any such allocation; and (B) any increase or decrease in the remaining Capital for all issued and outstanding Interests as a result of clause (A) of this sentence shall be allocated to the Capital Accounts of the Limited Partnership Interests (other than the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest), pro rata in proportion to the number of Units underlying such Interests or in other proportion as determined by a Majority in Interest (it being the intention that, in all cases, BGC Partners, as the holder of the Special Voting Limited Partner Interest or otherwise, shall not bear the benefits and burdens of the Special Item). Such reallocation shall be effected in the manner determined by the General Partner with the written consent of a Majority in Interest.

SECTION 8.02. No Fractional Shares of BGC Partners Common Stock . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, BGC Partners will not transfer any fractional shares of BGC Partners Common Stock upon any Exchange. In lieu thereof, in each Exchange, BGC Partners will transfer shares of BGC Partners Common Stock rounded to the nearest whole share.

SECTION 8.03. Taxes in Respect of an Exchange . In any Exchange, BGC Partners shall pay any documentary, stamp or similar issue or transfer tax due on the issue of the BGC Partners Common Stock upon such Exchange; provided that the Electing Partner shall pay any such tax that is due because such Electing Partner requests the shares of BGC Partners Common Stock to be issued in a name other than the holder’s name. BGC Partners may refuse to deliver the certificate representing BGC Partners Common Stock being transferred to a Person other than the Electing Partner until BGC Partners receives a sum sufficient to pay any tax that will be due because the shares are to be transferred to a Person other than the Electing Partner. Nothing herein shall preclude any tax withholding required by law or regulation. In addition, each Founding/Working Partner and REU Partner shall be responsible for all tax liabilities arising in connection with an Exchange as provided in Section 12.07.

SECTION 8.04. Reservation of BGC Partners Common Stock . BGC Partners covenants and agrees that it shall from time to time as may be necessary reserve, out of its authorized but unissued BGC Partners Class B Common Stock and BGC Partners Class A Common Stock, a sufficient number of shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock and BGC Partners Class A Common Stock solely to effect the exchange of all then outstanding Exchange Right Units together with the Exchange Right Interests and a proportionate amount of Capital into shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock and BGC Partners Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Exchanges (subject, in the case of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock, to the maximum number of shares authorized but unissued under the Certificate of Incorporation of BGC Partners as then in effect) and a sufficient number of shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock to effect the exchange of shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock issued or issuable in respect of Exchange Right Units together with the Exchange Right Interests and a proportionate amount of Capital. BGC Partners covenants and agrees that all shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock and BGC Partners Class A Common Stock issued in the Exchange will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will be free from pre-emptive rights and free of any Encumbrances. BGC Partners acknowledges and agrees that each additional issuance of Exchange Right Interests in accordance with this Agreement will be entitled to Exchange Right Units under this Article VIII.

 

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SECTION 8.05. Compliance with Applicable Laws in the Exchange . BGC Partners shall use its reasonable best efforts promptly to comply with all federal and state securities laws regulating the offer and delivery of shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock (or, if applicable, BGC Partners Class A Common Stock) upon Exchange of Exchange Right Units, together with the Exchange Right Interests and a proportionate amount of Capital, if any, and (to the extent BGC Partners Class A Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange) to list or cause to have quoted such shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock (including BGC Partners Class A Common Stock issuable in exchange for any shares of BGC Partners Class B Common Stock to be issued hereunder) on each national securities exchange or on the Nasdaq Global Market or other over-the-counter market or such other market on which the BGC Partners Class A Common Stock is then listed or quoted; provided , however , that if rules of such automated quotation system or exchange permit BGC Partners to defer the listing of such BGC Partners Class A Common Stock until the first exchange of the Exchange Right Interests into BGC Partners Class A Common Stock (or, if applicable, BGC Partners Class B Common Stock exchangeable for BGC Partners Class A Common Stock) in accordance with the provisions of this Article VIII, BGC Partners shall use its reasonable best efforts to list such BGC Partners Class A Common Stock issuable upon Exchange of the Exchange Right Units together with the Exchange Right Interests and a proportionate amount of Capital or the BGC Partners Class B Common Stock issued in exchange for such Exchange Right Units together with the Exchange Right Interests and a proportionate amount of Capital in accordance with the requirements of such automated quotation system or exchange at such time.

SECTION 8.06. Adjustments to Exchange Ratio . (a) In the event that BGC Partners shall:

(i) pay a dividend in the form of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock or make a distribution on shares of BGC Partners Common Stock in the form of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock;

(ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of BGC Partners Common Stock into a greater number of shares;

(iii) combine the outstanding shares of BGC Partners Common Stock into a smaller number of shares;

(iv) make a distribution on shares of BGC Partners Common Stock in shares of its share capital other than BGC Partners Common Stock; or

(v) issue by reclassification of the outstanding shares of BGC Partners Common Stock any shares of its share capital;

for which there shall not be a corresponding adjustment in the number of Exchange Right Units (including pursuant to Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement), then the Exchange Ratio in effect immediately prior to such action shall be adjusted so that the holder of an Exchange Right Unit who thereafter exchanged in accordance with this Article VIII shall receive the number of

 

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shares of share capital of BGC Partners that it would have owned immediately following such action if it had exchanged its Exchange Right Units in full for shares of BGC Partners Common Stock immediately prior to such action; provided , however , that no such adjustment to the Exchange Ratio shall be made to the extent that such dividend, subdivision, combination, distribution or issuance pursuant to clauses (i) through (v) above was made to maintain the existing BGC Ratio pursuant to a reinvestment by BGC Partners or its Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 4.11(a)(iii) of the Separation Agreement.

(b) In the event of (i) any reclassification or change of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock issuable upon exchange of the Exchange Right Units (other than a change in par value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value, or as a result of a subdivision or combination, or any other change for which an adjustment is provided in Section 8.06(a)); (ii) any consolidation or merger or combination to which BGC Partners is a party other than a merger in which BGC Partners is the continuing corporation and which does not result in any reclassification of, or change (other than in par value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value, or as a result of a subdivision or combination) in, outstanding shares of BGC Partners Common Stock; or (iii) any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of BGC Partners, directly or indirectly, to any Person as a result of which holders of BGC Partners Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock, securities or other property or assets (including cash) with respect to or in exchange for BGC Partners Common Stock, then BGC Partners shall take all necessary action such that the Exchange Right Units then outstanding shall be exchangeable into the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, change, combination, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other disposition by a holder of the number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock deliverable upon exchange of such Exchange Right Units immediately prior to such reclassification, change, combination, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or other disposition. The provisions of this Section 8.06(b) shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, changes, combinations, consolidations, mergers, sales or conveyances.

(c) In the event that the Partnership shall combine the outstanding Exchange Right Units into a smaller number of Exchange Right Units, the Exchange Ratio in effect immediately prior to such action shall be adjusted so that the holder of Exchange Right Units thereafter exchanged in accordance with this Article VIII may receive the number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock that it would have owned immediately following such action if it had exchanged its Exchange Right Units in full for shares of BGC Partners Common Stock immediately prior to such action.

SECTION 8.07. Redemption for Opco Units . (a) Immediately following an Exchange of an Exchange Right Interest, the Partnership shall redeem the Exchange Right Interest and related Exchange Right Units received in the Exchange by BGC Partners (or any member of the BGC Partners Group to whom BGC Partners Transfers such Interests and related Units) in exchange for (A) a U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Interest (the “Acquired U.S. Opco Interest” ) consisting of a number of U.S. Opco Units equal to (1) the number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock issued in such Exchange multiplied by (2) the BGC Ratio as of immediately prior to the redemption of such Units and (B) a Global Opco Limited Partnership

 

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Interest (the “Acquired Global Opco Interest” and collectively with the Acquired U.S. Opco Interest, the “Acquired Interests” ) consisting of a number of Global Opco Units equal to (1) the number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock issued in the Exchange multiplied by (2) the BGC Ratio as of immediately prior to the redemption of such Unit.

(b) In the case of an Exchange of an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest or a Founding Partner Interest, (i) the Acquired U.S. Opco Interest shall consist of U.S. Opco Capital equal to (1) the total U.S. Opco Capital as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange for all issued and outstanding U.S. Opco Units that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest or Founding Partner Interest, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding U.S. Opco Units as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest or Founding Partner Interest, multiplied by (3) the number of U.S. Opco Units underlying such Acquired U.S. Opco Interest; (ii) the Acquired Global Opco Interest shall consist of Global Opco Capital equal to (1) the total Global Opco Capital as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange for all issued and outstanding Global Opco Units that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest or Founding Partner Interest, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding Global Opco Units as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest or Founding Partner Interest, multiplied by (3) the number of Global Opco Units underlying such Acquired Global Opco Interest; and (iii) the U.S. Opco Capital and Global Opco Capital of such Acquired U.S. Opco Interest and Global Opco Interest, as the case may be, shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the impact of any Special Item (as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement and the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement, as the case may be) and the intention of the Parties for the Partnership (and not BGC Partners, as the holder of the Special Voting Limited Partner Interest or otherwise) to realize the economic benefits and burdens of such Special Item.

(c) In the case of an Exchange of an REU Interest, (i) the Acquired U.S. Opco Interest shall consist of U.S. Opco Capital equal to (1) the total U.S. Opco Capital as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange for all issued and outstanding U.S. Opco Units that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding REU Interest, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding U.S. Opco Units as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding REU Interest, multiplied by (3) the number of U.S. Opco Units underlying such Acquired U.S. Opco Interest; (ii) the Acquired Global Opco Interest shall consist of Global Opco Capital equal to (1) the total Global Opco Capital as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange for all issued and outstanding Global Opco Units that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding REU Interest, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding Global Opco Units as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding REU Interest, multiplied by (3) the number of Global Opco Units underlying such Acquired Global Opco Interest; and (iii) the U.S. Opco Capital and Global Opco Capital of such Acquired U.S. Opco Interest and Global Opco Interest, as the case may be, shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the impact of any Special Item (as defined in the U.S. Opco

 

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Limited Partnership Agreement and the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement, as the case may be) and the intention of the Parties for the Partnership (and not BGC Partners, as the holder of the Special Voting Limited Partner Interest or otherwise) to realize the economic benefits and burdens of such Special Item.

(d) In the case of an Exchange of a Working Partner Interest, (i) the Acquired U.S. Opco Interest shall consist of U.S. Opco Capital equal to (1) the total U.S. Opco Capital as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange for all issued and outstanding U.S. Opco Units that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Working Partner Interest, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding U.S. Opco Units as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Working Partner Interest, multiplied by (3) the number of U.S. Opco Units underlying such Acquired U.S. Opco Interest; (ii) the Acquired Global Opco Interest shall consist of Global Opco Capital equal to (1) the total Global Opco Capital as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange for all issued and outstanding Global Opco Units that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Working Partner Interest, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding Global Opco Units as of immediately prior to the applicable Exchange that were issued in connection with the issuance of any outstanding Working Partner Interest, multiplied by (3) the number of Global Opco Units underlying such Acquired Global Opco Interest; and (iii) the U.S. Opco Capital and Global Opco Capital of such Acquired U.S. Opco Interest and Global Opco Interest, as the case may be, shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the impact of any Special Item (as defined in the U.S. Opco Limited Partnership Agreement and the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement, as the case may be) and the intention of the Parties for the Partnership (and not BGC Partners, as the holder of the Special Voting Limited Partner Interest or otherwise) to realize the economic benefits and burdens of such Special Item.

ARTICLE IX

DISSOLUTION

SECTION 9.01. Dissolution . The Partnership shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up upon the first to occur of the following:

(a) an election to dissolve the Partnership made by the General Partner; provided that such dissolution shall require the prior approval of (x) a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors and (y) the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest);

(b) at any time there are no limited partners of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued in accordance with the Act;

(c) any event that results in the General Partner ceasing to be a general partner of the Partnership under the Act, provided that the Partnership shall not be dissolved and required to be wound up in connection with any such event if (A) at the time of the occurrence of such event there is at least one remaining general partner of the Partnership

 

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who is hereby authorized to and does carry on the business of the Partnership, or (B) within 90 days after the occurrence of such event, a majority of the Limited Partners agree in writing or vote to continue the business of the Partnership and to the appointment, effective as of the date of such event, if required, of one or more additional general partners of the Partnership; or

(d) entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under Section 17-802 of the Act.

None of the Partners shall have any right to terminate, dissolve or have redeemed their class of Interests or, except for the General Partner and otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by law, to terminate, windup or dissolve the Partnership. Absent the approval of a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors, each Partner shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the dissolution of the Partnership.

SECTION 9.02. Liquidation . Upon a dissolution pursuant to Section 9.01, the Partnership’s business and assets shall be wound up promptly in an orderly manner. The General Partner shall be the liquidator to wind up the affairs of the Partnership. In performing its duties, the General Partner is authorized to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of the Partnership’s business and assets in accordance with the Act in any reasonable manner that the General Partner determines to be in the best interests of the Partners. Upon completion of the winding-up of the Partnership, the General Partner shall prepare and submit to each Limited Partner a final statement with respect thereto.

SECTION 9.03. Distributions . (a) In the event of a dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to Section 9.01, the Partnership shall apply and distribute the proceeds of the dissolution as provided below:

(i) first, to the creditors of the Partnership, including Partners that are creditors of the Partnership to the extent permitted by law, in satisfaction of the liabilities of the Partnership (by payment or by the making of reasonable provision for payment thereof, including the setting up of any reserves which the General Partner determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, are necessary therefor);

(ii) second, to the repayment of any loans or advances that may have been made by any of the Partners to the Partnership;

(iii) third, to the Partners in proportion to (and to the extent of) the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts; and

(iv) thereafter, to the Partners in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests.

(b) Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership. Upon completion of a liquidation and distribution pursuant to Section 9.03(a) following a dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to Section 9.01, the General Partner shall execute, acknowledge and cause to be filed a certificate of cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Partnership’s existence as a separate legal entity shall continue until cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Act.

 

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SECTION 9.04. Reconstitution. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall impair, restrict or limit the rights and powers of the Partners under the laws of the State of Delaware and any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership is doing business to reform and reconstitute themselves as a limited partnership following dissolution of the Partnership either under provisions identical to those set forth herein or any others which they may deem appropriate.

SECTION 9.05. Deficit Restoration. Upon the termination of the Partnership, no Limited Partner shall be required to restore any negative balance in his, her or its Capital Account to the Partnership except that any Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution II Units shall be required to restore any negative balance in his, her or its Capital Account but only to the extent of such Founding/Working Partner’s HDII Account. Any amount contributed by a Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution II Units pursuant to this Section 9.05 shall be considered an HDII Contribution for purposes of Section 12.01(b)(ii)(A). The General Partner shall be required to contribute to the Partnership an amount equal to its respective deficit Capital Account balances within the period prescribed by Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c).

ARTICLE X

INDEMNIFICATION AND EXCULPATION

SECTION 10.01. Exculpation. Neither a General Partner nor any Affiliate or director or officer of a General Partner or any such Affiliate shall be personally liable to the Partnership or the Limited Partners for a breach of this Agreement or any fiduciary duty as a General Partner or as an Affiliate or director or officer of a General Partner or any such Affiliate, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the Act as the same exists or may hereafter be amended. Any repeal or modification of the immediately preceding sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of such Person existing hereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or modification. A General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisors selected by it and the opinion of any such Person as to matters which the General Partner reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted by the General Partner in good faith and in accordance with such opinion. A General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the obligations imposed on it hereunder either directly or by or through one or more agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner with due care.

SECTION 10.02. Indemnification. (a) Each Person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding” ), by reason of the fact

 

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that he or she, or a Person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a or has agreed to become a General Partner, or any director or officer of the General Partner or of the Partnership, or is or was serving at the request of the Partnership as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while surviving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL” ) as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Partnership to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Partnership to provide prior to such amendment), as if the Company were a corporation organized under the DGCL, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees and expenses, judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a Person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that except as provided in Section 10.02(c), the Partnership shall indemnify any such Person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the General Partner. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section 10.02 shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Partnership the expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expenses, incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its financial disposition; provided , however , that if the applicable law requires that the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Person while a director or officer, including, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Partnership of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 10.02 or otherwise. The Partnership may, by action of the General Partner, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Partnership with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.

(b) To obtain indemnification under this Section 10.02, a claimant shall submit to the Partnership a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 10.02(b), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (i) if requested by the claimant, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) if no request is made by the claimant for a determination by Independent Counsel, (x) by the board of directors of BGC Partners by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (y) if a quorum of the board of directors of BGC Partners consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the board

 

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of directors of BGC Partners, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (z) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest. In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel at the request of the claimant, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the board of directors of BGC Partners unless there shall have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “Change of Control” as defined in the 1999 Long-Term Incentive Plan of eSpeed, as amended in 2003, in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the board of directors of BGC Partners. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.

(c) If a claim under Section 10.02(a) is not paid in full by the Partnership within thirty (30) days after a written claim pursuant to Section 10.02(b) has been received by the Partnership, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Partnership to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Partnership) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Partnership to provide broader indemnification rights than it permitted the Partnership to provide prior to such amendment) for the Partnership to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed if the Partnership were a corporation organized under the DGCL, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Partnership. Neither the failure of the Partnership (including the board of directors of BGC Partners, independent legal counsel or its holders of Interests) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Partnership (including the board of directors of BGC Partners or independent legal counsel or its holders of Interests) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 10.02(b) that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Partnership shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 10.02(c).

(e) The Partnership shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 10.02(c) that the procedures and presumptions of this Section 10.02 are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Partnership is bound by all the provisions of this Section 10.02.

(f) The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Section 10.02

 

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shall not be exclusive of any other right that any Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Agreement, agreement, vote of the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest) or Disinterested Directors or otherwise. No amendment or other modification of this Section 10.02 shall in any way diminish or adversely affect the rights of a General Partner, a Limited Partner or any directors, officers, employees or agents of the General Partner in respect of any occurrence or matter arising prior to any such repeal or modification.

(g) The Partnership may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the General Partner, grant rights to indemnification, and rights to be paid by the Partnership the expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any employee or agent of the Partnership to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Section 10.02 with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of a General Partner, a Limited Partner or any directors and officers of the General Partner.

(h) If any provision or provisions of this Section 10.02 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Section 10.02 (including each portion of this Section 10.02 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Section 10.02 (including each such portion of this Section 10.02 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

(i) For purposes of this Article X:

(i) “Disinterested Director” means a director of BGC Partners who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

(ii) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any Person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Partnership or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights under this Section 10.02.

(j) Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Partnership under this Section 10.02 shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, telex, telegram, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the General Partner and shall be effective only upon receipt by the General Partner.

SECTION 10.03. Insurance. The Partnership may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Partnership or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense,

 

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liability or loss, whether or not the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such expense, liability or loss under the Act if the Partnership were a corporation organized under the DGCL. To the extent that the Partnership maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such director or officer, and each such agent or employee to which rights of indemnification have been granted as provided in Section 10.02 shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such director, officer, employee or agent.

SECTION 10.04. Subrogation. In the event of payment of indemnification to a Person described in Section 10.02, the Partnership shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to any right of recovery such person may have and such person, as a condition of receiving indemnification from the Partnership, shall execute all documents and do all things that the Partnership may deem necessary or desirable to perfect such right of recovery, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Partnership effectively to enforce any such recovery.

SECTION 10.05. No Duplication of Payments. The Partnership shall not be liable under this Article X to make any payment in connection with any claim made against a person described in Section 10.02 to the extent such Person has otherwise received payment (under any insurance policy or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise payable as indemnity hereunder.

SECTION 10.06. Survival . This Article X shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

ARTICLE XI

EXTRAORDINARY ITEMS

SECTION 11.01. Certain Arrangements Regarding Extraordinary Items. (a) The Partnership may, from time to time, receive extraordinary income items from non recurring events, including but not limited to (i) items that would be considered “extraordinary items” under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and (ii) recoveries, by settlement, judgment, insurance reimbursement or otherwise, with respect to claims for expenses, costs and damages (including lost profits, but not including any recovery that does not result in monetary payments to the Partnership) attributable to extraordinary events affecting the Partnership (collectively, “Extraordinary Income Items” ). Without limiting the foregoing, except as otherwise determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, all after-tax income to the Partnership resulting from any transaction relating to shares of capital stock of any Affiliate owned by the Partnership, whether or not recurring in nature and whether hereafter arising or occurring prior to the date of this Agreement, including gains from the Partnership’s sale or deemed sale of such stock, may be treated by the General Partner as an Extraordinary Income Item (except to the extent that the transaction results in an offsetting item of expense or deduction to the Partnership or in items that are specially allocated pursuant to Sections 6.01(c) and 6.01(d)). The General Partner may determine, in its sole and absolute discretion, that all or a portion of any extraordinary expenditures from non-recurring events are to be treated for purposes of this Article XI as extraordinary expenditures (the “Extraordinary Expenditures” ), including: (A) any

 

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distribution or other payment (including a redemption payment) to a Partner, (B) the purchase price or other cost of acquiring any asset, (C) any other non-recurring expenditure of the Partnership, (D) items that would be considered “extraordinary items” under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and (E) expenses, damages or costs attributable to extraordinary events affecting the Partnership (including actual, pending or threatened litigation). The General Partner may, in its sole and absolute discretion, establish one or more separate accounts for part or all of the after tax-portion of Extraordinary Income Items and Extraordinary Expenditures (each, an “Extraordinary Account” ), which shall be maintained separately from the Capital Account of each Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner; provided , however , that the General Partner shall not deduct any Extraordinary Expenditure from any Extraordinary Account to the extent that doing so would result in a negative balance in such Extraordinary Account. To the extent that an item is treated as an Extraordinary Income Item or Extraordinary Expenditure, that item shall not directly or indirectly be included in the computation of the Partnership’s net income, gain, loss or deduction.

(b) Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner shall have an Article XI term (the “Article XI Term” ) with respect to each Unit held by such Partner and each Extraordinary Account. An Article XI Term of a Partner for any Extraordinary Account with respect to a Unit shall commence on the later of the date on which such Partner acquires such Unit or the date on which such Extraordinary Account is first created and ending on the date such Partner becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner.

(c) A Terminated or Bankrupt Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner will receive a payment from each Extraordinary Account for each Unit held by such Partner on the date such Partner becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner equal to the sum of: (i) the balance in each Extraordinary Account, (ii) the Extraordinary Percentage Interest in the Partnership represented by such Unit at the time such Partner becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner and (iii) such Partner’s Vested Percentage with respect to such Extraordinary Account for such Unit.

(d) For purposes of this Article XI:

(i) “Vested Percentage” shall mean the amount equal to with respect to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, 0% until (i) (A) such Partner’s Article XI Term with respect to such Extraordinary Account class for the Unit equals three (3) years or (B) with respect to a Founding/Working Partner holder of Grant Units only, the later of clause (A) or the continuous employment of such Founding/Working Partner for his, her or its Term of Employment (as defined in such Founding/Working Partner’s employment agreement with such Person, if any, entered into in connection with the issuance of the Matching Grant Units but excluding any automatic renewals thereof) (the later of the date specified in clause (A) or (B) being the “Initial Vesting Date” ), (ii) 30% as of the Initial Vesting Date and increasing by 10% on each yearly anniversary of such date until such Partner’s Vested Percentage for such Extraordinary Account for such Unit equals 100%; provided that the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion may accelerate the vesting of a Founding/Working Partner’s or REU Partner’s Extraordinary Account and may accelerate the distribution of such vested amounts.

 

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(ii) At any time of determination, “Extraordinary Percentage Interest” shall mean the amount equal to with respect to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, the percentage calculated by dividing the number of Units (including Hypothetical Units treated as being outstanding) held by such Partner by the number of Units (including Hypothetical Units treated as being outstanding) of the Partnership then outstanding. Such payments will be made in up to five (5) equal annual installments, as determined by the General Partner, commencing within one (1) year of the date on which a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner; provided that the Terminated or Bankrupt Partner has not violated its Partner Obligations or engaged in any Competitive Activity, prior to the date such payments are completed, and shall be subject to prepayment (including payment prior to the Termination of a Partner) at the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner at any time.

(iii) Upon the Termination of any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, there shall be treated as issued to Cantor a number of Founding/Working Partner Units or REU Partner Units, as the case may be (the “Hypothetical Units” ), equal to the product of (1) the number of Units held by such Partner immediately prior to such Termination and (2) 100% minus such Partner’s Vested Percentage at the time of such Termination; provided that such Partner’s Vested Percentage shall be adjusted (but not below zero (0)) to reflect the portion of the Vested Percentage that is actually paid to such Partner in connection with its Termination.

(e) Nothing in this Article XI shall affect the amount of money or property distributable to a Partner upon the liquidation of the Partnership.

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or otherwise, the General Partner is authorized (upon the approval of the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest)) to amend this Agreement without the consent of the Limited Partners to the extent reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article XI.

ARTICLE XII

FOUNDING PARTNERS, WORKING PARTNERS AND REU PARTNERS

SECTION 12.01. Units. (a)  General .

(i) Grant Units . Grant Units shall represent Founding/Working Partner Interests in the Partnership. Except as specifically provided to the contrary herein or in the agreements or other written materials executed by the General Partner relating to the grant of any Grant Units, it is intended that, for all purposes under this Agreement, Grant Units and the holders thereof shall have the same rights, privileges and obligations and shall be subject to the same restrictions, as High Distribution Units and the holders thereof; provided , however , that subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Partnership may issue Grant Units and create a Grant Tax Payment Account with other rights and limitations (including performance criteria, earnings

 

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limitations, and vesting requirements), upon the written consent of the General Partner and the holders of such Units. Any such rights and limitations shall be taken into account in applying the provisions of this Agreement.

(ii) Matching Grant Units . Matching Grant Units shall represent Founding/Working Partner Interests in the Partnership. Matching Grant Units may be issued, at the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, in connection with the purchase of Units by any Partner and in such amounts that the General Partner shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion. Except as specifically provided to the contrary herein or as in the agreements or other written materials executed by the General Partner relating to the grant of any Matching Grant Units, it is intended that, for all purposes under this Agreement, Matching Grant Units and the holders thereof shall have the same rights, privileges, and obligations and shall be subject to the same restrictions, as High Distribution Units and the holders thereof; provided , however , that subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the Partnership may issue Matching Grant Units and create a Matching Grant Tax Payment Account with other rights and limitations (including performance criteria, earnings limitations, and vesting requirements), upon the written consent of the General Partner and the holders of such Units. Any such rights and limitations shall be taken into account in applying the provisions of the Agreement.

(iii) High Distribution Units . High Distribution Units shall represent Founding/Working Partner Interests in the Partnership.

(iv) REUs . REUs shall represent REU Interests in the Partnership.

(b) High Distribution II Units . (i) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 12.01(b) or elsewhere in this Agreement, holders of High Distribution II Units shall have the same rights, privileges, and obligations as, and shall be subject to the same restrictions as, High Distribution Units.

(ii) The Partnership shall maintain an HDII Account with respect to each holder of High Distribution II Units. The HDII Account shall initially be equal to the amount per Unit mutually agreed by the Founding/Working Partner and the General Partner upon the issuance of any High Distribution II Units, subject to Section 12.01(b)(ix) and shall be adjusted as hereinafter provided. High Distribution II Units held as a result of modification of High Distribution Units shall, solely for purposes of this Section 12.01(b), be treated as issued on the date of such modification, except that such Units shall be treated as having been held by such Founding/Working Partner since the date the High Distribution Units were originally purchased for purposes of determining the amount distributable to a holder of High Distribution II Units pursuant to Section 12.01(b)(viii).

(A) Each HDII Account shall be reduced, but not below zero (0), by (x) any cash contributed to the Partnership by a holder of High Distribution II Units and designated as an HDII Contribution or (y) any reduction in distributions to such Founding/Working Partner pursuant to

 

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Section 12.01(b)(v), 12.01(b)(vi) or 12.01(b)(viii) (all amounts referred to in (x) and (y) shall be defined as “HDII Contributions” ).

(B) In the event that a Loss is allocated with respect to a Founding/Working Partner’s High Distribution II Units during any period, such Founding/Working Partner’s HDII Account shall be increased by the smaller of (x) the amount of such Loss and (y) the amount of such Founding/Working Partner’s HDII Special Allocation.

(iii) Pursuant to Section 2(k) of Exhibit D to this Agreement, a portion of the items of loss or deduction of the Partnership for each period shall specifically be allocated to each Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution II Units with a positive HDII Account. Such portion (the “HDII Special Allocation” ) shall be equal to the product of (1) the balance of such HDII Account and (2) the rate mutually agreed by the Founding/Working Partner and the General Partner from time to time (the “HDII Special Allocation Rate” ). Such HDII Special Allocation Rate may be fixed or established by formula.

(iv) A Founding/Working Partner’s HDII Account for each Unit must periodically be reduced to the level specified in a schedule mutually agreed by the Founding/Working Partner and the General Partner. If no schedule is agreed, the HDII Account shall be reduced by an amount sufficient so that the HDII Account is (i) no greater than 75% of its original value on the first December 15th after such Unit’s issuance; (ii) no greater than 50% of its original value on the second December 15th after such Unit’s issuance; (iii) no greater than 25% of its original value on the third December 15th after such Unit’s issuance; and (iv) zero (0) on the fourth December 15th after such Unit’s issuance; provided , however , that any such December 15th date may be extended at the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner to any later date in December of such year. To the extent that any HDII Account exceeds the relevant level set forth in the schedule or, if no schedule is agreed upon, the relevant level specified in the preceding sentence, such Founding/Working Partner’s HDII Account shall be reduced through adjustments to distributions pursuant to Section 12.01(b)(v) or 12.01(b)(vi). Reductions required to be made pursuant to this Section 12.01(b)(iv) shall be referred to as an “HDII Account Reduction Obligation.”

(v) Amounts distributable to any Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution II Units for any period shall be reduced, but not below zero (0), by the amount of any HDII Account Reduction Obligation that has not previously been satisfied. To the extent that any HDII Account Reduction Obligation for any date exceeds the amount, if any, that would otherwise be distributed to such Founding/Working Partner within five (5) days of such date, after application of any withholding tax or other payments on behalf of such Founding/Working Partner pursuant to Section 5.09, such Founding/Working Partner shall be required to make additional HDII Contributions to the Partnership pursuant to Section 12.01(b) in an amount equal to such excess.

 

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(vi) The General Partner may reduce any distribution otherwise payable to any holder of High Distribution II Units by an amount not to exceed the HDII Account Reduction Obligation for any date during the fiscal year that includes such distribution. Such reduction shall be made after application of Section 12.01(b)(iv). In applying this Section 12.01(b)(vi), the General Partner may deem such Founding/Working Partner to have elected to receive a distribution equal to 100% of the Estimated Income allocable to such Founding/Working Partner for such period.

(vii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no additional Units shall be issued to a Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution II Units as a result of any HDII Contribution occurring by way of cash contributions and reductions in amounts distributable to such Founding/Working Partner under Section 12.01(b)(v), 12.01(b)(vi) or 12.01(b)(viii).

(viii) In the event of the redemption of all or a portion of a Founding/Working Partner’s High Distribution II Units pursuant to Section 3.03, 9.02 or 12.05 or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement, the amount distributable to a Founding/Working Partner shall be reduced, but not below zero (0), by the HDII Account. In the event of the redemption of all of a Founding/Working Partner’s High Distribution II Units, the Founding/Working Partner’s HDII Account shall become immediately payable to the Partnership in full. In the event of the redemption of all or a portion of a Founding Partner’s High Distribution II Units, (a) an amount equal to the Founding Partner’s CFLP HDII Account with respect to such Units shall be paid to Cantor rather than being distributed to such Founding Partner on such date with respect to such Units and (b) if such High Distribution II Units called for redemption are purchased by Cantor pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03, the amount payable by Cantor to such Founding Partner or the Partnership for such Units shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Founding Partner’s CFLP HDII Account with respect to such Unit not theretofore paid by the Partner pursuant to this Section 12.01(b).

(ix) Any High Distribution II Unit that is designated as a Founding Partner Unit shall continue to have a CFLP HDII Account, CFLP HDII Special Allocation Rate and CFLP HDII Account Reduction Obligation, and the holder of such High Distribution II Unit shall satisfy its obligations to Cantor relating to such Unit by the application of any distributions that would be subject to reduction and any contributions that would be made by such holder under this Section 12.01(b), were such holder’s High Distribution II Unit to have an HDII Account, a HDII Special Allocation Rate and an HDII Account Reduction Obligation, equal to those it has to Cantor (and, in the case of any loss specially allocated to such holder by the Partnership reflecting the HDII Account Reduction Obligation it would have, an equivalent amount of income shall be allocated by the Partnership to Cantor). Any payment by a Partner to Cantor in respect of its CFLP HDII Account Reduction Obligation pursuant to this paragraph shall result in an increase in such Partner’s Capital Account in the Partnership (such payment to be treated, for purposes of maintaining Capital Accounts, as a capital contribution by such Partner to the Partnership and a distribution by the Partnership to Cantor).

 

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(x) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution II Units shall be required to make additional HDII Contributions to the Partnership by way of cash contributions and by reductions in amounts distributable to such Partner as provided in Sections 12.01(b)(v), 12.01(b)(vi) and 12.01(b)(viii). Such contributions must be made within five days of the General Partner notifying such High Distribution II Unitholder of its obligation hereunder. In the event that the required contribution is not made, the General Partner may, in its sole and absolute discretion, redeem all or a portion of such Founding/Working Partner’s High Distribution II Units, declare the High Distribution Unit II Unitholder to be in default under this Agreement, or take any other action available to it at law or in equity to enforce the obligation described in this Section 12.01(b)(x), including, without limitation, seeking enforcement of such obligation in any forum and in any jurisdiction (and each High Distribution II Unitholder hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any such forum or jurisdiction), notwithstanding the jurisdictional provisions contained in Section 13.04 hereof, including the payment of legal fees and expenses related thereto. Any Partner not making a required contribution shall pay interest to the Partnership at a rate determined by the General Partner, and such interest payments shall not be treated as capital contributions hereunder or as part of such Partner’s Capital Account.

(c) High Distribution III Units . High Distribution III Units and holders of High Distribution III Units shall have the same rights, privileges and obligations as, and shall be subject to the same restrictions as, High Distribution II Units and holders of High Distribution II Units, and High Distribution III Units that are Founding Partner Units shall be treated in the same manner as High Distribution II Units that are Founding Partner Units (including the obligation of a holder of High Distribution III Units to Cantor pursuant to Sections 12.01(b)(viii) and 12.01(b)(ix)); provided that High Distribution III Units shall always have a Base Amount of zero (0) and shall have an HDIII Account in lieu of an HDII Account, which Account shall be subject to mandatory annual reduction on each anniversary of the date of issuance of the applicable High Distribution III Unit (or on such other date as the General Partner, acting in its sole and absolute discretion, in writing shall establish) (any such date, a “Reduction Date” ) to such amount as specified on a schedule mutually agreed by the Founding/Working Partner and the General Partner, acting in its sole and absolute discretion, or if no schedule shall be agreed upon, to not greater than 5/6 of the original HDIII Account on the first Reduction Date; not greater than 2/3 of the original HDIII Account on the second Reduction Date; not greater than 1/2 of the original HDIII Account on the third Reduction Date; not greater than 1/3 of the original HDIII Account on the fourth Reduction Date; not greater than 1/6 of the original HDIII Account on the fifth Reduction Date; and zero (0) on the sixth Reduction Date. Reductions required to be made pursuant to this Section 12.01(c) shall be referred to as an “HDIII Account Reduction Obligation.” Each High Distribution III Unit shall have a HDIII Special Allocation Rate and HDIII Account Reduction Obligation in lieu of a HDII Special Allocation Rate and HDII Account Reduction Obligation. Until such time as a holder of High Distribution III Units shall have reduced his, her or its HDIII Account to zero (0), the High Distribution III Units held by such Founding/Working Partner shall not have any of the voting rights provided to Limited Partners in this Agreement.

 

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(d) High Distribution IV Units . Holders of High Distribution IV Units shall have the same rights, privileges and obligations as, and shall be subject to the same restrictions as, holders of High Distribution Units; provided that High Distribution IV Units shall always have a Base Amount of zero (0); provided , further , that High Distribution IV Units that are designated as Founding Partner Units shall have a “HDIV Tax Payment Account” in an amount equal to the Cantor HDIV Tax Payment Account of the limited partner units in Cantor that were redeemed in exchange for such High Distribution IV Units in the Cantor Redemption, and a holder of High Distribution IV Units shall be entitled to receive payments from the Partnership with respect to such HDIV Tax Payment Account in amounts, at times and on terms equivalent to what would have applied to such Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution IV Units had such Founding/Working Partner holding High Distribution IV Units continued to hold Cantor High Distribution IV Units and not been subject to the Cantor Redemption with any HDIV Tax Payment Account to be subject to payment upon the same terms and conditions as are provided in Section 12.02(g) for a Grant Tax Payment Account.

SECTION 12.02. Transfers of Founding Partner Interests, Working Partner Interests and REU Interests. (a)  Effect of Termination or Bankruptcy of Founding/Working Partners or REU Partners . (i)  Termination and Bankruptcy of Founding Partners .

(A) Except as otherwise agreed to by each of the General Partner, the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by Majority in Interest) and the applicable Founding Partner or as otherwise expressly provided herein, upon any Termination or Bankruptcy of a Founding Partner (or the Termination or Bankruptcy of the beneficial owner of the stock or other ownership interest of any such Founding Partner that is a corporation or other entity), (1) the portion of the Founding Partner Interest held by such Partner that shall have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii), if any, shall automatically be Exchanged with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Class A Common Stock on the terms set forth in Sections 8.01(f), 8.01(g) and 8.01(h); provided that the General Partner shall determine the Exchange Effective Date (which date shall be on the date of such Termination or Bankruptcy or as promptly as practicable thereafter and which may be later than the Calculation Date); and (2) the portion of the Founding Partner Interest that shall not have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii) shall be purchased or redeemed from such Founding Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative by the Partnership, and such Founding Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative shall sell to the Partnership all of the Founding Partner Interest held by such Founding Partner at the time of Termination or Bankruptcy on the terms and conditions set forth in Section 12.02. With the consent of Cantor and the General Partner, the Partnership may assign by written instrument its right to purchase such Founding Partner Interest pursuant to this Section 12.02 to another Partner.

(B) At the time of purchase of a Founding Partner Interest by the Partnership pursuant to this Article XII, including Section 12.02(a)(i)(A), the Partnership shall provide written notice to Cantor of such purchase as promptly as practicable, and Cantor shall have a right to purchase (or to assign to any member

 

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of the Cantor Group the right to purchase) all or a portion of such Founding Partner Interest from the Partnership (it being understood that such purchase price shall be proportionately reduced to the extent that only a portion of the Founding Partner Interest is being acquired). The price to be paid by Cantor (or the other member of the Cantor Group acquiring such Founding Partner Interest, as the case may be) for the purchase of a Founding Partner Interest pursuant to this Section 12.02(a)(i)(B) shall be equal to the lesser of (1) the amount that the Partnership would be required to pay to redeem or purchase such Founding Partner Interest were the Partnership to redeem or purchase such Founding Partner Interest pursuant to the provisions of this Section 12.02 (assuming such Founding Partner Interest were a Working Partner Interest) and (2) the amount equal to (x) the number of Units underlying such Founding Partner Interest, multiplied by (y) the Exchange Ratio as of the date of such purchase, multiplied by (z) the Current Market Price as of the date of such purchase. Cantor (or the other member of the Cantor Group acquiring such Founding Partner Interest, as the case may be) may pay for such price using cash, Publicly Traded Shares (valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares (as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or any other national securities exchange or quotation system on which such shares are then listed or quoted) during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding each payment (or by such other fair and reasonable pricing method as may be selected by Cantor)), or other property valued at its then-fair market value, as determined by Cantor in its sole and absolute discretion, or a combination of the foregoing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Parties agree that, if Cantor (or the other member of the Cantor Group acquiring such Founding Partner Interest, as the case may be) shall purchase a Founding Partner Interest pursuant to this Section 12.02(a)(i)(B) at a price equal to clause (2) above, neither Cantor, any member of the Cantor Group nor the Partnership or any other Person be obligated to pay the holder of such Founding Partner Interest any amount in excess of the amount set forth in clause (2) above. Cantor shall respond as promptly as practicable to the Partnership after receipt of the written notice provided by the Partnership as to whether it is electing to exercise its rights pursuant to this Section 12.02(a)(i)(B) with respect to a Founding Partner Interest. Pursuant to Section 4.03(c)(iii), any Founding Partner Interest acquired by a Cantor Company pursuant to this Section 12.02(a)(i)(B) shall cause such Founding Partner Interest and related Units (or portion thereof) to automatically be designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest and the related Units (or portion thereof) shall automatically be designated as Exchangeable Limited Partnership Units. The Cantor Company acquiring such Interest shall have all rights and obligations of a holder of Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest with respect to such Interest, and such Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest shall not be subject to the redemption provisions of this Article XII.

(ii) Termination and Bankruptcy of Working Partners .

(A) Except as otherwise agreed to by each of the General Partner and the applicable Working Partner or as otherwise expressly provided

 

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herein, upon any Termination or Bankruptcy of a Working Partner (or the Termination or Bankruptcy of the beneficial owner of the stock or other ownership interest of any such Working Partner that is a corporation or other entity), (1) the portion of the Working Partner Interest held by such Partner that shall have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iv), if any, shall automatically be Exchanged with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Class A Common Stock on the terms set forth in Sections 8.01(f), 8.01(g) and 8.01(h); provided that the General Partner shall determine the Exchange Effective Date (which date shall be on the date of such Termination or Bankruptcy or as promptly as practicable thereafter and which may be later than the Calculation Date); and (2) the portion of the Working Partner Interest that shall not have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iv) shall be purchased or redeemed from such Working Partner by the Partnership, or his, her or its Personal Representative, and such Working Partner, or his, her or its Personal Representative shall sell to the Partnership, all of the Working Partner Interest held by such Working Partner at the time of Termination or Bankruptcy on the terms and conditions set forth in Section 12.02. With the consent of the General Partner, the Partnership may assign by written instrument its right to purchase such Working Partner Interest pursuant to this Section 12.02 to another Partner.

(B) If the Partnership elects to assign its purchase rights with respect to any Working Partner Interest to another Partner pursuant to Section 12.02(a)(ii)(A), the Partnership shall provide written notice to Cantor of such election as promptly as practicable, and Cantor shall have a right to purchase (or to assign to any member of the Cantor Group the right to purchase) all or a portion of such Interest from the Partnership, on the same terms that such Partner would have a right to purchase such Interest. Cantor shall respond as promptly as practicable to the Partnership after receipt of the written notice provided by the Partnership as to whether it is electing to exercise its right to purchase provided in this Section 12.02(a)(ii)(B) with respect to such Working Partner Interest.

(iii) Termination and Bankruptcy of REU Partners.

(A) Except as otherwise agreed to by each of the General Partner and the applicable REU Partner or as otherwise expressly provided herein, upon any Termination or Bankruptcy of an REU Partner (or the Termination or Bankruptcy of the beneficial owner of the stock or other ownership interest of any such REU Partner that is a corporation or other entity), (1) the portion of the REU Interest held by such Partner that shall have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii) shall automatically be Exchanged with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Class A Common Stock on the terms set forth in Sections 8.01(f), 8.01(g) and 8.01(h); provided that the General Partner shall determine the Exchange Effective Date (which date shall be on the date of such Termination or Bankruptcy or as promptly as practicable thereafter and which may be later than the Calculation Date); and (2) the portion of the REU Interest held by such Partner that shall not have become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii) shall be purchased and redeemed by the Partnership, and such REU Partner, or

 

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his, her or its Personal Representative shall sell to the Partnership, all of such portion of the REU Interest on the terms and conditions set forth in Section 12.02. With the consent of the General Partner, the Partnership may assign by written instrument its right to purchase such portion of the REU Interest pursuant to this Section 12.02 to another Partner.

(B) If the Partnership elects to assign its purchase rights with respect to any REU Interest to another Partner pursuant to Section 12.02(a)(iii)(A), the Partnership shall provide written notice to Cantor of such election as promptly as practicable, and Cantor shall have a right to purchase (or to assign to any member of the Cantor Group the right to purchase) all or a portion of such Interest from the Partnership, on the same terms that such Partner would have a right to purchase such Interest. Cantor shall respond as promptly as practicable to the Partnership after receipt of the written notice provided by the Partnership as to whether it is electing to exercise its right to purchase provided in this Section 12.02(a)(iii)(B) with respect to such REU Interest.

(iv) Other .

(A) Solely for purposes of this Section 12.02, all references to Founding Partners, Working Partners, Founding/Working Partners or REU Partners shall include any Terminated or Bankrupt former Founding Partners, Working Partners, Founding/Working Partners or REU Partners, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(B) Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner acknowledges and recognizes that, during the period that such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, is a Partner, he, she or it (or their beneficial owner) will be privy to trade secrets, client secrets and confidential proprietary information critical to the success of the business of the Partnership and the Affiliated Entities and will have an extraordinary opportunity to participate in the growth of the business of the Partnership. Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner also agrees that certain actions taken by the Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, including, violating its Partner Obligations or engaging in a Competitive Activity while a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, is a Partner or otherwise during the four-year period immediately following the date on which such Person ceases, for any reason, to be a Partner would harm the Partnership or the Affiliated Entities. Accordingly, in consideration of being afforded the opportunity to become a Partner, each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner agrees to the economic terms set forth in this Section 12.02.

(C) Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU acknowledges that this Section 12.02 is intended solely to reflect the economic agreement between the Founding/Working Partners and the REU Partners, as the case may be, with respect to amounts payable upon such Partner’s Bankruptcy or

 

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Termination. Nothing in this Section 12.02 shall be considered or interpreted as restricting the ability of a former Partner in any way from engaging in any Competitive Activity, or in other employment of any nature whatsoever, subject in either case to the restrictions elsewhere in this Agreement (including Sections 3.03 and 13.06). The provisions of this Section 12.02 shall be in addition to, and not in substitution for, any other provision of this Agreement or any agreement to which the Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, is subject pursuant to the terms of any other agreement with the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity and shall not abrogate any provisions contained in this Agreement or any other such agreement.

(D) Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner consents to the economic terms of this Section 12.02 and agrees that, subject to Section 2.09(c), a Founding/Working Partner and an REU Partner, as the case may be, who does not engage in a Competitive Activity or otherwise breach a Partner Obligation during the four-year period immediately following the date such Person cease, for any reason, to be a Partner, shall be entitled, subject to any other provision of this Agreement (including Section 2.09(c)) and any other remedies at law or in equity for a breach by such Partner of any other provision of this Agreement, to all amounts payable pursuant to Sections 12.02(b) and 12.02(c). Subject to Sections 2.09(c) and 3.03, a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, who chooses to engage, or engages, in a Competitive Activity or otherwise breaches a Partner Obligation shall be entitled to receive all amounts payable pursuant to Section 12.02(b) and shall be entitled to receive Additional Amounts as are provided in Section 12.02(c) to the extent that such amounts are payable prior to the date on which such Partner first participates in a Competitive Activity or otherwise breaches a Partner Obligation. Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner agrees that the amounts that such a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, will receive upon withdrawing from the Partnership represent full and complete payment in liquidation of such Partner’s interest in the property of the Partnership, taking into account such Partner’s share of Partnership liabilities. Such amount will not include any payment for a Founding/Working Partner’s interest or an REU Partner’s interest, as the case may be, in the unrealized receivables or goodwill of the Partnership.

(b) Payment of Base Amount . (i) Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, the purchase price to be paid by the Partnership (or the Partner to which the purchase right had been assigned, as applicable) for the Founding/Working Partner Interest or the REU Interest, as the case may be, purchased or redeemed pursuant to Section 12.02(a) shall equal the Base Amount of such Founding/Working Partner Interest or REU Interest, as the case may be, as of the Calculation Date; provided that the Partnership may, in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, deduct therefrom the Adjustment Amount in whole or in part.

(ii) If (A) a Founding/Working Partner (other than a holder of Grant Units or Matching Grant Units) or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall become a

 

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Terminated or Bankrupt Partner, or (B) a Founding/Working Partner holding Grant Units or Matching Grant Units shall become a Terminated Founding/Working Partner, in each case of clause (A) or (B), such Partner shall receive the applicable Base Amount at such time as the Partnership shall elect to tender payment, but in no event later than 90 days after the date of Termination or Bankruptcy of such Partner, as applicable, or at such later date as may soonest be practicable in view of the administration of the estate of a deceased or Bankrupt Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be (such date referred to herein as the “Payment Date” ).

(iii) The “Base Amount” means: (1) with respect to any Founding Partner Unit received pursuant to the Cantor Redemption or any REU Interest, an amount equal to zero; and (2) with respect to all of the Working Partner Interest held by a Terminated or Bankrupt Working Partner on the date such Working Partner becomes a Terminated or Bankrupt Working Partner, an amount equal to the smallest of:

(A) the Working Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account for the entire Interest held by such Working Partner less $50,000;

(B) three quarters (3/4) of the Working Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account for all Units held by such Working Partner (one third (1/3) with respect to Units which are Under Three-Year Units); and the amount equal to: (A) with respect to all Pre Five Year Units held by such Working Partner, the Capital Return Account; plus (B) with respect to all Five Year Units held by such Working Partner, the Capital Return Account plus one quarter (1/4) of the Adjusted Capital Account Surplus with respect to such Units, less any Excess Prior Distributions with respect to such Units (but not in excess of the Adjusted Capital Account with respect to such Units); plus (C) with respect to all Ten Year Units held by such Working Partner, the Capital Return Account plus one third (1/3) of the Adjusted Capital Account Surplus with respect to such Units, less any Excess Prior Distributions with respect to such Units (but not in excess of the Adjusted Capital Account with respect to such Units).

In no event shall the Base Amount be negative. For purposes of the calculation of all amounts under this Section 12.02(b)(iii), all adjustments and allocations pursuant to any other section of this Agreement shall be deemed made pro rata with respect to all Units held by a Partner.

(iv) Any Adjusted Capital Account with respect to the Founding Partner Units, REUs, Grant Units, Matching Grant Units, High Distribution III Units and High Distribution IV Units as of the Calculation Date (after any reduction for any Adjustment Amount) shall be paid as Additional Amounts in accordance with and subject to the terms of Section 12.02(c).

(v) In the event of the redemption of all or a portion of a Founding/Working Partner’s High Distribution II Units, (a) an amount equal to the

 

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Founding/Working Partner’s CFLP HDII Account with respect to such Units shall be paid to Cantor rather than being distributed to such Founding/Working Partner on such date with respect to such Units or (b) if such High Distribution II Units called for redemption are purchased by Cantor, the amount payable by Cantor to such Founding/Working Partner or the Partnership for such Units shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Founding/Working Partner’s CFLP HDII Account with respect to such Units.

(vi) Solely for purposes of making the calculation required by this Section 12.02, the General Partner may to the extent it deems appropriate include a Founding/Working Partner’s HDII Account in its Adjusted Capital Account.

(c) Payment of Additional Amounts . (i) On each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the Payment Date (or at such earlier time as is determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion), a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, will be entitled to receive payment of one fourth (1/4) of such Partner’s Additional Amounts plus an amount equal to interest determined pursuant to Section 12.02(c)(iv); provided that such Partner (or in the case of a corporate or other entity Partner, the majority owner of such Partner) has not engaged in any Competitive Activity or otherwise breached a Partner Obligation prior to the date such payment is due.

(ii) A Partner’s “Additional Amounts” shall mean the amount equal to the excess, if any, of (A) such Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account with respect to such Partner’s entire Interest held by such Partner (which may be reduced in whole or in part, in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, by the Adjustment Amount), minus (B) the amount, if any, payable to such Partner pursuant to Section 12.02(b)(i).

(iii) For purposes of this Agreement, a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall be considered to have engaged in a competitive activity if such Partner (including by or through his, her or its Affiliates) during the four-year period immediately following the date such Person ceases, for any reason, to be a Partner (collectively, clauses (A) through (E), the “Competitive Activities” ):

(A) directly or indirectly, or by action in concert with others, solicits, induces, or influences, or attempts to solicit, induce or influence, any other partner, employee or consultant of Cantor, the Partnership or any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity to terminate their employment or other business arrangements with Cantor, the Partnership or any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity, or to engage in any Competing Business or hires, employs, engages (including as a consultant or partner) or otherwise enters into a Competing Business with any such Person;

(B) solicits any of the customers of Cantor, the Partnership or any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity (or any of their employees), induces such customers or their employees to reduce their volume of business with, terminate their relationship with or otherwise adversely affect their relationship with, Cantor, the Partnership or any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity;

 

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(C) does business with any person who was a customer of Cantor, the Partnership or any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity during the twelve (12) month period prior to such Partner becoming a Terminated or Bankrupt Partner if such business would constitute a Competing Business;

(D) directly or indirectly engages in, represents in any way, or is connected with, any Competing Business, directly competing with the business of Cantor, the Partnership or any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity, whether such engagement shall be as an officer, director, owner, employee, partner, consultant, affiliate or other participant in any Competing Business; or

(E) assists others in engaging in any Competing Business in the manner described in the foregoing clause (D).

“Competing Business” shall mean an activity that (w) involves the development and operations of electronic trading systems, (x) involves the conduct of the wholesale or institutional brokerage business, (y) consists of marketing, manipulating or distributing financial price information of a type supplied by Cantor, the Partnership or any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity to information distribution services or (z) competes with any other business conducted by Cantor, the Partnership, any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity or eSpeed if such business was first engaged in by Cantor, the Partnership, any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity or eSpeed, or Cantor, the Partnership, any member of the Cantor Group or Affiliated Entity or eSpeed took substantial steps in anticipation of commencing such business and prior to the date on which such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, ceases to be a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be.

(iv) Each payment of the Additional Amounts pursuant to this Section 12.02(h) shall bear interest at the AFR from the Payment Date until paid.

(v) The General Partner may revise the terms of this Section 12.02(c) with respect to any or all Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be; provided , however , that no such amendment may (i) lengthen the term of the Restricted Period or the payout period or (ii) otherwise expand the scope of this Section 12.02(c), unless, in each such case, it is effected by an amendment to this Agreement made pursuant to Section 13.01 or by the terms of another agreement between the Partnership and the holder of the affected Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be. The Partnership and the Partners believe that the provisions of this Section 12.02(c) are reasonable in scope and duration and are necessary to protect the interests of the Partnership and the Affiliated Entities.

 

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(vi) If any beneficial owner of the stock of a corporate Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, any partner of any general or limited partnership that is a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, any member of a limited liability company that is a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, or the grantor, trustee or beneficiary of any trust that is a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be (such beneficial owner, partner, member, grantor, trustee or beneficiary, a “Competing Owner” ), directly or indirectly engages in any Competitive Activity or otherwise breaches a Partner Obligation (or takes action that would constitute a Competitive Activity or other breach of a Partner Obligation if such person were a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be), the Partnership shall have the right to redeem a number of the Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, of such Partner equal to the product of the maximum percentage of the ownership of such Partner (by vote or value in the case of a corporation, by profits or capital interest in the case of a partnership or limited liability company or by the greater of the portion of such trust as to which the Competing Owner is a grantor or beneficiary as reasonably determined by the General Partner) held by the Competing Owner at any time during the twelve (12) month period preceding the breach and the number of Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, held by such entity Partner at the time the Competitive Activity or other breach of a Partner Obligation commences. The foregoing shall apply with such changes as the General Partner deems appropriate to reflect the intent of the foregoing with respect to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, that is an entity not specifically identified above. Anything to the contrary in Section 9.02 notwithstanding, the General Partner shall have the right to redeem such Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, for a price equal to the Base Amount (which may be $0.00) attributable to such Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, or, if less, the amount, if any, payable in respect of such Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, under Section 3.03.

(vii) The General Partner may condition the receipt of any amount payable to a Terminated or Bankrupt Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, upon the receipt of a certification, in form and substance acceptable to the General Partner, that such former Partner has not engaged in any Competitive Activity or otherwise breached a Partner Obligation. A former Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall be liable for all damages (including any payments of Base Amount or Additional Amounts made as a result of a false certification) resulting from the inaccuracy of any such certification including attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Partnership and shall also be liable for interest at the lesser of nine (9) percentage points above the prime rate as published in the Wall Street Journal , Eastern Edition in effect from time to time or the highest rate permitted by law on the amount of any damages owed to the Partnership.

 

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(viii) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Personal Representative of a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, who has become a Terminated Partner on account of death shall receive payment of his or her Additional Amounts at the same time such Personal Representative receives payment of such deceased Partner’s Base Amount pursuant to Section 4.03; provided , however , that the Personal Representative of a deceased Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall not be entitled to receive payment of such Additional Amounts if such deceased Partner engaged in a Competitive Activity or otherwise breached a Partner Obligation prior to his or her death.

(d) Administrative Provisions Regarding this Section 12.02 . (i) Any purchase and sale made pursuant to this Section 12.02 shall be deemed to have occurred automatically and immediately at the time Termination or Bankruptcy occurs with respect to the applicable Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be.

(ii) Immediately upon the Termination or Bankruptcy of (A) a Founding/Working Partner (or of the owner of the equity of an entity owning such Founding/Working Partner Units) or (B) an REU Partner holding REUs (or of the owner of the equity of an entity owning such REUs): (x) the entire legal and beneficial ownership of such Units owned by such Partner shall be automatically vested in the Partnership and such Partner shall cease to be entitled to claim, and hereby waives any such claim effective immediately upon such Termination or Bankruptcy, any status or rights as a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, including any right to vote such Units or receive any distribution thereon, and (ii) such former Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall have the status solely of a creditor of the Partnership for payment of the price for such Units so purchased by the Partnership at the price established pursuant to this Agreement.

(iii) In the event that the Partnership shall default in the payment due at the time and in the amount provided for by this Agreement, the former Founding/Working Partner or former REU Partner, as the case may be, to whom such payment is due shall be entitled solely to claim against the Partnership as a creditor and hereby waives any claim for rescission of the subject Founding/Working Partner Unit or REU, as the case may be, sale transaction or any other beneficial or equitable recognition as a Partner of the Partnership.

(iv) All amounts payable for such purchase of Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, pursuant to Section 12.02 shall be made by the Partnership at its principal office.

(v) Upon tender of all payments due to such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, pursuant to this Section 12.02, the Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, or his, her or its Personal Representative shall deliver to the Partnership the certificate or certificates, if any, for the Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, purchased by the Partnership in form constituting good delivery (including any reasonably

 

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requested form of instrument of conveyance or partnership power to the extent not previously supplied pursuant to this Agreement), with all requisite transfer tax stamps, if any, affixed thereto, and such probate, estate or tax certificates or other documents as may be reasonably required by the Partnership to evidence the authority of a Personal Representative and the compliance with any applicable estate and inheritance tax requirements, and any other agreements, documents or instruments specified by the General Partner.

(vi) In no event shall any distribution or payment otherwise payable pursuant to this Section 12.02 be due if and to the extent that the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion determines in accordance with Section 6.02, that such payment would violate the Act or any other applicable law. If at the time of any payment by the Partnership for Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, the provision contained in the immediately preceding sentence shall have effect, then the Partnership shall make such payment in the maximum amount that would not violate the Act or any other applicable law, and shall make such further payments, if any, on each 90 day anniversary thereof to the extent that such payments do not violate the Act or any other applicable law, until all obligations for the payment of all amounts due hereunder shall have been paid in full. Any such deferred payments shall bear interest at the AFR.

(e) Admission of Additional Working Partners and REU Partners . (i) Additional Working Partners and additional REU Partners may be admitted to the Partnership in accordance with the terms of this Agreement in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner.

(ii) The admission of an additional Working Partner or REU Partner pursuant to this Section 12.02(e) shall be effective when the requirements of Section 7.03 are satisfied; provided that such additional Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall have made a capital contribution to the Partnership, if any, as determined by the General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and, if required by the Act, an amendment of the Certificate of Limited Partnership shall have been duly filed.

(f) Post-Termination Payments for Grant Units . (i) Subject to Sections 12.02(f)(ii) and 12.02(f)(vi), following the Termination of a holder of Grant Units, the Partnership (or the appropriate Affiliated Entity) shall pay to such Founding/Working Partner (or his, her or its Personal Representative in the event of the death of such Founding/Working Partner) an amount (the “Post-Termination Payment” ) equal to (A) the number of Grant Units issued to such Founding/Working Partner, multiplied by (B) the grant price for such Grant Units on the date of issuance as determined by the General Partner in its discretion and set forth on a schedule; provided , however , that the obligation to make any Post-Termination Payment shall be cancelled and no such payment shall be made in the event the Partnership is dissolved without reconstitution prior to the date that such Founding/Working Partner holding Grant Units becomes a Terminated Founding/Working Partner.

 

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(ii) The Post-Termination Payment provided in Section 12.02(f)(i) shall be paid in four (4) equal installments on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the Payment Date (subject to any delay caused by the administration of the estate of a deceased or Bankrupt Founding/Working Partner); provided that (A) such Founding/Working Partner has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due and the Partnership may condition the receipt of any Post-Termination Payment upon receipt of a certification, in form and substance acceptable to the General Partner, that such former Founding/Working Partner (or in the case of any Grant Units held by a corporate Founding/Working Partner, the majority owner of such Founding/Working Partner) has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due and (B) except as otherwise determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, such Founding/Working Partner shall have been continuously employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or the Affiliated Entities for the full term of such Founding/Working Partner’s Term of Employment (as defined in such Founding/Working Partner’s employment agreement with such Person, if any, entered into in connection with the issuance of the Grant Units but excluding any automatic renewals thereof); provided that in the event of the death of such Founding/Working Partner such Founding/Working Partner’s Personal Representative shall be entitled to a prorated amount of the Post-Termination Payment based on the number of years (or portion thereof) that such Founding/Working Partner was employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or any of the Affiliated Entities.

(iii) Payments of the Post-Termination Payment shall not bear interest.

(iv) The provisions of Sections 12.02(d)(ii), 12.02(d)(iii), 12.02(d)(iv), 12.02(d)(v) and 12.02(d)(vi) shall apply to Grant Units with such modifications as may be required (as determined by the General Partner) to reflect the purpose of this Section 12.02(f); provided that the Bankruptcy of a Founding/Working Partner holding Grant Units shall have no effect.

(v) Each Founding/Working Partner holding Grant Units acknowledges and agrees that payments pursuant to this Section 12.02(f) represent a right to a fixed payment and do not represent a payment with respect to any Partnership asset of any nature.

(vi) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event a Founding/Working Partner is not allocated an amount of losses with respect to a Grant Unit where such losses are allocated generally to other Units in the Partnership, the amounts payable with respect to and/or in connection with such Unit pursuant to Sections 12.02(f) and 12.02(g) shall be reduced, in the aggregate and in such proportion as the General Partner shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion, by the amount of any such loss not so allocated.

 

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(g) Grant Tax Payment Accounts . (i) In connection with the issuance of Grant Units, the Partnership may, at the election of the General Partner, establish for a holder of any Grant Units an account (the “Grant Tax Payment Account” ) in an amount established by the General Partner, to be paid upon the terms and conditions provided in this Section 12.02(g). No interest or other earnings shall be credited to any Grant Tax Payment Account. Each Grant Tax Payment Account and the obligations of the Partnership with respect to the payment thereof shall be an unfunded unsecured obligation of the Partnership. Each holder of Grant Units acknowledges and agrees that payments pursuant to this Section 12.02(g) represent a right to a fixed payment and do not represent a payment with respect to any Partnership asset of any nature.

(ii) If a Founding/Working Partner for whom a Grant Tax Payment Account has been established shall become a Terminated Founding/Working Partner, such Founding/Working Partner shall be entitled to be paid the amount of such Founding/Working Partner’s Grant Tax Payment Account in four (4) equal annual installments within 90 days of each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date Payment Date; provided that (A) such Founding/Working Partner has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date any such payment is due and the Partnership may condition the receipt of any payment from the Grant Tax Payment Account upon receipt of a certification, in form and substance acceptable to the General Partner, that such former Founding/Working Partner (or in the case of any Grant Units held by a corporate Founding/Working Partner, the majority owner of such Founding/Working Partner) has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due and (B) except as otherwise determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, such Founding/Working Partner shall have been continuously employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or the Affiliated Entities for the full term of such Founding/Working Partner’s Term of Employment (as defined in such Founding/Working Partner’s employment agreement with such Person, if any, entered into in connection with the issuance of the Grant Units but excluding any automatic renewals thereof); provided that in the event of the death of such Founding/Working Partner such Founding/Working Partner’s Personal Representative shall be entitled to a prorated amount of the Post-Termination Payment based on the number of years (or portion thereof) that such Founding/Working Partner was employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or any of the Affiliated Entities.

(iii) The obligation to pay any amount of any Grant Tax Payment Account shall be canceled and no amount shall be paid with respect to such account in the event the Partnership is dissolved without reconstitution prior to the date on which the person for whom such account was established becomes a Terminated Partner. In the event of the death of a Founding/Working Partner entitled to any payment pursuant to this Section 12.02(g), the Personal Representative of such Founding/Working Partner shall receive payment of his or her Grant Tax Payment Account pursuant to this Section

 

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12.02(g); provided , however , that the Personal Representative of a deceased Founding/Working Partner shall not be entitled to receive any payment pursuant to this Section 12.02(g) if the deceased Founding/Working Partner violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in a Competitive Activity prior to his, her or its death).

(iv) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event a Founding/Working Partner is not allocated an amount of losses with respect to a Grant Unit where such losses are allocated generally to other Units in the Partnership, the amounts payable with respect to and/or in connection with such Unit pursuant to Sections 12.02(f) and 12.02(g) shall be reduced, in the aggregate and in such proportion as the General Partner shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion, by the amount of any such loss not so allocated.

(h) Post-Termination Payments for Matching Grant Units . (i) Subject to Sections 12.02(h)(ii) and 12.02(h)(vi), following the Termination of a Founding/Working Partner holding Matching Grant Units, the Partnership (or the appropriate Affiliated Entity) shall pay to such Founding/Working Partner (or his, her or its Personal Representative in the event of the death of such Founding/Working Partner) an amount (the “Matching Post-Termination Payment” ) equal to (A) the number of Matching Grant Units issued to such Founding/Working Partner, multiplied by (B) the grant price for such Matching Grant Units on the date of issuance as determined by the General Partner in its discretion and set forth on a schedule; provided , however , that the obligation to make any Matching Post-Termination Payment shall be cancelled and no such payment shall be made in the event the Partnership is dissolved without reconstitution prior to the date such Founding/Working Partner holding Matching Grant Units becomes a Terminated Founding/Working Partner.

(ii) The Matching Post-Termination Payment provided in Section 12.02(h)(i) shall be paid in four (4) equal installments on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the Termination of the Founding/Working Partner (subject to any delay caused by the administration of the estate of a deceased or Bankrupt Founding/Working Partner); provided that (A) such Founding/Working Partner has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due and the Partnership may condition the receipt of any Matching Post-Termination Payment upon receipt of a certification, in form and substance acceptable to the General Partner, that such former Founding/Working Partner (or in the case of any Matching Grant Units held by a corporate Founding/Working Partner, the majority owner of such Founding/Working Partner) has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due and (B) except as otherwise determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, such Founding/Working Partner shall have been continuously employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or the Affiliated Entities for the full term of such Founding/Working Partner’s Term of Employment (as defined in such Founding/Working Partner’s employment agreement with such Person, if any, entered into in connection with the issuance of the Grant Units but excluding any automatic renewals thereof); provided that in the event of the death of such Founding/Working Partner such Founding/Working Partner’s Personal Representative shall be entitled to a prorated amount of the Matching Post-Termination Payment based on the number of years (or portion thereof) that such Founding/Working Partner was employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or any of the Affiliated Entities.

 

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(iii) Payments of the Matching Post-Termination Payment shall not bear interest.

(iv) The provisions of Sections 12.02(d)(ii), 12.02(d)(iii), 12.02(d)(iv), 12.02(d)(v) and 12.02(d)(vi) shall apply to Matching Grant Units with such modifications as may be required (as determined by the General Partner) to reflect the purpose of this Section 12.02(d); provided that the Bankruptcy of a Founding/Working Partner holding Matching Grant Units shall have no effect.

(v) Each Founding/Working Partner holding Matching Grant Units acknowledges and agrees that payments pursuant to this Section 12.02(h) represent a right to a fixed payment and do not represent a payment with respect to any Partnership asset of any nature.

(vi) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event a Founding/Working Partner is not allocated an amount of losses with respect to a Matching Grant Unit where such losses are allocated generally to other Units in the Partnership, the amounts payable with respect to and/or in connection with such Unit pursuant to Sections 12.02(h) and 12.02(i) shall be reduced, in the aggregate and in such proportion as the General Partner shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion, by the amount of any such loss not so allocated.

(i) Matching Grant Tax Payment Accounts . (i) In connection with the issuance of Matching Grant Units, the Partnership may, at the election of the General Partner, establish for a holder of any Matching Grant Units an account (the “Matching Grant Tax Payment Account” ) in an amount established by the General Partner, to be paid upon the terms and conditions provided in this Section 12.02(i). No interest or other earnings shall be credited to any Matching Grant Tax Payment Account. Each Matching Grant Tax Payment Account and the obligations of the Partnership with respect to the payment thereof shall be an unfunded unsecured obligation of the Partnership. Each holder of Matching Grant Units acknowledges and agrees that payments pursuant to this Section 12.02(i) represent a right to a fixed payment and do not represent a payment with respect to any Partnership asset of any nature.

(ii) If a Founding/Working Partner for whom a Matching Grant Tax Payment Account has been established shall become a Terminated Founding/Working Partner, such Founding/Working Partner shall be entitled to be paid the amount of such Founding/Working Partner’s Matching Grant Tax Payment Account in four (4) equal annual installments within 90 days of each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the Payment Date; provided that (A) such Founding/Working Partner has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due and the Partnership may condition the receipt of any Matching Grant Tax Payment upon receipt of a certification, in form and substance acceptable to the General Partner, that such former Founding/Working

 

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Partner (or in the case of any Matching Grant Units held by a corporate Founding/Working Partner, the majority owner of such Founding/Working Partner) has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due and (B) except as otherwise determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, such Founding/Working Partner shall have been continuously employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or the Affiliated Entities for the full term of such Founding/Working Partner’s Term of Employment (as defined in such Founding/Working Partner’s employment agreement with such Person, if any, entered into in connection with the issuance of the Matching Grant Units but excluding any automatic renewals thereof); provided that in the event of the death of such Founding/Working Partner such Founding/Working Partner’s Personal Representative shall be entitled to a prorated amount of the Matching Grant Tax Payment Amount based on the number of years (or portion thereof) that such Founding/Working Partner was employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or any of the Affiliated Entities; provided , however , that the Personal Representative of a deceased Founding/Working Partner shall not be entitled to receive any payment pursuant to this Section 12.02(i) if the deceased Founding/Working Partner violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in a Competitive Activity prior to his, her or its death).

(iii) The obligation to pay any amount of any Matching Grant Tax Payment Account shall be canceled and no amount shall be paid with respect to such account in the event the Partnership is dissolved without reconstitution prior to the date on which the Person for whom such account was established becomes a Terminated Founding/Working Partner.

(iv) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event a Founding/Working Partner is not allocated an amount of losses with respect to a Matching Grant Unit where such losses are allocated generally to other Units in the Partnership, the amounts payable with respect to and/or in connection with such Unit pursuant to Sections 12.02(h) and 12.02(i) shall be reduced, in the aggregate and in such proportion as the General Partner shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion, by the amount of any such loss not so allocated.

(j) Post-Termination Payments for REU Interests . (i)   Subject to Sections 12.02(j)(ii) and 12.02(j)(vi), following the Termination of an REU Partner, the Partnership shall redeem the REUs held by such REU Partner, and in exchange therefor, shall deliver to such REU Partner (or his, her or its Personal Representative in the event of the death of such REU Partner) an amount of cash equal to the portion, if any, of the REU Post-Termination Amount associated with such REUs that has vested in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the grant of such REUs; provided , however , that, in lieu of such cash payment for an REU or REUs, the Partnership may cause such REU or REUs held by such Partner to become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii) and to automatically be Exchanged with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Class A Common Stock on the terms set forth in Sections 8.01(f), 8.01(g) and 8.01(h); provided that the General Partner shall determine the Exchange Effective Date (which date shall be on the date of such Termination or Bankruptcy or as promptly as practicable thereafter and which may be

 

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later than the Calculation Date), it being understood that the aggregate value of the shares of BGC Partners Class A Common Stock may be more or less than the vested REU Post-Termination Amount of such REUs. The total amount of cash and/or shares payable pursuant to this Section 12.02(j)(i) is referred to herein as the “REU Post-Termination Payment.” A Terminated REU Partner’s eligibility to receive the REU Post-Termination Payment shall be subject to the vesting schedule set forth in the award of such REU Units. The obligation to make any REU Post-Termination Payment shall be cancelled and no such payment shall be made in the event the Partnership is dissolved without reconstitution prior to the date such REU Partner holding REUs becomes a Terminated REU Partner.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the payment of an REU Post-Termination Payment shall be paid in four (4) equal installments on each of the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the Payment Date (subject to any delay caused by the administration of the estate of a deceased or Bankrupt REU Partner) as set forth in the grant of the applicable REU Interest, and such payment shall be subject to the following: the applicable REU Partner shall not have violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date each such payments is due and the Partnership may condition the receipt of any REU Post-Termination Payment upon receipt of a certification, in form and substance acceptable to the General Partner, that such former REU Partner (or in the case of any REUs held by a corporate REU Partner, the majority owner of such REU Partner) has not violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in any Competitive Activity) prior to the date such payments are due; provided , however , that the Personal Representative of a deceased REU Partner shall not be entitled to receive any payment pursuant to this Section 12.02(j) if the deceased REU Partner violated its Partner Obligations (including engaging in a Competitive Activity prior to his, her or its death).

(iii) Payments of the REU Post-Termination Payment shall not bear interest.

(iv) The provisions of Sections 12.02(d)(ii), 12.02(d)(iii), 12.02(d)(iv), 12.02(d)(v) and 12.02(d)(vi) shall apply to REUs with such modifications as may be required (as determined by the General Partner) to reflect the purpose of this Section 12.02(d).

(v) Each REU Partner acknowledges and agrees that payments pursuant to this Section 12.02(j) represent a right to a fixed payment and do not represent a payment with respect to any Partnership asset of any nature.

(vi) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event a Founding/Working Partner is not allocated an amount of losses with respect to an REU where such losses are allocated generally to other Units in the Partnership, the amounts payable with respect to and/or in connection with such Unit pursuant to Section 12.02(j) shall be reduced, in the aggregate and in such proportion as the General Partner shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion, by the amount of any such loss not so allocated.

 

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(k) Release. The General Partner, in its sole and absolute discretion, may condition the payment of any amounts due to a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, under this Section 12.02 upon obtaining a release from such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, and its Affiliates in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner from all claims against the Partnership other than claims for payment pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Section 12.02.

SECTION 12.03. Redemption of a Founding/Working Partner Interest and an REU Interest . (a) Redemption of a Founding Partner Interest. (i) Upon mutual agreement of Cantor and the General Partner, the General Partner, may, at any time and from time to time for any reason or for no reason whatsoever, cause the Partnership to purchase and redeem from any Founding Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative, and any Founding Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative shall sell to the Partnership, all or a portion of that portion of the Founding Partner Interest held by such Founding Partner that has not become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii). The amount that shall be paid by the Partnership to acquire such Founding Partner Interest is as set forth in Section 12.04. With the consent of Cantor and the General Partner, the Partnership may assign by written instrument its right to purchase such portion of the Founding Partner Interest that has not become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(ii) pursuant to this Section 12.03 to another Partner.

(ii) At the time of purchase of a Founding Partner Interest by the Partnership pursuant to this Article XII, including Section 12.03(a)(i), the Partnership shall provide written notice to Cantor of such purchase as promptly as practicable, and Cantor shall have a right to purchase (or to assign to any member of the Cantor Group the right to purchase), all or a portion of such Founding Partner Interest from the Partnership. The price to be paid by Cantor (or the other member of the Cantor Group acquiring such Founding Partner Interest, as the case may be) shall be equal to the lesser of (1) the amount that the Partnership would be required to pay to redeem or purchase such Founding Partner Interest were the Partnership to redeem or purchase such Founding Partner Interest pursuant to the provisions of this Section 12.03 (assuming such Founding Partner Interest were a Working Partner Interest) and (2) the amount equal to (x) the number of Units underlying the portion of the Founding Partner Interest so acquired, multiplied by (y) the Exchange Ratio as of the date of such purchase, multiplied by (z) the Current Market Price as of the date of such purchase. Cantor (or the other member of the Cantor Group acquiring such Founding Partner Interest, as the case may be) may pay for such price using cash, Publicly Traded Shares (valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares (as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or any other national securities exchange or quotation system on which such shares are then listed or quoted) during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding each payment (or by such other fair and reasonable pricing method as may be selected by Cantor)), or other property valued at its then-fair market value, as determined by Cantor in its sole and absolute discretion, or a combination of the foregoing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Parties agree that, if Cantor (or the other member of the Cantor Group acquiring such Founding Partner Interest, as the case may be) shall purchase a Founding Partner Interest pursuant to this Section 12.03(a)(ii) at a price equal to clause (2) above, neither

 

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Cantor, any member of the Cantor Group nor the Partnership or any other Person shall be obligated to pay the holder of such Founding Partner Interest any amount in excess of the amount set forth in clause (2) above. Cantor shall respond as promptly as practicable to the Partnership after receipt of the written notice provided by the Partnership as to whether it is electing to exercise its rights pursuant to this Section 12.03(a)(ii) with respect to a Founding Partner Interest. Pursuant to Section 4.03(c)(iii), any Founding Partner Interest acquired by a Cantor Company pursuant to this Section 12.03(a)(ii) shall cause such Founding Partner Interest and related Units (or portion thereof) to automatically be designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest and the related Units (or portion thereof) shall automatically be designated as Exchangeable Limited Partnership Units. The Cantor Company acquiring such Interest shall have all rights and obligations of a holder of Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest with respect to such Interest, and such Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest shall not be subject to the redemption provisions of this Article XII.

(b) Redemption of Working Partner Interests. (i) The General Partner may, at any time and from time to time for any reason or for no reason whatsoever, cause the Partnership to purchase and redeem (or in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, assign by written instrument executed by the General Partner to another Partner the right to purchase from such Working Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative), and such Working Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative shall sell to such other Partner or the Partnership, as the case may be, all or a portion of that portion of the Working Partner Interest held by such Working Partner that has not become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iv). The amount that shall be paid by the Partnership to acquire such Working Partner Interest is as set forth in Section 12.04.

(ii) If the Partnership elects to assign its purchase rights with respect to any Working Partner Interest to another Partner pursuant to Section 12.03(b)(i), the Partnership shall provide written notice to Cantor of such election as promptly as practicable, and Cantor shall have a right to purchase (or to assign to any member of the Cantor Group the right to purchase), in lieu of a purchase by such other Partner, all or a portion of such Interest from the Partnership (following the purchase by the Partnership of such Interest), on the same terms that such Partner would have a right to purchase such Interest. Cantor shall respond as promptly as practicable to the Partnership after receipt of the written notice provided by the Partnership as to whether it is electing to exercise its rights provided in this Section 12.03(b)(ii) with respect to such Working Partner Interest.

(c) Redemption of REU Interests. (i) The General Partner may, at any time and from time to time for any reason or for no reason whatsoever, cause the Partnership to purchase and redeem (or in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, assign by written instrument executed by the General Partner to another Partner the right to purchase from such REU Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative, and such REU Partner or his, her or its Personal Representative shall sell to such other Partner or the Partnership, as the case may be, that portion of the REU Interest held by such REU Partner that has not become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01(b)(iii). The amount that shall be

 

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paid by the Partnership to acquire such portion of REU Interest is as set forth in Section 12.04.

(ii) If the Partnership elects to assign its purchase rights with respect to any REU Interest to another Partner pursuant to Section 12.03(c)(i), the Partnership shall provide written notice to Cantor of such election as promptly as practicable, and Cantor shall have a right to purchase (or to assign to any member of the Cantor Group the right to purchase), in lieu of a purchase by such other Partner, all or a portion of such Interest from the Partnership (following the purchase by the Partnership of such Interest), on the same terms that such Partner would have a right to purchase such Interest. Cantor shall respond as promptly as practicable to the Partnership after receipt of the written notice provided by the Partnership as to whether it is electing to exercise its rights provided in this Section 12.03(c)(ii) with respect to such REU Interest.

SECTION 12.04. Purchase Price for Redemption; Other Redemption Provisions . (a)  Purchase of Entire Founding/Working Partner Interest or Entire REU Interest. Subject to Section 3.03, and provided that Cantor has not exercised its right to purchase, upon a redemption or purchase by the Partnership of all, but not less than all, of a Founding/Working Partner Interest or REU Interest, as the case may be, held by a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be (or its, his or her Personal Representatives), pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03, the Partnership shall pay to such Partner or its, his or her Personal Representative the amount to be paid pursuant to, and at the times provided in, Section 12.02 (and, in the case of High Distribution II Units, pursuant to Section 12.01(b)).

(b) Redemption or Purchase of Partial Founding/Working Partner Interest or REU Interest. Subject to Section 3.03, upon a redemption or purchase by the Partnership of less than all of a Founding/Working Partner Interest or REU Interest, as the case may be, held by a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be (or its, his or her Personal Representatives), pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03, the Partnership shall pay to such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be (or its, his or her Personal Representative), an amount equal to the Adjusted Capital Account attributable to the portion of such Founding/Working Partner Interest or REU Interest, as the case may be, so redeemed or purchased (reduced in whole or in part in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner by the applicable Adjustment Amount and determined as of the end of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter); provided that (i) the Partnership shall be deemed to have redeemed Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, in the inverse order in which they were acquired and (ii) in no event shall the amount paid for any redeemed Founding/Working Partner Unit or REUs, as the case may be, be less than the price initially paid for such Unit (equitably adjusted to reflect any losses or deductions incurred by the Partnership or any Subsidiary subsequent to the acquisition of such Unit or any distributions of capital by the Partnership in respect of such Units) (it being understood that this clause (ii) shall not apply in respect of a purchase of such Units by Cantor pursuant to the exercise of a right to purchase or otherwise). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Sections 12.02 and 12.03 shall also apply to the redemption of Units held by an Exempt Organization that were received from a Transfer by a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner.

 

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(c) Substitution of Non-Cash Consideration . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Partnership shall have the right, in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner, subject to Section 3.02(d), upon any redemption of Units pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03 to pay all or part of any amounts due in respect of such redemption (including Post-Termination Payments and payments in respect of the Grant Tax Payment Account) in Publicly Traded Shares, in lieu of cash, valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares (as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or any other national securities exchange or quotation system on which such shares are then listed or quoted) during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding each payment (or by such other fair and reasonable pricing method as may be selected by the General Partner), or other property valued at its then-fair market value, as determined by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, or a combination of the foregoing.

SECTION 12.05. Redemption of Opco Units Following a Redemption of Founding/Working Partner Interests or REU Interest . (a)  Founding Partner Interests . Upon any redemption or purchase by the Partnership of any Founding Partner Interest pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03, the Partnership shall cause U.S. Opco and Global Opco to redeem and purchase from the Partnership a number of U.S. Opco Units (and the associated U.S. Opco Capital) and cause Global Opco to redeem and purchase from the Partnership a number of Global Opco Units (and the associated Global Opco Capital), in each case, equal to (A) the number of Units underlying the redeemed or purchased Founding Partner Interest, multiplied by (B) the Holdings Ratio as of immediately prior to the redemption or purchase of such Founding Partner Interest. The aggregate purchase price that the Opcos shall pay to the Partnership in such redemption shall be an amount of cash equal to (x) the number of U.S. Opco Units so redeemed multiplied by (y) the Current Market Price; provided that, upon mutual agreement of the General Partner, the general partner of U.S. Opco and the general partner of Global Opco, U.S. Opco and Global Opco may, in lieu of cash, pay all or a portion of this amount in Publicly Traded Shares, valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares (as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or any other national securities exchange or quotation system on which such shares are then listed or quoted) during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding each payment (or by such other fair and reasonable pricing method as they may agree), or other property, valued at its then-fair market value, as determined by them. BGC Partners shall determine the proportion of such amount that shall be paid by U.S. Opco, on the one hand, and Global Opco, on the other hand (which determination shall be based on BGC Partners’ good-faith judgment as to the proportion of the total fair value of the Opcos represented by U.S. Opco and Global Opco, respectively, as of such date).

(b) Working Partner Interests . Upon any redemption or purchase by the Partnership of any Working Partner Interest pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03, the Partnership shall cause U.S. Opco and Global Opco to redeem and purchase from the Partnership a number of U.S. Opco Units (and the associated U.S. Opco Capital) and cause Global Opco to redeem and purchase from the Partnership a number of Global Opco Units (and the associated Global Opco Capital), in each case, equal to (A) the number of Units underlying the redeemed or purchased Working Partner Interest, multiplied by (B) the Holdings Ratio as of immediately prior to the redemption or purchase of such Working Partner Interest. The aggregate purchase price that the Opcos shall pay to the Partnership in such redemption shall be an amount of cash equal to the amount required by the Partnership

 

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to redeem or purchase such Working Partner Interest; provided that, upon mutual agreement of the General Partner, the general partner of U.S. Opco and the general partner of Global Opco, U.S. Opco and Global Opco may, in lieu of cash, pay all or a portion of this amount in Publicly Traded Shares, valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares (as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or any other national securities exchange or quotation system on which such shares are then listed or quoted) during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding each payment (or by such other fair and reasonable pricing method as they may agree), or other property valued at its then-fair market value, as determined by them. BGC Partners shall determine the proportion of such amount that shall be paid by U.S. Opco, on the one hand, and Global Opco, on the other hand (which determination shall be based on BGC Partners’ good-faith judgment as to the proportion of the total fair value of the Opcos represented by U.S. Opco and Global Opco, respectively, as of such date).

(c) REU Interests . Upon any redemption or purchase by the Partnership of any REU Interest pursuant to Section 12.02 or 12.03 that occurs on or after the Merger, the Partnership shall cause U.S. Opco and Global Opco to redeem and purchase from the Partnership a number of U.S. Opco Units (and the associated U.S. Opco Capital) and cause Global Opco to redeem and purchase from the Partnership a number of Global Opco Units (and the associated Global Opco Capital), in each case, equal to (A) the number of Units underlying the redeemed or purchased REU Interest, multiplied by (B) the Holdings Ratio as of immediately prior to the redemption or purchase of such REU Interest. The aggregate purchase price that the Opcos shall pay to the Partnership in such redemption shall be an amount of cash equal to the amount required by the Partnership to redeem or purchase such REU Interest (including the REU Post-Termination Payment, if any); provided that, upon mutual agreement of the General Partner, the general partner of U.S. Opco and the general partner of Global Opco, U.S. Opco and Global Opco may, in lieu of cash, pay all or a portion of this amount in Publicly Traded Shares, valued at the average of the closing prices of such shares (as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or any other national securities exchange or quotation system on which such shares are then listed or quoted) during the 10-trading-day period immediately preceding each payment (or by such other fair and reasonable pricing method as they may agree), or other property valued at its then-fair market value, as determined by them. BGC Partners shall determine the proportion of such amount that shall be paid by U.S. Opco, on the one hand, and Global Opco, on the other hand (which determination shall be based on BGC Partners’ good-faith judgment as to the proportion of the total fair value of the Opcos represented by U.S. Opco and Global Opco, respectively, as of such date).

SECTION 12.06. Section 7704 of the Code . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no Founding/Working Partner Units may be Transferred or redeemed to the extent that such Transfer or redemption would cause the Partnership to be treated as a “publicly traded partnership” within the meaning of Section 7704 of the Code or any successor thereto, and the General Partner is expressly authorized to modify the operation of the transfer and redemption provisions of this Agreement to the extent reasonably necessary to implement the purposes of this Section 12.06.

 

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SECTION 12.07. Provisions Relating to Issuances of Shares of BGC Partners Common Stock and Distributions . Each Founding/Working Partner and REU Partner agrees to pay, and to indemnify and hold harmless the Partnership and its Affiliates from and against, any tax, or any other liability relating to a tax, of any kind whatsoever (including, withholding, payroll or similar taxes) imposed on such Partner, the Partnership or any Affiliate in connection with or as a result of (a) such Partner’s acquisition of (or right to acquire) shares in BGC Partners Common Stock, including, any acquisition of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock pursuant to Section 8.01(b) or (b) distributions payable in respect of such Partner’s Units. In particular, and without limitation, the General Partner (for itself and/or on behalf of any employer or secondary contributor connected with the General Partner) and each such Partner hereby agrees that to the extent that any such acquisition or distribution constitutes the receipt of employment income or earnings for the purposes of United Kingdom Pay As You Earn ( “PAYE” ) or National Insurance Contributions ( “NIC” ) legislation or is subject to similar rules under the laws of any other jurisdiction, the General Partner (for itself and/or on behalf of any such employer or secondary contributor or Affiliate) shall have the right either to:

(ii) recover from such Partner the amount of any PAYE liability, NIC Liability or other liability for which the General Partner or any such employer or secondary contributor or Affiliate is liable in connection with such acquisition; or

(iii) withhold from any cash distributed or from the number of any shares of BGC Partners Common Stock to be acquired by such Partner, such amount or such number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock as have a market value equal to any PAYE liability, NIC Liability or other liability for which the General Partner (or any such employer or secondary contributor or Affiliate) is liable in connection with such acquisition (rounded up to the nearest whole share of BGC Partners Common Stock) or with such distribution.

The Partnership shall have the authority to require a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, to enter into such agreements as may be necessary or desirable in the sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner to give effect to the foregoing or to enter into a Section 431 UK Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 election with their employer, and the distribution of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock, or the consummation of any Exchange pursuant to Section 8.01(b) may be conditioned upon such Partner entering into such agreement or election. “NIC Liability” shall mean any liability to make primary and/or (to the extent recovery or withholding in respect of such is permissible by applicable law) secondary U.K. national insurance contributions and the phrase “any employer or secondary contributor” shall include any person to whom a U.K. PAYE liability or NIC Liability arises in connection with any cash distribution or with any entitlement to receive and/or distribution of BGC Partners Common Stock.

SECTION 12.08. Application of Proceeds From Sale of Shares of BGC Partners Common Stock by a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner . Cantor, in its sole and absolute discretion, may require that any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner who sells shares of BGC Partners Common Stock received in connection with an Exchange apply all or a portion of the net after-tax proceeds of such sale to the payment of any indebtedness or obligation to or guaranteed by Cantor or any Affiliate of Cantor (whether or not such indebtedness or obligation

 

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is otherwise then due and payable), including, without limitation, any CFLP HDII Account or CFLP HDIII Account. In addition, any Founding Partner that receives shares of BGC Partners Common Stock in connection with an Exchange of an Interest that, following such Exchange, has an outstanding CFLP HDII Account or CFLP HDIII Account shall, following the Exchange, continue to satisfy its payment obligations to Cantor under Section 12.01(b)(ix) (at the times and in the amounts that would have applied had such Interest not have been Exchanged, taking into account amounts paid pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 12.08).

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 13.01. Amendments . (a) Except as provided in Section 1.03 with respect to this Agreement or Section 2.01 with respect to the Certificate of Limited Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and this Agreement may not be amended except with (and any such amendment shall be authorized upon obtaining) the approval of each of the General Partner and the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest); provided that this Agreement shall not be amended to (i) amend any provisions which require the consent of a specified percentage in interest of the Limited Partners without the consent of that specified percentage in interest of the Limited Partners; (ii) alter the interest of any Partner in the amount or timing of distributions or the allocation of profits, losses or credits (other than any such alteration caused by the acquisition of additional Units by any Partner or the issuance of additional Units to any Person pursuant to this Agreement or as otherwise expressly provided herein), if such alteration would either (A) materially adversely affect the economic interest of a Partner in the Partnership or (B) materially adversely affect the value of Interests, without the consent of (x) the Partners holding at least two-thirds of all Units in the case of an amendment applying in a substantially similar manner to all classes of Interests or (y) two-thirds in interest of the affected class or classes of the Partners in the case of any other amendment; or (iii) amend this Agreement to alter the Special Voting Limited Partner’s ability to remove a General Partner; provided , however , that the General Partner may authorize, without further approval of any other Person or group, (1) any amendment to this Agreement to correct any technicality, incorrect statement or error apparent on the face hereof in order to further the intent of the parties hereto or (2) correction of any formality or error apparent on the face hereof or incorrect statement or defect in the execution hereof. Any merger or consolidation of the Partnership with any third party that shall amend or otherwise modify the terms of this Agreement shall require the approval of the Persons referred to above to the extent the approval of such Persons would have been required had such amendment or modification been effected by an amendment to this Agreement.

(b) In the event of the approval pursuant to this Section 13.01 or otherwise of a material amendment to this Agreement that materially adversely affects the economic interest of a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner, as the case may be, in the Partnership or the value of Founding/Working Partner Units or REUs, as the case may be, by materially altering the interest of any such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, in the amount or timing of distributions or the allocation of profits, losses or distributions or the allocation of profits, losses or credit, other than any such alteration caused by the acquisition of Units by any Partner, then each

 

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Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be (including the controlling stockholder of any corporate Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be), who does not vote in favor of such amendment shall have the right, subject to the conditions of this Section 13.01, to elect to become a Terminated Partner (regardless of whether there is an actual termination of the employment of such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be) as of the date of such amendment to this Agreement, on the terms and conditions of this Agreement as in effect immediately prior to such amendment to this Agreement; provided , however , that (i) solely for purposes of determining the timing of payments of the Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 12.02(c) (but not the determination of interest) to any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, who becomes a Terminated Partner pursuant to an election pursuant to this Section 13.01(b), the Payment Date shall not be deemed to occur until the date such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall cease to be employed by the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or the Affiliated Entities in any capacity, and (ii) no payment of any amount on account of any Extraordinary Account pursuant to Article XII shall be made prior to such date, unless the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion shall designate an earlier date. Such election shall be made by written notice to the General Partner, delivered within thirty (30) days of notice to the electing Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, of the proposed amendment, specifically stating that such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, elects to withdraw under the terms and conditions of this Section 13.01(b). As a condition to any such election, any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, electing to become a Terminated Partner pursuant to this Section 13.01(b) must, if requested by the General Partner, provide his or her written consent stating that such Partner agrees that the termination date (or any similar date relating to the cessation of such Partner’s obligations of the Partnership and the Affiliated Entities) of such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, under any employment agreement with the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or any Affiliated Entity, shall be accelerated to the effective date of such election, and such electing Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall have no future right to any compensation, benefits, termination payments or other emoluments from the Opcos or their Subsidiaries or an Affiliated Entity, pursuant to any such agreement, and such Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, shall be entitled to future payments from the Partnership only as provided in this Agreement and as may be determined by the General Partner. The General Partner shall have the right, in the event any Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, of the Partnership seeks to exercise his, her or its withdrawal rights pursuant to this Section 13.01(b), to revoke and terminate any proposed amendment to this Agreement, in which event all approvals, elections and terminations pursuant hereto shall be of no force and effect, and all agreements shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their terms prior to the proposed amendments. For this purpose, any proposed amendment of this Agreement subject to this Section 13.01(b) shall not become effective until the later of (A) receipt of sufficient approval by the Partners pursuant to this Section 13.01 or (B) thirty (30) days after written notice to the Partners of the proposed amendment to this Agreement, and shall become effective no later than sixty (60) days after written notice to the Partners of the proposed amendment to this Agreement, unless revoked by the General Partner.

 

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SECTION 13.02. Benefits of Agreement . None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of or enforceable by any creditor of the Partnership or by any creditor of any of the Partners. Except as provided in Article X with respect to Persons entitled to indemnification pursuant to such Article, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to create any right in any Person not a party hereto, and this instrument shall not be construed in any respect to be a contract in whole or in part for the benefit of any third person.

SECTION 13.03. Waiver of Notice . Whenever any notice is required to be given to any Partner or other Person under the provisions of the Act or this Agreement, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the Person or Persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Partners (if any shall be called) or the General Partner need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

SECTION 13.04. Jurisdiction and Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial . (a) Each of the Partners agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that all Actions arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, the Partnership’s affairs, the rights or interests of the Partners or the estate of any deceased Partner (to the extent that they are related to any of the foregoing), or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any breach or termination or alleged breach or termination of this Agreement, shall be tried and determined exclusively in the state or federal courts in the State of Delaware, and each of the Partners hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such Action for itself and in respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts. Each of the Partners hereby expressly waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right it may have to assert, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such Action: (i) any claim that it is not subject to personal jurisdiction in the aforesaid courts for any reason; (ii) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts; (iii) that (A) any of the aforesaid courts is an inconvenient or inappropriate forum for such Action, (B) venue is not proper in any of the aforesaid courts; and (iv) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof or thereof, may not be enforced in or by any of the aforesaid courts. With respect to any action arising out of or relating to this agreement or any obligation hereunder, each Partner irrevocably and unconditionally, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (x) agrees to appoint promptly upon request from the Partnership authorized agents for the purpose of receiving service of process in any suit, action or proceeding in Wilmington, Delaware; (y) consents to service of process in any suit, action or proceeding in such jurisdictions; and (z) consents to service of process by mailing a copy thereof to the address of the Partner determined under Section 13.07 by U.S. registered or certified mail, by the closest foreign equivalent of registered or certified mail, by a recognized overnight delivery service, by service upon any agent specified pursuant to clause (x) above, or by any other manner permitted by applicable law.

(b) EACH PARTNER WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO REQUEST OR OBTAIN A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING GOVERNED BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT OR PERTAINING TO THE MATTERS GOVERNED BY THIS AGREEMENT. “MATTERS GOVERNED BY THIS AGREEMENT” SHALL INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, ANY AND ALL MATTERS AND AGREEMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY DISPUTES ARISING WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUCH MATTERS AND AGREEMENTS.

 

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(c) The Partners acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with its specific terms or was otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the Partnership shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof and thereof, this being in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled by law or equity.

SECTION 13.05. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their respective estates, heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns, any additional Partner admitted in accordance with the provisions hereof and any successor to a trustee of a trust that is or becomes a party hereto.

SECTION 13.06. Confidentiality . (a) In addition to any other obligations set forth in this Agreement, each Partner recognizes that confidential information has been and will be disclosed to such Partner by the Partnership and its Subsidiaries. Each Partner (other than the Cantor Group and the BGC Partners Group) expressly agrees, whether or not at the time a Partner of the Partnership or providing services to the Partnership and/or any of its Subsidiaries, to (i) maintain the confidentiality of, and not disclose to any Person without the prior written consent of the Partnership, any financial, legal or other advisor to the Partnership, any information relating to the business, clients, affairs or financial structure, position or results of the Partnership or its affiliates (including any Affiliate) or any dispute that shall not be generally known to the public or the securities industry and (ii) not to use such confidential information other than for the purpose of evaluating such Partner’s investment in the Partnership or in connection with the discharge of any duties to the Partnership or an Affiliated Entity such Partner may have in such Partner’s capacity as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Partnership or an Affiliated Entity. Notwithstanding Section 13.04 or any other provision herein to the contrary, each Partner agrees that money damages would not be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this Section 13.06 by such Partner, and that in addition to all other remedies, the Partnership shall be entitled to injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any such breach. Each Partner agrees not to oppose the granting of such relief and agrees to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy.

(b) In the event that any third party requests information from a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be (whether during the period he, she or it is a Partner or during the four-year period following Termination of such Partner), regarding any matter related to such Partner’s employment by the Partnership or any Affiliated Entity or his, her or its role as a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, he, she or it will contact and notify the General Counsel of the Partnership before responding to such requests for information, so that the Partnership may take appropriate action to protect its interests. However, neither a Founding/Working Partner nor an REU Partner shall have any obligation to contact and notify the General Counsel of the Partnership prior to any such discussions between such Partner and such Partner’s legal counsel or his certified public accountant.

 

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(c) In the event that a Founding/Working Partner or an REU Partner is subpoenaed, or asked, to testify as a witness or to produce documents in any legal or administrative or other proceeding related to the Partnership (whether during the period in which he, she or it is a Partner or during the Restricted Period applicable to such Partner), or otherwise required by law to disclose confidential information, he, she or it will promptly notify the Partnership of such subpoena or request and meet with Partnership representatives for a reasonable period of time prior to any such appearance or production.

(d) Each of the current and any former beneficial owners of any corporate or other entity Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, and each trustee or beneficiary of any trust that is a Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, shall also be subject to the provisions of this Section 13.06 and each corporate or other entity Founding/Working Partner or REU Partner, as the case may be, and each such trustee or beneficiary agrees to take such action as is requested by the General Partner to ensure the enforcement of this Section 13.06.

(e) Each Founding/Working Partner and each REU Partner agrees to indemnify and hold the Partnership harmless from any loss, cost, damage or claim suffered by the Partnership, including attorneys’ fees and expenses, resulting from a breach by such Partner (including by its beneficial owner or by any trustee of any trust beneficial owner) of this Section 13.06.

SECTION 13.07. Notices . All notices and other communications required or permitted by this Agreement shall be made in writing and any such notice or communication shall be deemed delivered when delivered in Person, properly transmitted by telecopier or one (1) Business Day after it has been sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier to the address for notices shown in the Partnership’s records (or any other address provided to the Partnership in writing for this purpose) or, if given to the Partnership, to the principal place of business of the Partnership in New York, New York. Communications by telecopier also shall be sent concurrently by overnight courier, but shall in any event be effective as stated above. Each Partner may from time to time change its address for notices under this Section 13.07 by giving at least five (5) days’ prior written notice of such changed address to the Partnership.

SECTION 13.08. No Waiver of Rights . No failure or delay on the part of any Partner in the exercise of any power or right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power or right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or of any other right or power. The waiver by any Partner of a breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach hereunder. All rights and remedies existing under this Agreement are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies otherwise available.

SECTION 13.09. Power of Attorney . Each Partner agrees that, by its execution of this Agreement, such Partner irrevocably constitutes and appoints the General Partner as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact coupled with an interest, with full power and authority, in its

 

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name, place and stead to make, execute, acknowledge and record (a) all certificates, instruments or documents, including fictitious name or assumed name certificates, as may be required by, or may be appropriate under, the laws of any state or jurisdiction in which the Partnership is doing or intends to do business and (b) all agreements, documents, certificates or other instruments amending this Agreement or the Certificate of Limited Partnership that may be necessary or appropriate to reflect or accomplish (i) a change in the name or location of the principal place of business of the Partnership or a change of name or address of a Partner, (ii) the disposal or increase by a Partner of his Interest in the Partnership or any part thereof, (iii) a distribution and reduction of the capital contribution of a Partner or any other changes in the capital of the Partnership, (iv) the dissolution or termination of the Partnership, (v) the addition or substitution of a Person becoming a Partner of the Partnership and (vi) any amendment to this Agreement, in each case only to the extent expressly authorized and conducted in accordance with the preceding sections of this Agreement. The power granted hereby is coupled with an interest and shall survive the subsequent disability or incapacity of the principal.

SECTION 13.10. Severability . If any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to cause it to be enforceable, and the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired.

SECTION 13.11. 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.

SECTION 13.12. Entire Agreement . This Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Original Limited Partnership Agreement. This Agreement, including the exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto and the Ancillary Agreements, constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the terms of Article XII and the rest of this Agreement, the terms of the rest of this Agreement shall prevail and Article XII shall be appropriately amended by the General Partner (with the prior written consent of the Exchangeable Limited Partners (by Majority in Interest)) to remove such conflict or inconsistency (without the requirement of any further consent, approval or action of any other Persons).

SECTION 13.13. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflicts of law principles.

SECTION 13.14. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement.

 

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SECTION 13.15. Opportunity; Fiduciary Duty . To the greatest extent permitted by law and except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, but notwithstanding any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity:

(a) None of any BGC Partners Company or Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any fiduciary duty to, nor shall any BGC Partners Company or Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives be liable for breach of fiduciary duty to, the Partnership or the holders of Interests. In taking any action, making any decision or exercising any discretion with respect to the Partnership, each BGC Partners Company and Cantor Company and their respective Representatives shall be entitled to consider such interests and factors as it desires, including its own interests and those of its Representatives, and shall have no duty or obligation (i) to give any consideration to the interests of or factors affecting the Partnership, the holders of Interests or any other Person, or (ii) to abstain from participating in any vote or other action of the Partnership or any Affiliate thereof, or any board, committee or similar body of any of the foregoing. None of any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall violate a duty or obligation to the Partnership merely because such Person’s conduct furthers such Person’s own interest, except as specifically set forth in Section 13.15(c). Any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives may lend money to, and transact other business with, the Partnership and its Representatives. The rights and obligations of any such Person who lends money to, contracts with, borrows from or transacts business with the Partnership or any of its Representatives are the same as those of a Person who is not involved with the Partnership or any of its Representatives, subject to other applicable law. No transaction between any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, with the Partnership or any of its Representatives, on the other hand, shall be voidable solely because any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives has a direct or indirect interest in the transaction. Nothing herein contained shall prevent any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives from conducting any other business, including serving as an officer, director, employee, or stockholder of any corporation, partnership or limited liability company, a trustee of any trust, an executor or administrator of any estate, or an administrative official of any other business or not-for-profit entity, or from receiving any compensation in connection therewith.

(b) None of any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Partnership and its Representatives, or (ii) doing business with any of the Partnership’s or its Representatives’ clients or customers. In the event that any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a Corporate Opportunity for any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, and the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, such BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, shall have no duty to communicate or offer such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or its Representatives. None of any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives shall be liable to the Partnership, the holders of

 

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Interests or its Representatives for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact that any BGC Partners Company, Cantor Company or any of their respective Representatives pursues or acquires such Corporate Opportunity for itself, directs such Corporate Opportunity to another Person or does not present such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or any of its Representatives.

(c) If a third party presents a Corporate Opportunity to a person who is both a Representative of a BGC Partners Company and/or a Cantor Company, expressly and solely in such Person’s capacity as a Representative of the Partnership, and such Person acts in good faith in a manner consistent with the policy that such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Partnership, then such Person (i) shall be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such Person has to the Partnership as a Representative of the Partnership with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (ii) shall not be liable to the Partnership, the holders of Interests or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such Person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (iii) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such Person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Partnership’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such Person’s duty of loyalty to the Partnership and the holders of Interests and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom; provided that a BGC Partners Company and/or Cantor Company may pursue such Corporate Opportunity if the Partnership shall decide not to pursue such Corporate Opportunity. If a Corporate Opportunity is not presented to a Person who is both a Representative of the Partnership and a Representative of a BGC Partners Company and/or a Cantor Company, expressly and solely in such Person’s capacity as a Representative of the Partnership, such Person shall not be obligated to present such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or to act as if such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Partnership, and such Person shall (A) be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such Person has to the Partnership as a Representative of the Partnership with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (B) shall not be liable to the Partnership, any of the holders of Interests or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such Person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (C) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Partnership’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such Person’s duty of loyalty to the Partnership and the holders of Interests and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom.

(d) Any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any Interest shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Section 13.15.

(e) Except to the extent otherwise modified herein, each officer of the Partnership shall have fiduciary duties identical to those of officers of business corporations organized under the DGCL. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict or eliminate the duties (including fiduciary duties) of a director, officer or other Person otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the parties hereto to replace such other duties of such Person.

 

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(f) Neither the alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Section 13.15 nor the adoption of any provision of this Agreement inconsistent with this Section 13.15 shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Section 13.15 in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of Action that, but for this Section 13.15, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption.

SECTION 13.16. Reimbursement of Expenses . All costs and expenses incurred in connection with the ongoing operation or management of the business of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries shall be borne by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be.

SECTION 13.17. Effectiveness . The Original Limited Partnership Agreement was effective for all financial and accounting purposes as of August 24, 2004. This Agreement shall be effective immediately prior to the Closing (as defined in the Separation Agreement).

SECTION 13.18. Parity of Units . It is the non-binding intention of each of the Partners and the Partnership that the Holdings Ratio shall at all times equal one. Accordingly, in the event of any issuance, or repurchase by U.S. Opco, of U.S. Opco Units to or held by the Partnership, it is the non-binding intention of each of the Partners and the Partnership that there be a parallel issuance or repurchase transaction by the Partnership so that the Holdings Ratio shall at all times equal one, and the parties to this Agreement agree to cooperate to effect the intent of this Section 13.18.

SECTION 13.19. Limitation on Challenge Period and Exclusive Remedies Available to Partners with Respect to any Redemption of Units . (a) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or in law or equity to the contrary, no Founding/Working Partner and no REU Partner may institute any action challenging, directly or indirectly, the terms, conditions or validity or any other matter related to or arising out of any redemption by the Partnership of Units held by such Partner, whether such action is based (in whole or in part) in contract, tort and/or any duty otherwise existing in law or equity (a “Challenge” ) unless such Challenge is instituted on or prior to the first anniversary (the “Challenge Deadline” ) of the later of (i) the effective date of the challenged redemption (the “Effective Date” ) and (ii) the giving of notice by the Partnership with respect to such challenged redemption. If a Challenge is not instituted by such Partner on or prior to the Challenge Deadline, such Partner shall be thereafter foreclosed from instituting any Challenge. It shall be a condition to a Partner instituting any Challenge, that (i) such Partner shall have retained the consideration paid to such Partner in the challenged redemption (the “Redemption Consideration” ) in the same form as paid by the Partnership and free from any liens or other encumbrances and (ii) such Partner shall make a binding offer to return such consideration to the Partnership on the Final Adjudication Date of any successful Challenge in the same form as paid by the Partnership and free from any liens or other encumbrances.

(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or in law or equity to the contrary, any such Partner that institutes a Challenge agrees that, in the event such Partner is successful in whole or in part in such Challenge as finally determined in accordance with this Article XIII in a judgment or arbitration award not subject to further appeal (a “Final Adjudication” ), the exclusive remedy available to such Partner in such Challenge shall be, as elected by the General Partner in its sole and absolute discretion within 10 days after the date of the Final Adjudication

 

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(the “Final Adjudication Date” ), as follows: either (i) promptly following the Partner’s return to the Partnership of the Redemption Consideration paid in respect of the challenged redemption in accordance with the binding offer referred to in the last sentence of Section 13.19(a), the Partnership shall restore for the account of such Partner all Units held by such Partner redeemed in the challenged redemption and the Adjusted Capital Account related thereto as both existed on the Effective Date immediately prior to the challenged redemption, without regard or entitlement to any statutory interest on the Adjusted Capital Account with respect to such Units between the Effective Date and the date such Units are restored pursuant to this Section 13.19(b)(i), or (ii) promptly following the Partner’s return to the Partnership of the Redemption Consideration paid in respect of the challenged redemption in accordance with the binding offer referred to in the last sentence of Section 13.19(a), the Partnership shall first restore for the account of such Partner all Units held by such Partner redeemed in the challenged redemption and then redeem all of the redeemed Units so restored for the amount of the Adjusted Capital Account attributable to the restored Units as of the Effective Date immediately prior to the challenged redemption, without regard or entitlement to any statutory interest on such Adjusted Capital Account between the Effective Date and the date such Units are restored pursuant to this Section 13.19(b)(ii), such payment to be made at the times, in the amounts and subject to the conditions provided for payments as if the Partner were a Terminated Partner under Article XI in respect of the restored Units so redeemed and subject to all of the other provisions of the Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 3.03. In addition, the Partnership shall pay to the Partner, or the Partner shall pay to the Partnership, as the case may be, without regard or entitlement to any statutory interest, the difference between the amounts of distributions or other payments the Partner received in respect of the challenged Redemption Consideration on and after the Effective Date and the amount of distributions such Partner would have received during such period in respect of his, her or its Units redeemed in the challenged redemption had the challenged redemption not occurred. Any and all returns by a Partner of challenged Redemption Consideration in accordance with the binding offer referred to in the last sentence of Section 13.19(a) shall be made within 20 days of the Final Adjudication Date.

(c) This Section 13.19 shall not limit or restrict any remedies that the Partnership or the General Partner may have under this Agreement, at law or equity, against a Partner that institutes any Challenge to any redemption that is subject to this Section 13.19, and the matters described herein shall be subject to all of the other provisions of the Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 3.03 and Section 2.09(c).

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the general partner and limited partner as of the day and year first written above.

 

BGC GP, LLC
By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:   Co-Chief Executive Officer
CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
BGC PARTNERS, LLC
By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:   Chairman and Co-Chief Executive

[Signature Page to the Agreement of Limited Partnership of BGC Holdings, L.P., dated as of

March 31, 2008, by and among BGC GP, LLC, Cantor, BGC Partners

and the Persons to be admitted as Partners or otherwise parties hereto]

Exhibit 10.2

 

 

AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

OF

BGC PARTNERS, L.P.

Amended and Restated as of March 31, 2008 1

 

 

  

 

1 THE TRANSFER OF THE PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS DESCRIBED IN THIS AGREEMENT IS RESTRICTED AS DESCRIBED HEREIN.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01.    Definitions    1
SECTION 1.02.    Other Definitional Provisions    7
SECTION 1.03.    References to Schedules    7
ARTICLE II
FORMATION, CONTINUATION AND POWERS
SECTION 2.01.    Formation    8
SECTION 2.02.    Name    8
SECTION 2.03.    Purpose and Scope of Activity    8
SECTION 2.04.    Principal Place of Business    8
SECTION 2.05.    Registered Agent and Office    8
SECTION 2.06.    Authorized Persons    8
SECTION 2.07.    Term    9
SECTION 2.08.    Treatment as Partnership    9
SECTION 2.09.    Compliance with Law    9
ARTICLE III
MANAGEMENT
SECTION 3.01.    Management by the General Partner    9
SECTION 3.02.    Role and Voting Rights of Limited Partners; Authority of Partners    10
ARTICLE IV
PARTNERS; CLASSES OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
SECTION 4.01.    Partners    11
SECTION 4.02.    Interests    11
SECTION 4.03.    Admission and Withdrawal of Partners    13
SECTION 4.04.    Liability to Third Parties; Capital Account Deficits    14
SECTION 4.05.    Classes    14
SECTION 4.06.    Certificates    14
SECTION 4.07.    Uniform Commercial Code Treatment of Units    15
SECTION 4.08.    Priority Among Partners    15

 

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ARTICLE V
CAPITAL AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS
SECTION 5.01.    Capital    15
SECTION 5.02.    Withdrawals; Return on Capital    16
SECTION 5.03.    Maintenance of Capital Accounts    16
SECTION 5.04.    Allocations and Tax Matters    16
SECTION 5.05.    General Partner Determinations    17
SECTION 5.06.    Books and Accounts    17
SECTION 5.07.    Tax Matters Partner    18
SECTION 5.08.    Tax Information    18
SECTION 5.09.    Withholding    18
ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTIONS
SECTION 6.01.    Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests    19
SECTION 6.02.    Limitation on Distributions    19
ARTICLE VII
TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS
SECTION 7.01.    Transfers Generally Prohibited    19
SECTION 7.02.    Permitted Transfers    20
SECTION 7.03.    Admission as a Partner Upon Transfer    21
SECTION 7.04.    Transfer of Units and Capital with the Transfer of an Interest    21
SECTION 7.05.    Encumbrances    21
SECTION 7.06.    Legend    21
SECTION 7.07.    Effect of Transfer Not in Compliance with this Article    22
ARTICLE VIII
DISSOLUTION
SECTION 8.01.    Dissolution    22
SECTION 8.02.    Liquidation    23
SECTION 8.03.    Distributions    23
SECTION 8.04.    Reconstitution    23
SECTION 8.05.    Deficit Restoration    24
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION AND EXCULPATION
SECTION 9.01.    Exculpation    24

 

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SECTION 9.02.    Indemnification    24
SECTION 9.03.    Insurance    27
SECTION 9.04.    Subrogation    27
SECTION 9.05.    No Duplication of Payments    28
SECTION 9.06.    Survival    28
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 10.01.    Amendments    28
SECTION 10.02.    Benefits of Agreement    28
SECTION 10.03.    Waiver of Notice    29
SECTION 10.04.    Jurisdiction and Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial    29
SECTION 10.05.    Successors and Assigns    30
SECTION 10.06.    Confidentiality    30
SECTION 10.07.    Notices    30
SECTION 10.08.    No Waiver of Rights    30
SECTION 10.09.    Power of Attorney    31
SECTION 10.10.    Severability    31
SECTION 10.11.    Headings    31
SECTION 10.12.    Entire Agreement    31
SECTION 10.13.    Governing Law    31
SECTION 10.14.    Counterparts    31
SECTION 10.15.    Opportunity; Fiduciary Duty    32
SECTION 10.16.    Reimbursement of Expenses    34
SECTION 10.17.    Effectiveness    34
SECTION 10.18.    Parity of Units    34

 

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This AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (together with all exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto, this “Agreement” ) of BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership” ), dated as of March 31, 2008, is by and among BGC Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ( “BGC Holdings, LLC” ), as general partner; BGC Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, ( “Holdings” ), as a limited partner, and BGC Holdings U.S., Inc., a Delaware corporation ( “BGC Holdings US” ), as a limited partner, and the Persons to be admitted as Partners (as defined below) or otherwise parties hereto as set forth herein.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Partnership was formed as a limited partnership under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, Del. Code Ann. tit. 6, §17-101, et. seq ., as amended from time to time (the “Act” ) pursuant to an Agreement of Limited Partnership, dated as of July 22, 2004, by and among BGC Holdings, LLC, as the general partner, and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “Cantor” ), as limited partner (as amended and restated on December 7, 2004, the “Original Limited Partnership Agreement” );

WHEREAS, Cantor, BGC Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation ( “BGC Partners” ), the Partnership, BGC Global Holdings, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership ( “Global Opco” ), and Holdings have entered into that certain Separation Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “Separation Agreement” ), pursuant to which, among other things, Cantor has agreed to separate the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business, the Market Data Business and the Fulfillment Business (each as defined in the Separation Agreement and together, the “BGC Businesses” ) from the remainder of the businesses of Cantor by contributing the BGC Businesses to BGC Partners and its applicable Subsidiaries, including the Partnership and Global Opco, in the manner and on the terms and conditions set forth in the Separation Agreement (the “Separation” );

WHEREAS, as part of the Separation, (a) BGC Holdings, LLC will continue as the general partner of the Partnership, but will be indirectly controlled by BGC Partners; (b) BGC Holdings US will become a limited partner of the Partnership; and (c) Holdings will continue as a limited partner of the Partnership; and

WHEREAS, the Partners are amending and restating the Original Partnership Agreement in order to, among other things, provide for or attest to the foregoing transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, effective immediately.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto hereby adopt the following as the amended and restated “partnership agreement” of the Partnership within the meaning of the Act:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

 


“Accounting Period” means (a) in the case of the first Accounting Period, the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending at the next Closing of the Books Event, and (b) in the case of each subsequent Accounting Period, the period commencing immediately after a Closing of the Books Event and ending at the next Closing of the Books Event.

“Act” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“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 indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first Person.

“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Ancillary Agreements” means “Ancillary Agreements” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

“Applicable Tax Rate” means the estimated highest aggregate marginal statutory federal, state and local income, franchise and branch profits tax rates (determined taking into account the deductibility of state and local income taxes for federal income tax purposes and the creditability or deductibility of foreign income taxes for federal income tax purposes) ( “Tax Rate” ) applicable to any Partner on income of the same character and source as the income allocated to such Partner pursuant to Sections 5.04(a) and (b) for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, as determined by the tax matters partner in its discretion; provided that, in the case of a Partner that is a partnership, grantor trust or other pass-through entity under U.S. federal income tax law, the Tax Rate applicable to such Partner for purposes of determining the Applicable Tax Rate shall be the weighted average of the Tax Rates of such Partner’s members, grantor-owners or other beneficial owners (weighted in proportion to their relative economic interests in such Partner), as determined by the tax matters partner in its discretion; provided , further , that if any such member, grantor-owner or other beneficial owner of such Partner is itself a partnership, grantor trust or other-pass through entity, similar principles shall be applied by the tax matters partner in its discretion to determine the Tax Rate of such member, grantor-owner or other beneficial owner.

“BGC Businesses” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“BGC Holdings, LLC” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“BGC Holdings US” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“BGC Partners” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

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“BGC Partners Common Stock” means (1) prior to the Merger, the common units of BGC Partners (regardless of the class of such common units); and (2) after the Merger, the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Partners.

“BGC Partners Company” means any member of the BGC Partners Group.

“BGC Partners Group” means BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries (other than Holdings and its Subsidiaries, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries and Global Opco and its Subsidiaries).

“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.

“Cantor” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Cantor Group” means Cantor and its Subsidiaries (other than any member of the Holdings Group or the BGC Partners Group).

“Capital” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s capital in the Partnership as reflected in such Partner’s Capital Account.

“Capital Account” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s capital account established on the books and records of the Partnership.

“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 22, 2004.

“Closing of the Books Event” means any of (a) the close of the last day of each calendar year and each calendar quarter, (b) the dissolution of the Partnership, (c) the acquisition of an additional interest in the Partnership by any new or existing Partner in exchange for more than a de minimis amount of property, (d) the distribution by the Partnership to a Partner of more than a de minimis amount of Partnership property as consideration for an interest in the Partnership, or (e) any other time that the General Partner determines to be appropriate for an interim closing of the Partnership’s books.

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute thereto.

“Contribution” means “Contribution” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

“Corporate Opportunity” means any business opportunity that the Partnership is financially able to undertake, that is, from its nature, in any of the Partnership’s lines of business, of practical advantage to the Partnership and one in which the Partnership has an interest or a reasonable expectancy, and in which, by embracing the opportunities, the self-interest of BGC Partners, Holdings or their respective Representatives will be brought into conflict with the Partnership’s self-interest.

 

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“DGCL” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

“Disinterested Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(i)(i).

“Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” means the Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution calculated using the Tax Matters Partner’s estimate of the aggregate amount of taxable income or gain to be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 5.04(a) for the applicable period (excluding any items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item).

“Estimated Tax Due Date” means (a) in the case of a Partner that is not an individual, the 15th day of each April, June, September and December or (b) in the case of a Partner that is an individual, the 15th day of each April, June, September and January or, in each of cases (a) and (b), if earlier with respect to any quarter, the date on which BGC Partners is required to make an estimated tax payment.

“General Partner” means BGC Holdings, LLC or any Person who has been admitted, as herein provided, as an additional or substitute general partner, and who has not ceased to be a general partner, each in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

“General Partnership Interest” means, with respect to the General Partner, such Partner’s Unit and Capital designated as the “General Partnership Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner being a General Partner and having such Unit and Capital.

“Global Opco” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Global Opco Units” means “Units” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Group” means the Holdings Group or the BGC Partners Group, as applicable.

“Group Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(a)(ii).

“Group Transferor” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(a)(ii).

“Holdings” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Holdings Company” means any member of the Holdings Group.

“Holdings Group” means Holdings and its Subsidiaries (other than the Partnership and its Subsidiaries and Global Opco and its Subsidiaries).

“Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, L.P., as amended from time to time.

 

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“Holdings Units” means “Units” as defined in the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Independent Counsel” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(i)(ii).

“Interest” means the General Partnership Interest and any Limited Partnership Interest (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest).

“Limited Partner” means any Person who has acquired a Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement and who shall have been admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement and shall not have ceased to be a Limited Partner under the terms of this Agreement, each in its capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership.

“Limited Partnership Interest” means, with respect to any Limited Partner, such Partner’s Units and Capital designated as a “Limited Partnership Interest” (including, for the avoidance of doubt, designation as a “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest”) on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Units and having such Capital.

“Majority in Interest” means Limited Partner(s) holding a majority of the Units underlying the Limited Partnership Interests outstanding as of the applicable record date; provided , however , that if the Holdings Group shall hold a Majority in Interest and the Cantor Group shall hold a majority of the Units underlying the Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests of Holdings, then “Majority in Interest” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean Cantor.

“Original Limited Partnership Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Partners” means the Limited Partners (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partner) and the General Partner, and “Partner” means any of the foregoing.

“Partnership” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Percentage Interest” means, as of the applicable calculation time, with respect to a Partner, the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the number of Units held by such Partner over the number of Units held by all Partners.

“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, limited liability company, governmental entity or other entity of any kind, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

“proceeding” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

 

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“Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” means, for each Partner for each fiscal quarter or other applicable period, such Partner’s Proportionate Tax Share for such fiscal quarter or other applicable period.

“Proportionate Tax Share” means, with respect to a Partner, the product of (a) the Tax Distribution for the fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, as applicable, and (b) the Percentage Interest of such Partner for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period. In the event that the Percentage Interest of a Partner changes during any fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, the Proportionate Tax Share of such Partner and the other Partners, as the case may be, for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period shall be appropriately adjusted to take into account the Partners’ varying interests.

“Representatives” means, with respect to any Person, the Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, general partners, agents, accountants, managing member, employees, counsel and other advisors and representatives of such Person.

“Separation” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Separation Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Special Item” means the matters set forth on Schedule A .

“Special Voting Limited Partner” means the Limited Partner holding the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement and who shall have been admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner designated as the Special Voting Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement and shall not have ceased to be a Limited Partner designated as the Special Voting Limited Partner under the terms of this Agreement.

“Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” means, with respect to the Special Voting Limited Partner, such Partner’s Unit and Capital designated as the “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Units and having such Capital.

“Subsidiary” means, as of the relevant date of determination, with respect to any Person, any corporation or 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 held, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

“Tax Distribution” means, for any fiscal quarter or fiscal year or other period of the Partnership during the term of the Partnership, the product of (a) the aggregate amount of taxable income or gain allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 5.04(a) for such period (excluding any item of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item) and (b) the Applicable Tax Rate for such period.

 

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“Transfer” means any transfer, sale, conveyance, assignment, gift, hypothecation, pledge or other disposition, whether voluntary or by operation of law, of all or any part of an Interest or any right, title or interest therein.

“Transferee” means the transferee in a Transfer or proposed Transfer.

“Transferor” means the transferor in a Transfer or proposed Transfer.

“UCC” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.07.

“Unit” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s partnership interest in the Partnership entitling the holder to a share in the Partnership’s profits, losses and operating distributions as provided in this Agreement.

SECTION 1.02. Other Definitional Provisions . 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 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, appendix, annex and schedule references not attributed to a particular document shall be references to such exhibits, appendixes, annexes and schedules to this Agreement.

SECTION 1.03. References to Schedules . The General Partner shall maintain and revise from time to time all schedules referred to in this Agreement in accordance with this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in Section 10.01 to the contrary, any such revision shall not be deemed an amendment to this Agreement, and shall not require any further act, vote or approval of any Person.

 

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ARTICLE II

FORMATION, CONTINUATION AND POWERS

SECTION 2.01. Formation. Effective as of 2:33 p.m., Wilmington, Delaware time, on April 22, 2004, the Partnership was formed pursuant to the laws of the State of Delaware pursuant to a Certificate of Limited Partnership. The Original Limited Partnership Agreement was entered into on July 22, 2004, and was amended and restated on December 7, 2004, and, prior to the effectiveness of this Agreement, as amended and restated on December 7, 2004, constitutes the partnership agreement (as defined in the Act) of the parties thereto. The Original Limited Partnership Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety to be this Agreement effective immediately prior to the closing of the Contribution pursuant to the Separation Agreement, and this Agreement shall thereafter constitute the partnership agreement (as defined in the Act) of the parties hereto.

SECTION 2.02. Name. The name of the Partnership is “BGC Partners, L.P.”

SECTION 2.03. Purpose and Scope of Activity. The purpose of the Partnership shall be to conduct any and all activities permitted under the Act. The Partnership shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges granted by the Act or by any other law or by this Agreement, together with any powers incidental thereto, that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business, purposes or activities of the Partnership.

SECTION 2.04. Principal Place of Business. For purposes of the Act, the principal place of business of the Partnership shall be located in New York, New York or at such other place as may hereafter be designated from time to time by the General Partner. The Partnership, committee and officer meetings shall take place at the Partnership’s principal place of business unless decided otherwise for any particular meeting.

The Partnership may qualify to transact business in such other states and under such assumed business names (for which all applicable assumed business name certificates or filings shall be made) as the General Partner shall determine. Each Partner shall execute, acknowledge, swear to and deliver all certificates or other documents necessary or appropriate to qualify, continue and terminate the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in such jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct or cease to conduct business, as applicable.

SECTION 2.05. Registered Agent and Office. The registered agent for service of process is, and the mailing address of the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware is in care of, The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware. At any time, the Partnership may designate another registered agent and/or registered office.

SECTION 2.06. Authorized Persons. The execution and causing to be filed of the Certificate of Limited Partnership by the applicable authorized Persons on behalf of the General Partner are hereby specifically ratified, adopted and confirmed. The officers of the Partnership and the General Partner are hereby designated as authorized Persons to act in connection with executing and causing to be filed, when approved by the appropriate governing

 

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body or bodies hereunder, any certificates required or permitted to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and any certificates (and any amendments and/or restatements thereof) necessary for the Partnership to file in any jurisdiction in which the Partnership is required to make a filing.

SECTION 2.07. Term . The term of the Partnership began on the date the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership became effective, and the Partnership shall have perpetual existence unless sooner dissolved as provided in Article VIII.

SECTION 2.08. Treatment as Partnership . Except as otherwise required pursuant to a determination within the meaning of Section 1313(a)(1) of the Code, the parties shall treat the Partnership as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes and agree not to take any action or fail to take any action which action or inaction would be inconsistent with such treatment.

SECTION 2.09. Compliance with Law . The Partnership shall use its best efforts to comply with any and all governmental requirements applicable to it, including the making of any and all necessary or advisable governmental registrations.

ARTICLE III

MANAGEMENT

SECTION 3.01. Management by the General Partner . (a) Subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be vested solely in, and directed and exercised solely by, the General Partner. In furtherance of the activities of the Partnership, subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the General Partner shall have all rights and powers, statutory or otherwise, possessed by general partners of limited partnerships under the laws of the State of Delaware.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the General Partner has full and exclusive power and authority to do, on behalf of the Partnership, all things that are deemed necessary, appropriate or desirable by the General Partner to conduct, direct and manage the business and other affairs of the Partnership and is authorized and empowered, on behalf and in the name of the Partnership, to carry out and implement, directly or through such agents as the General Partner may appoint, such actions and execute such documents as the General Partner may deem necessary or advisable, or as may be incidental to or necessary for the conduct of the business of the Partnership.

(c) The General Partner agrees to use its best efforts to meet all requirements of the Code and currently applicable regulations, rulings and other procedures of the Internal Revenue Service to ensure that the Partnership will be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as a partnership.

(d) The General Partner may appoint officers, managers or agents of the Partnership and may delegate to such officers, managers or agents all or part of the powers, authorities, duties or responsibilities possessed by or imposed on the General Partner pursuant to this Agreement (without limitation on the General Partner’s ability to exercise

 

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such powers, authorities or responsibilities directly at any time); provided that, notwithstanding anything herein or in any other agreement to the contrary, the General Partner may remove any such officer, manager or agent, and may revoke any or all such powers, authorities and responsibilities so delegated to any such person, in each case at any time with or without cause. The officers of the Partnership shall consist of such positions and titles that the General Partner may in its discretion designate or create, including a Chairman, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, one or more Assistant Treasurers, a Secretary or one or more Assistant Secretaries. A single person may hold more than one office. Each officer shall hold office until his successor is chosen, or until his death, resignation or removal from office.

Each of such officers shall have such powers and duties with respect to the business and other affairs of the Partnership, and shall be subject to such restrictions and limitations, as are prescribed from time to time by the General Partner; provided , however , that each officer shall at all times be subject to the direction and control of the General Partner in the performance of such powers and duties.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, without the prior written consent of the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest), the General Partner shall not take any action that may adversely affect Cantor’s Purchase Right (as defined in the Separation Agreement) in Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement.

SECTION 3.02. Role and Voting Rights of Limited Partners; Authority of Partners . (a)  Limitation on Role of Limited Partners . No Limited Partner shall have any right of control or management power over the business or other affairs of the Partnership as a result of its status as a Limited Partner except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. No Limited Partner shall participate in the control of the Partnership’s business in any manner that would, under the Act, subject such Limited Partner to any liability beyond those liabilities expressly contemplated hereunder, including holding himself, herself or itself out to third parties as a general partner of the Partnership; provided that any Limited Partner may be an employee of the Partnership or any of its Affiliates and perform such duties and do all such acts required or appropriate in such role, and no such performance or acts shall subject such Limited Partner to any liability beyond those liabilities expressly contemplated hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in accordance with, and to the fullest extent permitted by the Act (including Section 17-303 thereof), Limited Partners (directly or through an Affiliate) (i) may consult with and advise the General Partner or any other Person (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) with respect to any matter, including the business of the Partnership, (ii) may, or may cause the General Partner or any other Person (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) to, take or to refrain from taking any action, including by proposing, approving, consenting or disapproving, by voting or otherwise, with respect to any matter, including the business of the Partnership, (iii) may transact business with the General Partner (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) or the Partnership, and (iv) may be an officer, director, partner or stockholder of the General Partner (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) or have its Representatives serve as officers or directors of the General Partner (including, if applicable, of the general partner of the General Partner) without incurring additional liabilities to third parties.

 

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(b) No Limited Partner Voting Rights . To the fullest extent permitted by Section 17-302(f) of the Act, the Limited Partners shall not have any voting rights under the Act, this Agreement or otherwise, and shall not be entitled to consent to, approve or authorize any actions by the Partnership or the General Partner, except in each case as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement.

(c) Authority of Partners . Except as set forth herein with respect to the General Partner, no Limited Partner shall have any power or authority, in such Partner’s capacity as a Limited Partner, to act for or bind the Partnership except to the extent that such Limited Partner is so authorized in writing prior thereto by the General Partner. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as set forth herein with respect to the General Partner, no Limited Partner, as such, shall, except as so authorized, have any power or authority to incur any liability or execute any instrument, agreement or other document for or on behalf of the Partnership, whether in the Partnership’s name or otherwise. Persons dealing with the Partnership are entitled to rely conclusively upon the power and authority of the General Partner. Each Limited Partner hereby agrees that, except to the extent provided in this Agreement and except to the extent that such Limited Partner shall be the General Partner, it will not participate in the management or control of the business and other affairs of the Partnership, will not transact any business for the Partnership and will not attempt to act for or bind the Partnership.

ARTICLE IV

PARTNERS; CLASSES OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

SECTION 4.01. Partners . The Partnership shall have (a) a General Partner and, (b) one or more Limited Partners (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partner). Schedule 4.01 sets forth the name and address of the Partners. Schedule 4.01 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the identity or address of the Partners in accordance with this Agreement. Each Person admitted to the Partnership as a Partner pursuant to this Agreement shall be a partner of the Partnership until such Person ceases to be a Partner in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

SECTION 4.02. Interests . (a)  Generally . (i)  Classes of Interests . Interests in the Partnership shall be divided into two classes: (A) a General Partnership Interest; and (B) Limited Partnership Interests (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest). The General Partnership Interest and the Limited Partnership Interests shall consist of, and be issued as, Units and Capital. The aggregate number of authorized Units is 600,000,000. The aggregate number of authorized Units shall not be changed, modified or adjusted from that set forth in the immediately preceding sentence; provided that, in the event that the total number of authorized shares of BGC Partners Common Stock under the certificate of incorporation of BGC Partners shall be increased or decreased after the date of this Agreement, then the total number of authorized Units shall be correspondingly increased or decreased by the same number so that the number of the authorized Units equals the number of authorized shares of BGC Partners Common Stock. Any Units repurchased by or otherwise transferred to the Partnership or otherwise forfeited or cancelled shall be cancelled and

 

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thereafter deemed to be authorized but unissued, and may be subsequently issued as Units for all purposes hereunder in accordance with this Agreement.

(ii) Issuances of Additional Units . Any authorized but unissued Units may be issued:

 

  (1) pursuant to the Contribution and Schedule 2.03 of the Separation Agreement;

 

  (2) (A) to members of the BGC Partners Group and/or Holdings Group, as the case may be, in connection with an investment in the Partnership by the members of the BGC Partners Group and/or Holdings Group, as the case may be, in each case as provided in Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement;

 

  (3) to members of the Holdings Group, in connection with a redemption pursuant to Section 12.03 of the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement;

 

  (4) as otherwise agreed by each of the General Partner and the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest);

 

  (5) to BGC Partners or Holdings in connection with a grant of equity by BGC Partners or Holdings, respectively, pursuant to the BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan; and

 

  (6) to any Partner in connection with a conversion of an issued Unit and Interest into a different class or type of Unit and Interest in accordance with this Agreement;

provided that each Person to be issued additional Units pursuant to clause (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5) of this sentence shall, as a condition to such issuance, execute and deliver to the Partnership an agreement in which such Person agrees to be admitted as a Partner with respect to such Units and bound by this Agreement and any other agreements, documents or instruments specified by the General Partner; provided , however , that if such Person (A) is at the time of such issuance a Partner of the applicable class of Interests being issued or (B) has previously entered into an agreement pursuant to which such Person shall have agreed to become a Partner and be bound by this Agreement with respect to the applicable class of Interests being issued (which agreement is in effect at the time of such issuance), such Person shall not be required to enter into any such agreements unless otherwise determined by the General Partner. Upon any such issuance, any such Person not already a Partner shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the issued Interests.

(b) General Partnership Interest . The Partnership shall have one General Partnership Interest. The Unit issued to the General Partner in respect of such Partner’s General Partnership Interest is set forth on Schedule 4.02 . Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of

 

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the Unit in respect of such Partner’s General Partnership Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(c) Limited Partnership Interests . (i) The Partnership shall have one or more Limited Partnership Interests. The number of Units issued to each Limited Partner in respect of such Partner’s Limited Partnership Interest is set forth on Schedule 4.02 . Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the Units in respect of such Partner’s Limited Partnership Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(ii) The Partnership shall have one Limited Partnership Interest designated as the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, as provided in Section 4.03(b). There shall only be one (1) Unit associated with the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest. All other Limited Partnership Interests shall be designated as Limited Partnership Interests.

(d) No Additional Classes of Interests . There shall be no additional classes of partnership interests in the Partnership.

SECTION 4.03. Admission and Withdrawal of Partners . (a)  General Partner . (i) The initial General Partner is BGC Holdings, LLC. On the date of this Agreement, immediately following the Separation, BGC Holdings, LLC shall have the General Partnership Interest, which shall have the Unit and the Capital set forth on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 , respectively.

(ii) The admission of a Transferee as a General Partner, and resignation or withdrawal of any General Partner, shall be governed by Section 7.02.

(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of the General Partner’s entire General Partnership Interest as provided in Section 7.02(c), such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such General Partnership Interest and shall cease to be the General Partner.

(b) Limited Partners . (i) The initial Limited Partners are Holdings and BGC Holdings US, and the initial Special Voting Limited Partner is BGC Holdings, LLC. On the date of this Agreement, immediately following the Separation, the Limited Partners shall have the Limited Partnership Interests (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest), which shall have the Units and the Capital set forth on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 , respectively.

(ii) The admission of a Transferee as a Limited Partner pursuant to any Transfer permitted by Section 7.02(a) or 7.02(b), as applicable, shall be governed by Section 7.02, and the admission of a Person as a Limited Partner in connection with the issuance of additional Units pursuant to Section 4.02(a)(ii) shall be governed by such applicable Section.

 

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(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of a Limited Partner’s entire Limited Partnership Interest as provided in Section 7.02(a) or 7.02(b), as applicable, such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such Limited Partnership Interest, and shall cease to be a Limited Partner.

(c) No Additional Partners . No additional Partners shall be admitted to the Partnership except in accordance with this Article IV.

SECTION 4.04. Liability to Third Parties; Capital Account Deficits. (a) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the Act, the General Partner shall have unlimited personal liability for the satisfaction and discharge of all debts, liabilities, contracts and other obligations of the Partnership. The General Partner shall not be personally liable for the return of any portion of the capital contribution of any Limited Partner, the return of which shall be made solely from the Partnership’s assets.

(b) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the Act or this Agreement, no Limited Partner shall be liable for the debts, liabilities, contracts or other obligations of the Partnership. Each Limited Partner shall be liable only to make its capital contributions as provided in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement or as otherwise agreed by such Limited Partner and the Partnership in writing after the date of this Agreement and shall not be required, after its capital contribution shall have been paid, to make any further capital contribution to the Partnership or to lend any funds to the Partnership except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement or as otherwise agreed by such Limited Partner and the Partnership in writing after the date of this Agreement. No Limited Partner shall be required to repay the Partnership, any Partner or any creditor of the Partnership any negative balance in such Limited Partner’s Capital Account.

(c) No Limited Partner shall be liable to make up any deficit in its Capital Account; provided that nothing in this Section 4.04(c) shall relieve a Partner of any liability it may otherwise have, either pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or pursuant to the terms of any agreement to which the Partnership or such Partner may be a party.

SECTION 4.05. Classes. Any Person may own one or more classes of Interests. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the ownership of other classes of Interests shall not affect the rights or obligations of a Partner with respect to other classes of Interests. As used in this Agreement, the General Partner and the Limited Partners (including the Special Voting Limited Partner) shall be deemed to be separate Partners even if any Partner holds more than one class of Interest. References to a certain class of Interest with respect to any Partner shall refer solely to that class of Interest of such Partner and not to any other class of Interest, if any, held by such Partner.

SECTION 4.06. Certificates. The Partnership may, in the discretion of the General Partner, issue any or all Units in certificated form, which certificates shall be held by the Partnership as custodian for the applicable Partners. The form of any such certificates shall be

 

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approved by the General Partner and include the legend required by Section 7.06. If certificates are issued, a transfer of Units will require delivery of an endorsed certificate.

SECTION 4.07. Uniform Commercial Code Treatment of Units. Each Unit in the Partnership shall constitute a “security” within the meaning of, and governed by, (i) Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code (including Section 8-102(a)(15) thereof) as in effect from time to time in the State of Delaware (6 Del. C. § 8-101, et seq .) (the “UCC” ), and (ii) Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code of any other applicable jurisdiction that now or hereafter substantially includes the 1994 revisions to Article 8 thereof as adopted by the American Law Institute and the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and approved by the American Bar Association on February 14, 1995. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any provision of this Agreement is inconsistent with any non-waivable provision of Article 8 of the UCC, such provision of Article 8 of the UCC shall control. The Partnership shall maintain books for the purpose of registering the transfer of Units. Any Transfer of Units shall be effective as of the registration of the transfer of such Units in the books and records of the Partnership.

SECTION 4.08. Priority Among Partners. No Partner shall be entitled to any priority or preference over any other Partner either as to return of capital contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions, except to the extent that this Agreement may be deemed to establish such a priority or preference.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

SECTION 5.01. Capital. (a)  Capital Accounts . There shall be established on the books and records of the Partnership a Capital Account for each Partner. Schedule 5.01 sets forth the names and the Capital Account of the Partners as of the date of this Agreement. Schedule 5.01 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the identity or Capital Accounts in accordance with this Agreement.

(b) Capital Contributions . (i) On the date of this Agreement, contributions of assets, property and/or cash shall be made by or on behalf of the Partners listed on Schedule 4.01 in connection with the Contribution, pursuant to the terms set forth in the Separation Agreement.

(ii) In return for such initial contributions, Interests shall be issued or Transferred to the Partners as provided on Schedule 5.01 .

(iii) The parties shall treat the contributions described in this Section 5.01(b) as contributions pursuant to Section 721 of the Code in which no gain or loss is recognized to any extent, except as otherwise required pursuant to a determination within the meaning of Section 1313(a)(1) of the Code.

(iv) Except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01(b)(i), no capital contributions shall be required (A) unless otherwise determined by the General Partner and agreed to by the contributing Partner, or (B) unless otherwise determined by the

 

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General Partner in connection with the admission of a new Partner or the issuance of additional Interests to a Partner.

(v) The Partnership may invest or cause to be invested all amounts received by the Partnership as capital contributions in its sole and absolute discretion.

SECTION 5.02. Withdrawals; Return on Capital. No Partner shall be entitled to withdraw or otherwise receive any distributions in respect of any Interest (including the associated Units or Capital), except as provided in Section 6.01 or Section 8.03. The Partners shall not be entitled to any return on their Capital.

SECTION 5.03. Maintenance of Capital Accounts. As of the end of each Accounting Period, the balance in each Partner’s Capital Account shall be adjusted by (a) increasing such balance by (i) such Partner’s allocable share of each item of the Partnership’s income and gain for such Accounting Period (allocated in accordance with Section 5.04(a)) and (ii) the amount of cash or the fair market value of other property (determined in accordance with Section 5.05) contributed to the Partnership by such Partner in respect of such Partner’s related Interest during such Accounting Period, net of liabilities assumed by the Partnership with respect to such other property, and (b) decreasing such balance by (i) the amount of cash or the fair market value of other property (determined in accordance with Section 5.05) distributed to such Partner in respect of such class of Interest associated with such Capital Account pursuant to this Agreement, net of liabilities (if any) assumed by such Partner with respect to such other property, and (ii) such Partner’s allocable share of each item of the Partnership’s deduction and loss for such Accounting Period (allocated in accordance with Section 5.04(a)). The balances in each Partners’ Capital Account shall also be adjusted at the time and in the manner permitted by the capital accounting rules of the Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f). The foregoing and the other provisions of this Agreement relating to the maintenance of Capital Accounts are intended to comply with Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b), and shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent therewith.

SECTION 5.04. Allocations and Tax Matters. (a)  Book Allocations . After giving effect to the allocations set forth in Section 2 of Exhibit A hereto, for purposes of computing Capital Accounts and allocating any items of income, gain, loss or deduction thereto, with respect to each Accounting Period, all remaining items of income, gain, loss or deduction of the Partnership (calculated in the manner contemplated by the capital accounting rules of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, and regardless of whether the Partnership has net income) shall be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Interests in proportion to their Percentage Interest as of the end of such Accounting Period; provided , however , that upon any Closing of the Books Event (other than an event described in clauses (a) of such definition), the value of each asset on the books of the Partnership shall be adjusted to equal its gross fair market value (as reasonably determined by the General Partner) at such time, and the amount of such adjustment shall be taken into account as gain (if such adjustment is positive) or loss (if such adjustment is negative) from the disposition of such asset for purposes of this Section 5.04(a); provided , further , that any and all items of income, gain, loss or deduction to the extent resulting from a Special Item will be allocated entirely to the Capital Accounts of the Limited Partnership Interests (other than the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by Partners who are members of the Holdings Group, pro rata in proportion to the

 

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number of Units (other than the Units underlying the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by such Partners. If, after any allocation of items of income, gain, loss or deduction resulting from a Special Item, there is an exchange of an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest (as defined in the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement) or a Founding Partner Interest (as defined in the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement) with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Common Stock, then (A) the Capital Account of the Limited Partnership Interests provided to BGC Partners in connection with such exchange pursuant to Section 8.07 of the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement shall be equal to (1) the total Capital for all issued and outstanding Interests, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding Units, multiplied by (3) the number of Units underlying such Limited Partnership Interest (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the impact of any Special Item and the intention of the Parties for Holdings (and not BGC Partners) to realize the economic benefits and burdens of such Special Item); and (B) any increase or decrease in the remaining Capital for all issued and outstanding Interests as a result of clause (A) of this sentence shall be allocated to the Capital Accounts of the Limited Partnership Interests (other than the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by Partners who are members of the Holdings Group, pro rata in proportion to the number of Units (other than the Units underlying the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by such Partners.

(b) Tax Allocations . Except as otherwise required under Section 704(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, the Partnership shall cause each item of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership to be allocated among the Partners for U.S. federal, state and local income and, where relevant, non-U.S. tax purposes in the same manner that each such item is allocated to the Partners’ Capital Accounts or as otherwise provided herein. In the event the value of any Partnership assets is adjusted pursuant to the first proviso of Section 5.04(a), subsequent allocations of income, gain, loss, and deduction with respect to such asset shall take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such asset for United States federal income tax purposes and its adjusted value in the same manner as under Section 704(c) of the Code and the Regulations thereunder. Allocations required by Section 704(c) of the Code shall be made using the “traditional method” described in Treasury Regulation section 1.704-3(b).

SECTION 5.05. General Partner Determinations. All determinations, valuations and other matters of judgment required to be made for purposes of this Article V, including with respect to allocations to Capital Accounts and accounting procedures and tax matters not expressly provided for by the terms of this Agreement, or for determining the value of any type or form of proceeds, contribution or distributions hereunder shall be made by the General Partner in good faith. In the event that an additional Partner is admitted to the Partnership and contributes property to the Partnership, or an existing Partner contributes additional property to the Partnership, pursuant to this Agreement, the value of such contributed property shall be the fair market value of such property as reasonably determined by the General Partner.

SECTION 5.06. Books and Accounts. (a) The Partnership shall at all times keep or cause to be kept true and complete records and books of account, which records and books shall be maintained in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Such records and books of account shall be kept at the principal place of business of the Partnership by the General Partner. The Limited Partners shall have the right to gain access to

 

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all such records and books of account (including schedules thereto) for inspection and view (at such reasonable times as the General Partner shall determine) for any purpose reasonably related to their Interests. The Partnership’s accounts shall be maintained in U.S. dollars.

(b) The Partnership’s fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the thirty-first day of December of each year, or shall be such other period designated by the General Partner. At the end of each fiscal year, the Partnership’s accounts shall be prepared, presented to the General Partner and submitted to the Partnership’s auditors for examination.

(c) The Partnership’s auditors shall be an independent accounting firm of international reputation to be appointed from time to time by the General Partner. The Partnership’s auditors shall be entitled to receive promptly such information, accounts and explanations from the General Partner and each Partner that they deem reasonably necessary to carry out their duties. The Partners shall provide such financial, tax and other information to the Partnership as may be reasonably necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Partnership.

SECTION 5.07. Tax Matters Partner. The General Partner is hereby designated as the tax matters partner of the Partnership, in accordance with the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 6231 of the Code and any similar provisions under any other state or local or non-U.S. tax laws. The General Partner shall have the authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to (a) make an election under Section 754 of the Code on behalf of the Partnership, and each Partner agrees to provide such information and documentation as the General Partner may reasonably request in connection with any such election, (b) determine the manner in which “excess nonrecourse liabilities” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.752-3(a)(3)) are allocated among the Partners and (c) make any other election or determination with respect to taxes (including with respect to depreciation, amortization and accounting methods).

SECTION 5.08. Tax Information. The Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and mail as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each taxable year of the Partnership, to each Partner (and each other Person that was such a Partner during such taxable year or its legal representatives), U.S. Internal Revenue Service Schedule K-1, “Partner’s Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc.,” or any successor schedule or form, for such Person.

SECTION 5.09. Withholding. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Partnership is authorized to withhold from distributions and allocations to the Partners, and to pay over to any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority any amounts believed in good faith to be required to be so withheld pursuant to the Code or any provision of any other federal, state, local or foreign law and, for all purposes under this Agreement, shall treat such amounts (together with any amounts that are withheld from payments to the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries attributable to a direct or indirect Partner of the Partnership) as distributed to those Partners with respect to which such amounts were withheld. If the Partnership is obligated to pay any amount to a taxing authority on behalf of (or in respect of an obligation of) a Partner (including, federal, state and local or other withholding taxes), then such Partner shall indemnify

 

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the Partnership in full for the entire amount of any Tax (but not any interest, penalties or other expenses associated with such payment).

ARTICLE VI

DISTRIBUTIONS

SECTION 6.01. Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests. Subject to the remaining sentences of this Section 6.01, the Partnership shall distribute to each Partner from such Partner’s Capital Account (a) on or prior to each Estimated Tax Due Date (i) such Partner’s Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution for such fiscal quarter, plus (ii) with respect to Partners who are members of the Holdings Group, an amount (positive or negative) calculated using the methodology contemplated by the definition “Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” (taking into account for this purpose items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item and disregarding all other items) for such fiscal quarter in respect of any items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item, and (b) as promptly as practicable after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Partnership (as determined by the General Partner) an amount equal to the excess (if any) of (x) the net positive cumulative amount allocated to such Partner’s Capital Account pursuant to Section 5.04(a) or Exhibit A hereto after the date of this Agreement over (y) the amount of any prior distributions to such Partner pursuant to this Section 6.01; provided that in each case appropriate adjustments shall be made to reflect any amounts treated as distributed pursuant to Section 5.09; provided , however , that with the prior written consent of the holders of a Majority in Interest of the Limited Partnership Interests, the Partnership may decrease the total amount distributed by the Partnership pursuant to Section 6.01(b). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 6.01, in the event the Partnership is unable to make the distributions contemplated by the foregoing as a result of any Special Item, then the Partnership shall use reasonable best efforts to borrow such amounts as are necessary to make distributions that would have been received by the BGC Partners Group in the absence of any such Special Item and to make the Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distributions to the Cantor Group, and the costs of any such costs borrowing shall be treated as a Special Item. No distributions shall be made by the Partnership except as expressly contemplated by Sections 6.01(a), 6.01(b) and 8.03(a).

SECTION 6.02. Limitation on Distributions. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Partnership and the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership, shall not be required to make a distribution to a Partner on account of its interest in the Partnership if such distribution would violate the Act or any other applicable law.

ARTICLE VII

TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

SECTION 7.01. Transfers Generally Prohibited. No Partner may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any of rights, title and interest in and to, its Interest, except as permitted by the terms and conditions set forth in this Article VII. The Schedules shall be revised pursuant to Section 1.03 from time to time to reflect any change in the Partners or Interests to reflect any Transfer permitted by this Article VII.

 

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SECTION 7.02. Permitted Transfers. (a)  Limited Partnership Interests . No Limited Partner (other than the Special Voting Limited Partner, which shall be governed by Section 7.02(b)) may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Limited Partnership Interest (other than the Special Voting Limited Partner, which shall be governed by Section 7.02(b)), except any such Transfer (i) pursuant to Section 4.02(a)(ii), 4.03(b)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation or Section 7.02(b); (ii) if such Limited Partner shall be a member of the BGC Partners Group or the Holdings Group (the “Group Transferor” ), to any member of the BGC Partners Group or the Holdings Group (the “Group Transferee” ), including in connection with the exchange of Holdings Units for BGC Partners Common Stock pursuant to the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement; or (iii) for which the General Partner and the Limited Partners (with such consent to require the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest) shall have provided their respective prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, provided that if such Transfer could reasonably be expected to result in the Partnership being classified or treated as a publicly traded partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the withholding of consent to such Transfer shall not be deemed unreasonable) (including any Transfer to the Partnership).

(b) Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest . The Special Voting Limited Partner may not Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, except any such Transfer (i) to a wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings; provided that, in the event that such other Person shall cease to be a wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest shall automatically be Transferred to Holdings, without the requirement of any further action on the part of the Partnership, Holdings or any other Person; or (ii) pursuant to Section 4.03(b)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation. Upon removal of any Special Voting Limited Partner, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest shall be transferred to the Person being admitted as the new Special Voting Limited Partner, simultaneously with admission and without the requirement of any action on the part of the Special Voting Limited Partner being removed or any other Person.

(c) General Partnership Interest . The General Partner may not Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its General Partnership Interest, except any such Transfer (i) to a new General Partner in accordance with this Section, (ii) with the prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of the Special Voting Limited Partner, to any other Person, or (iii) pursuant to Section 4.03(a)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation. Any General Partner may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Special Voting Limited Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, and the General Partner may resign from the Partnership for any reason or for no reason whatsoever; provided , however , that, as a condition to any such removal or resignation, (A) the Special Voting Limited Partner shall first appoint another Person as the new General Partner; (B) such Person shall be admitted to the Partnership as the new General Partner (upon the execution and delivery of an agreement to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and such other agreements, documents or instruments requested by the resigning General

 

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Partner); and (C) such resigning or removed General Partner shall Transfer its entire General Partnership Interest to the new General Partner. The admission of the new General Partner shall be deemed effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of the resignation of the resigning General Partner, and shall otherwise have the effects set forth in Section 4.03(a)(iii). Upon removal of any General Partner, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the General Partnership Interest shall be transferred to the Person being admitted as the new General Partner, simultaneously with admission and without the requirement of any action on the part of the General Partner being removed or any other Person.

SECTION 7.03. Admission as a Partner Upon Transfer. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, a Transferee who has otherwise satisfied the requirements of Section 7.02 shall become a Partner, and shall be listed as a “Limited Partner , “Special Voting Limited Partner” or “General Partner” as applicable, on Schedule 4.01 , and shall be deemed to receive the Interest being Transferred, in each case only at such time as such Transferee executes and delivers to the Partnership an agreement in which the Transferee agrees to be admitted as a Partner and bound by this Agreement and any other agreements, documents or instruments specified by the General Partner and such agreements (when applicable) shall have been duly executed by the General Partner; provided , however , that if such Transferee (a) is at the time of such Transfer a Partner of the applicable class of Interests being Transferred or (b) has previously entered into an agreement pursuant to which the Transferee shall have agreed to become a Partner and be bound by this Agreement (which agreement is in effect at the time of such Transfer), such Transferee shall not be required to enter into any such agreements unless otherwise determined by the General Partner; provided , further , that the Transfers, admissions to and withdrawals from the Partnership as Partners, contemplated by Sections 4.03(a)(i) or 4.03(b)(i) shall not require the execution or delivery of any further agreements or other documentation hereunder.

SECTION 7.04. Transfer of Units and Capital with the Transfer of an Interest. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each Partner who Transfers an Interest shall be deemed to have Transferred the entire Interest, including the associated Units and Capital of such Interest, or, if a portion of an Interest is being Transferred, each Partner who Transfers a portion of an Interest shall specify the number of Units being so Transferred and such Transfer shall include a proportionate amount of Capital of such Interest, to the Transferee.

SECTION 7.05. Encumbrances. No Partner may charge or encumber its Interest or otherwise subject its Interest to a lien, pledge, security interest, right of first refusal, option or other similar limitation except in each case for those created by this Agreement.

SECTION 7.06. Legend. Each Partner agrees that any certificate issued to it to evidence its Interests shall have inscribed conspicuously on its front or back the following legend:

THE PARTNERSHIP INTEREST IN BGC PARTNERS, L.P. REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED UNITS AND CAPITAL) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ SECURITIES ACT ”), OR REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR

 

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FOREIGN JURISDICTION, AND THIS PARTNERSHIP INTEREST MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, EXCEPT (A) EITHER (1) WHILE A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER APPLICABLE REGISTRATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS ARE IN EFFECT OR (2) PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (INCLUDING, IF APPLICABLE, REGULATION S THEREUNDER) AND SUCH OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS AND (B) IF PERMITTED BY THE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF BGC PARTNERS, L.P., AS IT MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, WHICH CONTAINS STRICT PROHIBITIONS ON TRANSFERS, SALES, ASSIGNMENTS, PLEDGES, HYPOTHECATIONS, ENCUMBRANCES OR OTHER DISPOSITIONS OF THIS PARTNERSHIP INTEREST OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED UNITS AND CAPITAL).

SECTION 7.07. Effect of Transfer Not in Compliance with this Article. Any purported Transfer of all or any part of a Partner’s Interest, or any interest therein, that is not in compliance with this Article VII shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be void ab initio and shall be of no effect.

ARTICLE VIII

DISSOLUTION

SECTION 8.01. Dissolution. The Partnership shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up upon the first to occur of the following:

(a) an election to dissolve the Partnership made by the General Partner; provided that such dissolution shall require the prior approval of (x) a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors and (y) the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest);

(b) at any time there are no limited partners of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued in accordance with the Act;

(c) any event that results in the General Partner ceasing to be a general partner of the Partnership under the Act, provided that the Partnership shall not be dissolved and required to be wound up in connection with any such event if (A) at the time of the occurrence of such event there is at least one remaining general partner of the Partnership who is hereby authorized to and does carry on the business of the Partnership, or (B) within 90 days after the occurrence of such event, a majority of the Limited Partners agree in writing or vote to continue the business of the Partnership and to the appointment, effective as of the date of such event, if required, of one or more additional general partners of the Partnership; or

 

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(d) entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under Section 17-802 of the Act.

None of the Partners shall have any right to terminate, dissolve or have redeemed their class of Interests or, except for the General Partner and otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by law, to terminate, windup or dissolve the Partnership. Absent the approval of a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors, each Partner shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the dissolution of the Partnership.

SECTION 8.02. Liquidation. Upon a dissolution pursuant to Section 8.01, the Partnership’s business and assets shall be wound up promptly in an orderly manner. The General Partner shall be the liquidator to wind up the affairs of the Partnership. In performing its duties, the General Partner is authorized to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of the Partnership’s business and assets in accordance with the Act in any reasonable manner that the General Partner determines to be in the best interests of the Partners. Upon completion of the winding-up of the Partnership, the General Partner shall prepare and submit to each Limited Partner a final statement with respect thereto.

SECTION 8.03. Distributions. (a) In the event of a dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to Section 8.01, the Partnership shall apply and distribute the proceeds of the dissolution as provided below:

(i) first , to the creditors of the Partnership, including Partners that are creditors of the Partnership to the extent permitted by law, in satisfaction of the liabilities of the Partnership (by payment or by the making of reasonable provision for payment thereof, including the setting up of any reserves which the General Partner determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, are necessary therefor);

(ii) second , to the repayment of any loans or advances that may have been made by any of the Partners to the Partnership;

(iii) third , to the Partners in proportion to (and to the extent of) the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts; and

(iv) thereafter , to the Partners in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests.

(b) Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership . Upon completion of a liquidation and distribution pursuant to Section 8.03(a) following a dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to Section 8.01, the General Partner shall execute, acknowledge and cause to be filed a certificate of cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Partnership’s existence as a separate legal entity shall continue until cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Act.

SECTION 8.04. Reconstitution. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall impair, restrict or limit the rights and powers of the Partners under the laws of the State of Delaware and any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership is doing business to reform and

 

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reconstitute themselves as a limited partnership following dissolution of the Partnership either under provisions identical to those set forth herein or any others which they may deem appropriate.

SECTION 8.05. Deficit Restoration. Upon the termination of the Partnership, no Limited Partner shall be required to restore any negative balance in his, her or its Capital Account to the Partnership. The General Partner shall be required to contribute to the Partnership an amount equal to its respective deficit Capital Account balances within the period prescribed by Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c).

ARTICLE IX

INDEMNIFICATION AND EXCULPATION

SECTION 9.01. Exculpation. Neither a General Partner nor any Affiliate or director or officer of a General Partner or any such Affiliate shall be personally liable to the Partnership or the Limited Partners for a breach of this Agreement or any fiduciary duty as a General Partner or as an Affiliate or director or officer of a General Partner or any such Affiliate, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the Act as the same exists or may hereafter be amended. Any repeal or modification of the immediately preceding sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of such Person existing hereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or modification. A General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisors selected by it and the opinion of any such Person as to matters which the General Partner reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted by the General Partner in good faith and in accordance with such opinion. A General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the obligations imposed on it hereunder either directly or by or through one or more agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner with due care.

SECTION 9.02. Indemnification. (a) Each Person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding” ), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a Person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a or has agreed to become a General Partner, or any director or officer of the General Partner or of the Partnership, or is or was serving at the request of the Partnership as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while surviving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL” ) as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Partnership to provide broader indemnification rights than said law

 

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permitted the Partnership to provide prior to such amendment), as if the Company were a corporation organized under the DGCL, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees and expenses, judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a Person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that except as provided in Section 9.02(c), the Partnership shall indemnify any such Person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the General Partner. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section 9.02 shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Partnership the expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expenses, incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its financial disposition; provided , however , that if the applicable law requires that the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Person while a director or officer, including, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Partnership of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director for officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 9.02 or otherwise. The Partnership may, by action of the General Partner, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Partnership with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.

(b) To obtain indemnification under this Section 9.02, a claimant shall submit to the Partnership a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 9.02(b), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (i) if requested by the claimant, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) if no request is made by the claimant for a determination by Independent Counsel, (x) by the board of directors of BGC Partners by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (y) if a quorum of the board of directors of BGC Partners consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the board of directors of BGC Partners, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (z) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest. In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel at the request of the claimant, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the board of directors of BGC Partners unless there shall have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “Change of Control” as defined in the 1999 Long-Term Incentive Plan of eSpeed, as amended in 2003, in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the board of directors of BGC Partners. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.

 

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(c) If a claim under Section 9.02(a) is not paid in full by the Partnership within thirty (30) days after a written claim pursuant to Section 9.02(b) has been received by the Partnership, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Partnership to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Partnership) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Partnership to provide broader indemnification rights than it permitted the Partnership to provide prior to such amendment) for the Partnership to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed if the Partnership were a corporation organized under the DGCL, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Partnership. Neither the failure of the Partnership (including the board of directors of BGC Partners, independent legal counsel or its holders of Interests) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Partnership (including the board of directors of BGC Partners or independent legal counsel or its holders of Interests) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9.02(b) that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Partnership shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 9.02(c).

(e) The Partnership shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 9.02(c) that the procedures and presumptions of this Section 9.02 are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Partnership is bound by all the provisions of this Section 9.02.

(f) The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Section 9.02 shall not be exclusive of any other right that any Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Agreement, agreement, vote of the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest) or Disinterested Directors or otherwise. No amendment or other modification of this Section 9.02 shall in any way diminish or adversely affect the rights of a General Partner, a Limited Partner or any directors, officers, employees or agents of the General Partner in respect of any occurrence or matter arising prior to any such repeal or modification.

(g) The Partnership may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the General Partner, grant rights to indemnification, and rights to be paid by the Partnership

 

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the expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any employee or agent of the Partnership to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Section 9.02 with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of a General Partner, a Limited Partner or any directors and officers of the General Partner.

(h) If any provision or provisions of this Section 9.02 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Section 9.02 (including each portion of this Section 9.02 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Section 9.02 (including each such portion of this Section 9.02 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

(i) For purposes of this Article IX:

(i) “Disinterested Director” means a director of BGC Partners who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

(ii) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any Person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Partnership or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights under this Section 9.02.

(j) Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Partnership under this Section 9.02 shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, telex, telegram, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the General Partner and shall be effective only upon receipt by the General Partner.

SECTION 9.03. Insurance. The Partnership may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Partnership or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such expense, liability or loss under the Act if the Partnership were a corporation organized under the DGCL. To the extent that the Partnership maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such director or officer, and each such agent or employee to which rights of indemnification have been granted as provided in Section 9.02 shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such director, officer, employee or agent.

SECTION 9.04. Subrogation. In the event of payment of indemnification to a Person described in Section 9.02, the Partnership shall be subrogated to the extent of such

 

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payment to any right of recovery such person may have and such person, as a condition of receiving indemnification from the Partnership, shall execute all documents and do all things that the Partnership may deem necessary or desirable to perfect such right of recovery, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Partnership effectively to enforce any such recovery.

SECTION 9.05. No Duplication of Payments. The Partnership shall not be liable under this Article IX to make any payment in connection with any claim made against a person described in Section 9.02 to the extent such Person has otherwise received payment (under any insurance policy or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise payable as indemnity hereunder.

SECTION 9.06. Survival. This Article IX shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 10.01. Amendments. Except as provided in Section 1.03 with respect to this Agreement or Section 2.01 with respect to the Certificate of Limited Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and this Agreement may not be amended except with (and any such amendment shall be authorized upon obtaining) the approval of each of the General Partner and the Limited Partners (by the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest); provided that this Agreement shall not be amended to (i) amend any provisions which require the consent of a specified percentage in interest of the Limited Partners without the consent of that specified percentage in interest of the Limited Partners; (ii) alter the interest of any Partner in the amount or timing of distributions or the allocation of profits, losses or credits (other than any such alteration caused by the acquisition of additional Units by any Partner or the issuance of additional Units to any Person pursuant to this Agreement or as otherwise expressly provided herein), if such alteration would either (A) materially adversely affect the economic interest of a Partner in the Partnership or (B) materially adversely affect the value of Interests, without the consent of (x) the Partners holding at least two-thirds of all Units in the case of an amendment applying in a substantially similar manner to all classes of Interests or (y) two-thirds in interest of the affected class or classes of the Partners in the case of any other amendment; or (iii) amend this Agreement to alter the Special Voting Limited Partner’s ability to remove a General Partner; provided , however , that the General Partner may authorize, without further approval of any other Person or group, (1) any amendment to this Agreement to correct any technicality, incorrect statement or error apparent on the face hereof in order to further the intent of the parties hereto or (2) correction of any formality or error apparent on the face hereof or incorrect statement or defect in the execution hereof. Any merger or consolidation of the Partnership with any third party that shall amend or otherwise modify the terms of this Agreement shall require the approval of the Persons referred to above to the extent the approval of such Persons would have been required had such amendment or modification been effected by an amendment to this Agreement.

SECTION 10.02. Benefits of Agreement. None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of or enforceable by any creditor of the Partnership or by any

 

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creditor of any of the Partners. Except as provided in Article IX with respect to Persons entitled to indemnification pursuant to such Article, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to create any right in any Person not a party hereto, and this instrument shall not be construed in any respect to be a contract in whole or in part for the benefit of any third person.

SECTION 10.03. Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given to any Partner or other Person under the provisions of the Act or this Agreement, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the Person or Persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Partners (if any shall be called) or the General Partner need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

SECTION 10.04. Jurisdiction and Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial. (a) Each of the Partners agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that all Actions arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, the Partnership’s affairs, the rights or interests of the Partners or the estate of any deceased Partner (to the extent that they are related to any of the foregoing), or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any breach or termination or alleged breach or termination of this Agreement, shall be tried and determined exclusively in the state or federal courts in the State of Delaware, and each of the Partners hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such Action for itself and in respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts. Each of the Partners hereby expressly waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right it may have to assert, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such Action: (i) any claim that it is not subject to personal jurisdiction in the aforesaid courts for any reason; (ii) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts; (iii) that (A) any of the aforesaid courts is an inconvenient or inappropriate forum for such Action, (B) venue is not proper in any of the aforesaid courts; and (iv) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof or thereof, may not be enforced in or by any of the aforesaid courts. With respect to any action arising out of or relating to this agreement or any obligation hereunder, each Partner irrevocably and unconditionally, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (x) agrees to appoint promptly upon request from the Partnership authorized agents for the purpose of receiving service of process in any suit, action or proceeding in Wilmington, Delaware; (y) consents to service of process in any suit, action or proceeding in such jurisdictions; and (z) consents to service of process by mailing a copy thereof to the address of the Partner determined under Section 10.07 by U.S. registered or certified mail, by the closest foreign equivalent of registered or certified mail, by a recognized overnight delivery service, by service upon any agent specified pursuant to clause (x) above, or by any other manner permitted by applicable law,

(b) EACH PARTNER WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO REQUEST OR OBTAIN A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING GOVERNED BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT OR PERTAINING TO THE MATTERS GOVERNED BY THIS AGREEMENT. “MATTERS GOVERNED BY THIS AGREEMENT” SHALL INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, ANY AND ALL MATTERS AND AGREEMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY DISPUTES ARISING WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUCH MATTERS AND AGREEMENTS.

 

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(c) The Partners acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with its specific terms or was otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the Partnership shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof and thereof, this being in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled by law or equity.

SECTION 10.05. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their respective estates, heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns, any additional Partner admitted in accordance with the provisions hereof and any successor to a trustee of a trust that is or becomes a party hereto.

SECTION 10.06. Confidentiality. Each Partner recognizes that confidential information has been and will be disclosed to such Partner by the Partnership and its Subsidiaries. Each Partner expressly agrees, whether or not at the time a Partner of the Partnership or providing services to the Partnership and/or any of its Subsidiaries, to (i) maintain the confidentiality of, and not disclose to any Person without the prior written consent of the Partnership, any financial, legal or other advisor to the Partnership, any information relating to the business, clients, affairs or financial structure, position or results of the Partnership or its affiliates (including any Affiliate) or any dispute that shall not be generally known to the public or the securities industry and (ii) not to use such confidential information other than for the purpose of evaluating such Partner’s investment in the Partnership or in connection with the discharge of any duties to the Partnership or its affiliates such Partner may have in such Partner’s capacity as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Partnership or its affiliates. Notwithstanding Section 10.04 or any other provision herein to the contrary, each Partner agrees that money damages would not be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this Section 10.06 by such Partner, and that in addition to all other remedies, the Partnership shall be entitled to injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any such breach. Each Partner agrees not to oppose the granting of such relief and agrees to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy.

SECTION 10.07. Notices. All notices and other communications required or permitted by this Agreement shall be made in writing and any such notice or communication shall be deemed delivered when delivered in Person, properly transmitted by telecopier or one (1) Business Day after it has been sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier to the address for notices shown in the Partnership’s records (or any other address provided to the Partnership in writing for this purpose) or, if given to the Partnership, to the principal place of business of the Partnership in New York, New York. Communications by telecopier also shall be sent concurrently by overnight courier, but shall in any event be effective as stated above. Each Partner may from time to time change its address for notices under this Section 10.07 by giving at least five (5) days’ prior written notice of such changed address to the Partnership.

SECTION 10.08. No Waiver of Rights. No failure or delay on the part of any Partner in the exercise of any power or right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power or right preclude any other or further

 

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exercise thereof or of any other right or power. The waiver by any Partner of a breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach hereunder. All rights and remedies existing under this Agreement are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies otherwise available.

SECTION 10.09. Power of Attorney. Each Partner agrees that, by its execution of this Agreement, such Partner irrevocably constitutes and appoints the General Partner as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact coupled with an interest, with full power and authority, in its name, place and stead to make, execute, acknowledge and record (a) all certificates, instruments or documents, including fictitious name or assumed name certificates, as may be required by, or may be appropriate under, the laws of any state or jurisdiction in which the Partnership is doing or intends to do business and (b) all agreements, documents, certificates or other instruments amending this Agreement or the Certificate of Limited Partnership that may be necessary or appropriate to reflect or accomplish (i) a change in the name or location of the principal place of business of the Partnership or a change of name or address of a Partner, (ii) the disposal or increase by a Partner of his Interest in the Partnership or any part thereof, (iii) a distribution and reduction of the capital contribution of a Partner or any other changes in the capital of the Partnership, (iv) the dissolution or termination of the Partnership, (v) the addition or substitution of a Person becoming a Partner of the Partnership and (vi) any amendment to this Agreement, in each case only to the extent expressly authorized and conducted in accordance with the preceding sections of this Agreement. The power granted hereby is coupled with an interest and shall survive the subsequent disability or incapacity of the principal.

SECTION 10.10. Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to cause it to be enforceable, and the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired.

SECTION 10.11. 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.

SECTION 10.12. Entire Agreement. This Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Original Limited Partnership Agreement. This Agreement, including the exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto and the Ancillary Agreements, constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

SECTION 10.13. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflicts of law principles.

SECTION 10.14. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement.

 

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SECTION 10.15. Opportunity; Fiduciary Duty. To the greatest extent permitted by law and except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, but notwithstanding any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity:

(a) None of any Holdings Company or BGC Partners Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any fiduciary duty to, nor shall any Holdings Company or BGC Partners Company or any of their respective Representatives be liable for breach of fiduciary duty to, the Partnership or the holders of Interests. In taking any action, making any decision or exercising any discretion with respect to the Partnership, each Holdings Company and BGC Partners Company and their respective Representatives shall be entitled to consider such interests and factors as it desires, including its own interests and those of its Representatives, and shall have no duty or obligation (i) to give any consideration to the interests of or factors affecting the Partnership, the holders of Interests or any other Person, or (ii) to abstain from participating in any vote or other action of the Partnership or any Affiliate thereof, or any board, committee or similar body of any of the foregoing. None of any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives shall violate a duty or obligation to the Partnership merely because such Person’s conduct furthers such Person’s own interest, except as specifically set forth in Section 10.15(c). Any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives may lend money to, and transact other business with, the Partnership and its Representatives. The rights and obligations of any such Person who lends money to, contracts with, borrows from or transacts business with the Partnership or any of its Representatives are the same as those of a Person who is not involved with the Partnership or any of its Representatives, subject to other applicable law. No transaction between any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, with the Partnership or any of its Representatives, on the other hand, shall be voidable solely because any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives has a direct or indirect interest in the transaction. Nothing herein contained shall prevent any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives from conducting any other business, including serving as an officer, director, employee, or stockholder of any corporation, partnership or limited liability company, a trustee of any trust, an executor or administrator of any estate, or an administrative official of any other business or not-for-profit entity, or from receiving any compensation in connection therewith.

(b) None of any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Partnership and its Representatives, or (ii) doing business with any of the Partnership’s or its Representatives’ clients or customers. In the event that any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a Corporate Opportunity for any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, and the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, such BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, shall have no duty to communicate or offer such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or its Representatives. None of any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives shall be liable to the Partnership, the

 

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holders of Interests or its Representatives for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact that any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives pursues or acquires such Corporate Opportunity for itself, directs such Corporate Opportunity to another Person or does not present such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or any of its Representatives.

(c) If a third party presents a Corporate Opportunity to a person who is both a Representative of a BGC Partners Company and/or a Holdings Company, expressly and solely in such Person’s capacity as a Representative of the Partnership, and such Person acts in good faith in a manner consistent with the policy that such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Partnership, then such Person (i) shall be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such Person has to the Partnership as a Representative of the Partnership with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (ii) shall not be liable to the Partnership, the holders of Interests or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such Person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (iii) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such Person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Partnership’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such Person’s duty of loyalty to the Partnership and the holders of Interests and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom; provided that a BGC Partners Company and/or Holdings Company may pursue such Corporate Opportunity if the Partnership shall decide not to pursue such Corporate Opportunity. If a Corporate Opportunity is not presented to a Person who is both a Representative of the Partnership and a Representative of a BGC Partners Company and/or a Holdings Company, expressly and solely in such Person’s capacity as a Representative of the Partnership, such Person shall not be obligated to present such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or to act as if such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Partnership, and such Person shall (A) be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such Person has to the Partnership as a Representative of the Partnership with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (B) shall not be liable to the Partnership, any of the holders of Interests or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such Person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (C) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Partnership’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such Person’s duty of loyalty to the Partnership and the holders of Interests and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom.

(d) Any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any Interest shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Section 10.15.

(e) Except to the extent otherwise modified herein, each officer of the Partnership shall have fiduciary duties identical to those of officers of business corporations organized under the DGCL. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict or eliminate the duties (including fiduciary duties) of a director, officer or other Person otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the parties hereto to replace such other duties of such Person.

 

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(f) Neither the alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Section 10.15 nor the adoption of any provision of this Agreement inconsistent with this Section 10.15 shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Section 10.15 in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of Action that, but for this Section 10.15, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption.

SECTION 10.16. Reimbursement of Expenses. All costs and expenses incurred in connection with the ongoing operation or management of the business of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries shall be borne by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be.

SECTION 10.17. Effectiveness. The Original Limited Partnership Agreement was effective for all financial and accounting purposes as of July 22, 2004. This Agreement shall be effective immediately prior to the Closing (as defined in the Separation Agreement).

SECTION 10.18. Parity of Units. It is the non-binding intention of each of the Partners, Global Opco and the Partnership that the number of outstanding Units shall at all times equal the number of outstanding Global Opco Units. Accordingly, in the event of any issuance or repurchase by Global Opco of Global Opco Units, it is the non-binding intention of each of the Partners, Global Opco and the Partnership that there be a parallel issuance or repurchase transaction by the Partnership so that the number of outstanding Units shall at all times equal the number of outstanding Global Opco Units, and the parties to this Agreement agree to cooperate to effect the intent of this Section 10.18.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the general partner and the limited partners as of the day and year first written above.

 

BGC HOLDINGS, LLC,

as general partner

By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Managing Director

BGC HOLDINGS, L.P.,

as a limited partner

By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Managing Director

BGC HOLDINGS US, INC.,

as a limited partner

By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President

BGC FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.,

as limited partner

By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President

[Signature Page to the Agreement of Limited Partnership of BGC Partners, L.P.,

dated as of March 31, 2008, by and among BGC Holdings, LLC, Holdings and BGC Holdings

US, and the Persons to be admitted as Partners or otherwise parties hereto]

Exhibit 10.3

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

OF

BGC GLOBAL HOLDINGS, L.P.

Amended and Restated March 31, 2008

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

  

SECTION 1.01.

   Definitions    2

SECTION 1.02.

   Other Definitional Provisions    7

SECTION 1.03.

   References to Schedules    7

ARTICLE II

 

FORMATION, CONTINUATION AND POWERS

  

SECTION 2.01.

   Formation    8

SECTION 2.02.

   Name    8

SECTION 2.03.

   Purpose and Scope of Activity    8

SECTION 2.04.

   Principal Place of Business    8

SECTION 2.05.

   Registered Agent and Office    8

SECTION 2.06.

   Authorized Persons    8

SECTION 2.07.

   Term    9

SECTION 2.08.

   Treatment as Partnership    9

SECTION 2.09.

   Compliance with Law    9

ARTICLE III

 

MANAGEMENT

  

SECTION 3.01.

   Management by the General Partner    9

SECTION 3.02.

   Role and Voting Rights of Limited Partners; Authority of Partners    10

ARTICLE IV

 

PARTNERS; CLASSES OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

  

SECTION 4.01.

   Partners    11

SECTION 4.02.

   Interests    11

SECTION 4.03.

   Admission and Withdrawal of Partners    13

SECTION 4.04.

   Liability to Third Parties; Capital Account Deficits    14

SECTION 4.05.

   Classes    14

SECTION 4.06.

   Certificates    14

SECTION 4.07.

   Priority Among Partners    15

 

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ARTICLE V

 

CAPITAL AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

  

SECTION 5.01.

   Capital    15

SECTION 5.02.

   Withdrawals; Return on Capital    15

SECTION 5.03.

   Maintenance of Capital Accounts    15

SECTION 5.04.

   Allocations and Tax Matters    16

SECTION 5.05.

   General Partner Determinations    17

SECTION 5.06.

   Books and Accounts    17

SECTION 5.07.

   Tax Matters Partner    18

SECTION 5.08.

   Tax Information    18

SECTION 5.09.

   Withholding    18

ARTICLE VI

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

  

SECTION 6.01.

   Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests    18

SECTION 6.02.

   Limitation on Distributions    19

ARTICLE VII

 

TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

  

SECTION 7.01.

   Transfers Generally Prohibited    19

SECTION 7.02.

   Permitted Transfers    19

SECTION 7.03.

   Admission as a Partner Upon Transfer    20

SECTION 7.04.

   Transfer of Units and Capital with the Transfer of an Interest    21

SECTION 7.05.

   Encumbrances    21

SECTION 7.06.

   Legend    21

SECTION 7.07.

   Effect of Transfer Not in Compliance with this Article    22

ARTICLE VIII

 

DISSOLUTION

  

SECTION 8.01.

   Dissolution    22

SECTION 8.02.

   Liquidation    22

SECTION 8.03.

   Distributions    23

SECTION 8.04.

   Reconstitution    23

SECTION 8.05.

   Deficit Restoration    23

ARTICLE IX

 

INDEMNIFICATION AND EXCULPATION

  

SECTION 9.01.

   Exculpation    23

 

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SECTION 9.02.

   Indemnification    24

SECTION 9.03.

   Insurance    27

SECTION 9.04.

   Subrogation    27

SECTION 9.05.

   No Duplication of Payments    27

SECTION 9.06.

   Survival    27

ARTICLE XI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

  

SECTION 10.01.

   Amendments    28

SECTION 10.02.

   Benefits of Agreement    28

SECTION 10.03.

   Waiver of Notice    28

SECTION 10.04.

   Jurisdiction and Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial    28

SECTION 10.05.

   Successors and Assigns    29

SECTION 10.06.

   Confidentiality    30

SECTION 10.07.

   Notices    30

SECTION 10.08.

   No Waiver of Rights    30

SECTION 10.09.

   Power of Attorney    30

SECTION 10.10.

   Severability    31

SECTION 10.11.

   Headings    31

SECTION 10.12.

   Entire Agreement    31

SECTION 10.13.

   Governing Law    31

SECTION 10.14.

   Counterparts    31

SECTION 10.15.

   Opportunity; Fiduciary Duty    31

SECTION 10.16.

   Reimbursement of Expenses    33

SECTION 10.17.

   Effectiveness    33

SECTION 10.18.

   Parity of Units    34

 

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This AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (together with all exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto, this “Agreement” ) of BGC Partners Global Holdings, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership (the “Partnership” ), dated March 31, 2008, is by and among BGC Global Holdings, GP Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted limited company ( “BGC Global Holdings GP Ltd” ), as general partner; BGC Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “Holdings” ), as a limited partner, and BGC Global Limited, a limited company incorporated in England and Wales ( “BGC Global Limited” ), as a limited partner, and the Persons to be admitted as Partners (as defined below) or otherwise parties hereto as set forth herein.

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Partnership was formed as a limited partnership under the Cayman Islands Exempted Limited Partnership Law, as amended from time to time (the “Act” ) pursuant to an Agreement of Limited Partnership, dated December 7, 2006, by and among BGC Holdings GP Ltd, as the general partner, and Holdings and BGC Global Limited the “Original Partnership Agreement” );

WHEREAS, Cantor, BGC Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation ( “BGC Partners” ), BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “U.S. Opco” ), the Partnership, and Holdings have entered into that certain Separation Agreement, dated March 31, 2008 (the “Separation Agreement” ), pursuant to which, among other things, Cantor has agreed to separate the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business, the Market Data Business and the Fulfillment Business (each as defined in the Separation Agreement and together, the “BGC Businesses” ) from the remainder of the businesses of Cantor by contributing the BGC Businesses to BGC Partners and its applicable Subsidiaries, including the Partnership and Global Opco, in the manner and on the terms and conditions set forth in the Separation Agreement (the “Separation” );

WHEREAS, BGC Partners has entered into a deed of contribution with the Partnership in relation to the contribution to the Partnership by BGC Partners of certain businesses and entities in return for a limited partnership interest in the Partnership and BGC Partners has transferred its right under such deed to be issued with such limited partnership interest to BGC Global Limited;

WHEREAS, as part of the Separation, (a) BGC Global Holdings, GP Limited will continue as the general partner of the Partnership, but will be indirectly controlled by BGC Partners; (b) BGC Global Limited will become a limited partner of the Partnership; and (c) Holdings will continue as a limited partner of the Partnership; and

WHEREAS, the Partners are amending and restating the Original Partnership Agreement in order to, among other things, provide for or attest to the foregoing transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, effective immediately.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto hereby adopt the following as the amended and restated “partnership agreement” of the Partnership within the meaning of the Act:


ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

“Accounting Period” means (a) in the case of the first Accounting Period, the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and ending at the next Closing of the Books Event, and (b) in the case of each subsequent Accounting Period, the period commencing immediately after a Closing of the Books Event and ending at the next Closing of the Books Event.

“Act” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“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 indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first Person.

“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Ancillary Agreements” means “Ancillary Agreements” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

“Applicable Tax Rate” means the estimated highest aggregate marginal statutory U.S. federal, state and local income, franchise and branch profits tax rates (determined taking into account the deductibility of state and local income taxes for U.S. federal income tax purposes and the creditability or deductibility of foreign income taxes for U.S. federal income tax purposes) ( “Tax Rate” ) applicable to any Partner on income of the same character and source as the income allocated to such Partner pursuant to Sections 5.04(a) and (b) for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, as determined by the tax matters partner in its discretion; provided that, in the case of a Partner that is a partnership, grantor trust or other pass-through entity under U.S. federal income tax law, the Tax Rate applicable to such Partner for purposes of determining the Applicable Tax Rate shall be the weighted average of the Tax Rates of such Partner’s members, grantor-owners or other beneficial owners (weighted in proportion to their relative economic interests in such Partner), as determined by the tax matters partner in its discretion; provided , further , that if any such member, grantor-owner or other beneficial owner of such Partner is itself a partnership, grantor trust or other-pass through entity, similar principles shall be applied by the tax matters partner in its discretion to determine the Tax Rate of such member, grantor-owner or other beneficial owner.

“BGC Businesses” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“BGC Global Holdings, GP Limited” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

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“BGC Global Limited” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“BGC Partners” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“BGC Partners Common Stock” means (1) prior to the Merger, the common units of BGC Partners (regardless of the class of such common units); and (2) after the Merger, the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC Partners.

“BGC Partners Company” means any member of the BGC Partners Group.

“BGC Partners Group” means BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries (other than Holdings and its Subsidiaries, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries and Global Opco and its Subsidiaries).

“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.

“Cantor” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Cantor Group” means Cantor and its Subsidiaries (other than any member of the Holdings Group or the BGC Partners Group).

“Capital” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s capital in the Partnership as reflected in such Partner’s Capital Account.

“Capital Account” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s capital account established on the books and records of the Partnership.

“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the certificate of registration of exempted limited partnership of the Partnership filed in the Cayman Islands on December 7, 2006.

“Closing of the Books Event” means any of (a) the close of the last day of each calendar year and each calendar quarter, (b) the dissolution of the Partnership, (c) the acquisition of an additional interest in the Partnership by any new or existing Partner in exchange for more than a de minimis amount of property, (d) the distribution by the Partnership to a Partner of more than a de minimis amount of Partnership property as consideration for an interest in the Partnership, or (e) any other time that the General Partner determines to be appropriate for an interim closing of the Partnership’s books.

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute thereto.

“Contribution” means “Contribution” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

 

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“Corporate Opportunity” means any business opportunity that the Partnership is financially able to undertake, that is, from its nature, in any of the Partnership’s lines of business, of practical advantage to the Partnership and one in which the Partnership has an interest or a reasonable expectancy, and in which, by embracing the opportunities, the self-interest of BGC Partners, Holdings or their respective Representatives will be brought into conflict with the Partnership’s self-interest.

“DGCL” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

“Disinterested Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(i)(i).

“Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” means the Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution calculated using the Tax Matters Partner’s estimate of the aggregate amount of taxable income or gain to be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 5.04(a) for the applicable period (excluding any items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item).

“Estimated Tax Due Date” means (a) in the case of a Partner that is not an individual, the 15th day of each April, June, September and December or (b) in the case of a Partner that is an individual, the 15th day of each April, June, September and January or, in each of cases (a) and (b), if earlier with respect to any quarter, the date on which BGC Partners is required to make an estimated tax payment.

“General Partner” means BGC Global Holdings, GP Limited or any Person who has been admitted, as herein provided, as an additional or substitute general partner, and who has not ceased to be a general partner, each in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

“General Partnership Interest” means, with respect to the General Partner, such Partner’s Unit and Capital designated as the “General Partnership Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner being a General Partner and having such Unit and Capital.

“Global Opco” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Global Opco Units” means “Units” as defined in the Global Opco Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Group” means the Holdings Group or the BGC Partners Group, as applicable.

“Group Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(a)(ii).

“Group Transferor” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(a)(ii).

“Holdings” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Holdings Company” means any member of the Holdings Group.

 

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“Holdings Group” means Holdings and its Subsidiaries (other than the Partnership and its Subsidiaries and Global Opco and its Subsidiaries).

“Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, L.P., as amended from time to time.

“Holdings Units” means “Units” as defined in the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Independent Counsel” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(i)(ii).

“Interest” means the General Partnership Interest and any Limited Partnership Interest (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest).

“Limited Partner” means any Person who has acquired a Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement and who shall have been admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement and shall not have ceased to be a Limited Partner under the terms of this Agreement, each in its capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership.

“Limited Partnership Interest” means, with respect to any Limited Partner, such Partner’s Units and Capital designated as a “Limited Partnership Interest” (including, for the avoidance of doubt, designation as a “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” ) on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Units and having such Capital.

“Majority in Interest” means Limited Partner(s) holding a majority of the Units underlying the Limited Partnership Interests outstanding as of the applicable record date; provided , however , that if the Holdings Group shall hold a Majority in Interest and the Cantor Group shall hold a majority of the Units underlying the Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests of Holdings, then “Majority in Interest” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean Cantor.

“Original Limited Partnership Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Partners” means the Limited Partners (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partner) and the General Partner, and “Partner” means any of the foregoing.

“Partnership” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

“Percentage Interest” means, as of the applicable calculation time, with respect to a Partner, the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the number of Units held by such Partner over the number of Units held by all Partners.

 

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“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, limited liability company, governmental entity or other entity of any kind, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

“proceeding” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.02(a).

“Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” means, for each Partner for each fiscal quarter or other applicable period, such Partner’s Proportionate Tax Share for such fiscal quarter or other applicable period.

“Proportionate Tax Share” means, with respect to a Partner, the product of (a) the Tax Distribution for the fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, as applicable, and (b) the Percentage Interest of such Partner for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period. In the event that the Percentage Interest of a Partner changes during any fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period, the Proportionate Tax Share of such Partner and the other Partners, as the case may be, for such fiscal year, fiscal quarter or other period shall be appropriately adjusted to take into account the Partners’ varying interests.

“Representatives” means, with respect to any Person, the Affiliates, directors, officers, employees, general partners, agents, accountants, managing member, employees, counsel and other advisors and representatives of such Person.

“Separation” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Separation Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

“Special Item” means the matters set forth on Schedule A .

“Special Voting Limited Partner” means the Limited Partner holding the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement and who shall have been admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner designated as the Special Voting Limited Partner in accordance with this Agreement and shall not have ceased to be a Limited Partner designated as the Special Voting Limited Partner under the terms of this Agreement.

“Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” means, with respect to the Special Voting Limited Partner, such Partner’s Unit and Capital designated as the “Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest” on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01 in accordance with this Agreement and rights and obligations with respect to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and applicable law by virtue of such Partner holding such Units and having such Capital.

“Subsidiary” means, as of the relevant date of determination, with respect to any Person, any corporation or 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 held, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

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“Tax Distribution” means, for any fiscal quarter or fiscal year or other period of the Partnership during the term of the Partnership, the product of (a) the aggregate amount of taxable income or gain allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 5.04(a) for such period (excluding any item of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item) and (b) the Applicable Tax Rate for such period.

“Transfer” means any transfer, sale, conveyance, assignment, gift, hypothecation, pledge or other disposition, whether voluntary or by operation of law, of all or any part of an Interest or any right, title or interest therein.

“Transferee” means the transferee in a Transfer or proposed Transfer.

“Transferor” means the transferor in a Transfer or proposed Transfer.

“Unit” means, with respect to any Partner, such Partner’s partnership interest in the Partnership entitling the holder to a share in the Partnership’s profits, losses and operating distributions as provided in this Agreement.

SECTION 1.02. Other Definitional Provisions . 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 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, appendix, annex and schedule references not attributed to a particular document shall be references to such exhibits, appendixes, annexes and schedules to this Agreement.

SECTION 1.03. References to Schedules . The General Partner shall maintain and revise from time to time all schedules referred to in this Agreement in accordance with this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in Section 10.01 to the contrary, any such revision shall not be deemed an amendment to this Agreement, and shall not require any further act, vote or approval of any Person.

 

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ARTICLE II

FORMATION, CONTINUATION AND POWERS

SECTION 2.01. Formation . On December 7, 2006, the Partnership was formed pursuant to the laws of the Cayman Islands pursuant to the original Limited Partnership Agreement and constitutes the partnership agreement (as defined in the Act) of the parties thereto. The Original Limited Partnership Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety to be this Agreement effective immediately prior to the closing of the Contribution pursuant to the Separation Agreement, and this Agreement shall thereafter constitute the partnership agreement (as defined in the Act) of the parties hereto.

SECTION 2.02. Name . The name of the Partnership is “BGC Partners Global Holdings, L.P.”

SECTION 2.03. Purpose and Scope of Activity . The purpose of the Partnership shall be to conduct any and all activities permitted under the Act. The Partnership shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges granted by the Act or by any other law or by this Agreement, together with any powers incidental thereto, that are necessary or convenient to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business, purposes or activities of the Partnership.

SECTION 2.04. Principal Place of Business . For purposes of the Act, the principal place of business of the Partnership shall be located in the Cayman Islands or at such other place as may hereafter be designated from time to time by the General Partner. The Partnership, committee and officer meetings shall take place at the Partnership’s principal place of business unless decided otherwise for any particular meeting.

The Partnership may qualify to transact business in such other states and under such assumed business names (for which all applicable assumed business name certificates or filings shall be made) as the General Partner shall determine. Each Partner shall execute, acknowledge, swear to and deliver all certificates or other documents necessary or appropriate to qualify, continue and terminate the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in such jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct or cease to conduct business, as applicable.

SECTION 2.05. Registered Agent and Office . The registered agent for service of process is, and the mailing address of the registered office of the Partnership in the Cayman Islands is in care of, Stuarts Corporate Services Ltd PO Box 2510 Grand Cayman KY1-1104 Cayman Islands. At any time, the Partnership may designate another registered agent and/or registered office.

SECTION 2.06. Authorized Persons . The execution and causing to be filed of the Section 9 Statement by the applicable authorized Persons are hereby specifically ratified, adopted and confirmed. The directors of the General Partner are hereby designated as authorized Persons, within the meaning of the Act, to act in connection with executing and causing to be filed, when approved by the appropriate governing body or bodies hereunder, any

 

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certificates required or permitted to be filed with the Registrar of Exempted Limited Partnerships of the Cayman Islands and any certificates (and any amendments and/or restatements thereof) necessary for the Partnership to file in any jurisdiction in which the Partnership is required to make a filing.

SECTION 2.07. Term . The term of the Partnership began on the date the Section 9 Statement of the Partnership was filed, and the Partnership shall have perpetual existence unless sooner dissolved as provided in Article VIII.

SECTION 2.08. Treatment as Partnership . Except as otherwise required pursuant to a determination within the meaning of Section 1313(a)(1) of the Code, the parties shall treat the Partnership as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes and agree not to take any action or fail to take any action which action or inaction would be inconsistent with such treatment.

SECTION 2.09. Compliance with Law . The Partnership shall use its best efforts to comply with any and all governmental requirements applicable to it, including the making of any and all necessary or advisable governmental registrations.

ARTICLE III

MANAGEMENT

SECTION 3.01. Management by the General Partner . (a) Subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be vested solely in, and directed and exercised solely by, the General Partner. In furtherance of the activities of the Partnership, subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the General Partner shall have all rights and powers, statutory or otherwise, possessed by general partners of limited partnerships under the laws of the Cayman Islands.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the General Partner has full and exclusive power and authority to do, on behalf of the Partnership, all things that are deemed necessary, appropriate or desirable by the General Partner to conduct, direct and manage the business and other affairs of the Partnership and is authorized and empowered, on behalf and in the name of the Partnership, to carry out and implement, directly or through such agents as the General Partner may appoint, such actions and execute such documents as the General Partner may deem necessary or advisable, or as may be incidental to or necessary for the conduct of the business of the Partnership.

(c) The General Partner agrees to use its best efforts to meet all requirements of the Code and currently applicable regulations, rulings and other procedures of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to ensure that the Partnership will be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as a partnership.

(d) The General Partner may appoint officers, managers or agents of the Partnership and may delegate to such officers, managers or agents all or part of the powers, authorities, duties or responsibilities possessed by or imposed on the General Partner pursuant to this Agreement (without limitation on the General Partner’s ability to exercise

 

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such powers, authorities or responsibilities directly at any time); provided that, notwithstanding anything herein or in any other agreement to the contrary, the General Partner may remove any such officer, manager or agent, and may revoke any or all such powers, authorities and responsibilities so delegated to any such person, in each case at any time with or without cause. The General Partner agrees that the officers of the Partnership shall consist of such positions and titles that the General Partner may in its discretion designate or create, including a Chairman, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Chief Financial Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, one or more Assistant Treasurers, a Secretary or one or more Assistant Secretaries. The General Partner agrees that a single person may hold more than one office. The General Partner agrees that each officer shall hold office until his successor is chosen, or until his death, resignation or removal from office.

Each of such officers shall have such powers and duties with respect to the business and other affairs of the Partnership, and shall be subject to such restrictions and limitations, as are prescribed from time to time by the General Partner; provided , however , that each officer shall at all times be subject to the direction and control of the General Partner in the performance of such powers and duties.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, without the prior written consent of the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest), the General Partner shall not take any action that may adversely affect Cantor’s Purchase Right (as defined in the Separation Agreement) in Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement.

SECTION 3.02. Role and Voting Rights of Limited Partners; Authority of Partners . (a)  Limitation on Role of Limited Partners . No Limited Partner shall have any right of control or management power over the business or other affairs of the Partnership as a result of its status as a Limited Partner except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. No Limited Partner shall participate in the control of the Partnership’s business in any manner that would, under the Act, subject such Limited Partner to any liability beyond those liabilities expressly contemplated hereunder, including holding himself, herself or itself out to third parties as a general partner of the Partnership; provided that any Limited Partner may be an employee of the Partnership or any of its Affiliates and perform such duties and do all such acts required or appropriate in such role, and no such performance or acts shall subject such Limited Partner to any liability beyond those liabilities expressly contemplated hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in accordance with, and to the fullest extent permitted by the Act, Limited Partners (directly or through an Affiliate) (i) may consult with and advise the General Partner or any other Person (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) with respect to any matter, including the business of the Partnership, (ii) may, or may cause the General Partner or any other Person (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) to, take or to refrain from taking any action, including by proposing, approving, consenting or disapproving, by voting or otherwise, with respect to any matter, including the business of the Partnership, (iii) may transact business with the General Partner (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) or the Partnership, and (iv) may be an officer, director, partner or stockholder of the General Partner (including, if applicable, the general partner of the General Partner) or have its Representatives serve as officers or directors

 

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of the General Partner (including, if applicable, of the general partner of the General Partner) without incurring additional liabilities to third parties.

(b) No Limited Partner Voting Rights . To the fullest extent permitted by the Act, the Limited Partners shall not have any voting rights under the Act, this Agreement or otherwise, and shall not be entitled to consent to, approve or authorize any actions by the Partnership or the General Partner, except in each case as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement.

(c) Authority of Partners . Except as set forth herein with respect to the General Partner, no Limited Partner shall have any power or authority, in such Partner’s capacity as a Limited Partner, to act for or bind the Partnership except to the extent that such Limited Partner is so authorized in writing prior thereto by the General Partner. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as set forth herein with respect to the General Partner, no Limited Partner, as such, shall, except as so authorized, have any power or authority to incur any liability or execute any instrument, agreement or other document for or on behalf of the Partnership, whether in the Partnership’s name or otherwise. Persons dealing with the Partnership are entitled to rely conclusively upon the power and authority of the General Partner. Each Limited Partner hereby agrees that, except to the extent provided in this Agreement and except to the extent that such Limited Partner shall be the General Partner, it will not participate in the management or control of the business and other affairs of the Partnership, will not transact any business for the Partnership and will not attempt to act for or bind the Partnership.

ARTICLE IV

PARTNERS; CLASSES OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

SECTION 4.01. Partners . The Partnership shall have (a) a General Partner and, (b) one or more Limited Partners (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partner). Schedule 4.01 sets forth the name and address of the Partners. Schedule 4.01 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the identity or address of the Partners in accordance with this Agreement. Each Person admitted to the Partnership as a Partner pursuant to this Agreement shall be a partner of the Partnership until such Person ceases to be a Partner in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

SECTION 4.02. Interests . (a)  Generally . (i)  Classes of Interests . Interests in the Partnership shall be divided into two classes: (A) a General Partnership Interest; and (B) Limited Partnership Interests (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest). The General Partnership Interest and the Limited Partnership Interests shall consist of, and be issued as, Units and Capital. The aggregate number of authorized Units is 600,000,000. The aggregate number of authorized Units shall not be changed, modified or adjusted from that set forth in the immediately preceding sentence; provided that, in the event that the total number of authorized shares of BGC Partners Common Stock under the certificate of incorporation of BGC Partners shall be increased or decreased after the date of this Agreement, then the total number of authorized Units shall be correspondingly increased or decreased by the same number so that the number of the authorized Units equals the

 

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number of authorized shares of BGC Partners Common Stock. Any Units repurchased by or otherwise transferred to the Partnership or otherwise forfeited or cancelled shall be cancelled and thereafter deemed to be authorized but unissued, and may be subsequently issued as Units for all purposes hereunder in accordance with this Agreement.

(ii) Issuances of Additional Units . Any authorized but unissued Units may be issued:

 

  (1) pursuant to the Contribution and Schedule 2.03 of the Separation Agreement;

 

  (2) (A) to members of the BGC Partners Group and/or Holdings Group, as the case may be, in connection with an investment in the Partnership by the members of the BGC Partners Group and/or Holdings Group, as the case may be, in each case as provided in Section 4.11 of the Separation Agreement;

 

  (3) to members of the Holdings Group, in connection with a redemption pursuant to Section 12.03 of the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement;

 

  (4) as otherwise agreed by each of the General Partner and the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest);

 

  (5) to BGC Partners or Holdings in connection with a grant of equity by BGC Partners or Holdings, respectively, pursuant to the BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan; and

 

  (6) to any Partner in connection with a conversion of an issued Unit and Interest into a different class or type of Unit and Interest in accordance with this Agreement;

provided that each Person to be issued additional Units pursuant to clause (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5) of this sentence shall, as a condition to such issuance, execute and deliver to the Partnership an agreement in which such Person agrees to be admitted as a Partner with respect to such Units and bound by this Agreement and any other agreements, documents or instruments specified by the General Partner; provided , however , that if such Person (A) is at the time of such issuance a Partner of the applicable class of Interests being issued or (B) has previously entered into an agreement pursuant to which such Person shall have agreed to become a Partner and be bound by this Agreement with respect to the applicable class of Interests being issued (which agreement is in effect at the time of such issuance), such Person shall not be required to enter into any such agreements unless otherwise determined by the General Partner. Upon any such issuance, any such Person not already a Partner shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the issued Interests.

(b) General Partnership Interest. The Partnership shall have one General Partnership Interest. The Unit issued to the General Partner in respect of such Partner’s General Partnership Interest is set forth on Schedule 4.02. Schedule 4.02 shall be amended

 

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pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the Unit in respect of such Partner’s General Partnership Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(c) Limited Partnership Interests. (i) The Partnership shall have one or more Limited Partnership Interests. The number of Units issued to each Limited Partner in respect of such Partner’s Limited Partnership Interest is set forth on Schedule 4.02. Schedule 4.02 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the number or the issuance or allocation of the Units in respect of such Partner’s Limited Partnership Interest in accordance with this Agreement.

(ii) The Partnership shall have one Limited Partnership Interest designated as the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, as provided in Section 4.03(b). There shall only be one (1) Unit associated with the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest. All other Limited Partnership Interests shall be designated as Limited Partnership Interests.

(d) No Additional Classes of Interests. There shall be no additional classes of partnership interests in the Partnership.

SECTION 4.03. Admission and Withdrawal of Partners . (a)  General Partner. (i) The initial General Partner is BGC Global Holdings, GP Limited. On the date of this Agreement, immediately following the Separation, BGC Global Holdings, GP Limited shall have the General Partnership Interest, which shall have the Unit and the Capital set forth on Sched ule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01, respectively.

(ii) The admission of a Transferee as a General Partner, and resignation or withdrawal of any General Partner, shall be governed by Section 7.02.

(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of the General Partner’s entire General Partnership Interest as provided in Section 7.02(c), such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such General Partnership Interest and shall cease to be the General Partner.

(b) Limited Partners. (i) The initial Limited Partners are Holdings and BGC Global Limited, and the initial Special Voting Limited Partner is BGC Global Holdings, GP Limited. On the date of this Agreement, immediately following the Separation, the Limited Partners shall have the Limited Partnership Interests (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest), which shall have the Units and the Capital set forth on Schedule 4.02 and Schedule 5.01, respectively.

(ii) The admission of a Transferee as a Limited Partner pursuant to any Transfer permitted by Section 7.02(a) or 7.02(b), as applicable, shall be governed by Section 7.02, and the admission of a Person as a Limited Partner in connection with the issuance of additional Units pursuant to Section 4.02(a)(ii) shall be governed by such applicable Section.

 

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(iii) Effective immediately upon the Transfer of a Limited Partner’s entire Limited Partnership Interest as provided in Section 7.02(a) or 7.02(b), as applicable, such Partner shall cease to have any interest in the profits, losses, assets, properties or capital of the Partnership with respect to such Limited Partnership Interest, and shall cease to be a Limited Partner.

(c) No Additional Partners . No additional Partners shall be admitted to the Partnership except in accordance with this Article IV.

SECTION 4.04. Liability to Third Parties; Capital Account Deficits . (a) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the Act, the General Partner shall have unlimited personal liability for the satisfaction and discharge of all debts, liabilities, contracts and other obligations of the Partnership. The General Partner shall not be personally liable for the return of any portion of the capital contribution of any Limited Partner, the return of which shall be made solely from the Partnership’s assets.

(b) Except as may otherwise be expressly provided by the Act or this Agreement, no Limited Partner shall be liable for the debts, liabilities, contracts or other obligations of the Partnership. Each Limited Partner shall be liable only to make its capital contributions as provided in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement or as otherwise agreed by such Limited Partner and the Partnership in writing after the date of this Agreement and shall not be required, after its capital contribution shall have been paid, to make any further capital contribution to the Partnership or to lend any funds to the Partnership except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or the Separation Agreement or as otherwise agreed by such Limited Partner and the Partnership in writing after the date of this Agreement. No Limited Partner shall be required to repay the Partnership, any Partner or any creditor of the Partnership any negative balance in such Limited Partner’s Capital Account.

(c) No Limited Partner shall be liable to make up any deficit in its Capital Account; provided that nothing in this Section 4.04(c) shall relieve a Partner of any liability it may otherwise have, either pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or pursuant to the terms of any agreement to which the Partnership or such Partner may be a party.

SECTION 4.05. Classes . Any Person may own one or more classes of Interests. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the ownership of other classes of Interests shall not affect the rights or obligations of a Partner with respect to other classes of Interests. As used in this Agreement, the General Partner and the Limited Partners (including the Special Voting Limited Partner) shall be deemed to be separate Partners even if any Partner holds more than one class of Interest. References to a certain class of Interest with respect to any Partner shall refer solely to that class of Interest of such Partner and not to any other class of Interest, if any, held by such Partner.

SECTION 4.06. Certificates . The Partnership may, in the discretion of the General Partner, issue any or all Units in certificated form, which certificates shall be held by the Partnership as custodian for the applicable Partners. The form of any such certificates shall be approved by the General Partner and include the legend required by Section 7.06. If certificates are issued, a transfer of Units will require delivery of an endorsed certificate.

 

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SECTION 4.07. Priority Among Partners . No Partner shall be entitled to any priority or preference over any other Partner either as to return of capital contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions, except to the extent that this Agreement may be deemed to establish such a priority or preference.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL AND ACCOUNTING MATTERS

SECTION 5.01. Capital . (a)  Capital Accounts. There shall be established on the books and records of the Partnership a Capital Account for each Partner. Schedule 5.01 sets forth the names and the Capital Account of the Partners as of the date of this Agreement. Schedule 5.01 shall be amended pursuant to Section 1.03 to reflect any change in the identity or Capital Accounts in accordance with this Agreement.

(b) Capital Contributions. (i) On the date of this Agreement, contributions of assets, property and/or cash shall be made by or on behalf of the Partners listed on Schedule 4.01 in connection with the Contribution, pursuant to the terms set forth in the Separation Agreement.

(ii) In return for such initial contributions, Interests shall be issued or Transferred to the Partners as provided on Schedule 5.01.

(iii) The parties shall treat the contributions described in this Section 5.01(b) as contributions pursuant to Section 721 of the Code in which no gain or loss is recognized to any extent, except as otherwise required pursuant to a determination within the meaning of Section 1313(a)(1) of the Code.

(iv) Except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01(b)(i), no capital contributions shall be required (A) unless otherwise determined by the General Partner and agreed to by the contributing Partner, or (B) unless otherwise determined by the General Partner in connection with the admission of a new Partner or the issuance of additional Interests to a Partner.

(v) The Partnership may invest or cause to be invested all amounts received by the Partnership as capital contributions in its sole and absolute discretion.

SECTION 5.02. Withdrawals; Return on Capital . No Partner shall be entitled to withdraw or otherwise receive any distributions in respect of any Interest (including the associated Units or Capital), except as provided in Section 6.01 or Section 8.03. The Partners shall not be entitled to any return on their Capital.

SECTION 5.03. Maintenance of Capital Accounts . As of the end of each Accounting Period, the balance in each Partner’s Capital Account shall be adjusted by (a) increasing such balance by (i) such Partner’s allocable share of each item of the Partnership’s

 

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income and gain for such Accounting Period (allocated in accordance with Section 5.04(a)) and (ii) the amount of cash or the fair market value of other property (determined in accordance with Section 5.05) contributed to the Partnership by such Partner in respect of such Partner’s related Interest during such Accounting Period, net of liabilities assumed by the Partnership with respect to such other property, and (b) decreasing such balance by (i) the amount of cash or the fair market value of other property (determined in accordance with Section 5.05) distributed to such Partner in respect of such class of Interest associated with such Capital Account pursuant to this Agreement, net of liabilities (if any) assumed by such Partner with respect to such other property, and (ii) such Partner’s allocable share of each item of the Partnership’s deduction and loss for such Accounting Period (allocated in accordance with Section 5.04(a)). The balances in each Partners’ Capital Account shall also be adjusted at the time and in the manner permitted by the capital accounting rules of the Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f). The foregoing and the other provisions of this Agreement relating to the maintenance of Capital Accounts are intended to comply with Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b), and shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent therewith.

SECTION 5.04. Allocations and Tax Matters . (a)  Book Allocations . After giving effect to the allocations set forth in Section 2 of Exhibit A hereto, for purposes of computing Capital Accounts and allocating any items of income, gain, loss or deduction thereto, with respect to each Accounting Period, all remaining items of income, gain, loss or deduction of the Partnership (calculated in the manner contemplated by the capital accounting rules of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, and regardless of whether the Partnership has net income) shall be allocated among the Capital Accounts of the Interests in proportion to their Percentage Interest as of the end of such Accounting Period; provided , however , that upon any Closing of the Books Event (other than an event described in clauses (a) of such definition), the value of each asset on the books of the Partnership shall be adjusted to equal its gross fair market value (as reasonably determined by the General Partner) at such time, and the amount of such adjustment shall be taken into account as gain (if such adjustment is positive) or loss (if such adjustment is negative) from the disposition of such asset for purposes of this Section 5.04(a); provided , further , that any and all items of income, gain, loss or deduction to the extent resulting from a Special Item will be allocated entirely to the Capital Accounts of the Limited Partnership Interests (other than the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by Partners who are members of the Holdings Group, pro rata in proportion to the number of Units (other than the Units underlying the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by such Partners. If, after any allocation of items of income, gain, loss or deduction resulting from a Special Item, there is an exchange of an Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest (as defined in the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement) or a Founding Partner Interest (as defined in the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement) with BGC Partners for BGC Partners Common Stock, then (A) the Capital Account of the Limited Partnership Interests provided to BGC Partners in connection with such exchange pursuant to Section 8.07 of the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement shall be equal to (1) the total Capital for all issued and outstanding Interests, divided by (2) the total number of issued and outstanding Units, multiplied by (3) the number of Units underlying such Limited Partnership Interest (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the impact of any Special Item and the intention of the Parties for Holdings (and not BGC Partners) to realize the economic benefits and burdens of such Special Item); and (B) any increase or decrease in the remaining Capital for all issued and outstanding Interests as a result of clause (A) of this sentence shall be allocated to the Capital

 

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Accounts of the Limited Partnership Interests (other than the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by Partners who are members of the Holdings Group, pro rata in proportion to the number of Units (other than the Units underlying the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest) held by such Partners.

(b) Tax Allocations . Except as otherwise required under Section 704(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, the Partnership shall cause each item of income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership to be allocated among the Partners for U.S. federal, state and local income and, where relevant, non-U.S. tax purposes in the same manner that each such item is allocated to the Partners’ Capital Accounts or as otherwise provided herein. In the event the value of any Partnership assets is adjusted pursuant to the first proviso of Section 5.04(a), subsequent allocations of income, gain, loss, and deduction with respect to such asset shall take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such asset for United States federal income tax purposes and its adjusted value in the same manner as under Section 704(c) of the Code and the Regulations thereunder. Allocations required by Section 704(c) of the Code shall be made using the “traditional method” described in Treasury Regulation section 1.704-3(b).

SECTION 5.05. General Partner Determinations . All determinations, valuations and other matters of judgment required to be made for purposes of this Article V, including with respect to allocations to Capital Accounts and accounting procedures and tax matters not expressly provided for by the terms of this Agreement, or for determining the value of any type or form of proceeds, contribution or distributions hereunder shall be made by the General Partner in good faith. In the event that an additional Partner is admitted to the Partnership and contributes property to the Partnership, or an existing Partner contributes additional property to the Partnership, pursuant to this Agreement, the value of such contributed property shall be the fair market value of such property as reasonably determined by the General Partner.

SECTION 5.06. Books and Accounts . (a) The Partnership shall at all times keep or cause to be kept true and complete records and books of account, which records and books shall be maintained in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Such records and books of account shall be kept at the principal place of business of the Partnership by the General Partner. The Limited Partners shall have the right to gain access to all such records and books of account (including schedules thereto) for inspection and view (at such reasonable times as the General Partner shall determine) for any purpose reasonably related to their Interests. The Partnership’s accounts shall be maintained in U.S. dollars.

(b) The Partnership’s fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the thirty-first day of December of each year, or shall be such other period designated by the General Partner. At the end of each fiscal year, the Partnership’s accounts shall be prepared, presented to the General Partner and submitted to the Partnership’s auditors for examination.

(c) The Partnership’s auditors shall be an independent accounting firm of international reputation to be appointed from time to time by the General Partner. The Partnership’s auditors shall be entitled to receive promptly such information, accounts and explanations from the General Partner and each Partner that they deem reasonably

 

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necessary to carry out their duties. The Partners shall provide such financial, tax and other information to the Partnership as may be reasonably necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Partnership.

SECTION 5.07. Tax Matters Partner . The General Partner is hereby designated as the tax matters partner of the Partnership, in accordance with the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 6231 of the Code and any similar provisions under any other state or local or non-U.S. tax laws. The General Partner shall have the authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to (a) make an election under Section 754 of the Code on behalf of the Partnership, and each Partner agrees to provide such information and documentation as the General Partner may reasonably request in connection with any such election, (b) determine the manner in which “excess nonrecourse liabilities” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.752-3(a)(3)) are allocated among the Partners and (c) make any other election or determination with respect to taxes (including with respect to depreciation, amortization and accounting methods).

SECTION 5.08. Tax Information . The Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and mail as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each taxable year of the Partnership, to each Partner (and each other Person that was such a Partner during such taxable year or its legal representatives), U.S. Internal Revenue Service Schedule K-1, “Partner’s Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc.,” or any successor schedule or form, for such Person.

SECTION 5.09. Withholding . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Partnership is authorized to withhold from distributions and allocations to the Partners, and to pay over to any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority any amounts believed in good faith to be required to be so withheld pursuant to the Code or any provision of any other federal, state, local or foreign law and, for all purposes under this Agreement, shall treat such amounts (together with any amounts that are withheld from payments to the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries attributable to a direct or indirect Partner of the Partnership) as distributed to those Partners with respect to which such amounts were withheld. If the Partnership is obligated to pay any amount to a taxing authority on behalf of (or in respect of an obligation of) a Partner (including, federal, state and local or other withholding taxes), then such Partner shall indemnify the Partnership in full for the entire amount of any Tax (but not any interest, penalties or other expenses associated with such payment).

ARTICLE VI

DISTRIBUTIONS

SECTION 6.01. Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests . Subject to the remaining sentences of this Section 6.01, the Partnership shall distribute to each Partner from such Partner’s Capital Account (a) on or prior to each Estimated Tax Due Date (i) such Partner’s Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution for such fiscal quarter, plus (ii) with respect to Partners who are members of the Holdings Group, an amount (positive or negative) calculated using the methodology contemplated by the definition “Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distribution” (taking into account for this purpose items of income, gain, loss or deduction

 

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allocated in respect of any Special Item and disregarding all other items) for such fiscal quarter in respect of any items of income, gain, loss or deduction allocated in respect of any Special Item, and (b) as promptly as practicable after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Partnership (as determined by the General Partner) an amount equal to the excess (if any) of (x) the net positive cumulative amount allocated to such Partner’s Capital Account pursuant to Section 5.04(a) or Exhibit A hereto after the date of this Agreement over (y) the amount of any prior distributions to such Partner pursuant to this Section 6.01; provided that in each case appropriate adjustments shall be made to reflect any amounts treated as distributed pursuant to Section 5.09; provided , however , that with the prior written consent of the holders of a Majority in Interest of the Limited Partnership Interests, the Partnership may decrease the total amount distributed by the Partnership pursuant to Section 6.01(b). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Section 6.01, in the event the Partnership is unable to make the distributions contemplated by the foregoing as a result of any Special Item, then the Partnership shall use reasonable best efforts to borrow such amounts as are necessary to make distributions that would have been received by the BGC Partners Group in the absence of any such Special Item and to make the Estimated Proportionate Quarterly Tax Distributions to the Cantor Group, and the costs of any such costs borrowing shall be treated as a Special Item. No distributions shall be made by the Partnership except as expressly contemplated by Sections 6.01(a), 6.01(b) and 8.03(a).

SECTION 6.02. Limitation on Distributions . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Partnership and the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership, shall not be required to make a distribution to a Partner on account of its interest in the Partnership if such distribution would violate the Act or any other applicable law.

ARTICLE VII

TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

SECTION 7.01. Transfers Generally Prohibited . No Partner may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any of rights, title and interest in and to, its Interest, except as permitted by the terms and conditions set forth in this Article VII. The Schedules shall be revised pursuant to Section 1.03 from time to time to reflect any change in the Partners or Interests to reflect any Transfer permitted by this Article VII.

SECTION 7.02. Permitted Transfers . (a)  Limited Partnership Interests . No Limited Partner (other than the Special Voting Limited Partner, which shall be governed by Section 7.02(b)) may Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Limited Partnership Interest (other than the Special Voting Limited Partner, which shall be governed by Section 7.02(b)), except any such Transfer (i) pursuant to Section 4.02(a)(ii), 4.03(b)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation or Section 7.02(b); (ii) if such Limited Partner shall be a member of the BGC Partners Group or the Holdings Group (the “Group Transferor” ), to any member of the BGC Partners Group or the Holdings Group (the “Group Transferee” ), including in connection with the exchange of Holdings Units for BGC Partners Common Stock pursuant to the Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement; or (iii) for which the General Partner and the Limited Partners (with such consent to require the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest) shall have provided their respective prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed,

 

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provided that if such Transfer could reasonably be expected to result in the Partnership being classified or treated as a publicly traded partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the withholding of consent to such Transfer shall not be deemed unreasonable) (including any Transfer to the Partnership).

(b) Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest . The Special Voting Limited Partner may not Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest, except any such Transfer (i) to a wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings; provided that, in the event that such other Person shall cease to be a wholly owned Subsidiary of Holdings, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest shall automatically be Transferred to Holdings, without the requirement of any further action on the part of the Partnership, Holdings or any other Person; or (ii) pursuant to Section 4.03(b)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation. Upon removal of any Special Voting Limited Partner, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Special Voting Limited Partnership Interest shall be transferred to the Person being admitted as the new Special Voting Limited Partner, simultaneously with admission and without the requirement of any action on the part of the Special Voting Limited Partner being removed or any other Person.

(c) General Partnership Interest . The General Partner may not Transfer or agree or otherwise commit to Transfer all or any portion of, or any right, title and interest in and to, its General Partnership Interest, except any such Transfer (i) to a new General Partner in accordance with this Section, (ii) with the prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of the Special Voting Limited Partner, to any other Person, or (iii) pursuant to Section 4.03(a)(i) in connection with the Contribution and the Separation. Any General Partner may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Special Voting Limited Partner in its sole and absolute discretion, and the General Partner may resign from the Partnership for any reason or for no reason whatsoever; provided , however , that, as a condition to any such removal or resignation, (A) the Special Voting Limited Partner shall first appoint another Person as the new General Partner; (B) such Person shall be admitted to the Partnership as the new General Partner (upon the execution and delivery of an agreement to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and such other agreements, documents or instruments requested by the resigning General Partner); and (C) such resigning or removed General Partner shall Transfer its entire General Partnership Interest to the new General Partner. The admission of the new General Partner shall be deemed effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of the resignation of the resigning General Partner, and shall otherwise have the effects set forth in Section 4.03(a)(iii). Upon removal of any General Partner, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the General Partnership Interest shall be transferred to the Person being admitted as the new General Partner, simultaneously with admission and without the requirement of any action on the part of the General Partner being removed or any other Person.

SECTION 7.03. Admission as a Partner Upon Transfer . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, a Transferee who has otherwise satisfied the requirements of Section 7.02 shall become a Partner, and shall be listed as a “Limited Partner , “Special Voting Limited Partner” or “General Partner” as applicable, on Schedule 4.01 , and shall

 

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be deemed to receive the Interest being Transferred, in each case only at such time as such Transferee executes and delivers to the Partnership an agreement in which the Transferee agrees to be admitted as a Partner and bound by this Agreement and any other agreements, documents or instruments specified by the General Partner and such agreements (when applicable) shall have been duly executed by the General Partner; provided , however , that if such Transferee (a) is at the time of such Transfer a Partner of the applicable class of Interests being Transferred or (b) has previously entered into an agreement pursuant to which the Transferee shall have agreed to become a Partner and be bound by this Agreement (which agreement is in effect at the time of such Transfer), such Transferee shall not be required to enter into any such agreements unless otherwise determined by the General Partner; provided , further , that the Transfers, admissions to and withdrawals from the Partnership as Partners, contemplated by Sections 4.03(a)(i) or 4.03(b)(i) shall not require the execution or delivery of any further agreements or other documentation hereunder.

SECTION 7.04. Transfer of Units and Capital with the Transfer of an Interest . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each Partner who Transfers an Interest shall be deemed to have Transferred the entire Interest, including the associated Units and Capital of such Interest, or, if a portion of an Interest is being Transferred, each Partner who Transfers a portion of an Interest shall specify the number of Units being so Transferred and such Transfer shall include a proportionate amount of Capital of such Interest, to the Transferee.

SECTION 7.05. Encumbrances . No Partner may charge or encumber its Interest or otherwise subject its Interest to a lien, pledge, security interest, right of first refusal, option or other similar limitation except in each case for those created by this Agreement.

SECTION 7.06. Legend . Each Partner agrees that any certificate issued to it to evidence its Interests shall have inscribed conspicuously on its front or back the following legend:

THE PARTNERSHIP INTEREST IN BGC PARTNERS GLOBAL HOLDINGS, L.P. REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED UNITS AND CAPITAL) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT” ), OR REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR FOREIGN JURISDICTION, AND THIS PARTNERSHIP INTEREST MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, EXCEPT (A) EITHER (1) WHILE A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER APPLICABLE REGISTRATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS ARE IN EFFECT OR (2) PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (INCLUDING, IF APPLICABLE, REGULATION S THEREUNDER) AND SUCH OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS AND (B) IF PERMITTED BY THE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF BGC PARTNERS GLOBAL HOLDINGS, L.P., AS IT MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, WHICH CONTAINS STRICT PROHIBITIONS ON TRANSFERS, SALES,

 

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ASSIGNMENTS, PLEDGES, HYPOTHECATIONS, ENCUMBRANCES OR OTHER DISPOSITIONS OF THIS PARTNERSHIP INTEREST OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN (INCLUDING ASSOCIATED UNITS AND CAPITAL).

SECTION 7.07. Effect of Transfer Not in Compliance with this Article . Any purported Transfer of all or any part of a Partner’s Interest, or any interest therein, that is not in compliance with this Article VII shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be void ab initio and shall be of no effect.

ARTICLE VIII

DISSOLUTION

SECTION 8.01. Dissolution . The Partnership shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up upon the first to occur of the following:

(a) an election to dissolve the Partnership made by the General Partner; provided that such dissolution shall require the prior approval of (x) a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors and (y) the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest);

(b) at any time there are no limited partners of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued in accordance with the Act;

(c) any event that results in the General Partner ceasing to be a general partner of the Partnership under the Act, provided that the Partnership shall not be dissolved and required to be wound up in connection with any such event if (A) at the time of the occurrence of such event there is at least one remaining general partner of the Partnership who is hereby authorized to and does carry on the business of the Partnership, or (B) within 90 days after the occurrence of such event, a majority of the Limited Partners agree in writing or vote to continue the business of the Partnership and to the appointment, effective as of the date of such event, if required, of one or more additional general partners of the Partnership; or

(d) otherwise pursuant to the Act.

None of the Partners shall have any right to terminate, dissolve or have redeemed their class of Interests or, except for the General Partner and otherwise to the fullest extent permitted by law, to terminate, windup or dissolve the Partnership. Absent the approval of a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors, each Partner shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the dissolution of the Partnership.

SECTION 8.02. Liquidation . Upon a dissolution pursuant to Section 8.01, the Partnership’s business and assets shall be wound up promptly in an orderly manner. The General Partner shall be the liquidator to wind up the affairs of the Partnership. In performing its duties, the General Partner is authorized to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of the Partnership’s business and assets in accordance with the Act in any reasonable manner that the General Partner determines to be in the best interests of the Partners. Upon completion of the winding-up of the Partnership, the General Partner shall prepare and submit to each Limited Partner a final statement with respect thereto.

 

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SECTION 8.03. Distributions . (a) In the event of a dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to Section 8.01, the Partnership shall apply and distribute the proceeds of the dissolution as provided below:

(i) first , to the creditors of the Partnership, including Partners that are creditors of the Partnership to the extent permitted by law, in satisfaction of the liabilities of the Partnership (by payment or by the making of reasonable provision for payment thereof, including the setting up of any reserves which the General Partner determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, are necessary therefor);

(ii) second , to the repayment of any loans or advances that may have been made by any of the Partners to the Partnership;

(iii) third , to the Partners in proportion to (and to the extent of) the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts; and

(iv) thereafter , to the Partners in proportion to their respective Percentage Interests.

(b) Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership . Upon completion of a liquidation and distribution pursuant to Section 8.03(a) following a dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to Section 8.01, the General Partner shall execute, acknowledge and cause to be filed a Section 10 Statement with the Registrar of Exempted Limited Partnerships in the Cayman Islands.

SECTION 8.04. Reconstitution . Nothing contained in this Agreement shall impair, restrict or limit the rights and powers of the Partners under the laws of the State of Delaware and any other jurisdiction in which the Partnership is doing business to reform and reconstitute themselves as a limited partnership following dissolution of the Partnership either under provisions identical to those set forth herein or any others which they may deem appropriate.

SECTION 8.05. Deficit Restoration . Upon the termination of the Partnership, no Limited Partner shall be required to restore any negative balance in his, her or its Capital Account to the Partnership. The General Partner shall be required to contribute to the Partnership an amount equal to its respective deficit Capital Account balances within the period prescribed by Treasury Regulation section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c).

ARTICLE IX

INDEMNIFICATION AND EXCULPATION

SECTION 9.01. Exculpation . Neither a General Partner nor any Affiliate or director or officer of a General Partner or any such Affiliate shall be personally liable to the Partnership or the Limited Partners for a breach of this Agreement or any fiduciary duty as a

 

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General Partner or as an Affiliate or director or officer of a General Partner or any such Affiliate, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the Act as the same exists or may hereafter be amended. Any repeal or modification of the immediately preceding sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of such Person existing hereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or modification. A General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisors selected by it and the opinion of any such Person as to matters which the General Partner reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted by the General Partner in good faith and in accordance with such opinion. A General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the obligations imposed on it hereunder either directly or by or through one or more agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner with due care.

SECTION 9.02. Indemnification . (a) Each Person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding” ), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a Person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a or has agreed to become a General Partner, or any director or officer of the General Partner or of the Partnership, or is or was serving at the request of the Partnership as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while surviving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL” ) as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Partnership to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Partnership to provide prior to such amendment), as if the Company were a corporation organized under the DGCL, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees and expenses, judgments, fines, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, and excise taxes or penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) reasonably incurred or suffered by such Person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a Person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided , however , that except as provided in Section 9.02(c), the Partnership shall indemnify any such Person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such Person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the General Partner. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section 9.02 shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Partnership the expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expenses, incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its financial disposition; provided , however , that if the applicable law requires that the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such Person while a director or officer, including, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the

 

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Partnership of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director for officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this Section 9.02 or otherwise. The Partnership may, by action of the General Partner, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Partnership with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers.

(b) To obtain indemnification under this Section 9.02, a claimant shall submit to the Partnership a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 9.02(b), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (i) if requested by the claimant, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) if no request is made by the claimant for a determination by Independent Counsel, (x) by the board of directors of BGC Partners by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (y) if a quorum of the board of directors of BGC Partners consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the board of directors of BGC Partners, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (z) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest. In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel at the request of the claimant, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the board of directors of BGC Partners unless there shall have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “Change of Control” as defined in the 1999 Long-Term Incentive Plan of eSpeed, as amended in 2003, in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the board of directors of BGC Partners. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination.

(c) If a claim under Section 9.02(a) is not paid in full by the Partnership within thirty (30) days after a written claim pursuant to Section 9.02(b) has been received by the Partnership, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Partnership to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Partnership) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Partnership to provide broader indemnification rights than it permitted the Partnership to provide prior to such amendment) for the Partnership to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed if the Partnership were a corporation organized under the DGCL, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Partnership. Neither the failure of the Partnership (including the board of directors of BGC

 

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Partners, independent legal counsel or its holders of Interests) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Partnership (including the board of directors of BGC Partners or independent legal counsel or its holders of Interests) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9.02(b) that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Partnership shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 9.02(c).

(e) The Partnership shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to Section 9.02(c) that the procedures and presumptions of this Section 9.02 are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Partnership is bound by all the provisions of this Section 9.02.

(f) The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Section 9.02 shall not be exclusive of any other right that any Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of this Agreement, agreement, vote of the Limited Partners (by affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest) or Disinterested Directors or otherwise. No amendment or other modification of this Section 9.02 shall in any way diminish or adversely affect the rights of a General Partner, a Limited Partner or any directors, officers, employees or agents of the General Partner in respect of any occurrence or matter arising prior to any such repeal or modification.

(g) The Partnership may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the General Partner, grant rights to indemnification, and rights to be paid by the Partnership the expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any employee or agent of the Partnership to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Section 9.02 with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of a General Partner, a Limited Partner or any directors and officers of the General Partner.

(h) If any provision or provisions of this Section 9.02 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Section 9.02 (including each portion of this Section 9.02 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Section 9.02 (including each such portion of this Section 9.02 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

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(i) For purposes of this Article IX:

(i) “Disinterested Director” means a director of BGC Partners who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

(ii) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any Person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Partnership or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights under this Section 9.02.

(j) Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Partnership under this Section 9.02 shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, telex, telegram, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the General Partner and shall be effective only upon receipt by the General Partner.

SECTION 9.03. Insurance . The Partnership may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Partnership or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such expense, liability or loss under the Act if the Partnership were a corporation organized under the DGCL. To the extent that the Partnership maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such director or officer, and each such agent or employee to which rights of indemnification have been granted as provided in Section 9.02 shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such director, officer, employee or agent.

SECTION 9.04. Subrogation . In the event of payment of indemnification to a Person described in Section 9.02, the Partnership shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to any right of recovery such person may have and such person, as a condition of receiving indemnification from the Partnership, shall execute all documents and do all things that the Partnership may deem necessary or desirable to perfect such right of recovery, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Partnership effectively to enforce any such recovery.

SECTION 9.05. No Duplication of Payments . The Partnership shall not be liable under this Article IX to make any payment in connection with any claim made against a person described in Section 9.02 to the extent such Person has otherwise received payment (under any insurance policy or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise payable as indemnity hereunder.

SECTION 9.06. Survival . This Article IX shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 10.01. Amendments . Except as provided in Section 1.03 with respect to this Agreement or Section 2.01 and this Agreement may not be amended except with (and any such amendment shall be authorized upon obtaining) the approval of each of the General Partner and the Limited Partners (by the affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest); provided that this Agreement shall not be amended to (i) amend any provisions which require the consent of a specified percentage in interest of the Limited Partners without the consent of that specified percentage in interest of the Limited Partners; (ii) alter the interest of any Partner in the amount or timing of distributions or the allocation of profits, losses or credits (other than any such alteration caused by the acquisition of additional Units by any Partner or the issuance of additional Units to any Person pursuant to this Agreement or as otherwise expressly provided herein), if such alteration would either (A) materially adversely affect the economic interest of a Partner in the Partnership or (B) materially adversely affect the value of Interests, without the consent of (x) the Partners holding at least two-thirds of all Units in the case of an amendment applying in a substantially similar manner to all classes of Interests or (y) two-thirds in interest of the affected class or classes of the Partners in the case of any other amendment; or (iii) amend this Agreement to alter the Special Voting Limited Partner’s ability to remove a General Partner; provided , however , that the General Partner may authorize, without further approval of any other Person or group, (1) any amendment to this Agreement to correct any technicality, incorrect statement or error apparent on the face hereof in order to further the intent of the parties hereto or (2) correction of any formality or error apparent on the face hereof or incorrect statement or defect in the execution hereof. Any merger or consolidation of the Partnership with any third party that shall amend or otherwise modify the terms of this Agreement shall require the approval of the Persons referred to above to the extent the approval of such Persons would have been required had such amendment or modification been effected by an amendment to this Agreement.

SECTION 10.02. Benefits of Agreement . None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of or enforceable by any creditor of the Partnership or by any creditor of any of the Partners. Except as provided in Article IX with respect to Persons entitled to indemnification pursuant to such Article, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to create any right in any Person not a party hereto, and this instrument shall not be construed in any respect to be a contract in whole or in part for the benefit of any third person.

SECTION 10.03. Waiver of Notice . Whenever any notice is required to be given to any Partner or other Person under the provisions of the Act or this Agreement, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the Person or Persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Partners (if any shall be called) or the General Partner need be specified in any waiver of notice of such meeting.

SECTION 10.04. Jurisdiction and Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial . (a) Each of the Partners agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that all Actions arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, the Partnership’s affairs, the rights or interests of the Partners or

 

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the estate of any deceased Partner (to the extent that they are related to any of the foregoing), or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any breach or termination or alleged breach or termination of this Agreement, shall be tried and determined exclusively in the state or federal courts in the State of Delaware, and each of the Partners hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such Action for itself and in respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts. Each of the Partners hereby expressly waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any right it may have to assert, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such Action: (i) any claim that it is not subject to personal jurisdiction in the aforesaid courts for any reason; (ii) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts; (iii) that (A) any of the aforesaid courts is an inconvenient or inappropriate forum for such Action, (B) venue is not proper in any of the aforesaid courts; and (iv) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof or thereof, may not be enforced in or by any of the aforesaid courts. With respect to any action arising out of or relating to this agreement or any obligation hereunder, each Partner irrevocably and unconditionally, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (x) agrees to appoint promptly upon request from the Partnership authorized agents for the purpose of receiving service of process in any suit, action or proceeding in Wilmington, Delaware; (y) consents to service of process in any suit, action or proceeding in such jurisdictions; and (z) consents to service of process by mailing a copy thereof to the address of the Partner determined under Section 10.07 by U.S. registered or certified mail, by the closest foreign equivalent of registered or certified mail, by a recognized overnight delivery service, by service upon any agent specified pursuant to clause (x) above, or by any other manner permitted by applicable law,

(b) EACH PARTNER WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO REQUEST OR OBTAIN A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING GOVERNED BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT OR PERTAINING TO THE MATTERS GOVERNED BY THIS AGREEMENT. “MATTERS GOVERNED BY THIS AGREEMENT” SHALL INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, ANY AND ALL MATTERS AND AGREEMENTS REFERRED TO IN THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY DISPUTES ARISING WITH RESPECT TO ANY SUCH MATTERS AND AGREEMENTS.

(c) The Partners acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement was not performed in accordance with its specific terms or was otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the Partnership shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof and thereof, this being in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled by law or equity.

SECTION 10.05. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their respective estates, heirs, legal representatives, successors and permitted assigns, any additional Partner admitted in accordance with the provisions hereof and any successor to a trustee of a trust that is or becomes a party hereto.

 

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SECTION 10.06. Confidentiality . Each Partner recognizes that confidential information has been and will be disclosed to such Partner by the Partnership and its Subsidiaries. Each Partner expressly agrees, whether or not at the time a Partner of the Partnership or providing services to the Partnership and/or any of its Subsidiaries, to (i) maintain the confidentiality of, and not disclose to any Person without the prior written consent of the Partnership, any financial, legal or other advisor to the Partnership, any information relating to the business, clients, affairs or financial structure, position or results of the Partnership or its affiliates (including any Affiliate) or any dispute that shall not be generally known to the public or the securities industry and (ii) not to use such confidential information other than for the purpose of evaluating such Partner’s investment in the Partnership or in connection with the discharge of any duties to the Partnership or its affiliates such Partner may have in such Partner’s capacity as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Partnership or its affiliates. Notwithstanding Section 10.04 or any other provision herein to the contrary, each Partner agrees that money damages would not be a sufficient remedy for any breach of this Section 10.06 by such Partner, and that in addition to all other remedies, the Partnership shall be entitled to injunctive or other equitable relief as a remedy for any such breach. Each Partner agrees not to oppose the granting of such relief and agrees to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy.

SECTION 10.07. Notices . All notices and other communications required or permitted by this Agreement shall be made in writing and any such notice or communication shall be deemed delivered when delivered in Person, properly transmitted by telecopier or one (1) Business Day after it has been sent by an internationally recognized overnight courier to the address for notices shown in the Partnership’s records (or any other address provided to the Partnership in writing for this purpose) or, if given to the Partnership, to the principal place of business of the Partnership in New York, New York. Communications by telecopier also shall be sent concurrently by overnight courier, but shall in any event be effective as stated above. Each Partner may from time to time change its address for notices under this Section 10.07 by giving at least five (5) days’ prior written notice of such changed address to the Partnership.

SECTION 10.08. No Waiver of Rights . No failure or delay on the part of any Partner in the exercise of any power or right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power or right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or of any other right or power. The waiver by any Partner of a breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach hereunder. All rights and remedies existing under this Agreement are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies otherwise available.

SECTION 10.09. Power of Attorney . Each Partner agrees that, by its execution of this Agreement, such Partner irrevocably constitutes and appoints the General Partner as its true and lawful attorney-in-fact coupled with an interest, with full power and authority, in its name, place and stead to make, execute, acknowledge and record (a) all certificates, instruments or documents, including fictitious name or assumed name certificates, as may be required by, or may be appropriate under, the laws of any state or jurisdiction in which the Partnership is doing or intends to do business and (b) all agreements, documents, certificates or other instruments amending this Agreement or the Certificate of Limited Partnership that may be necessary or appropriate to reflect or accomplish (i) a change in the name or location of the principal place of

 

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business of the Partnership or a change of name or address of a Partner, (ii) the disposal or increase by a Partner of his Interest in the Partnership or any part thereof, (iii) a distribution and reduction of the capital contribution of a Partner or any other changes in the capital of the Partnership, (iv) the dissolution or termination of the Partnership, (v) the addition or substitution of a Person becoming a Partner of the Partnership and (vi) any amendment to this Agreement, in each case only to the extent expressly authorized and conducted in accordance with the preceding sections of this Agreement. The power granted hereby is coupled with an interest and shall survive the subsequent disability or incapacity of the principal.

SECTION 10.10. Severability . If any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to cause it to be enforceable, and the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired.

SECTION 10.11. 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.

SECTION 10.12. Entire Agreement . This Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Original Limited Partnership Agreement. This Agreement, including the exhibits, annexes and schedules hereto and the Ancillary Agreements, constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

SECTION 10.13. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands, without regard to its conflicts of law principles.

SECTION 10.14. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement.

SECTION 10.15. Opportunity; Fiduciary Duty . To the greatest extent permitted by law and except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, but notwithstanding any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity:

(a) None of any Holdings Company or BGC Partners Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any fiduciary duty to, nor shall any Holdings Company or BGC Partners Company or any of their respective Representatives be liable for breach of fiduciary duty to, the Partnership or the holders of Interests. In taking any action, making any decision or exercising any discretion with respect to the Partnership, each Holdings Company and BGC Partners Company and their respective Representatives shall be entitled to consider such interests and factors as it desires, including its own interests and those of its Representatives, and shall have no duty or obligation (i) to give any consideration to the interests of or factors affecting the Partnership, the holders of Interests or any other Person, or (ii) to abstain from participating in any vote or other action of the

 

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Partnership or any Affiliate thereof, or any board, committee or similar body of any of the foregoing. None of any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives shall violate a duty or obligation to the Partnership merely because such Person’s conduct furthers such Person’s own interest, except as specifically set forth in Section 10.15(c). Any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives may lend money to, and transact other business with, the Partnership and its Representatives. The rights and obligations of any such Person who lends money to, contracts with, borrows from or transacts business with the Partnership or any of its Representatives are the same as those of a Person who is not involved with the Partnership or any of its Representatives, subject to other applicable law. No transaction between any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, with the Partnership or any of its Representatives, on the other hand, shall be voidable solely because any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives has a direct or indirect interest in the transaction. Nothing herein contained shall prevent any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives from conducting any other business, including serving as an officer, director, employee, or stockholder of any corporation, partnership or limited liability company, a trustee of any trust, an executor or administrator of any estate, or an administrative official of any other business or not-for-profit entity, or from receiving any compensation in connection therewith.

(b) None of any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives shall owe any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Partnership and its Representatives, or (ii) doing business with any of the Partnership’s or its Representatives’ clients or customers. In the event that any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a Corporate Opportunity for any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives, on the one hand, and the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, such BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, shall have no duty to communicate or offer such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or its Representatives. None of any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives shall be liable to the Partnership, the holders of Interests or its Representatives for breach of any fiduciary duty by reason of the fact that any BGC Partners Company, Holdings Company or any of their respective Representatives pursues or acquires such Corporate Opportunity for itself, directs such Corporate Opportunity to another Person or does not present such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or any of its Representatives.

(c) If a third party presents a Corporate Opportunity to a person who is both a Representative of a BGC Partners Company and/or a Holdings Company, expressly and solely in such Person’s capacity as a Representative of the Partnership, and such Person acts in good faith in a manner consistent with the policy that such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Partnership, then such Person (i) shall be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such Person has to the Partnership as a Representative of the Partnership with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (ii) shall not be liable to the Partnership, the holders of Interests or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary

 

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duty by reason of such Person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (iii) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such Person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Partnership’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such Person’s duty of loyalty to the Partnership and the holders of Interests and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom; provided that a BGC Partners Company and/or Holdings Company may pursue such Corporate Opportunity if the Partnership shall decide not to pursue such Corporate Opportunity. If a Corporate Opportunity is not presented to a Person who is both a Representative of the Partnership and a Representative of a BGC Partners Company and/or a Holdings Company, expressly and solely in such Person’s capacity as a Representative of the Partnership, such Person shall not be obligated to present such Corporate Opportunity to the Partnership or to act as if such Corporate Opportunity belongs to the Partnership, and such Person shall (A) be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled any fiduciary duty that such Person has to the Partnership as a Representative of the Partnership with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (B) shall not be liable to the Partnership, any of the holders of Interests or any of its Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty by reason of such Person’s action or inaction with respect to such Corporate Opportunity, (C) shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in, and not opposed to, the Partnership’s best interests, and (iv) shall be deemed not to have breached such Person’s duty of loyalty to the Partnership and the holders of Interests and not have derived an improper personal benefit therefrom.

(d) Any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any Interest shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Section 10.15.

(e) Except to the extent otherwise modified herein, each officer of the Partnership shall have fiduciary duties identical to those of officers of business corporations organized under the DGCL. The provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict or eliminate the duties (including fiduciary duties) of a director, officer or other Person otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the parties hereto to replace such other duties of such Person.

(f) Neither the alteration, amendment, termination, expiration or repeal of this Section 10.15 nor the adoption of any provision of this Agreement inconsistent with this Section 10.15 shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Section 10.15 in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of Action that, but for this Section 10.15, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, termination, expiration, repeal or adoption.

SECTION 10.16. Reimbursement of Expenses . All costs and expenses incurred in connection with the ongoing operation or management of the business of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries shall be borne by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be.

SECTION 10.17. Effectiveness . The Original Limited Partnership Agreement was effective for all financial and accounting purposes as of December 7, 2006. This Agreement shall be effective immediately prior to the Closing (as defined in the Separation Agreement).

 

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SECTION 10.18. Parity of Units . It is the non-binding intention of each of the Partners, Global Opco and the Partnership that the number of outstanding Units shall at all times equal the number of outstanding Global Opco Units. Accordingly, in the event of any issuance or repurchase by Global Opco of Global Opco Units, it is the non-binding intention of each of the Partners, Global Opco and the Partnership that there be a parallel issuance or repurchase transaction by the Partnership so that the number of outstanding Units shall at all times equal the number of outstanding Global Opco Units, and the parties to this Agreement agree to cooperate to effect the intent of this Section 10.18.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the general partner and the limited partners as a deed the day and year first written above.

 

BGC GLOBAL HOLDINGS, GP

LIMITED, as general partner

By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Managing Director
BGC HOLDINGS, L.P., as a limited partner
Witnessed
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Managing Director
Witnessed
BGC Holdings GLOBAL Inc., as a limited partner
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Managing Director
Witnessed

[Signature Page to the Agreement of Limited Partnership of BGC Global Holdings, L.P.,

dated as of March 31, 2008, by and among BGC Global Holdings GP Ltd, Holdings and BGC

Holdings Global and the Persons to be admitted as Partners or otherwise parties hereto]

Exhibit 10.4

EXECUTION VERSION

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of March 31, 2008 (this “Agreement” ), is made by and between BGC Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ( “BGC Partners” ), and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “Cantor” ).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, Cantor and BGC Partners have entered into the Separation Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008 (as amended from time to time, the “Separation Agreement” ), with BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “U.S. Opco” ), BGC Global Holdings, L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership ( “Global Opco” ), and BGC Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “Holdings” ), to effect the Contribution (as defined in the Separation Agreement).

WHEREAS, as part of the Contribution, Cantor received or is entitled to receive BGC Partners Common Stock (as defined below) in conjunction with the Contribution and upon exchange of Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests (as defined below).

WHEREAS, Cantor and BGC Partners desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions of the registration rights and obligations of the Cantor and BGC Partners and their respective Affiliates and certain transferees of Securities to be held by Cantor or its Affiliates;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants hereinafter contained, it is agreed as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.1  Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them below:

“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. For the purposes of this definition, “control” with respect to any Person means, 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; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Article III Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.


“BGC Partners” has the meaning set forth in the preamble (it being understood that, after the Merger Effective Time, each reference to BGC Partners in this Agreement shall refer to the Surviving Company).

“BGC Partners Free Writing Prospectus” means each Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of BGC Partners other than a Cantor Free Writing Prospectus.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banks are authorized or required to be closed for business in New York City, New York, United States of America.

“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 Common Stock” means the BGC Partners Class A Common Stock and the BGC Partners Class B Common Stock, as applicable.

“BGC Partners Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.

“Cantor” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

“Cantor Free Writing Prospectus” means each Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of (unless prepared by BGC Partners or on behalf of BGC Partners) the relevant member of the Cantor Group and used or referred to by such member of the Cantor Group in connection with the offering of Registrable Securities.

“Cantor Group” means “Cantor Group” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

“Closing” means “Closing” as defined in the Separation Agreement.

“Damages” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

“Demand Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

“Demand Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.

“Disclosure Package” means, with respect to any offering of securities, (i) the preliminary Prospectus, (ii) each BGC Partners Free Writing Prospectus (if any) and (iii) all other information prepared by or on behalf of BGC Partners, in each case, that is deemed under Rule 159 promulgated under the Securities Act to have been conveyed to purchasers of securities at the time of sale of such securities (including a contract of sale).

“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as from time to time amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

 

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“Free Writing Prospectus” means any “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act.

“Global Opco” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

“Holder” shall mean Cantor and any Affiliate of Cantor holding Registrable Securities, in each case so long as such Holder holds Registrable Securities.

“Holder Covered Persons” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

“Holdings” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

“Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest” means an “Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interest” as defined in the New Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

“Merger” means the merger of BGC Partners and eSpeed set forth in the Merger Agreement.

“Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, among BGC Partners, Holdings, eSpeed, Inc., a Delaware corporation, U.S. Opco and Global Opco.

“Merger Effective Time” means “Effective Time” as defined in the Merger Agreement.

“New Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, L.P., as amended from time to time.

“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, limited liability company, Governmental Entity or other entity of any kind, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

“Piggy-back Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement or any other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, including without limitation any preliminary prospectus, any pre-effective or post-effective amendment and all material incorporated by reference in any prospectus.

“Public Offering” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.

“Registrable Securities” means shares of BGC Partners Common Stock which are issued or transferred or issued to any Holder pursuant to and in accordance with the New Holdings

 

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Limited Partnership Agreement, and any shares of BGC Partners Common Stock issued or issuable in respect of or in exchange for any such shares of BGC Partners Common Stock. As to any particular Registrable Securities, once issued such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been disposed of in accordance with such Registration Statement, (ii) such securities shall have been sold to the public pursuant to Rule 144 (or any successor provision) under the Securities Act, (iii) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding, or (iv) such securities may be sold in the public market of the United States, in unlimited amounts, under Rule 144(k), without registration under the Securities Act. For any calculations relating to Registrable Securities herein, the Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests are counted as the number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock issuable in respect of such Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests (whether or not issued), in accordance with the New Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement.

“Registration Expenses” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.

“Registration Statement” means any registration statement of BGC Partners which covers Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, and all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

“Rule 144” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as from time to time amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

“Separation Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

“Surviving Company” means the surviving entity in the Merger.

“U.S. Opco” has the meaning set forth in the recitals hereto.

ARTICLE II

DEMAND REGISTRATIONS

SECTION 2.1  Requests for Registration . Subject to the provisions of this Article II, any Holder or group of Holders may at any time make a written request (a “Demand Request” ) for registration under the Securities Act of a number of shares of Registrable Securities that (1) represents at least 10% of the shares of BGC Class A Common Stock outstanding on the date of the Demand Request or (2) has an aggregate market value on the date of the Demand Request of greater than $20 million (such written Request, a “Demand Registration” ). Such Demand Requests shall specify the amount of Registrable Securities to be registered and the intended method or methods of disposition. BGC Partners shall, subject to the provisions of this Article II and to the Holders’ compliance with their obligations under the provisions of this Agreement, as promptly as practicable register under the Securities Act all Registrable Securities included in such Demand Request, for disposition in accordance with the intended method or methods set

 

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forth therein; provided that if the managing underwriter(s) for a Demand Registration in which Registrable Securities are proposed to be included pursuant to this Article II that involves an underwritten offering shall advise BGC Partners that in its reasonable opinion, the number of Registrable Securities to be sold is greater than the amount that can be offered without adversely affecting the success of the offering (taking into consideration the interests of BGC Partners and the Holders), then BGC Partners will be entitled to reduce the number of Registrable Securities included in such registration to the number that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter(s), can be sold without having the adverse effect referred to above. The number of Registrable Securities that may be registered shall be allocated in the following priority: first , pro rata among the Holders participating in the Demand Registration, based on the number of Registrable Securities included by such Holder in the Demand Request; second , all shares of BGC Partners Common Stock proposed to be registered for offer and sale by BGC Partners; and third , to shares of BGC Partners Common Stock proposed to be registered pursuant to any piggy-back registration rights of third parties. As promptly as practicable thereafter, but subject to Section 2.3 hereof, BGC Partners shall use its reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC a Registration Statement, registering all Registrable Securities that any Holders have requested to register, for disposition in accordance with the intended method or methods set forth in their notices to BGC Partners. BGC Partners shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective as soon as practicable after filing and to remain effective until the earlier of (i) 90 days following the date on which it was declared effective and (ii) the date on which all of the Registrable Securities covered thereby are disposed of in accordance with the method or methods of disposition stated therein. Each Demand Request shall be irrevocable except as otherwise expressly provided herein (including Section 2.4).

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article II, no Holder shall have the right to require BGC Partners to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Article II during any period (not to exceed 180 days) following the closing of the completion of a distribution of securities offered by BGC Partners that would cause BGC Partners to breach a lock-up provision contained in the underwriting agreement for such distribution.

SECTION 2.2  Number and Timing of Registrations . Notwithstanding anything in this Article II to the contrary: (a) the Holders shall be entitled to make no more than four Demand Registrations hereunder (and no more than one Demand Registration during any twelve-month period), and (b) BGC Partners shall not be obligated to make a Demand Registration in the event that a Piggy-back Registration had been available to any Holder within the 180 days preceding the date of the Demand Request.

SECTION 2.3  Suspension of Registration . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of BGC Partners it would be materially detrimental to BGC Partners and its stockholders for any Registration Statement to be filed or for any Registration Statement or Prospectus to be amended or supplemented because such filing, amendment or supplement would (i) require disclosure of material non-public information, the disclosure of which would be reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect BGC Partners and its subsidiaries (if any) taken as a whole, or (ii) materially interfere with any existing or prospective business situation, transaction or negotiation involving BGC Partners, BGC Partners shall have the right to suspend the use of the applicable Registration Statement or delay delivery or filing, but not the preparation, of the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus or any

 

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document incorporated therein by reference, in each case for a reasonable period of time; provided , however , that BGC Partners shall not be able to exercise such suspension right more than twice in each 12-month period aggregating not more than 150 days in such 12-month period. In the event that the ability of the Holders to sell shall be suspended for any reason, the period of such suspension shall not count towards compliance with the 90-day period referred to under clause (i), of Section 2.1 of this Agreement.

SECTION 2.4  Interrupted Registration . A registration requested pursuant to this Article II shall not be deemed to have been requested by the Holders of Registrable Securities for purposes of Section 2.2: (i) unless it has been declared effective by the SEC; (ii) if after it has become effective, such registration is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC for any reason other than misrepresentation or an omission by the requesting Holders such that the Registration Statement shall not be effective until the earlier of (A) 60 days following the date on which it was declared effective (treating any suspension or interruption of registration as provided in Section 2.3) and (B) the date on which all of the Registrable Securities covered thereby are disposed of in accordance with the method or methods of disposition stated therein; (iii) if the conditions to closing specified in the underwriting agreement, if any, entered into in connection with such registration are not satisfied other than by reason of some wrongful act or omission, or act or omission in bad faith, by such Holders and are not otherwise waived; or (iv) if such request has been withdrawn by the requesting Holders and such Holders shall have elected to pay all Registration Expenses of BGC Partners in connection with such withdrawn request.

ARTICLE III

PIGGY-BACK REGISTRATIONS

SECTION 3.1  Right to Include Registrable Securities . If at any time following the Merger Effective Time, BGC Partners proposes to register (including for this purpose a registration effected by BGC Partners for security holders of BGC Partners other than any Holder) any Registrable Securities and to file a Registration Statement with respect thereto under the Securities Act, whether or not for sale for its own account (other than pursuant to (i) Section 2.1, (ii) a registration statement on Form S-4, Form S-8 or any successor or similar forms, or (iii) a registration statement for the sales of Registrable Securities issuable or issued upon exchange, conversion or sale of any Holdings Exchangeable Limited Partnership Interests held by any member of the Cantor Group), in a manner that would permit registration of Registrable Securities for sale to the public under the Securities Act (a “Public Offering” ), BGC Partners will each such time promptly give written notice to the Holders (i) of its intention to do so, (ii) of the form of registration statement of the SEC that has been selected by BGC Partners and (iii) of rights of Holders under this Article III (the “Article III Notice” ). BGC Partners will include in the case of a proposed Public Offering all Registrable Securities that BGC Partners is requested in writing, within 15 days after the Article III Notice is given, to register by the Holders thereof (each, a “Piggy-back Registration” ); provided , however , that (x) if, at any time after giving written notice of its intention to register any Registrable Securities and prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement filed in connection with such registration, BGC Partners shall determine that none of such Registrable Shares shall be registered, BGC Partners may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to all Holders who so requested registration and, thereupon, shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities in

 

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connection with such abandoned registration, without prejudice, however, to the rights of Holders under Article II hereof, and (y) in case of a determination by BGC Partners to delay registration of the Registrable Securities, BGC Partners shall be permitted to delay the registration of such Registrable Securities pursuant to this Article III for the same period as the delay in registering such other Registrable Securities by BGC Partners, as the case may be or may abandon the registration of Registrable Securities, in the sole discretion of BGC Partners. No registration effected under this Article III shall relieve BGC Partners of its obligations to effect registrations upon request under Article II.

SECTION 3.2  Priority; Registration Form . If the managing underwriter(s) for a registration in which Registrable Securities are proposed to be included pursuant to this Article III that involves an underwritten offering shall advise BGC Partners in good faith that in its opinion, the number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock to be sold for the account of persons other than BGC Partners (collectively, “Selling Stockholders” is greater than the amount that can be offered without adversely affecting the success of the offering (taking into consideration the interests of BGC Partners and the Holders), then the number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock to be sold for the account of Selling Stockholders (including Holders of Registrable Securities) may be reduced to a number that, in the reasonable opinion of the managing underwriter(s), may reasonably be sold without having the adverse effect referred to above. The reduced number of shares of BGC Partners Common Stock that may be registered shall be allocated in the case of a Public Offering, in the following priority: first , to shares of BGC Partners Common Stock proposed to be registered for offer and sale by BGC Partners; second , to shares of BGC Partners Common Stock proposed to be registered pursuant to any demand registration rights of third parties; and, third , to Registrable Securities proposed to be registered by Holders as a Piggy-back Registration. The reduced number of Registrable Securities that may be registered pursuant to this Section 3.2 shall be allocated pro rata among the Holders participating in the Piggy-back Registration, based on the number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned by the respective Holders. If, as a result of the proration provisions of this Section 3.2, any Holder shall not be entitled to include all Registrable Securities in a registration pursuant to this Article III that such Holder has requested be included, such Holder may elect to withdraw its Registrable Securities from the registration.

ARTICLE IV

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

SECTION 4.1  Use Reasonable Best Efforts . In connection with BGC Partners’ registration obligations pursuant to Article II and Article III hereof, BGC Partners shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such registrations to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition thereof and pursuant thereto BGC Partners shall as expeditiously as reasonably practicable:

(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement or Registration Statements relating to the registration on any appropriate form under the Securities Act, and to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as reasonably practicable and to remain continuously effective for the time period required by this Agreement to the extent permitted under the Securities Act;

 

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(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period set forth in Section 2.1; and to cause the Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed in accordance with the Securities Act and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and otherwise to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act as may be necessary to facilitate the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition by the selling Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus or Prospectus supplement;

(c) notify the selling Holders and the managing underwriter(s), if any, promptly if at any time (i) any Prospectus, Registration Statement or amendment or supplement thereto is filed, (ii) any Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, becomes effective, (iii) the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority requests any amendment or supplement to, or any additional information in respect of, any Registration Statement or Prospectus, (iv) the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority issues any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or initiates any proceedings for that purpose, (v) BGC Partners receives any notice that the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction has been suspended or that any proceeding has been initiated for the purpose of suspending such qualification (vi) upon the discovery of any event which requires that any changes be made in such Registration Statement or any related Prospectus so that such Registration Statement or Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in light of the circumstances under which they were made; provided , however , that in the case of this subclause (vi), such notice need only state that an event of such nature has occurred, without describing such event, or (vii) of the determination by counsel of BGC Partners that a post-effective amendment to a Restriction Statement is advisable. BGC Partners hereby agrees to promptly reimburse any selling Holders for any reasonable out-of-pocket losses and expenses incurred in connection with any uncompleted sale of any Registrable Securities in the event that BGC Partners fails to timely notify such Holder that the Registration Statement then on file with the SEC is no longer effective;

(d) to make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest reasonably practicable moment;

(e) if requested by the managing underwriter(s) or any Holder of Registrable Securities being sold in connection with an underwritten offering, to incorporate into a Prospectus supplement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement any information which the managing underwriter(s), such Holder and BGC Partners reasonably agree is required to be included therein relating to such sale of Registrable Securities; and to file such supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

 

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(f) to furnish to each selling Holder and each managing underwriter, if any, one signed copy of the Registration Statement or Registration Statements, any Company Free Writing Prospectus, and any post-effective amendment thereto, including all financial statements and schedules thereto, all documents incorporated therein by reference and all exhibits thereto (including exhibits incorporated by reference) as promptly as practicable after filing such documents with the SEC;

(g) to deliver to each selling Holder and each underwriter, if any, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each preliminary Prospectus) and any amendment, supplement or exhibit thereto as such Persons may reasonably request; and to consent to the use of such Prospectus or any amendment, supplement or exhibit thereto by each such selling Holder and underwriter, if any, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus, amendment, supplement or exhibit in each case in accordance with the intended method or methods of disposition thereof;

(h) prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, to register or qualify, or to cooperate with the selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification of, such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as may be requested by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement; to keep each such registration or qualification effective during the period set forth in Section 2.1 that the applicable Registration Statement is required to be kept effective; and to do any and all other acts or things necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided , however , that BGC Partners will not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to general service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(i) to furnish to counsel selected by the Holders, prior to the filing of a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any supplement or post-effective amendment or any Company Free Writing Prospectus thereto with the SEC, copies of such documents and with a reasonable and appropriate opportunity to review and comment on such documents, subject to such documents being under BGC Partner’s control;

(j) to cooperate with the selling Holders and the underwriter(s), if any, in the preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Registrable Securities to be sold, such certificates to be in such denominations and registered in such names as such selling Holders or managing underwriter(s) may request at least five (5) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities represented by such certificates;

(k) subject to Section 4.3 hereof, upon the occurrence of any event described in clause (vi) of Section 4.1(c) above, to promptly prepare and file a supplement or post-effective amendment to the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference, and any other required documents, so that such Registration Statement and Prospectus will not thereafter contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in light of the

 

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circumstances under which they were made, and to cause such supplement or post-effective amendment to become effective as soon as practicable;

(l) to take all other actions in connection therewith as are reasonably necessary or desirable in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement and, in the case of an underwritten offering: (i) to enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the managing underwriter(s) (such agreement to contain standard and customary indemnities, representations, warranties and other agreements of or from BGC Partners, as the case may be); (ii) to obtain opinions of counsel to BGC Partners (which (if reasonably acceptable to the underwriter(s)) may be BGC Partners’ inside counsel) addressed to the underwriter(s), such opinions to be in customary form; and (iii) to obtain “comfort” letters from the Issuer’s or BGC Partners’ independent certified public accountants addressed to the underwriter(s), such letters to be in customary form;

(m) with respect to each BGC Partners Free Writing Prospectus or other materials to be included in the Disclosure Package, ensure that no Registrable Securities be sold “by means of” (as defined in Rule 159A(b) promulgated under the Securities Act) such BGC Partners Free Writing Prospectus or other materials without Cantor having first been provided with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on such documents;

(n) within the deadlines specified by the Securities Act, make all required filings of all Prospectuses and BGC Partners Free Writing Prospectuses with the SEC;

(o) to make available for inspection by any selling Holder of Registrable Securities, any underwriter(s) participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such selling Holder or underwriter(s) all reasonably requested financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of BGC Partners and to cause BGC Partners’ officers, directors, employees, attorneys and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such selling Holders, underwriter(s), attorneys, accountants or agents in connection with such Registration Statement (Each selling Holder of Registrable Securities agrees, on its own behalf and on behalf of all its underwriter(s), accountants, attorneys and agents, that the information obtained by it as a result of such inspections shall be kept confidential by it and, except as required by law, not disclosed by it, in each case unless and until such information is made generally available to the public other than by such selling Holder; and each selling Holder of Registrable Securities further agrees, on its own behalf and on behalf of all its underwriter(s), accountants, attorneys and agents, that it will, upon learning that disclosure of such information is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, promptly give notice to BGC Partners and allow BGC Partners at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the information deemed confidential);

(p) to consider in good faith any reasonable request of the selling Holders and underwriters for the participation of management of BGC Partners in “road shows” and similar sales events; and

(q) reasonably cooperate with the selling Holders and each underwriter or agent participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel,

 

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in connection with any filings required to be made by the National Association of Securities Dealers.

SECTION 4.2  Holders’ Obligation to Furnish Information . BGC Partners may require each Holder of Registrable Securities as to which any registration is being effected to furnish to BGC Partners such information regarding the distribution of such Registrable Securities as BGC Partners may from time to time reasonably request in writing.

SECTION 4.3  Suspension of Sales Pending Amendment of Prospectus . Each Holder shall, upon receipt of any notice from BGC Partners of the happening of any event of the kind described in clauses (iii)-(vi) of Section 4.1(c) above, suspend the disposition of any Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement or Prospectus until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus or until it is advised in writing by BGC Partners that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, if so directed by BGC Partners such Holder will deliver to BGC Partners all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such Holder’s possession of any Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities. If BGC Partners shall have given any such notice during a period when a Demand Registration is in effect, the 90-day period described in Section 2.1 shall be extended by the number of days of such suspension period.

ARTICLE V

REGISTRATION EXPENSES

SECTION 5.1  Registration Expenses . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein to the contrary, all reasonable and documented expenses incident to BGC Partners’ performance of or compliance with its obligations under this Agreement, including without limitation all (i) registration and filing fees, (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws, (iii) printing expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of its counsel and its independent certified public accountants (including the expenses of any special audit or “comfort” letters required by or incident to such performance or compliance), (v) securities acts liability insurance (if BGC Partners elects to obtain such insurance) and (vi) the expenses and fees for listing securities to be registered on each securities exchange on which Securities are then listed, shall be borne by BGC Partners otherwise (all such expenses being herein referred to as “Registration Expenses” ); provided , however , that Registration Expenses shall not include any underwriting discounts, or commissions or transfer taxes, which underwriting discounts, commissions and transfer taxes shall in all cases be borne solely by the Holders.

ARTICLE VI

INDEMNIFICATION

SECTION 6.1  Indemnification by BGC Partners . In the event of any registration of any securities of BGC Partners under the Securities Act pursuant to Article II or Article III hereof, BGC Partners will, and hereby does, indemnify and hold harmless each selling Holder of any Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement, its directors, officers and agents and each other Person, if any, who controls such selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (each such selling Holder and such other Persons, collectively, “Holder Covered Persons” ), against any and all out-of-pocket losses, claims, damages, liabilities and

 

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expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) actually incurred by such Holder Covered Person under the Securities Act, common law or otherwise (collectively, “Damages” ), to the extent that such Damages (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or result from (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Disclosure Package, any Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, under which such securities were registered under the Securities Act or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary Prospectus, together with the documents incorporated by reference therein (as amended or supplemented if BGC Partners shall have filed with the SEC any amendment thereof or supplement thereto), if used prior to the effective date of such Registration Statement, or contained in the Prospectus, together with the documents incorporated by reference therein (as amended or supplemented if BGC Partners shall have filed with the SEC any amendment thereof or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that BGC Partners shall not be liable to any Holder Covered Person in any such case to the extent that any such Damage (or action or proceeding in respect thereof) arises out of or relates to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement or amendment thereof or supplement thereto or in any such preliminary, final or summary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to BGC Partners by or on behalf of any such Holder Covered Person for use in the preparation thereof.

SECTION 6.2  Indemnification by the Selling Holders . In consideration of BGC Partners’ including any Registrable Securities in any Registration Statement filed in accordance with Article II or Article III hereof, Cantor and each other Holder selling Registrable Securities under such Registration Statement shall be deemed to have agreed to indemnify and hold harmless, jointly and severally (in the same manner and to the same extent as set forth in Section 6.1 hereof) BGC Partners, its directors, officers, managing directors and agents and each Person controlling BGC Partners within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act (each, a “BGC Partners Person” ) against any and all Damages, to the extent that such Damages (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are related to any statement or alleged statement in or omission or alleged omission from the Disclosure Package, such Registration Statement, any preliminary, final or summary Prospectus contained therein, the Cantor Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, if such statement or alleged statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to BGC Partners or its representatives by or on behalf of Cantor or any selling Holder for use in the preparation of such Disclosure Package document, such Registration Statement, such preliminary, final or summary Prospectus, such Cantor Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of BGC Partners or any of its directors, officers or controlling Persons. BGC Partners may require as a condition to its including Registrable Securities in any Registration Statement filed hereunder that Cantor and each such selling Holder acknowledge its agreement to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement (including Article VI) applicable to it.

 

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SECTION 6.3  Notices of Claims . Promptly after receipt by a Holder Covered Person or a BGC Partners Covered Person (each, an “Indemnified Party” ) of written notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding with respect to which a claim for indemnification may be made pursuant to this Article VI, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against, respectively, BGC Partners, on the one hand, or Cantor or any selling Holder, on the other hand (such Person or Persons, the “Indemnifying Party” ), give written notice to the latter of the commencement of such action; provided , however , that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its or their obligations under this Article VI, except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is actually materially prejudiced by such failure to give notice, and in no event shall such failure relieve the Indemnifying Party from any other liability which it may have to such Indemnified Party. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an Indemnified Party, and it shall notify the Indemnifying Party thereof, the Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to participate therein, and, to the extent that it wishes, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, and after notice from the Indemnifying Party to such Indemnified Party of its election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable to such Indemnified Party under this Article VI for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with the defense thereof, other than reasonable cost of investigation; provided , further , that if, in the Indemnified Party’s reasonable judgment, a conflict of interest between the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party exists in respect of such claim, then such Indemnified Party shall have the right to participate in the defense of such claim and to employ one firm of attorneys at the Indemnifying Party’s expense to represent such Indemnified Party. No Indemnified Party will consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement without the Indemnifying Party’s written consent to such judgment or settlement, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement in respect of which the Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such claim or proceeding.

SECTION 6.4  Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in this Article VI is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an Indemnified Party under this Article VI, then each Indemnifying Party shall have a joint and several obligation to contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of the Damages referred to in this Article VI in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party on the one hand and the Indemnified Party on the other hand in connection with the offering which resulted in such Damages, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether an untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or an omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Indemnifying Party or the Indemnified Party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statements or omission. BGC Partners and the Holders (in consideration of BGC Partners’ including any Registrable Securities in any Registration Statement filed in accordance with Article II or Article III hereof) shall be deemed to have agreed, that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 6.4 were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method or allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first

 

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sentence of this Section 6.4. The amount paid by an Indemnified Party as a result of the Damages referred to in the first sentence of this Section 6.4 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim (which shall be limited as provided in Section 6.3 if the Indemnifying Party has assumed the defense of any such action in accordance with the provisions thereof) which is the subject of this Section 6.4. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Party under this Section 6.4 of notice of the commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution has been made against an Indemnifying Party under this Section 6.4, such Indemnified Party shall notify the Indemnifying Party in writing of the commencement thereof if the notice specified in Section 6.3 has not been given with respect to such action; provided , however , that the omission so to notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party from any liability which it may have to any Indemnified Party otherwise under this Section 6.4, except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is actually materially prejudiced by such failure to give notice, and in no event shall such failure relieve the Indemnifying Party from any other liability which it may have to such Indemnified Party.

ARTICLE VII

RULE 144

SECTION 7.1  Rule 144 . BGC Partners shall file the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, so long as it is subject to such reporting requirements, all to the extent required from time to time to enable the Holders to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limits of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 of the Securities Act ( “Rule 144” ). Upon the request of Cantor, BGC Partners shall deliver to such Holder a written statement stating whether it has complied with such requirements, and will take such further action as Cantor may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable Cantor to sell Registrable Securities without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exceptions provided by Rule 144.

ARTICLE VIII

UNDERWRITTEN REGISTRATIONS

SECTION 8.1  Selection of Underwriter(s) . In each registration under Article II or Article III of this Agreement, the underwriter or underwriters and managing underwriter or managing underwriters that will administer the offering shall be selected by BGC Partners, as the case may be, provided , however , that in the case of a registration under Article II of this Agreement, such underwriter(s) and managing underwriter(s) shall be subject to the approval of the Holders of a majority in aggregate amount of Registrable Securities included in such offering, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

SECTION 8.2  Agreements of Selling Holders . No Holder shall sell any of its Registrable Securities in any underwritten offering pursuant to a registration hereunder unless such Holder (i) agrees to sell such Registrable Securities on a basis provided in any underwriting agreement

 

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in customary form, including the making of customary representations, warranties and indemnities and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting agreements or as reasonably requested by BGC Partners (whether or not such offering is underwritten).

ARTICLE IX

HOLDBACK AGREEMENTS

SECTION 9.1  Restrictions on Public Sales by Holders . To the extent not inconsistent with applicable law, each Holder that is timely notified in writing by the managing underwriter(s) or underwriter(s) shall not effect any public sale or distribution (including a sale pursuant to Rule 144) of any securities of the same class or issue being registered in an underwritten offering (other than pursuant to an employee stock option, stock purchase, stock bonus or similar plan, pursuant to a merger, an exchange offer or a transaction of the type specified in Rule 145(a) under the Securities Act) or any securities of BGC Partners convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for securities of the same class or issue, during the 7-day period prior to the effective date of the applicable Registration Statement, if such date is known, or during the period beginning on such effective date and ending either (i) 60 days after such effective date or (ii) any such earlier date as may be requested by the managing underwriter(s) or underwriter(s) of such registration, except as part of such registration.

ARTICLE X

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

SECTION 10.1  Representations and Warranties of the Parties . BGC Partners hereby represents and warrants to Cantor, and Cantor hereby represents and warrants to BGC Partners, as follows:

(a) The execution, delivery and performance by the representing party of this Agreement and the consummation by the representing party of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are within its corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on its part. This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the representing party enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditor’s rights and to general equity principles (it being understood that such exception shall not in itself be construed to mean that the Agreement is not enforceable in accordance with its terms).

(b) The execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the representing party and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not contravene or conflict with the representing party’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws or similar governing documents or conflict with, result in a breach or constitute a default under any statute, loan agreement, mortgage, indenture, deed or other agreement to which it is a party or to which any of its properties is subject, except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on such representing party.

 

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ARTICLE XI

EFFECTIVENESS AND TERMINATION

SECTION 11.1  Effectiveness . This Agreement shall take effect on the date hereof and shall remain in effect until it is terminated pursuant to Section 11.2 hereof.

SECTION 11.2  Termination . Other than the termination provisions applicable to particular Sections of this Agreement that are specifically provided elsewhere in this Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of the following (a) the mutual written agreement of the parties hereto at any time to terminate this Agreement, and (b) the date on which no Registrable Securities shall remain outstanding.

ARTICLE XII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 12.1  Interpretation . Article, Section, paragraph or clause references not attributed to a particular document shall be reference 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. All references to instruments, documents, contracts, and agreements are references to such instruments, documents, contracts, and agreements as the same may be amended, supplemented, and otherwise modified from time to time. The word “or” is not exclusive unless the context clearly requires otherwise. The words “including,” “includes,” “included” and “include” are deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” Definitions in this Agreement apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the defined terms. References to the masculine gender include the feminine gender. The section, paragraph, clause 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. The terms “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular article, section, paragraph or subdivision.

SECTION 12.2  Amendments and Waivers . This Agreement may be amended, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may be given, only by a written instrument duly executed, in the case of an amendment, by all of the parties hereto, or in the case of a waiver or consent, by the party against whom the waiver or consent, as the case may be, is to be effective.

SECTION 12.3  Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of BGC Partners and the Holders and their respective successors, assigns and transferees; provided that this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder may not be assigned or transferred without the written consent of the other party hereto.

SECTION 12.4  Integration . This Agreement and the documents referred to herein or delivered pursuant hereto that form a part hereof contain the entire understanding of BGC Partners and Cantor with respect to its subject matter. There are no restrictions, agreements, promises, representations, warranties, covenants or undertakings with respect to the subject matter hereof other than those expressly set forth herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between BGC Partners and the Holders with respect to its subject matter.

 

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SECTION 12.5  Notices . All notices and other communications to be given to any Party hereunder shall be sufficiently given for all purposes hereunder if in writing and delivered by hand, courier or overnight delivery service or three days after being mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with appropriate postage prepaid, or when received in the form of a telegram or facsimile and shall be directed to the address set forth below (or at such other address or facsimile number as such Party shall designate by like notice):

 

If to Cantor:
  Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.
  110 East 59th Street
  New York, New York 10022
  Attention:   General Counsel
  Fax No:   (212) 829-4708
  With a copy to:
  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
  51 West 52nd Street
  New York, New York 10019
  Attention:   Craig M. Wasserman, Esq.
    Gavin D. Solotar, Esq.
  Fax No:   (212) 403-2000
If to BGC Partners:
  BGC Partners, LLC
  499 Park Avenue
  New York, New York 10022
  Attention:   General Counsel
  Fax No:   (212) 829-4708
  With a copy to:
  Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
  919 Third Avenue
  New York, New York 10022
  Attention:   William D. Regner, Esq.
  Fax No:   (212) 909-6836

All such notices, demands and other communications shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; when delivered by courier, if delivered by commercial courier service; five (5) Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; and when receipt is mechanically acknowledged, if telecopied. Any Party

 

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may by notice given in accordance with this Section 8.05 designate another address or Person for receipt of notices hereunder.

SECTION 12.6  Survival . The representations and warranties made herein shall survive through the term of this Agreement

SECTION 12.7  Severability . In the event that any one or more of the provisions hereof is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision, in every other respect and of the remaining provisions hereof shall not be in any way impaired, it being intended that all rights, powers and privileges of BGC Partners and Cantor shall be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

SECTION 12.8  Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto and supersede all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

SECTION 12.9  No Third-Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their permitted assigns, and nothing herein expressed or implied shall give or be construed to give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and such assigns, any legal or equitable rights hereunder.

SECTION 12.10  Governing Law . THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF. Each of BGC Partners and Cantor agrees that all actions or proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, shall be tried and determined exclusively in the state or federal courts in the State of New York, and each of BGC Partners and Cantor hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such action or proceeding for itself and with respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts. Each of BGC Partners and Cantor hereby expressly waives any right it may have to assert, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such action or proceeding: (a) any claim that it is not subject to personal jurisdiction in the aforesaid courts for any reason; (b) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts; and (c) that (i) any of the aforesaid courts is an inconvenient or inappropriate forum for such action or proceeding, (ii) venue is not proper in any of the aforesaid courts, and (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by any of the aforesaid courts.

SECTION 12.11  Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[Remainder of page left intentionally blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date set forth above.

 

BGC PARTNERS, LLC
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008,

by and between BGC Partners, LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald]

Exhibit 10.5

EXECUTION VERSION

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT

This ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of March 6, 2008, among CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “CFLP” ), on behalf of itself and its direct and indirect, current and future, subsidiaries and affiliates, other than BGC Partners, Inc. and its direct and indirect, current and future subsidiaries and eSpeed, Inc. and its direct and indirect, current and future subsidiaries ( “Cantor” ) and BGC Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation ( “BGCP” ), on behalf of itself and its direct and indirect, current and future, subsidiaries ( “BGC Partners” ).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, Cantor has the resources and capacity to provide certain services, including office space, personnel and corporate services, such as cash management, internal audit, information technology, facilities management, promotional sales and marketing, legal, payroll, benefits administration and other administrative services and insurance services (collectively, “Administrative Services” );

WHEREAS, Cantor is willing to provide or arrange for the provision of Administrative Services to BGCP, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein;

WHEREAS, in the absence of obtaining such services from Cantor, BGCP would require additional staff and would need to enhance its existing administrative infrastructure;

WHEREAS, BGCP may develop the resources and capacity to provide certain Administrative Services to Cantor, and is willing to provide or arrange for the provision of such services to Cantor, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, each of the parties hereto acknowledges that greater efficiencies and reduced costs are expected to be achieved from the economies of scale associated with the provision of such services by Cantor to BGCP and by BGCP to Cantor in the manner provided herein during the term hereof;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises contained herein, it is agreed as follows:

1. Term.

(a) The term of this Agreement shall commence at the Closing (as such term is defined in the Separation Agreement (the “Separation Agreement” ),


by and among CFLP, BGCP, BGC Partners, L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P.) and shall remain in effect for a three-year period (the “Initial Term” ). Thereafter, this Agreement shall be renewed automatically for successive one-year terms (each, an “Extended Term” ), unless any party shall give written notice to the other parties at least 120 days before the end of the Initial Term or the then current Extended Term, as the case may be, of its desire to terminate this Agreement, in which event this Agreement shall end with respect to the terminating party on the last day of the Initial Term or the then current Extended Term, as the case may be, provided , however , that in the event BGC Partners terminates this Agreement, Cantor shall be entitled to continued use of any hardware and equipment that it used prior to the date of this Agreement upon the terms and conditions set forth herein (including the payment terms in Section 5), and provided , further , that the Providing Party shall not be required to repair or replace any such hardware or equipment.

(b) This Agreement may be terminated by a party as provided herein or, as provided in Section 12, with respect to a particular service or group of services only, in which case it shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the other services described herein. The terminating party shall pay to the other party an amount equal to the costs incurred by the party providing services as a result of such termination, including, without limitation, any severance or cancellation fees. The Initial Term and the Extended Term are referred to herein as the “Term” .

2. Services.

(a) During the Term hereof and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, Cantor shall provide to BGC Partners the following services as reasonably requested by BGC Partners from time to time: (i) administration and benefits services, (ii) employee benefits, human resources and payroll services, (iii) financial and operations services, (iv) internal auditing services, (v) legal related services, (vi) risk management services, (vii) accounting services, (viii) general tax services, (ix) communications facilities and services, including e-mail, (x) network and data center facilities, (xi) hardware and equipment, (xii) facilities management services, (xiii) promotional, sales and marketing services, (xiv) procuring of insurance coverage, (xv) office space and (xvi) such other miscellaneous services as the parties may reasonably agree, it being the intention of the parties that Cantor will continue to provide to BGC Partners all services provided by Cantor to BGC Partners prior to the Closing.

(b) During the Term hereof and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, BGC Partners shall provide to Cantor the services set forth in Sections 2(a)(i) – (xvi) as Cantor may reasonably request from time to time, it being the intention of the parties that after the consummation of the transactions contemplated under the Merger Agreement, BGC Partners will continue to provide to Cantor all services provided by BGC Partners or eSpeed, Inc. prior to that date.

 

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(c) As used in this Agreement, the party providing any particular Administrative Services under this Section 2 is sometimes referred to as the “Providing Party” and the party receiving any particular Administrative Service is sometimes referred to as the “Receiving Party.”

(d) Each Providing Party shall use that degree of skill, care and diligence in the performance of services hereunder that (i) a reasonable Person would use acting in like circumstances in accordance with financial services industry standards and all applicable laws and regulations and (ii) is no less than that exercised by such Providing Party with respect to comparable services that it performs on its own behalf.

(e) The applicable Providing Party and Receiving Party shall cooperate with each other in all reasonable respects in matters relating to the provision and receipt of the Administrative Services. Such cooperation shall include obtaining all consents, licenses or approvals necessary to permit each party to perform its obligations hereunder.

3. Intellectual Property.

(a) Other than Intellectual Property (as such term is defined in the Separation Agreement) transferred to BGC Partners as of the Closing pursuant to the Separation Agreement, any Intellectual Property owned by Cantor or third-party licensors or service providers that may be operated or used by Cantor in connection with the provision of the Administrative Services hereunder will remain the property of Cantor or third-party licensors or service providers, and BGC Partners shall have no rights or interests therein, except as may otherwise be expressly provided herein, or in the Separation Agreement or the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement” ), dated the date hereof, by and among, BGCP, CFLP, eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P.

(b) Any Intellectual Property owned by BGC Partners or third-party licensors or service providers that may be operated or used by BGC Partners in connection with the provision of the Administrative Services hereunder will remain the property of BGC Partners or third-party licensors or service providers, and Cantor shall have no rights or interests therein, except as may otherwise be expressly provided herein or in the Separation Agreement or the Merger Agreement.

4. Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 2 hereof, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that each party shall provide the services set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement subject to the ultimate authority of BGC Partners to control its own business and affairs. Each party acknowledges that the services provided hereunder by any Providing Party are intended to be administrative, technical and ministerial and are not intended to set policy for the Receiving Party.

 

3


5. Charges for Services.

(a) In consideration for providing the Administrative Services provided for in Section 2 hereof (other than insurance services and real estate), each Receiving Party shall pay to the Providing Party the actual costs of such services, determined as follows:

Each Providing Party shall charge the Receiving Party such Receiving Party’s appropriate share of the aggregate cost actually incurred in connection with the provision of such services in an amount equal to (i) the direct cost that the Providing Party incurs in performing those services plus (ii) a reasonable allocation of other allocated costs, including, without limitation, depreciation and amortization determined in a consistent and fair manner so as to cover such Providing Party’s appropriate costs or in such other manner the parties shall agree. The Providing Party shall not charge the Receiving Party any portion of any tax for which the Providing Party receives a rebate or credit, or to which the Providing Party is entitled to a rebate or credit.

(b) To the extent that Cantor provides insurance services hereunder, such insurance shall be invoiced to and paid by BGC Partners as follows:

The premiums for each of the insurance policies described in Section 2(a)(xii) shall be allocated to BGC Partners by Cantor and shall be determined by multiplying Cantor’s total actual insurance premiums for each such coverage by a fraction, (i) in the case of general liability or business interruption insurance, the numerator of which is the aggregate consolidated net revenues (determined in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles of the United States of America) of BGC Partners and the denominator of which is the aggregate consolidated net revenues of Cantor plus any consolidated BGC Partners net revenues not included in Cantor’s consolidated net revenues, excluding the revenues from any division or subsidiary which does not benefit from or which is not covered by the insurance to which these premiums relate, (ii) in the case of property and casualty insurance, the numerator of which is the number of employees of BGC Partners and the denominator of which is the number of employees of BGC Partners and Cantor’s affiliates, and (iii) in the case of all others as mutually agreed to by BGC Partners and Cantor.

(c) To the extent that Cantor provides office space hereunder, such office space shall be invoiced to and paid by BGC Partners as follows:

So long as BGC Partners uses any portion of Cantor’s offices (each, a “Cantor Office” ), BGC Partners shall pay to Cantor on the first day of each calendar month with respect to each such Cantor Office an amount equal to the product of (x) the average rate per square foot then being paid by Cantor for such Cantor Office and (y) the number of square feet requested by BGC Partners and made

 

4


available for use by BGC Partners. In addition, BGC Partners shall pay to Cantor on the first day of each calendar month an amount equal to the sum of the costs allocated under generally accepted accounting principles, including, without limitation, leasehold amortization expenses, depreciation, overhead, taxes and repairs in relation to such Cantor Office for the preceding month multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals the number of square feet requested by BGC Partners and made available for use by BGC Partners and the denominator of which equals the total number of square feet leased by Cantor under the lease for the applicable Cantor Office.

6. Exculpation and Indemnity; Other Interests.

(a) Cantor (including its partners, officers, directors and employees) shall not be liable to BGC Partners or the stockholders of BGCP for any acts or omissions taken or not taken in good faith on behalf of BGC Partners and in a manner reasonably believed by Cantor to be within the scope of the authority granted to it by this Agreement and in the best interests of BGC Partners, except for acts or omissions constituting fraud or willful misconduct in the performance of Cantor’s duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cantor shall be liable to BGC Partners for any losses incurred by BGC Partners in connection with the provision of Cantor’s services hereunder to the extent Cantor is entitled to be reimbursed by an unaffiliated third party for any such liability. BGC Partners shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Cantor (and its partners, officers, directors and employees) from and against any and all claims or liabilities of any nature whatsoever (including consequential damages and reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any claim against Cantor under or otherwise in respect of this Agreement, except where attributable to the fraud or willful misconduct of Cantor.

(b) BGC Partners (including its officers, directors and employees) shall not be liable to Cantor or the partners of Cantor for any acts or omissions taken or not taken in good faith on behalf of Cantor and in a manner reasonably believed by BGC Partners to be within the scope of the authority granted to it by this Agreement and in the best interests of Cantor, except for acts or omissions constituting fraud or willful misconduct in the performance of BGC Partners’ duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, BGC Partners shall be liable to Cantor for any losses incurred by Cantor in connection with the provision of BGC Partners’ services hereunder at least to the extent BGC Partners is entitled to be reimbursed by an unaffiliated third party for any such liability. Cantor shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless BGC Partners (and its stockholders, officers, directors and employees) from and against any and all claims or liabilities of any nature whatsoever (including consequential damages and reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any claim against BGC Partners under or otherwise in respect of this Agreement, except where attributable to the fraud or willful misconduct of BGC Partners.

(c) Nothing in this agreement shall prevent Cantor and its affiliates from

 

5


engaging in or possessing an interest in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, whether currently existing or hereafter created, and none of BGC Partners or any of their respective stockholders shall have any rights in or to such independent ventures or to the income or profits derived therefrom.

7. Relationship of the Parties.

(a) The relationship of each Providing Party and each Receiving Party shall be that of contracting parties, and no partnership, joint venture or other arrangement shall be deemed to be created hereby.

(b) Except as expressly provided herein, neither Cantor nor BGC Partners shall have any claim against the other or right of contribution by virtue of this Agreement with respect to any uninsured loss incurred by any of them nor shall any of them have a claim or right against the others by virtue of this Agreement with respect to any loss that is deemed to be included within the deductible, retention or self-insured portion of any insured risk.

8. Audit. Any party hereto may request a review, by those certified public accountants who examine Cantor’s or BGC Partners’ books and records, of the other party’s cost allocation to the requesting party to determine whether such allocation is proper under the procedures set forth herein. Such a review is to be conducted at the requesting party’s expense unless such allocation is determined not to be proper, in which case such review shall be at the other party’s expense.

9. Documentation. Each party’s charges to the other for all services and benefits hereunder shall be substantiated by appropriate schedules, invoices or other documentation. During the term hereof, each Providing Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain records relating to the Administrative Services being provided in a manner similar to retention with respect to other administrative services previously provided by such Providing Party, including data relating to the determination of charges payable by the Receiving Party of such Administrative Service, and otherwise in accordance with the record management practices and with at least the same degree of care and completeness as applicable to such Providing Party at such time.

10. Actual Cost. Any charges to the Receiving Party for services or benefits provided by Cantor or BGC Partners, as the case may be, or by third parties pursuant to Section 2 hereof shall be based upon rates not intended to provide a profit to Cantor or BGC Partners.

(a) Each Receiving Party shall pay to the relevant Providing Party the aggregate charge for services provided under this Agreement in arrears within 30 days after each calendar month. Amounts due by any one Receiving Party to any one Providing Party under the Agreement shall be set off against amounts due by the second party to the first under

 

6


this or any other Agreement.

(b) Any value added or other turnover taxes required to be charged in respect of services provided by a party to another party shall be charged in addition to any charges otherwise due hereunder, and shall be included in the relevant invoice.

11. Invoicing and Billing. Each party shall invoice the other for charges for services provided pursuant hereto on a monthly basis as incurred, such invoices to be delivered to the other within 15 days after the end of each calendar month. Such invoices may include third party charges incurred in providing services pursuant to Section 2 or, at the invoicing party’s option, services provided by one or more third parties may be invoiced directly to the Receiving Party of those services. Each party shall pay to the other the aggregate charge for services provided under this Agreement in arrears within 30 days after the end of each calendar month. Amounts due by one party to another under this Agreement shall be netted against amounts due by the second party to the first under this or any other agreement.

12. Services by Third Parties. Either party may, without cause, procure any of the services or benefits specified in Section 2 hereof from a third party or may provide such services or benefits for itself. The Providing Party shall discontinue providing such services or benefits upon written notice by the discontinuing party, delivered at least 90 days before the requested termination date. The terminating party shall pay to the other party an amount equal to the costs incurred by the party providing services as a result of such termination, including, without limitation, any severance or cancellation fees.

13. Failure to Perform the Administrative Services. In the event of any breach of this Agreement by the Providing Party with respect to any error or defect in providing any Administrative Service, the Providing Party shall, at the Receiving Party’s request, without the payment of any further fees by the Receiving Party, use its commercially reasonable best efforts to correct or cause to be corrected such error or defect or reperform or cause to be reperformed such Administrative Service, as promptly as practicable.

14. Excused Performance. Neither party warrants that any of the services or benefits herein agreed to be provided shall be free of interruption caused by Acts of God, strikes, lockouts, accidents, inability to obtain third-party cooperation or other causes beyond its control. No such interruption of services or benefits shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any kind whatsoever.

15. Post-Termination of Payments. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, all payment obligations hereof shall survive the happening of any event causing termination of this Agreement until all amounts due hereunder have been paid.

16. Confidentiality. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, (a) the Providing Party shall, and shall cause its affiliates (and their respective accountants, counsel,

 

7


consultants, employees and agents to whom they disclose such information), to keep confidential all information in the possession of the Providing Party that in any way relates to the Receiving Party, and (b) the Receiving Party shall, and shall cause its affiliates (and their respective accountants, counsel, consultants, employees and agents to whom they disclose such information), to keep confidential all information in possession of the Receiving Party that relates to the Providing Party and is not information related to the Receiving Party or its assets. The provisions of this Section 16 do not apply to the disclosure by either party hereto or their respective affiliates of any information, documents or materials (i) which are, or become, publicly available, other than by reason of a breach of this Section 16 by the disclosing party or any affiliate of the disclosing party, (ii) received from a third party not bound by any confidentiality agreement with the other party hereto, (iii) required by applicable law to be disclosed by that party, or (iv) necessary to establish such party’s rights under this Agreement or the Separation Agreement, provided that in the case of clauses (iii) and (iv), the person intending to make disclosure of confidential information will promptly notify the party to whom it is obligated to keep such information confidential and, to the extent practicable, provide such party a reasonable opportunity to prevent public disclosure of such information.

Upon the request of Receiving Party and upon termination of the relevant Administrative Service and/or this Agreement, each Providing Party shall provide the Receiving Party with any data or information generated with respect to the Administrative Services provided to the Receiving Party in a format usable by the Receiving Party. The Receiving Party shall pay the cost, if any, of converting such data or information into the appropriate format.

17. Miscellaneous.

(a) This Agreement and all the covenants herein contained shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their respective heirs, successors, legal representatives and assigns. No party shall have the right to assign all or any portion of its obligations or interests in this Agreement or any monies which may be due pursuant hereto without the prior written consent of the other parties.

(b) No waiver by any party hereto of any of its rights under this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by an officer of the party waiving such right. References to writing includes any method of reproducing words in a legible and non-transitory form. No waiver of any breach of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of any subsequent breach, whether or not of the same nature. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except (i) by a writing signed by officers of each of the parties hereto and (ii) such modification or amendment is approved by a majority of the outside directors of the Board of Directors of BGCP. For purposes of this Agreement, an outside director shall mean a director who is not an employee, partner or affiliate (other than solely by reason of being a director of BGC Partners) of BGCP, Cantor or any of their respective affiliates.

(c) This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement of the parties with

 

8


respect to the services and benefits described herein, and cancels and supersedes any and all prior written or oral contracts or negotiations between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

(d) This Agreement shall be strictly construed as independent from any other agreement or relationship between the parties.

(e) This Agreement is made pursuant to and shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof.

(f) The descriptive headings of the several sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

(g) Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sufficiently given if personally delivered or if sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

(1) If to Cantor Fitzgerald:

110 East 59th Street

New York, New York 10022

Attention: General Counsel

Fax No: (212) 829-4708

(2) If to BGC Partners:

499 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attention: General Counsel

Fax No: (212) 829-4708

The address of any party hereto may be changed on notice to the other parties hereto duly served in accordance with the foregoing provisions.

(h) The parties of this Agreement understand and agree that any or all of the obligations of any Providing Party set forth herein may be performed by any of its subsidiaries, other than the Receiving Party or any of its subsidiaries. In addition, CFLP may cause any or all of the benefits due to Cantor to be received by any of its subsidiaries, other than BGCP or any of its subsidiaries. BGCP may cause any or all of the benefits due to BGC Partners to be received by any of its subsidiaries.

 

9


(i) In the event the Receiving Party uses assets that are subject to an operating lease between the Providing Party and a third party to provide services hereunder, the Receiving Party shall comply with the terms and conditions of such operating lease.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed or caused this Administrative Services Agreement to be executed in their respective names by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first written above.

 

CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.
By:   CF Group Management, Inc.
  Its General Partner
By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:   Chairman, CEO and President
BGC PARTNERS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Lee M. Amaitis

Name:   Lee M. Amaitis
Title:   Co-Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page for Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of March 6, 2008, between

Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and BGC Partners, Inc.]

 

11

Exhibit 10.6

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL

Dated: 9 August 2007

TOWER BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SERVICES L.P. and

BGC INTERNATIONAL (1)

and

BGC PARTNERS, L.P (2)

On behalf of itself and the BGC Entities

including those listed on page 1 hereof

 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

 


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

THIS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT is dated 9 August 2007 and is made BETWEEN :

 

(1) TOWER BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SERVICES L.P. a United Kingdom limited partnership established under the Limited Partnership Act 1907 acting through its General Partner Tower Bridge GP Limited whose registered office is at One Churchill Place, London E14 5RD ( “Services LP” ) and, BGC International , an English unlimited company whose registered office is at One Churchill Place, London E14 5RD ( “BGCI” ). Collectively Services LP, and BGC International shall be referred to herein as the “Services Providers” and

 

(2)

BGC PARTNERS, L.P a Delaware limited partnership whose principal place of business is 199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038 on behalf of itself and the BGC Entities, including but not limited to BGC BROKERS GP LIMITED, BGC BROKERS LIMITED, BGC INTERNATIONAL GP LIMITED, BGC GP LIMITED, EURO BROKERS HOLDINGS LIMITED, EURO BROKERS SERVICES LIMITED, MIS BROKERS LIMITED, BGC EUROPEAN GP LIMITED, BGC GLOBAL LIMITED, TOWER BRIDGE SECURITIES LIMITED and TOWER BRIDGE GP LIMITED all English private limited companies whose registered office is One Churchill Place, London E14 5RD, and BGC INTERNATIONAL L.P, BGC BROKERS L.P and BGC EUROPEAN HOLDINGS L.P all limited partnerships incorporated under the Limited Partnership Act, 1907, whose registered office is at One Churchill Place, London E14 5RD, BGC FINANCIAL, INC LONDON BRANCH a New York corporation whose registered branch office in London is at One Churchill Place, London E14 5RD, AUREL LEVEN SECURITIES a French Societe par actions simplifee whose registered office is at 29 Rue de Berri, 75008 Paris , BGC FRANCE HOLDINGS a French Societe par actions simplifee whose registered office is at 1 Rue Favart, 75002 Paris, France , ETC POLLAK SAS and EPP HOLDINGS SAS both French Societe par actions simplifee whose registered office is at 14 Rue Auber, 75009 Paris, France, BGC PARTNERS MENKUL DEGERLER AS , whose registered office is at Nisantasi Valikonagi Caddesi, Cimen Apt No 79/3, Sisli, Istanbul, Turkey, BGC CAPITAL MARKETS (HONG KONG) LIMITED and BGC SECURITIES (HONG KONG), LLC both of whose registered office is Suites 6402-6408, 64 th Floor, Two International Finance Centre, No 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, BGC CAPITAL MARKETS (JAPAN), LLC and BGC SHOKEN KAISHA LIMITED whose registered office is 111 East 58th Street, New York, NY 10022, BGC SECURITIES (SOUTH AFRICA) PTY LIMITED whose registered office is 287 Lynnwood Road, Menlo Park, 0081 South Africa, BGC CAPITAL MARKETS (SWITZERLAND), LLC whose registered office is at 111 East 58th Street, New York, NY 10022, BGC SECURITIES SARL whose registered address is Succursale de Nyon, Chemin de la Vuarpilliere 31, CH – 1260 Nyon, Switzerland, EURO BROKERS (SWITZERLAND) S.A whose registered address is c/o Schellenberg Wittmer, 15bis, rue des Alpes, P.O. 2088, 1211 Geneva 1, Switzerland, BGC PARTNERS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LIMITED and EAUSTBOND PTY LIMITED both Australian limited liability companies whose registered office are at MLC Centre, Level 50, 19-29 Martin Place, Sydney, NSW, 2000 also including any BGC Entities which become a party to this Agreement pursuant to clause 14.8 or 14.9 hereof. Collectively and individually BGC Partners, L.P. and the BGC Entities shall be referred to herein as the “Services Recipients” .

 

Page 2 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

WHEREAS:

 

(A) The Services Providers have the resources and capacity to provide certain services, including office space, personnel and corporate services, such as cash management, internal audit, information technology, facilities management, promotional sales and marketing, legal, payroll, benefits administration and other administrative services and insurance services (collectively, “Administrative Services” ).

 

(B) The Services Providers are willing to provide or arrange for the provision of Administrative Services to the Services Recipients, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

(C) In the absence of obtaining such services from the Services Providers the Services Recipients would require additional staff and would need to enhance its existing administrative infrastructure.

 

(D) The Services Recipients may develop the resources and capacity to provide certain Administrative Services to the Services Providers, and are willing to provide or arrange for the provision of such services to the Services Providers, all upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

(E) Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that greater efficiencies and reduced costs are expected to be achieved from the economies of scale associated with the provision of such services by the Services Providers to the Services Recipients and by the Services Recipients to the Services Providers in the manner provided herein during the Term hereof.

NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:

 

1. Definitions and interpretation

 

1.1 In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

“Administrative Services” bears the meaning in Recital A;

“Affiliate” means, in relation to a Party, any person controlled by, controlling, or under common control with that Party;

“BGC Entities” means the direct and indirect current and future Subsidiaries of BGC Partners, L.P. (or of such other entity that BGC Partners, L.P may nominate in writing from time to time as controlling BGC Partners, L.P) together with those entities which are nominated to be BGC Entities in accordance with clause 14 hereof and does not include CFLP Entities or eSpeed, Inc and its direct and indirect Subsidiaries;

“CFLP Entities” means the direct and indirect current and future Subsidiaries of CFLP other than (1) the Services Providers and the BGC Entities and (2) eSpeed, Inc. and its direct and indirect Subsidiaries) together with those entities which are nominated to be

 

Page 3 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

   CFLP Entities in accordance with the Administrative Services Agreement between the Services Providers and CFLP and others signed on or about the date hereof;

“CFLP” means Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.;

“Effective Date” save where the Parties hereto may agree in writing means the later of 1 January 2007 or the date on which Services Providers commence the provision of services hereunder to a Services Recipient;

“Extended Term” bears the meaning in clause 2 of this Agreement;

“Initial Term” bears the meaning in clause 2 of this Agreement;

“Office” bears the meaning in part (a) of the Schedule;

“Party and Parties” means collectively the Services Providers and the Services Recipients and each of them individually;

“Subsidiaries” means any entity directly or indirectly controlled by CFLP., BGC Partners, L.P. or eSpeed, Inc. (excluding each other’s subsidiaries) as the case may be (or in relation to BGC Partners, L.P. only, controlled by such other entity that BGC Partners, L.P. may nominate in writing to Services LP from time to time as controlling BGC Partners, L.P); and

“Term” bears the meaning set out in clause 2.

 

1.2 In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:

 

1.2.1 references to a Clause or the Schedule are to a clause of, or the schedule to, this Agreement, and references to this Agreement include its Schedule and references in the Schedule or part or section of the Schedule to a paragraph are to a paragraph of the Schedule or that part or section of the Schedule;

 

1.2.2 references to this Agreement or any other document or to any specified provision of this Agreement or any other document are to this Agreement, that document or that provision as in force for the time being and as altered from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or that document or, as the case may be, with the agreement of the relevant parties;

 

1.2.3 words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa, words importing a gender include every gender and references to persons include corporations;

 

1.2.4 the descriptive headings to Clauses, the Schedule and paragraphs are inserted for convenience only, have no legal effect and shall be ignored in the interpretation of this Agreement; and

 

1.2.5 references to a party are to a party hereto and references to the parties are to the parties hereto.

 

1.3. references to writing includes any method of reproducing words in a legible and non-transitory form.

 

Page 4 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

2. Term

 

2.1 The term of this Agreement commenced on the Effective Date and shall remain in effect for a three year period (the “Initial Term” ). Thereafter, this Agreement shall be renewed automatically for successive one year terms (the “Extended Term” ), unless any party shall give written notice to the other parties at least 180 days before the end of the Initial Term or the then current Extended Term, as the case may be, of its desire to terminate this Agreement, in which event this Agreement shall end with respect to the terminating party, on the last day of the Initial Term or the then current Extended Term, as the case may be, provided, however, that in the event any of the Services Providers terminates this Agreement, the Services Recipients shall be entitled to continued use of any hardware and equipment that it used prior to the date of this Agreement upon the terms and conditions set forth herein (including the payment terms in clause 5), and provided, further, that the Services Providers shall not be required to repair or replace any such hardware or equipment.

 

2.2 This Agreement may be terminated by a Party as provided herein or as provided in clause 9, with respect to a particular service or group of services only, in which case it shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the other services described herein. The terminating party shall pay to the other party an amount equal to the costs incurred by the party providing services as a result of such termination, including, without limitation, any severance or cancellation fees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Term of this Agreement, with respect to any space made available by a Services Provider to Services Recipients pursuant to Schedule A, shall not extend beyond the term of the Services Provider’s lease of (or equivalent right to occupy) such space, including any extension thereof. The Initial Term and the Extended Term are referred to herein as the “Term” .

 

3. Services

 

3.1 During the Term hereof and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Services Providers shall provide such Administrative Services to Services Recipients as reasonably requested by the Services Recipients, including but not limited to, (i) administration and benefits services; (ii) employee benefits, human resources and payroll services; (iii) financial and operations services; (iv) internal auditing services; (v) legal related services; (vi) risk and credit services; (vii) accounting services; (viii) general tax services; (ix) space; (x) personnel; (xi) hardware and equipment; (xii) communication and data facilities; (xiii) facilities management services; (xiv) promotional, sales and marketing services; (xv) procuring of insurance coverage; (xvi)miscellaneous services as the Parties may reasonably agree.

 

3.2      (i)    During the Term and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, the relevant Services Recipient shall provide to a Services Provider, Administrative Services set out in clause 3.1(i) to (xvi) as the Services Provider may reasonably request from time to time. Where such Services are provided, references herein to the Services Provider shall be the Services Recipient and vice versa..
     (ii)    During the Term and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, the relevant Services Provider shall provide to the other Services Provider, Administrative Services set out in clause 3.1(i) to (xvi) as the Services Provider may reasonably

 

Page 5 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

          request from time to time. Where such Services are provided, references herein to the (receiving) Services Provider shall be the Services Recipient and vice versa.

 

3.3 A party providing Administrative Services under clauses 3.2 or 3.3 may at its discretion arrange for Affiliates or other third parties to provide such services hereunder. The provision of such Administrative Services shall also be subject to the terms of any other agreements entered into between the parties hereto and any other administrative services agreement with any Affiliate of such services provider or services recipient.

 

3.4 Each party shall use that degree of skill, care and diligence in the performance of services hereunder that (i) a reasonable Person would use acting in like circumstances in accordance with financial services industry standards and all applicable laws and regulations and (ii) is no less than that exercised by such party with respect to comparable services that it performs on its own behalf.

 

3.5 The applicable Services Provider and Recipient shall cooperate with each other in all reasonable respects in matters relating to the provision and receipt of the Administrative Services. Such cooperation shall include obtaining all consents, licenses or approvals necessary to permit each party to perform its obligations hereunder.

 

4 Authority

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in clause 3, each Services Provider acknowledges and agrees that it shall provide the services set forth in clause 3 subject to the ultimate authority of each of the Services Recipients to control its own business and affairs. Each Party acknowledges that the services provided hereunder by the Services Providers are intended to be administrative and technical support services and are not intended to set policy for each of the Services Recipients.

 

5 Charges for Services

 

5.1 In consideration for the provision of services under clause 3, the Services Providers shall charge each of the Services Recipients (including any applicable taxes, in connection with the provision of such services), based upon:

 

  (i) an amount equal to the direct cost that the Services Providers estimates it will incur or actually incurs in performing those services including third party charges incurred in providing services pursuant to clause 3 (and space shall be charged in accordance with the Schedule hereto), plus

 

  (ii) a reasonable allocation of other costs (including, without limitation, any irrecoverable value added tax or similar tax the Services Providers estimates it will incur or actually incurs in connection with such services, depreciation and amortization) determined in a consistent and fair manner so as to cover the Services Providers’ appropriate costs or in such other manner as the Parties shall agree. The Services Providers shall not charge the Services Recipients any portion of any tax for which the Services Providers receives a rebate or credit, or to which the Services Providers are entitled to a rebate or credit,

together with such mark up (if any) as the relevant Parties may agree from time to time.

 

Page 6 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

5.2 Any value added or other turnover taxes required to be charged in respect of services provided hereunder shall be separately charged in addition to any charges otherwise due hereunder.

 

5.3 Each Services Recipient shall pay to the relevant Services Provider the aggregate charge for services provided under this Agreement in arrears within 30 days after each calendar month. Amounts due by any one Services Recipient to any one Services Provider under the Agreement shall be set off against amounts due by the second party to the first under this or any other Agreement.

 

5.4 To the extent that any Services Recipient provides any services to any Services Provider under clause 3.2 hereof, then the provisions of this Agreement including clauses 5 and 8 shall apply to the provision of such services mutatis mutandis.

 

6 Exculpation and Indemnity; Other Interests

 

6.1 Each Services Provider (including its partners, officers, directors and employees) shall not be liable to any of the Services Recipients or the shareholders of the Services Recipients for any acts or omissions taken or not taken in good faith on behalf of any of them and in a manner reasonably believed by the Services Provider to be within the scope of the authority granted to it by this Agreement and in the best interests of the Services Recipients, except for acts or omissions constituting fraud or wilful misconduct in the performance of the Services Provider’s duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Services Providers shall be liable to the Services Recipients for any losses incurred by any of them in connection with the provision of the Services Provider’s services hereunder to the extent such Services Provider is entitled to be reimbursed by an unaffiliated third party for any such liability. The Services Recipients shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Services Providers (and their stockholders, partners, officers, directors and employees) from and against any and all claims or liabilities of any nature whatsoever (including consequential damages and reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any claim against the Services Providers under or otherwise in respect of this Agreement, except where attributable to the fraud or wilful misconduct of the Services Providers.

 

6.2 Each Services Recipient (including its officers, directors and employees) shall not be liable to any of the Services Providers or the shareholders of the Services Provider for any acts or omissions taken or not taken in good faith on behalf of such Services Recipient and in a manner reasonably believed by such Services Recipient to be within the scope of the authority granted to it by this Agreement and in the best interests of the Services Provider, except for acts or omissions constituting fraud or wilful misconduct in the performance of such Services Recipient’s duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Services Recipients shall be liable to the Services Providers for any losses incurred by the Services Providers in connection with the provision of the Services Recipients’ services hereunder to the extent such Services Recipient is entitled to be reimbursed by an unaffiliated third party for any such liability. The Services Providers shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Services Recipients (and their stockholders, partners, officers, directors and employees) from and against any and all claims or liabilities of any nature whatsoever (including consequential damages and reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or in connection with any claim against the

 

Page 7 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

   Services Recipients under or otherwise in respect of this Agreement, except where attributable to the fraud or wilful misconduct of the Services Recipients.

 

6.3 Save to the extent prohibited by law, the provision of clauses 6.1 and 6.2 sets out the entire liability of the parties to each other.

 

6.4 Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent any of the Services Providers, the Services Recipients or their Affiliates from engaging in or possessing an interest in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, whether currently existing or hereafter created, and any Party hereto who is not a party to such arrangements shall have any rights in or to such independent ventures or to the income or profits derived therefrom.

 

7 Relationship of the Parties

 

   No partnership, joint venture or other arrangement shall be deemed to be created by this Agreement. Except as expressly provided herein, none of the Services Providers nor any of the Services Recipients nor their respective Affiliates shall have any claim against any of the others or right of contribution by virtue of this Agreement with respect to any uninsured loss incurred by any of the others, nor shall either of them have a claim or right against any of the others by virtue of this Agreement with respect to any loss that is deemed to be included within the deductible, retention or self-insured portion of any insured risk.

 

8 Audit

 

   Any party hereto may request a review, by those certified public accountants who examine the Services Providers or the Service Recipients’ books and records, of the other party’s cost allocation to the requesting party to determine whether such allocation is proper under the procedures set forth herein. Such a review is to be conducted at the requesting party’s expense.

 

9 Services by Third Parties

 

   Except with respect to space made available to each of the Services Recipients pursuant to Schedule A, each of the Services Recipients may in its absolute discretion and without cause procure any of the services or benefits specified in clause 3 from a third party or may provide such services or benefits for itself. The Services Provider shall discontinue providing such services or benefits upon written notice by the discontinuing party, delivered at least 90 days before the requested termination date. The terminating Services Recipient shall pay to the Providing Parties an amount equal to the costs incurred by the Providing Parties as a result of such termination, including without limitation, any severance or cancellation fees.

 

10 Failure to Perform the Administrative Services

 

   In the event of any breach of this Agreement by the Services Provider with respect to any error or defect in providing any Administrative Service, the Services Provider shall, at the Services Recipient’s request, without the payment of any further fees by the Services Recipient, use its commercially reasonable best efforts to correct or cause to be corrected

 

Page 8 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

   such error or defect or reperform or cause to be reperformed such Administrative Service, as promptly as practicable.

 

11 Force Majeure

 

   The Services Providers do not warrant that any of the services or benefits herein agreed to be provided shall be free of interruption caused by acts of God, strikes, lockouts, accidents, inability to obtain third-party co-operation or other causes beyond its respective control. No such interruption of services or benefits shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any kind whatsoever.

 

12 Post-Termination Payments

 

   Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, all payment obligations hereof shall survive the happening of any event causing termination of this Agreement until all amounts due hereunder have been paid.

 

13 Confidentiality

 

13.1 Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, (a) the Services Provider shall, and shall cause its affiliates (and their respective accountants, counsel, consultants, employees and agents to whom they disclose such information), to keep confidential all information in the possession of the Services Provider that in any way relates to the Services Recipient, and (b) the Services Recipient shall, and shall cause its affiliates (and their respective accountants, counsel, consultants, employees and agents to whom they disclose such information), to keep confidential all information in possession of the Services Recipient that relates to the Services Provider and is not information related to the Services Recipient or its assets. The provisions of this clause do not apply to the disclosure by either party hereto or their respective affiliates of any information, documents or materials (i) which are, or become, publicly available, other than by reason of a breach of this clause by the disclosing party or any affiliate of the disclosing party, (ii) received from a third party not bound by any confidentiality agreement with the other party hereto, (iii) required by applicable law to be disclosed by that party, or (iv) necessary to establish such party’s rights under this Agreement, provided that in the case of clauses (iii) and (iv), the person intending to make disclosure of confidential information will promptly notify the party to whom it is obligated to keep such information confidential and, to the extent practicable, provide such party a reasonable opportunity to prevent public disclosure of such information.

 

13.2 Upon the request of a Services Recipient and upon termination of the relevant Administrative Service and/or this Agreement, each Services Provider shall provide the Services Recipient with any data or information generated with respect to the Administrative Services provided to the Services Recipient in a format usable by the Services Recipient. The Services Recipient shall pay the cost, if any, of converting such data or information into the appropriate format.

 

14 Miscellaneous

 

14.1 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, and assigns. Neither of the Services Providers on the one hand nor any of the Services Recipients on the other hand shall have the right to

 

Page 9 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

   assign all or any portion of its rights under and the benefits of this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other save that the Services Providers may without the consent of any of the Services Recipients, assign this Agreement in whole or in part hereunder to another BGC Entity.

 

14.2 No waiver by any party hereto of any of its rights under this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by a director of the party waiving such right. No waiver of any breach of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of any subsequent breach, whether or not of the same nature. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except in writing signed by directors of each of the parties hereto. This Agreement may not be modified or amended except (i) by a writing signed by officers or directors of the Services Recipients and the Services Providers or the relevant parties as the case may be; and (ii) such modification or amendment is approved by a majority of the outside directors of the Board of Directors of BGC Partners, Inc. For purposes of this Agreement, an outside director shall mean a director who is not an employee, partner or affiliate (other than solely by reason of being a director of BGC Partners, Inc.) of BGC Partners, Inc., CFLP or any of their respective affiliates. Up to the time that outside directors of BGC Partners, Inc. are appointed, then such modifications or amendments must be approved by the members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of eSpeed, Inc..

 

14.3 Save as is set out herein to the contrary, this Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement of the parties with respect to the services and benefits described herein, and cancels and supersedes any and all prior written or oral contracts or negotiations between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof including the following Administrative Services Agreements between:

 

  (i) Cantor Fitzgerald International and Cantor Fitzgerald, LLC (now BGC Capital Markets (Japan), LLC), dated 17 April 2001,

 

  (ii) Cantor Fitzgerald International and Cantor Fitzgerald Shoken Kaisha Limited (now BGC Shoken Kaisha Limited), dated 17 April 2001,

 

  (iii) Cantor Fitzgerald International and ITD Capital Markets Limited (now Tower Bridge Securities Limited), dated 04 October 2002,

 

  (iv) BGC International and BGC International L.P., dated 01 November 2005

 

  (v) ETC Pollack SAS and BGC International, dated 12 December 2005,

 

  (vi) BGC International and BGC Partners (Australia) Pty Ltd, dated 01 November 2006,

 

  (vii) BGC International and eAustbond Pty Limited, dated 01 November 2006,

 

  (viii) BGC International and BGC Securities (Hong Kong) LLC, dated 30 November 2006,

 

  (ix) BGC International and BGC Brokers L.P., dated 30 November 2006,

 

  (x) BGC International and BGC Capital Markets (Hong Kong) Limited, dated 30 November 2006.

 

Page 10 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

14.4 This Agreement shall be strictly construed as independent from any other agreement or relationship between the parties.

 

14.5 Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sufficiently given if personally delivered or if sent by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the addresses of the entities shown on page 1 of this Agreement or to the entity’s registered office. The address of any party hereto may be changed on notice to the other duly served in accordance with the foregoing provisions.

 

14.6 The Parties to this Agreement understand and agree that any or all of the obligations of the Services Providers set forth herein may be performed by Services LP, BGCI or any of the BGC Entities.

 

14.7 In the event any of the Services Recipients uses assets that are subject to a lease (operating or otherwise) between any Services Provider and a third party to provide assets or services to that Services Provider, the Services Recipients shall comply with the terms and conditions of such lease.

 

14.8 Any subsidiary or affiliate of BGC Partners, L.P (or nominated entity that controls BGC Partners, L.P.) or the Services Providers, which provides or receives Services under this Agreement now or in the future shall automatically become a party to this Agreement and be bound by all of its terms and conditions without having to execute a counterpart to this Agreement. Any branches of the parties hereto or which become a party hereto pursuant to clauses 14.8 and 14.9 shall, unless stated to the contrary in writing, be bound by the terms of this Agreement also.

 

14.9 BGC Partners, L.P. (or nominated entity that controls BGC Partners, L.P.) may nominate in writing an entity that may be deemed to be a BGC Entity hereunder provided such entity complies with the provisions hereof and provided Services LP consents in writing to such nominated entity becoming a party hereto.

 

14.10 This Agreement may be executed in counterparts.

 

14.11 No term of this Agreement is enforceable under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 by a person who is not a party to this Agreement.

 

15 Law and Jurisdiction

 

   This agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the parties hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

IN WITNESS whereof this Agreement has been entered into the day and year first written above.

 

SIGNED on behalf of      
TOWER BRIDGE      

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES L.P.

acting through its General Partner

     
TOWER BRIDGE GP LIMITED      

 

Page 11 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

 

SIGNED on behalf of      
TOWER BRIDGE      

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES L.P.

acting through its General Partner

     
TOWER BRIDGE GP LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC INTERNATIONAL      
   

/s/ Stephen Bartlett

    name:   Stephen Bartlett
    title   General Counsel Europe and Asia
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC PARTNERS, L.P.      
   

/s/ Stephen Merkel

    name:   Stephen Merkel
    title   Global General Counsel
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC BROKERS GP LIMITED      
   

/s/ Stephen Merkel

    name:   Stephen Merkel
    title   Global General Counsel
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC BROKERS LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC INTERNATIONAL GP LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC GP LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary

 

Page 12 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

SIGNED on behalf of      
EURO BROKERS SERVICES LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
EURO BROKERS HOLDINGS LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
MIS BROKERS LIMITED,      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC EUROPEAN GP LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC GLOBAL LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
TOWER BRIDGE SECURITIES LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
TOWER BRIDGE GP LIMITED      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary

 

Page 13 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

SIGNED on behalf of      

BGC INTERNATIONAL L.P

acting through its general partner

     
BGC International GP Limited      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      

BGC BROKERS L.P

acting through its general partner

     
BGC Brokers GP Limited      
   

/s/ Stephen Merkel

    name:   Stephen Merkel
    title   Global General Counsel
SIGNED on behalf of      

BGC EUROPEAN HOLDINGS L.P

acting through its General Partner

     
BGC European GP Limited      
   

/s/ Robert Mark Snelling

    name:   Robert Mark Snelling
    title   Company Secretary
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC FINANCIAL, INC LONDON BRANCH      
   

/s/ Shaun Lynn

    name:   Shaun Lynn
    title   Executive Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of      
AUREL LEVEN SECURITIES      
   

/s/ Jerome Frank

    name:   Jerome Frank
    title   President
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC FRANCE HOLDINGS      
   

/s/ Marius van Hemelryk

    name:   Marius van Hemelryk
    title   Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of      
ETC POLLAK SAS      
   

/s/ Jerome Frank

    name:   Jerome Frank
    title   President

 

Page 14 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

SIGNED on behalf of         
EPP HOLDINGS SAS         
     

/s/ Marius van Hemelryk

      name:    Marius van Hemelryk
      title    Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of         
BGC PARTNERS MENKUL DEGERLER AS         
        
     

/s/ Shaun Lynn

      name:    Shaun Lynn
      title    Executive Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of         
BGC CAPITAL MARKETS (HONG KONG) LIMITED         
     

/s/ Shaun Lynn

      name:    Shaun Lynn
      title    Executive Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of         
BGC SECURITIES (HONG KONG), LLC         
     

/s/ Stephen Merkel

      name:    Stephen Merkel
      title    Global General Counsel
SIGNED on behalf of         
BGC CAPITAL MARKETS (JAPAN), LLC         
     

/s/ Stephen Merkel

      name:    Stephen Merkel
      title    Global General Counsel
SIGNED on behalf of         
BGC SHOKEN KAISHA LIMITED         
     

/s/ Stephen Merkel

      name:    Stephen Merkel
      title    Global General Counsel

 

Page 15 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

 

SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC SECURITIES (SOUTH AFRICA)   PTY LIMITED      
   

/s/ Shaun Lynn

    name:   Shaun Lynn
    title   Executive Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC CAPITAL MARKETS  (SWITZERLAND), LLC      
   

/s/ Stephen Merkel

    name:   Stephen Merkel
    title   Global General Counsel
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC SECURITIES SARL      
   

/s/ Shaun Lynn

    name:   Shaun Lynn
    title   Executive Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of      
EURO BROKERS (SWITZERLAND) S.A      
   

/s/ Shaun Lynn

    name:   Shaun Lynn
    title   Executive Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of      
BGC PARTNERS (AUSTRALIA)   PTY LIMITED      
   

/s/ Shaun Lynn

    name:   Shaun Lynn
    title   Executive Managing Director
SIGNED on behalf of      
EAUSTBOND PTY LIMITED      
   

/s/ Shaun Lynn

    name:   Shaun Lynn
    title   Executive Managing Director

 

Page 16 of 17


Administrative Services Agreement

Tower Bridge International Services L.P. and others

BGC Partners, L.P and others

SCHEDULE

Space Sharing for Offices

(a) Licence to share space . During the term of this Agreement, and for so long only as the parties are permitted by the terms of any lease, licence or other arrangement, a Services Recipient may share with a Services Provider the occupation of the whole or any part of the Services Provider’s offices ( “Office” ) for the purposes permitted under the agreement pursuant to which the Services Provider occupies the Office, subject to the terms set out in this Schedule. The space to be shared by each of the Services Recipients and the Services Provider may be agreed between them in writing, but may be expanded or contracted if and as agreed by the parties from time to time. At the request of the Services Provider, each of the Services Recipients shall vacate the Office immediately if it is no longer permitted by the forms of any lease, licence or other arrangement to continue such sharing.

b) Consideration . So long as each of the Services Recipients share any part of the Office, such Services Recipient shall pay to the Services Provider in accordance with clause 6 of the Agreement an amount equal to the product of (X) the average rate per square foot, metre or other unit of measurement then being paid by the Services Provider for the Office (such amount to include if applicable rent and any service charge, insurance charge, rates and other outgoings of each of the Services Recipients) and (Y) the number of square feet, metres or other unit agreed pursuant to paragraph (a) above. In addition, the applicable Services Recipient shall pay to the Services Provider in accordance with clause 5 of the Agreement an amount equal to the sum of the costs allocated under generally accepted accounting principles, including, without limitation, leasehold amortization expenses, depreciation, overhead, taxes and repairs in respect of the applicable Office multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals the number of square feet, metre or other unit of measurement made available for use by the Services Recipient and the denominator of which equals to the total number of square feet, metre or other unit of measurement leased or licensed by the Services Provider under the lease or license for the applicable Office. Payments for any partial calendar month shall be prorated on a daily basis.

(c) Compliance with lease licence or other arrangement . Each of the Services Recipients hereby agrees not to take any action or fail to take any action in connection with its sharing of any part of the Office as a result of which the Services Provider would be in breach of any of the terms and conditions of the lease licence or other arrangement or other restriction or obligation affecting the Services Provider’s use of such Office. Each of the Services Recipients agrees to comply with the terms and provisions of any such lease licence or other arrangement in which it shares space. There is no intention to create between a Services Provider and any of the Services Recipients the relationship of lessor and lessee (or equivalent relationship) in relation to the Office other than may be specifically set out in a separate agreement between Services Provider and the Services Recipient. The same shall apply notwithstanding that a Services Recipient has entered into a sub-lease with a Services Provider or direct lease with the landlord. Any sharing of space, sublease or other arrangement shall be subject to any third party consents, including the landlord’s.

(d) Space used . Initial Square foot, metre or other unit to be used by each Services Recipient shall be set out in a further schedule which shall be executed between each relevant Services Provider and Recipient and which shall form part of this Agreement.

 

Page 17 of 17

Exhibit 10.7

EXECUTION VERSION

TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT

This TAX RECEIVABLE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement” ), dated as of March 31, 2008 by and among Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “Cantor” ), and BGC Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ( “BGC Partners” ).

WHEREAS, on March 31, 2008, Cantor, BGC Partners, Inc., BGC Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “U.S. Opco” ), BGC Global Holdings, L.P., a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership ( “Global Opco,” and, together with U.S. Opco, the “Operating Companies” ) and BGC Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “BGC Holdings” ), entered into that certain Separation Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008 (the “Separation Agreement” ), pursuant to which, among other things, Cantor has agreed to separate the Inter-Dealer Brokerage Business, the Market Data Business and the Fulfillment Business (each as defined in the Separation Agreement and together, the “BGC Businesses” ) from the remainder of the businesses of Cantor by contributing the BGC Businesses to BGC Partners and its applicable Subsidiaries, including U.S. Opco and Global Opco, in the manner and on the terms and conditions set forth in the Separation Agreement (the “Separation” );

WHEREAS, on May 29, 2007, eSpeed, Inc. ( “eSpeed” ), BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor, U.S. Opco, Global Opco and BGC Holdings entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007 and February 1, 2008 (as amended, the “Merger Agreement” ), pursuant to which BGC Partners will be merged with and into eSpeed, with eSpeed surviving the merger and being renamed “BGC Partners, Inc.” (the “Combined Company” );

WHEREAS, in connection with the Separation, Cantor will receive exchangeable limited partnership interests in BGC Holdings (together with any Interests (as defined in the BGC Holdings LPA) that are exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01 of the BGC Holdings LPA, the “Exchangeable Interests” ), which Exchangeable Interests will be exchangeable with the Combined Company for Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Combined Company ( “Combined Company Class B common stock” ) (or, at Cantor’s option or if there are no additional authorized but unissued shares of Combined Company Class B common stock, Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Combined Company ( “Combined Company Class A common stock” )) on a one-for-one basis (subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments) (such an exchange, an “Exchange” );

WHEREAS, exchanges shall be effected pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings via the transfer by an Exchangeable Holder (as defined herein) of Exchangeable Interests to BGC Corporation (as defined below) in transactions that may result in the recognition of gain or loss for U.S. Federal income tax purposes by such Exchangeable Holder (each, a “Taxable Exchange” ), as described herein;

WHEREAS, each of BGC Holdings, U.S. Opco and Global Opco intends to have in effect an election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the


“Code” ), for each Taxable Year (as defined below) in which any Taxable Exchange occurs, which election may result in an adjustment to BGC Corporation’s share of the tax basis of the tangible and intangible assets owned by U.S. Opco and Global Opco as of the date of any such Taxable Exchange;

WHEREAS, the income, gain, loss, expense and other Tax (as defined herein) items of BGC Corporation may be affected by the Basis Adjustment (as defined herein) and the Imputed Interest (as defined herein); and

WHEREAS, the parties to this Agreement desire to make certain arrangements with respect to the effect of the Basis Adjustment and Imputed Interest on the actual liability for Covered Taxes (as defined herein) of BGC Corporation.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective covenants and agreements set forth herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.01. Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the terms set forth in this Article I shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined).

“Accounting Firm” means, as of any time, the accounting firm that prepares the audited financial statements of BGC Corporation.

“Agreed Rate” means LIBOR plus 200 basis points.

“Agreement” is defined in the preamble.

“Audit Committee” means the audit committee of BGC Partners (if prior to the merger) and the audit committee of the Combined Company (if after the merger).

“Basis Adjustment” means the increase or decrease to the tax basis of any of the Operating Companies’ tangible or intangible assets with respect to BGC Corporation under Sections 743(b) and 754 of the Code and the comparable sections of U.S. state and local income and franchise Tax law as a result of any Taxable Exchange. To the extent permitted by law, any amount paid pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken into account in computing such Basis Adjustments. For the avoidance of doubt, payments under this Agreement shall not be treated as resulting in a Basis Adjustment to the extent such payments are treated as Imputed Interest.

“BGC Businesses” is defined in the recitals.

“BGC Corporation” means BGC Partners (if prior to the merger) and the Combined Company (if after the merger).

 

-2-


“BGC Corporation Payment” is defined in Section 6.01 of this Agreement.

“BGC Holdings” is defined in the recitals.

“BGC Holdings LPA” means the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of BGC Holdings, amended and restated as of March 31, 2008.

“BGC Partners” is defined in the preamble.

“BGC Partners Group” means BGC Partners and its Subsidiaries (other than BGC Holdings and its Subsidiaries, U.S. Opco and its Subsidiaries and Global Opco and its Subsidiaries).

“Business Day” means any calendar day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other calendar day on which banks are required or authorized to be closed in the City of New York.

“Cantor” is defined in the preamble.

“Cantor Company” means any member of the Cantor Group.

“Cantor Group” means Cantor and its Subsidiaries (other than BGC Holdings and its Subsidiaries or any member of the BGC Partners Group).

“Change Notice” is defined in Section 4.01 of this Agreement.

“Code” is defined in the recitals.

“Combined Company” is defined in the recitals.

“Combined Company Class A common stock” is defined in the recitals.

“Combined Company Class B common stock” is defined in the recitals.

“Covered Taxable Year” means any Taxable Year of BGC Corporation ending after the Closing Date (as defined in the Merger Agreement) and on or before the end of the first Taxable Year ending after all Exchangeable Interests have been transferred to BGC Corporation and in which all related Tax benefits have either been utilized or have expired.

“Covered Tax Benefits” for any Covered Taxable Year means 85% of the Realized Tax Benefits (defined below).

“Covered Tax Detriments” for any Covered Taxable Year means 85% of the Realized Tax Detriment (defined below).

“Covered Taxes” means U.S. Federal Income Taxes and U.S. state and local income and franchise Taxes.

“Determination” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1313(a) of the Code or similar provision of state or local income or franchise Tax law, as applicable;

 

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provided , however that such term shall be deemed to include any settlement as to which Cantor has consented pursuant to Section 7.01.

“Early Termination Notice” is defined in Section 5.02 of this Agreement.

“Early Termination Payment” is defined in Section 5.01 of this Agreement.

“Escrow Agent” is defined in Section 3.01(a) of this Agreement.

“eSpeed” is defined in the recitals.

“Exchange” is defined in the recitals.

“Exchange Assets” means the assets owned by the Operating Companies as of an applicable Exchange Date (and any asset whose tax basis is determined, in whole or in part, by reference to the adjusted basis of any such asset).

“Exchange Date” means the date on which a Taxable Exchange is effected.

“Exchangeable Holder” means (a) Cantor, (b) any Cantor Company that holds an Exchangeable Interest and that has not ceased to hold such Exchangeable Interest, (c) any Person to whom a Cantor Company has transferred an Exchangeable Interest and, prior to or at the time of such Transfer, whom Cantor has agreed shall be designated as an Exchangeable Limited Partner for purposes of the BGC Holdings LPA and (d) any other Person whose Interests become exchangeable pursuant to Section 8.01 of the BGC Holdings LPA.

“Exchangeable Interests” is defined in the recitals.

“Federal Income Tax” means any tax imposed under Subtitle A of the Code or any other provision of U.S. Federal income tax law (including, without limitation, the taxes imposed by Sections 11, 55, 59A, 881, 882, 884 and 1201(a) of the Code), and any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable or related to such tax.

“Global Opco” is defined in the recitals.

“Governmental Entity” means any federal, state, local, provincial or foreign government or any court of competent jurisdiction, administrative agency or commission or other governmental authority or instrumentality, whether domestic or foreign.

“Hypothetical Tax Liability” means, with respect to any Covered Taxable Year, the liability for Covered Taxes of BGC Corporation using the same methods, elections, conventions and similar practices used on BGC Corporation’s actual Tax Returns but without regard to any depreciation or amortization deductions attributable to any Basis Adjustment (and without regard to amounts that effectively reduce depreciation or amortization deductions or create ordinary income by reason of a negative adjustment under Section 743) or Imputed Interest that were taken into account in computing the actual liability for Covered Taxes of BGC Corporation for such Covered Taxable Year.

 

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“Imputed Interest” shall mean any interest imputed under Section 1272, 1274 or 483 or other provision of the Code (or any successor U.S. Federal income tax statute) and the similar section of the applicable U.S. state or local income or franchise Tax law with respect to BGC Corporation’s payment obligations under this Agreement.

“IRS” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

“LIBOR” means, for each month (or portion thereof) during any period, an interest rate per annum equal to the rate per annum reported, on the date two days prior to the first day of such month, on the Telerate Page 3750 (or if such screen shall cease to be publicly available, as reported on Reuters Screen page “LIBO” or by any other publicly available source of such market rate) for London interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits for such month (or portion thereof).

“Merger Agreement” is defined in the recitals.

“Operating Assets” is defined in the recitals.

“Operating Companies” is defined in the recitals.

“Person” means and includes any individual, firm, corporation, partnership (including, without limitation, any limited, general or limited liability partnership), company, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, joint stock company, unincorporated organization or similar entity or Governmental Entity.

“Proceeding” is defined in Section 8.08 of this Agreement.

“Proposed Early Termination Payment” is defined in Section 5.02 of this Agreement.

“Realized Tax Benefit” means, for a Covered Taxable Year, the excess, if any of the Hypothetical Tax Liability for such Covered Taxable Year over the actual liability for Covered Taxes of BGC Corporation for such Covered Taxable Year. To the extent permitted by law, any amount paid pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken into account in computing the Realized Tax Benefit.

“Realized Tax Detriment” means, for a Covered Taxable Year, the excess, if any, of the actual liability for Covered Taxes of BGC Corporation for such Covered Taxable Year over the Hypothetical Tax Liability for such Covered Taxable Year.

“Reconciliation Procedures” shall mean those procedures set forth in Section 8.09 of this Agreement.

“Revised Schedule” is defined in Section 2.01(b).

“Scheduled Termination Date” shall mean the date on which this Agreement would terminate in the absence of an Early Termination Notice (or such other date mutually agreed to by the parties).

 

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“Senior Obligations” is defined in Section 6.01 of this Agreement.

“Separation” is defined in the recitals.

“Separation Agreement” is defined in the recitals.

“Subsidiary” means, as of the relevant date of determination, with respect to any Person, any corporation or 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 held, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

“Tax” or “Taxes” means (a) all forms of taxation or duties imposed, or required to be collected or withheld, including, without limitation, charges, together with any related interest, penalties or other additional amounts, (b) liability for the payment of any amount of the type described in the preceding clause (a) as a result of being a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group, and (c) liability for the payment of any amounts as a result of being party to any tax sharing agreement (other than this Agreement) or as a result of any express or implied obligation to indemnify any other person with respect to the payment of any amount described in the immediately preceding clauses (a) or (b) (other than an obligation to indemnify under this Agreement).

“Tax Schedule” is defined in Section 2.01(a).

“Taxable Exchange” is defined in the recitals.

“Taxable Year” means a taxable year as defined in Section 441(b) of the Code or comparable section of U.S. state or local income or franchise Tax law, as applicable (and, therefore, for the avoidance of doubt, may include a period of less than 12 months for which a Tax Return is made).

“Tax Benefit Payment” is defined in Section 3.01(b) of this Agreement.

“Tax Benefit Schedule” is defined in Section 2.03(a) of this Agreement.

“Taxing Authority” means the IRS and any other state, local, foreign or other Governmental Entity responsible for the administration of Taxes.

“Tax Return” means any return, filing, report, questionnaire, information statement or other document required to be filed, including amended returns that may be filed, for any taxable period with any Taxing Authority (whether or not a payment is required to be made with respect to such filing).

“Treasury Regulations” means the final, temporary and proposed regulations under the Code promulgated from time to time (including corresponding provisions of succeeding provisions) as in effect for the relevant taxable period.

“U.S. Opco” is defined in the recitals.

 

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ARTICLE II

DETERMINATION OF REALIZED TAX BENEFIT OR REALIZED TAX DETRIMENT

SECTION 2.01. (a) Tax Schedule . At least 45 days prior to the due date (including extensions) for the U.S. federal income Tax Return of BGC Corporation for a Covered Taxable Year, BGC Corporation shall provide to Cantor a schedule (the “Tax Schedule” ) showing the computation of the Covered Tax Benefit (if any), the Covered Tax Detriment (if any) and the Tax Benefit Payment (determined in accordance with Section 3.01(b)) (if any) for such Covered Taxable Year, together with work papers providing reasonable detail regarding the computation of such items. BGC Corporation shall allow Cantor reasonable access to the appropriate representatives at BGC Corporation and its Subsidiaries and the Accounting Firm in connection with its review of the Tax Schedule and workpapers. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, the items reflected on a Tax Schedule shall become final 30 calendar days after delivery of such Tax Schedule to Cantor unless Cantor, during such 30 calendar days period, provides BGC Corporation with written notice of a material objection thereto made in good faith. If the parties, negotiating in good faith, are unable to successfully resolve the issues raised in such notice within 15 calendar days, BGC Corporation and Cantor shall employ the Reconciliation Procedures.

(b) Revised Schedule . Notwithstanding that the Covered Tax Benefit (if any), the Covered Tax Detriment (if any) and the Tax Benefit Payment (if any) for a Covered Taxable Year may have become final under Section 2.01(a), such items shall be revised to the extent necessary to reflect (i) a Determination, (ii) inaccuracies in the original computation as a result of factual information that was not previously taken into account, (iii) a change attributable to a carryback or carryforward of a loss or other tax item, (iv) a change attributable to an amended Tax Return filed for such Covered Taxable Year ( provided , however , that such a change attributable to an audit of a Tax Return by an applicable Taxing Authority relating to the deductibility of depreciation or amortization deductions attributable to any Basis Adjustment shall not be taken into account under this Section 2.01(b) unless and until there has been a Determination with respect to such change) or (v) to comply with the expert’s determination under the Reconciliation Procedures. The parties shall cooperate in connection with any proposed revision to the Covered Tax Benefit (if any), the Covered Tax Detriment (if any) and the Tax Benefit Payment (if any) for a Covered Taxable Year. The party proposing a change to such an item shall provide the other party a schedule (a “Revised Schedule” ) showing the computation and explanation of such revision, together with work papers providing reasonable detail regarding the computation of such items. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, such revised Covered Tax Benefit (if any), revised Covered Tax Detriment (if any) and/or revised Tax Benefit Payment (if any) shall become final 30 calendar days after delivery of such Revised Schedule unless the other party, during such 30 calendar days period, provides written notice of a material objection thereto made in good faith. If the parties, negotiating in good faith, are unable to successfully resolve the issues raised in such notice within 15 calendar days, BGC Corporation and Cantor shall employ the Reconciliation Procedures.

 

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(c) Applicable Principles . It is the intention of the parties for BGC Corporation to pay Cantor (subject to the escrow) 85% of the additional Covered Taxes that BGC Corporation would have been required to pay on Tax Returns that have actually been filed but for any depreciation or amortization deductions attributable to any Basis Adjustment (and any Imputed Interest) and this Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with such intention. Such amount shall be determined using a “with and without” methodology. Carryovers or carrybacks of any tax item shall be considered to be subject to the rules of the Code (or any successor U.S. Federal income tax statute) and the Treasury Regulations or the appropriate provisions of U.S. state and local income and franchise Tax law, as applicable, governing the use, limitation and expiration of carryovers or carrybacks of the relevant type. If a carryover or carryback of any Tax item includes a portion that is attributable to the Basis Adjustment and another portion that is not, such portions shall be considered to be used in the order determined using such “with and without” methodology.

ARTICLE III

TAX BENEFIT PAYMENTS

SECTION 3.01. Payments . (a) Within 3 business days of the Tax Schedule for any Covered Taxable Year becoming final under Section 2.01(a), BGC Corporation shall pay (i) to Cantor an amount equal to 80% of the Tax Benefit Payment (determined in accordance with Section 3.01(b)) and (ii) to a national bank mutually agreeable to BGC Corporation and Cantor as escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent” ), an amount equal to 20% of such Tax Benefit Payment. The Escrow Agent shall hold each Tax Benefit Payment it receives in escrow pursuant to a mutually agreeable escrow agreement between BGC Corporation and Cantor until the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations attributable to the Covered Taxable Year to which such Tax Benefit Payment relates. Each Tax Benefit Payment shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the bank accounts of Cantor and the Escrow Agent previously designated by such parties to BGC Corporation.

(b) A “Tax Benefit Payment” shall equal, with respect to any Covered Taxable Year, the amount of Covered Tax Benefits, if any, for a Covered Taxable Year;

increased by:

(1) the interest calculated at the Agreed Rate from the due date (without extensions) for filing the Tax Return with respect to Covered Taxes for such Covered Taxable Year); and

(2) any increase in the Covered Tax Benefit or reduction in the Covered Tax Detriment that has become final under Section 2.01(b);

and decreased , but without duplication of amount reimbursed pursuant to Section 3.02, by:

(3) any Covered Tax Detriment for a previous Covered Taxable Year; and

 

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(4) any decrease in the Covered Tax Benefit or increase in the Covered Tax Detriment that has become final under Section 2.01(b);

provided , however , that (i) the amounts described in Section 3.01(b)(2), (3) and (4) shall not be taken into account in determining a Tax Benefit Payment attributable to any Covered Taxable Year to the extent of such amounts were taken into account in determining any Tax Benefit Payment in a preceding Covered Taxable Year and (ii) the amounts described in Section 3.01(b)(3) and (4) shall not be taken into account in determining a Tax Benefit Payment attributable to any Covered Taxable Year to the extent such amounts actually reduced (but not below zero) the Tax Benefit Payment actually made by BGC Corporation for a previously Covered Taxable Year.

SECTION 3.02. Reimbursement and Indemnification . (a) To the extent that there is a Determination that a deduction for depreciation or amortization attributable to a Basis Adjustment taken into account in computing a Tax Benefit Payment or Imputed Interest taken into account in computing a Tax Benefit Payment is not available, Cantor shall promptly (i) reimburse BGC Corporation for any prior payment made to Cantor in respect of such deductions for depreciation, amortization or Imputed Interest and (ii) without duplication, indemnify BGC Corporation and hold it harmless with respect to any interest or penalties and any other losses in respect of the disallowance of such deductions (together with reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees incurred in connection with any related Tax contest, but the indemnity for such reasonable attorneys’ and accountants’ fees shall only apply to the extent Cantor is permitted to control such contest). For the avoidance of doubt, the parties agree and acknowledge that Cantor shall not have any payment or reimbursement obligation to BGC Corporation in respect of any Covered Tax Detriment, except as contemplated by this Section 3.02 and except for the reduction (but not below zero) of amounts that would otherwise be due Cantor pursuant to Section 3.01(b). For the further avoidance of doubt and by way of example, if $20 of depreciation is claimed in Year 1 resulting in a $10 Covered Tax Benefit and Tax Benefit Payment in the same amount to Cantor in Year 2, and the Year 1 depreciation is later disallowed by the IRS, the amount of the payment from Cantor to BGC Corporation under this Section 3.02(a) shall include an amount equal to the Tax Benefit Payment paid with respect to such disallowed depreciation plus the amount of interest and penalties, if any, paid by BGC Corporation with respect to such disallowed depreciation plus any tax savings taken into account in computing the Tax Benefit Payment for other Covered Taxable Years that will be disallowed as a result of such payment (e.g., Imputed Interest) plus any Tax imposed on BGC Corporation as a result of such payment.

(b) Any reimbursement or indemnification payments by Cantor pursuant to this Section 3.02 shall be satisfied first from the amounts in Escrow (to the extent funded in respect of such Covered Tax Benefits).

SECTION 3.03. No Duplicative Payments . No duplicative payment of any amount (including interest) will be required under this Agreement.

ARTICLE IV

SECTION 4.01. Change Notices . If BGC Corporation, BGC Holdings, either of the Operating Companies or any of their respective Subsidiaries receives a 30-day letter, a final

 

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audit report, a statutory notice of deficiency or similar written notice from any Taxing Authority with respect to the Tax treatment of any Taxable Exchange (a “Change Notice” ), which, if sustained, would result in (i) a reduction in the amount of Realized Tax Benefit with respect to a Covered Taxable Year preceding the taxable year in which the Change Notice is received or (ii) a reduction in the amount of Tax Benefit Payments BGC Corporation will be required to pay to Cantor with respect to Covered Taxable Years after and including the taxable year in which the Change Notice is received, and which, if determined adversely to the recipient of the Change Notice or after the lapse of time would be grounds for indemnification or reimbursement by Cantor under Section 3.02(a), prompt written notice shall be given to Cantor provided , however , that failure to give such notification shall not affect the indemnification provided under this Agreement except to the extent the indemnifying party shall have been actually prejudiced as a result of such failure.

ARTICLE V

TERMINATION

SECTION 5.01. Early Termination of Agreement . BGC Corporation may terminate this Agreement with the approval by a majority of the independent directors of BGC Corporation by paying to Cantor an agreed value of payments remaining to be made under this Agreement (the “Early Termination Payment” ) as of the date of the Early Termination Notice (as defined below). Upon payment of the Early Termination Payment by BGC Corporation, BGC Corporation shall have no further payment obligations under this Agreement, other than for any (a) Tax Benefit Payment agreed to by BGC Corporation and Cantor as due and payable but unpaid as of the Early Termination Notice and (b) any Tax Benefit Payment due for the Covered Taxable Year ending with or including the date of the Early Termination Notice (except to the extent that the amount described in clause (a) or (b) is included in the Early Termination Payment).

SECTION 5.02. Early Termination Notice . If BGC Corporation chooses to request early termination under Section 5.01 above, BGC Corporation shall deliver to Cantor a notice (the “Early Termination Notice” ) specifying BGC Corporation’s intention to request early termination and showing in reasonable detail its calculation of the Early Termination Payment (the “Proposed Early Termination Payment” ). At the time BGC Corporation delivers the Early Termination Notice to Cantor, BGC Corporation shall (a) deliver to Cantor schedules and work papers providing reasonable detail regarding the calculation of the Proposed Early Termination Payment and a letter from a nationally recognized accounting firm supporting such calculation and (b) allow Cantor reasonable access to the appropriate representatives at BGC Corporation and its Subsidiaries and such accounting firm (and the Accounting Firm) in connection with its review of such calculation. Within 30 days after receiving such calculation, Cantor shall notify BGC Corporation whether it agrees to or objects to the Proposed Early Termination Payment. The Proposed Early Termination Payment shall only become final and binding on the parties if Cantor agrees in writing to the value of the Proposed Early Termination Payment within such 30 day period (or such shorter period as may be mutually agreed in writing by the parties). If Cantor and BGC Corporation cannot agree upon the value of the Early Termination Payment, this Agreement will remain in full force and effect. For the avoidance of doubt, BGC Corporation shall have no obligation to request early termination under Section 5.01.

 

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SECTION 5.03. Payment upon Early Termination . Within 3 calendar days of an agreement between Cantor and BGC Corporation as to the value of the Early Termination Payment, BGC Corporation shall pay to Cantor an amount equal to the Early Termination Payment. Such payment shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by Cantor.

ARTICLE VI

SUBORDINATION AND LATE PAYMENTS

SECTION 6.01. Subordination . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, any Tax Benefit Payment or Early Termination Payment required to be made by BGC Corporation to Cantor under this Agreement (a “BGC Corporation Payment” ) shall rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to any principal, interest or other amounts due and payable in respect of any debt of BGC Corporation ( “Senior Obligations” ) and shall rank pari passu with all current or future unsecured obligations of BGC Corporation that are not Senior Obligations.

SECTION 6.02. Late Payments by BGC Corporation . The amount of all or any portion of a BGC Corporation Payment not made to Cantor when due under the terms of this Agreement shall be payable together with any interest thereon, computed at the Agreed Rate and commencing from the date on which such BGC Corporation Payment was due and payable.

ARTICLE VII

NO DISPUTES; CONSISTENCY; COOPERATION

SECTION 7.01. Cantor Participation in BGC Corporation Tax Matters . Except as otherwise provided herein, BGC Corporation shall have full responsibility for, and sole discretion over, all Tax matters concerning BGC Corporation, BGC Holdings, the Operating Companies and their respective Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, the preparation, filing or amending of any Tax Return and defending, contesting or settling any issue pertaining to Taxes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, BGC Corporation shall notify Cantor of, and keep Cantor reasonably informed with respect to, and Cantor shall have the right to participate in and monitor (but, for the avoidance of doubt, not to control) the portion of any audit of BGC Corporation, BGC Holdings, the Operating Companies and their respective Subsidiaries, as applicable, by a Taxing Authority the outcome of which is reasonably expected to affect Cantor’s rights under this Agreement. BGC Corporation shall provide to Cantor reasonable opportunity to provide information and other input to BGC Corporation and its advisors concerning the conduct of any such portion of such audits. None of BGC Corporation, BGC Holdings, the Operating Companies or their respective Subsidiaries, as applicable, shall settle or otherwise resolve any audit or other challenge by a Taxing Authority relating to the Basis Adjustment without the consent of the Audit Committee and Cantor, which consent Cantor shall not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay.

SECTION 7.02. Tax Positions . BGC Corporation shall determine after consultation with Cantor the extent to which it is permitted to claim any depreciation or

 

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amortization deductions attributable to the Basis Adjustments, and the amount and deductibility of any Imputed Interest, and such deduction shall be taken into account in computing the Realized Tax Benefits so long as the Accounting Firm agrees that it is at least more likely than not that such deduction is available. For purposes of this Agreement, a tax position shall not be considered permitted by law unless the Accounting Firm is at a “more likely than not” or higher level of comfort with respect to such tax position.

SECTION 7.03. Cooperation . Cantor shall (and shall cause its affiliates to) (a) furnish to BGC Corporation in a timely manner such information, documents and other materials as BGC Corporation may reasonably request for purposes of making any determination or computation necessary or appropriate under this Agreement, preparing any Tax Return or contesting or defending any audit, examination or controversy with any Taxing Authority, (b) make its employees available to BGC Corporation and its representatives to provide explanations of documents and materials and such other information as BGC Corporation or its representative may reasonably request in connection with any of the matters described in clause (a) above, and (c) reasonably cooperate in connection with any such matter.

ARTICLE VIII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 8.01. Notices . All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given and received (a) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, or by facsimile upon confirmation of transmission by the sender’s fax machine if sent on a Business Day (or otherwise on the next Business Day) or (b) on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized next-day courier service. All notices hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in Schedule A, or pursuant to such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice. Any party may change its address or fax number by giving the other party written notice of its new address or fax number in the manner set forth above.

SECTION 8.02. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart.

SECTION 8.03. Entire Agreement; No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

SECTION 8.04. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to applicable principles of conflict of laws.

 

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SECTION 8.05. Severability . If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any law or public policy, all other terms and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.

SECTION 8.06. Successors; Assignment; Amendments . Cantor may not assign this Agreement to any person without the prior written consent of BGC Corporation and the Audit Committee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; provided , however , Cantor may pledge some or all of its rights, interests or entitlements under this Agreement to any U.S. money center bank in connection with a bona fide loan or other indebtedness; provided further , however, that Cantor may assign its rights to a wholly owned Subsidiary of Cantor without the prior written consent of BGC Corporation. BGC Corporation may not assign any of their rights, interests or entitlements under this Agreement without the consent of Cantor, not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided , however , that BGC Corporation may assign its rights to a wholly-owned subsidiary of BGC Corporation without the prior written consent of Cantor; provided , further , however , that no such assignment shall relieve Cantor or BGC Corporation of any of its obligations hereunder. Subject to each of the two immediately preceding sentences, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by, the parties and their respective successors and assigns including any acquirer of all or substantially all of the assets of BGC Corporation. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 8.06 to the contrary, as a result of the merger, the Combined Company will assume BGC Partners’ rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any amendment to this Agreement will be subject to approval by a majority of the independent directors of BGC Partners (if prior to the merger) and a majority of the independent directors of the Combined Company (if after the merger).

SECTION 8.07. Titles and Subtitles . The titles of the sections and subsections of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to be considered in construing this Agreement.

SECTION 8.08. Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers . With respect to any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement (collectively, a “Proceeding” ), each party to this Agreement irrevocably (a) consents and submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the States of New York and Delaware and any court of the U.S. located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City or the State of Delaware; (b) waives any objection which such party may have at any time to the laying of venue of any Proceeding brought in any such court, waives any claim that such Proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum and further waives the right to object, with respect to such Proceeding, that such court does not have jurisdiction over such party; (c) consents to the service of process at the address set forth for notices in Section 8.01 herein; provided , however , that such manner of service of process shall not preclude the service of process in any other manner permitted under applicable law; and (d) waives, to the fullest

 

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extent permitted by applicable law, any and all rights to trial by jury in connection with any Proceeding.

SECTION 8.09. Reconciliation . In the event that BGC Corporation and Cantor are unable to resolve a disagreement within the relevant period designated in this Agreement, the matter shall be submitted for determination to a nationally recognized expert in the particular area of disagreement employed by a nationally recognized accounting firm or a law firm (other than the Accounting Firm), which expert is mutually acceptable to all parties and the Audit Committee. If the matter is not resolved before any payment that is the subject of a disagreement is due or any Tax Return reflecting the subject of a disagreement is due, such payment shall be made on the date prescribed by this Agreement in the amount proposed by BGC Corporation and such Tax Return shall be filed as prepared by BGC Corporation, subject to adjustment or amendment upon resolution. The determinations of the expert pursuant to this Section 8.09 shall be binding on BGC Corporation and its Subsidiaries, BGC Holdings, the Operating Subsidiaries and Cantor absent manifest error.

SECTION 8.10. Withholding . BGC Corporation and the Escrow Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from any payment payable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as BGC Corporation and the Escrow Agent are required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or any provision of state, local or foreign tax law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld and paid over to the appropriate taxing authority by BGC Corporation or the Escrow Agent, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to Cantor.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, BGC Partners and Cantor have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

BGC PARTNERS, LLC
By  

/s/ Robert K. West

Name:   Robert K. West
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

CF GROUP MANAGEMENT, INC.

General Partner, Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

By  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Vice President

 

CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.
By  

/s/ Doug Barnard

Name:   Doug Barnard
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to the Tax Receivable Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2008,

by and between BGC Partners, LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.]

Exhibit 10.8

BGC HOLDINGS, L.P. PARTICIPATION PLAN

 

1. Purpose of the Plan

The purpose of this BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan (the “Plan” ) is to advance the interests of BGC Partners by providing a tax-efficient means, through the grant of Bonus Awards, Discount Purchase Awards, and Purchase Awards enabling Participants to acquire Partnership Interests, to (a) attract, retain, incentivize, and reward present and prospective employees and officers of BGC Partners and its Affiliates, and (b) enable such persons to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in the Partnership in order to promote a closer identity of interests between such persons and BGC Partners and its stockholders.

 

2. Definitions

Capitalized terms used in the Plan and not defined elsewhere in the Plan shall have the meanings set forth in this Section.

2.1 “Affiliate” means any domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other entity that directly or indirectly is controlled by BGC Partners.

2.2 “Award” means a compensatory award granted under the Plan, pursuant to which a Participant acquires, or has the right or opportunity to acquire, Partnership Interests, and includes Bonus Awards, Discount Purchase Awards, and Purchase Awards.

2.3 “Award Agreement” means a written document prescribed by the Committee and provided to a Participant evidencing the grant of an Award.

2.4 “Beneficiary” means the person(s) or trust(s) entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive any rights or benefits with respect to an Award that survive a Participant’s death; provided , however , that, if at the time of the Participant’s death, the Participant had on file with the Committee a written designation of a person(s) or trust(s) to receive such rights or benefits, then such person(s) (if still living at the time of the Participant’s death) or trust(s) shall be the “Beneficiary” for purposes of the Award.

2.5 “BGC Partners” means BGC Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto, as the sole member of the general partner of the Partnership.

2.6 “BGC Partners LTIP” means the BGC Partners, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan, as Amended and Restated as of April 1, 2008, as the same may from time to time be further amended and restated.

2.7 “Board” means the Board of Directors of BGC Partners.

2.8 “Bonus Award” means any Award for which the Participant pays no consideration (other than the performance of services).

2.9 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations thereto.


2.10 “Committee” means the compensation committee of the Board; the Board, where the Board is acting as the Committee pursuant to Section 3.1; and such senior executive(s) of BGC Partners as may be delegated any of the Committee’s powers and duties under the Plan pursuant to Section 3.3.

2.11 “Discount Purchase Award” means any Award that requires the Participant to pay consideration (in cash, foregone cash compensation, Partnership Interests, other Awards, or other consideration (other than the performance of services)), the Fair Market Value of which is less than the Fair Market Value of the Partnership Interests subject thereto as determined on the date of grant of the Award.

2.12 “Fair Market Value” means, with respect to Partnership Interests, other Awards, or other consideration (other than the performance of services), the fair market value determined by the Committee using a reasonable valuation method consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, applicable accounting principles, and other applicable law and regulation.

2.13 “Participant” means any eligible person who has been granted an Award.

2.14 “Partnership” means BGC Holdings, L.P., a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, and any successor thereto as provided in Section 6.

2.15 “Partnership Agreement” means the Agreement of Limited Partnership of BGC Holdings, L.P., as Amended and Restated as of March 31, 2008, as the same may from time to time be further amended and restated.

2.16 “Partnership Interests” means limited partnership interests of the Partnership issued pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, and such other securities as may be substituted or resubstituted for Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 6.

2.17 “Purchase Award” means any Award that requires the Participant to pay consideration (in cash, foregone cash consideration, Partnership Interests, other Awards, or other consideration (other than the performance of services)), the Fair Market Value of which is equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the Partnership Interests subject thereto as determined on the date of grant of the Award.

 

3. Administration

3.1 The Committee . The Committee shall administer the Plan. To the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Board may perform any function of the Committee under the Plan. In addition, the Board, BGC Partners, and the general partner of the Partnership shall have the respective authority and responsibility specifically reserved to them under the Plan, the Partnership Agreement, the Partnership’s general partner’s organic documents, BGC Partners’ Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, and applicable law and regulation.

3.2 Powers and Duties of the Committee. In addition to the powers and duties specified elsewhere in the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority and responsibility to:

(a) adopt, amend, suspend, and rescind such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

(b) correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan and to construe and interpret the Plan and any rules and regulations, Award Agreement, or other instrument hereunder;

 

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(c) make determinations relating to eligibility for and entitlements in respect of Awards, and to make all factual findings related thereto; and

(d) make all other decisions and determinations as may be required under the terms of the Plan or as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

All decisions and determinations of the Committee may be made in its sole and absolute discretion and shall be final and binding upon all Participants, Beneficiaries, and other persons claiming any rights under the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement.

3.3 Delegation by the Committee . To the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Committee may delegate, on such terms and conditions as it determines, to one or more senior executives of BGC Partners (i) the power to grant Awards to Participants other than officers of BGC Partners and (ii) other administrative duties under the Plan with respect thereto. Any such delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.

3.4 Limitation of Liability . Each member of the Committee shall be entitled, in good faith, to rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any officer or other employee of BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates, BGC Partners’ independent registered public accounting firm, or any executive compensation consultant, legal counsel, or other professional retained by BGC Partners to assist in the administration of the Plan. No member of the Committee, nor any officer or employee of BGC Partners acting on behalf of the Committee, shall be personally liable for any action, decision, or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement, and all members of the Committee and any officer or employee of BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates acting on behalf of the Committee shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulation, be fully indemnified and protected by BGC Partners and its Affiliates with respect to any such action, decision, or determination.

 

4. Awards

4.1 Eligibility . The Committee shall select Participants from among present and prospective employees and officers of BGC Partners and its Affiliates.

4.2 Types of Awards . The Committee shall determine the types of Awards to be granted under the Plan, which shall include Bonus Awards, Discount Purchase Awards, and Purchase Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Awards in lieu of obligations of BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates to pay cash or grant other awards under other plans or compensatory arrangements, to the extent permitted by such other plans or arrangements. Partnership Interests issued pursuant to an Award that includes a purchase right shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, in such amounts, and in such forms, including cash, foregone cash consideration, Partnership Interests, other Awards, or other consideration (other than the performance of services), as the Committee shall determine.

4.3 Terms and Conditions of Awards. The Committee shall determine all of the terms and conditions of each Award, including, but not limited to, the number of Partnership Interests subject to the Award and any purchase price, any restrictions or conditions relating to transferability, forfeiture, exercisability, or settlement, and any schedule or performance conditions for the lapse of such restrictions or conditions, and any accelerations or modifications thereof, based in each case upon such considerations as the Committee shall determine. The Committee shall determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled, or may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered. The right of a Participant to receive, exercise, or settle an Award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee. The Committee may use such business criteria and measures

 

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of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing performance conditions, and may reduce or increase the amounts payable under any Award subject to performance conditions.

4.4 Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards. Awards may be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for any other Award or any award granted under another plan of BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates, or any business entity to be acquired by BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates, or any other right of a Participant to receive payment from BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates. In granting a new Award that includes a purchase right, the Committee may determine that the Fair Market Value of any surrendered Award or other award may be applied, at either the time of grant or exercise, to reduce or pay the purchase price of the new Award.

4.5 Awards Involving Exchangeable Partnership Interests. If and to the extent that any Partnership Interest subject to an Award is exchangeable for or otherwise represents a right to acquire shares of Class A Common Stock of BGC Partners, such shares shall be issued by BGC Partners pursuant to an Other Stock-Based Award granted under Section 6(h) of the BGC Partners LTIP, subject to all of the terms and provisions of such BGC Partners LTIP, and such right shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 8.06 of the Partnership Agreement and Section 4(c) of the BGC Partners LTIP.

 

5. Limitations on Awards

The maximum aggregate number of Partnership Interests that may be issued pursuant to all Awards granted under the Plan shall be determined from time to time by the Board; provided , however , that an Award that, in accordance with Section 4.5, involves a Partnership Interest which is exchangeable for or otherwise represents a right to acquire shares of Class A Common Stock of BGC Partners may only be granted if and to the extent that such shares are available for issuance pursuant to an Other Stock-Based Award under the terms and provisions of the BGC Partners LTIP, including, but not limited to, Sections 4 and 8 thereof. Any Partnership Interests subject to an Award that is cancelled or forfeited, lapses, or is otherwise terminated without the issuance of such Partnership Interests shall no longer be counted against any maximum aggregate limitation established from time to time by the Board and may again be made subject to Awards.

 

6. Adjustments

In the event of any change in the terms, number, or value of outstanding Partnership Interests by reason of any dividend, split or reverse split, any reorganization, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange, any repurchase, liquidation or dissolution, any large, special and non-recurring distribution, or any other similar extraordinary transaction, the Committee shall make such adjustment as it deems to be equitable in order to preserve, without enlarging, the rights of Participants, as to (i) the number and kind of Partnership Interests which may be issued under the Plan, (ii) the number and kind of Partnership Interests related to then-outstanding Awards, and (iii) the purchase price relating to any Award. In addition, the Committee is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in then-outstanding Awards (including, but not limited to, cancellation of Awards in exchange for the intrinsic value, if any, of the vested portion thereof, substitution of Awards using securities or other obligations of a successor entity, acceleration of the exercise or expiration date of Awards, or adjustment to performance goals in respect of Awards) in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, but not limited to, events described in the preceding sentence, as well as acquisitions and dispositions of businesses and assets) affecting the Partnership, any of its Affiliates, or any of their respective business units, or the financial statements of the Partnership, but not limited to any of its Affiliates, or any of their respective business units, or in response to changes in applicable accounting principles or other law or regulation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any such event will result in the acquisition of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s outstanding Partnership Interests or assets, then, if the document governing such acquisition ( e.g. , merger agreement) specifies the treatment of outstanding Awards under this Section 6, such treatment shall govern without the need for any action by the Committee.

 

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7. General Provisions

7.1 Compliance with Applicable Law, Regulation, and Other Obligations . The Partnership shall not be obligated to issue Partnership Interests in connection with any Award or take any other action under the Plan or the Partnership Agreement, including, but not limited to, permitting the exchange or other exercise of a right to acquire shares of Class A Common Stock of BGC Partners pursuant to a Partnership Interest that is or was subject to an Award in accordance with Section 4.5, in a transaction subject to the registration or other requirements of any applicable securities law or any other law, regulation, or other obligation of the Partnership, until the Partnership is satisfied that such laws, regulations, and other obligations have been complied with in full.

7.2 Limitations on Transferability . Awards and other rights or benefits under the Plan shall not be transferable by a Participant except to a Beneficiary in the event of the Participant’s death (to the extent any such Award, by its terms, survives the Participant’s death), and, if exercisable, shall be exercisable during the lifetime of a Participant only by such Participant or his guardian or legal representative; provided , however , that such Awards and other rights or benefits may be transferred during the lifetime of the Participant, for purposes of the Participant’s estate planning or other purposes consistent with the purposes of the Plan (as determined by the Committee), and may be exercised by such transferees in accordance with the terms of such Award, in each case only if and to the extent permitted by the Committee. Awards and other rights or benefits under the Plan may not be pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated, or otherwise encumbered, and shall not be subject to the claims of creditors. A Beneficiary, transferee, or other person claiming any rights or benefits under the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the relevant Participant and Award, except as otherwise determined by the Committee, and to any additional terms and conditions deemed necessary or advisable by the Committee, whether imposed at or subsequent to the grant or transfer of the Award.

7.3 No Right to Continued Employment; Leaves of Absence; Sales of Affiliates . None of the Plan, the grant of any Award, or any other action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any employee, officer, or other person the right to be retained in the employ of BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates (for the vesting period or any other period of time), nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of BGC Partners or any of its Affiliates to terminate any person’s employment at any time. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement or determined by the Committee at the time of the event, (i) an approved leave of absence shall not be considered a termination of employment for purposes of an Award, and (ii) any Participant who is employed by an Affiliate shall be considered to have terminated employment for purposes of an Award if such Affiliate is sold or no longer qualifies as an Affiliate, unless such Participant remains employed by BGC Partners or another of its Affiliates.

7.4 Taxes . BGC Partners and any of its Affiliates are authorized to withhold from any Partnership Interests issued under the Plan, any distribution or other payment relating to a Partnership Interest, or any payroll or other payment to a Participant, amounts of withholding and other taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to enable BGC Partners, its Affiliates, and Participants to satisfy their obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority to withhold or repurchase Partnership Interests or other payments and to make cash payments to applicable taxing authorities in respect thereof in satisfaction of withholding tax obligations.

 

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7.5 Changes to the Plan and Awards . The Board may amend, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards without the consent of Participants; provided , however , that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such action may materially impair the rights of such Participant under any then-outstanding Award. The Committee may amend, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any then-outstanding Award and any Award Agreement relating thereto; provided , however , that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such action may materially impair the rights of such Participant under such Award. Any action with respect to a then-outstanding Award taken by the Committee pursuant to a specific authorization set forth in another Section of the Plan shall not be treated as an action described in this Section 7.5.

7.6 No Right to Awards; No Partner Rights . No Participant or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment among Participants, employees, or officers. No Award shall confer upon any Participant any of the rights of a partner of the Partnership unless and until Partnership Interests are duly issued to the Participant in accordance with the terms of the Award.

7.7 Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts . The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any Partnership Interests not yet issued to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Partnership; provided , however , that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or make other arrangements to meet the Partnership’s obligations under the Plan to issue Partnership Interests pursuant to any Award, which trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines.

7.8 Nonexclusivity of the Plan . The adoption of the Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board, BGC Partners, or any of its Affiliates, including, but not limited to, the Partnership, to adopt such other compensatory or other arrangements as it may deem necessary or desirable, including the granting of awards otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

7.9 Governing Law and Regulation . The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction), and applicable federal and other law and regulation.

7.10 Severability of Provisions . If any provision of the Plan or of any Award Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions hereof or thereof, and the Plan and the Award Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such provisions had not been included.

7.11 Termination of Authority To Grant Awards . Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Committee’s authority to grant Awards shall terminate on the day before the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the Partnership’s adoption of the Plan. Upon any such termination of the Plan, no new grants of Awards may be made, but then-outstanding Awards shall remain outstanding in accordance with their terms, and the Committee otherwise shall retain its full powers and duties under the Plan with respect to such Awards.

 

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Exhibit 10.9

BGC PARTNERS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

1. Purpose . The purpose of this Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan” ) of BGC Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation (formerly known as eSpeed, Inc.) (the “Company” ), is to advance the interests of the Company and its stockholders by providing a means to attract, retain, motivate and reward directors, officers, employees and consultants of and service providers to the Company and its affiliates and to enable such persons to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in the Company, thereby promoting a closer identity of interests between such persons and the Company’s stockholders.

The Plan was initially adopted by the Company in 1999 as the eSpeed, Inc. 1999 Long Term Incentive Plan, and was subsequently amended and restated in 2003. The eSpeed, Inc. 1999 Long Term Incentive Plan has been further amended and restated, and, effective as of the closing of the merger between eSpeed, Inc. and BGC Partners, Inc. (the “Effective Date” ), will be renamed the “BGC Partners, Inc. Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan.”

2. Definitions . The definitions of awards under the Plan, including Options, SARs (including Limited SARs), Restricted Stock, Deferred Stock, Stock granted as a bonus or in lieu of other awards, Dividend Equivalents and Other Stock-Based Awards, are as set forth in Section 6 of the Plan. Such awards, together with any other right or interest granted to a Participant under the Plan, are termed “Awards.” For purposes of the Plan, the following additional terms shall be defined as set forth below.

(a) “Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract, notice or other instrument or document evidencing an Award.

(b) “Beneficiaries” means the person, persons, trust or trusts which have been designated by a Participant in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Committee to receive the benefits specified under the Plan upon such Participant’s death or, if there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the person, persons, trust or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.

(c) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred on:

(i) the date of the acquisition by any “person” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), excluding the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary or any employee benefit plan sponsored by any of the foregoing, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of shares of common stock of the Company representing 30% of either (x) the total number of the then outstanding shares of common stock, or (y) the total voting power with respect to the election of directors; or

(ii) the date the individuals who constitute the Board upon the Effective Date (the “Incumbent Board” ) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board; provided , however , that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board (other than any individual whose nomination for election to Board membership was not endorsed by the Company’s management prior to, or at the time of, such individual’s initial nomination for election) shall be, for purposes of this clause (ii), considered as though such person were a member of the Incumbent Board; or


(iii) the consummation of a merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization, sale or disposition of all or a substantial portion of the Company’s assets, a reverse stock split of outstanding voting securities, or the issuance of shares of stock of the Company in connection

 

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with the acquisition of the stock or assets of another entity; provided , however , that a Change in Control shall not occur under this clause (iii) if consummation of the transaction would result in at least 70% of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company (or, if not the Company, the entity that succeeds to all or substantially all of the Company’s business) outstanding immediately after such transaction being beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated pursuant to the Exchange Act) by at least 75% of the holders of outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to the transaction, with the voting power of each such continuing holder relative to other such continuing holders not substantially altered in the transaction.

(e) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. References to any provision of the Code shall be deemed to include regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations thereto.

(f) “Committee” means the committee appointed by the Board to administer the Plan, or if no committee is appointed, the Board.

(g) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. References to any provision of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.

(h) “Fair Market Value” means, with respect to Stock, Awards, or other property, the fair market value of such Stock, Awards, or other property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee; provided , however , that, if the Stock is listed on a national securities exchange or quoted in an interdealer quotation system, the Fair Market Value of such Stock on a given date shall be based upon the closing market price or, if unavailable, the average of the closing bid and asked prices per share of the Stock at the end of regular trading on such date (or, if there was no trading or quotation in the Stock on such date, on the next preceding date on which there was trading or quotation) as provided by one of such organizations.

(i) “ISO” means any Option intended to be and designated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

(j) “Parent” means any “person” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) that controls the Company on the Effective Date, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

(k) “Participant” means a person who, at a time when eligible under Section 5 hereof, has been granted an Award under the Plan.

(l) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, as from time to time in effect and applicable to the Plan and Participants, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and shall be deemed to include any successor provisions thereto.

(m) “Stock” means the Company’s Class A Common Stock, and such other securities as may be substituted for Stock pursuant to Section 4(c).

(n) “Subsidiary” means each entity that is controlled by the Company or a Parent, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

3. Administration .

(a) Authority of the Committee . Except as otherwise provided below, the Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have full and final authority to take the following actions, in each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan:

(i) to select persons to whom Awards may be granted;

(ii) to determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each such person;

 

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(iii) to determine the number of Awards to be granted, the number of shares of Stock to which an Award will relate, the terms and conditions of any Award granted under the Plan (including, but not limited to, any exercise price, grant price or purchase price, any restriction or condition, any schedule for lapse of restrictions or conditions relating to transferability or forfeiture, exercisability or settlement of an Award, and waivers or accelerations thereof, performance conditions relating to an Award (including, without limitation, performance conditions relating to Awards not intended to be governed by Section 7(e) and waivers and modifications thereof), based in each case on such considerations as the Committee shall determine), and all other matters to be determined in connection with an Award;

(iv) to determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances an Award may be settled, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid, in cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

(v) to determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Stock, other Awards or other property payable with respect to an Award will be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Committee or at the election of the Participant;

(vi) to determine the restrictions, if any, to which Stock received upon exercise or settlement of an Award shall be subject (including lock-ups and other transfer restrictions), including, without limitation, conditioning the delivery of such Stock upon the execution by the Participant of any agreement providing for such restrictions;

(vii) to prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;

(viii) to adopt, amend, suspend, waive and rescind such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

(ix) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan and to construe and interpret the Plan and any Award, rules and regulations, Award Agreement or other instrument hereunder; and

(x) to make all other decisions and determinations as may be required under the terms of the Plan or as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

Other provisions of the Plan notwithstanding, the Board shall perform the functions of the Committee for purposes of granting awards to directors who serve on the Committee, and, to the extent permitted under applicable law and regulation, the Board may perform any function of the Committee under the Plan for any other purpose, including without limitation for the purpose of ensuring that transactions under the Plan by Participants who are then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company are exempt under Rule 16b-3. In any case in which the Board is performing a function of the Committee under the Plan, each reference to the Committee herein shall be deemed to refer to the Board, except where the context otherwise requires.

(b) Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority . Any action of the Committee with respect to the Plan shall be taken in its sole discretion and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its Parent and Subsidiaries, Participants, any person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Participant and stockholders, except to the extent the Committee may subsequently modify, or take further action not consistent with, its prior action. If not specified in the Plan, the time at which the Committee must or may make any determination shall be determined by the Committee, and any such determination may thereafter be modified by the Committee (subject to Section 8(e)). The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. Except as provided under Section 7(e), the Committee may delegate to officers or

 

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managers of the Company the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform such functions as the Committee may determine, to the extent permitted under applicable law and regulation.

(c) Limitation of Liability; Indemnification . Each member of the Committee and any officer or employee of the Company acting on behalf of the Committee shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him by any officer or other employee of the Company, its Parent or Subsidiaries, the Company’s independent certified public accountants or any executive compensation consultant, legal counsel or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan. No member of the Committee, or any officer or employee of the Company acting on behalf of the Committee, shall be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and all members of the Committee and any officer or employee of the Company acting on its behalf shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action, determination or interpretation.

4. Stock Subject to Plan .

(a) Amount of Stock Reserved . The total number of shares of Stock that may be subject to outstanding Awards, determined immediately after the grant of any Award, shall not exceed the greater of 40 million shares, or such number that equals 15% of the total number of shares of all classes of the Company’s common stock outstanding at the effective time of such grant, provided that the aggregate number of shares of Stock delivered pursuant to the exercise or settlement of Awards granted under this Plan shall not exceed 60 million shares, all of which may be shares of Stock subject to ISOs. If an Award valued by reference to Stock may only be settled in cash, the number of shares to which such Award relates shall be deemed to be Stock subject to such Award for purposes of this Section 4(a). Any shares of Stock delivered pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares, treasury shares or shares acquired in the market on a Participant’s behalf.

(b) Annual Per-Participant Limitations . During any calendar year, no Participant may be granted Awards that may be settled by delivery of more than 5 million shares of Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c). In addition, with respect to Awards that may be settled in cash (in whole or in part), no Participant may be paid during any calendar year cash amounts relating to such Awards that exceed the greater of the Fair Market Value of the number of shares of Stock set forth in the preceding sentence at the date of grant or the date of settlement of Award. This provision sets forth two separate limitations, so that Awards that may be settled solely by delivery of Stock will not operate to reduce the amount of cash-only Awards, and vice versa; nevertheless, Awards that may be settled in Stock or cash must not exceed either limitation.

(c) Adjustments . In the event that the Committee shall determine that any recapitalization, forward or reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Stock or other securities, Stock dividend or other special, large and non-recurring dividend or distribution (whether in the form of cash, securities or other property), liquidation, dissolution, or other similar corporate transaction or event, affects the Stock such that an adjustment is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and kind of shares of Stock reserved and available for Awards under Section 4(a), including shares reserved for ISOs, (ii) the number and kind of shares of Stock specified in the Annual Per-Participant Limitations under Section 4(b), (iii) the number and kind of shares of outstanding Restricted Stock or other outstanding Awards in connection with which shares have been issued, (iv) the number and kind of shares that may be issued in respect of other outstanding Awards and (v) the exercise price, grant price or purchase price relating to any Award (or, if deemed appropriate,

 

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the Committee may make provision for a cash payment, including, without limitation, payment based upon the Award’s intrinsic (i.e., in-the-money) value, if any, with respect to any outstanding Award). In addition, the Committee shall make appropriate adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards (including, without limitation, cancellation of unexercised or outstanding Awards, with or without the payment of any consideration therefor, substitution of Awards using stock of a successor or other entity) in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, events described in the preceding sentence and events constituting a Change in Control) affecting the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary or the financial statements of the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary, or in response to changes in applicable law, regulation, or accounting principles.

(d) Repricing . As to any Award granted as an Option or an SAR, the Committee may not, without prior stockholder approval to the extent required under applicable law or regulation, subsequently reduce the exercise or grant price relating to such Award, or take such other action as may be considered a repricing of such Award under generally accepted accounting principles.

5. Eligibility . Directors, officers and employees of the Company or its Parent or any Subsidiary, and persons who provide consulting or other services to the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary deemed by the Committee to be of substantial value to the Company or its Parent and Subsidiaries, are eligible to be granted Awards under the Plan. In addition, persons who have been offered employment by, or agreed to become a director of, the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary, and persons employed by an entity that the Committee reasonably expects to become a Subsidiary of the Company, are eligible to be granted an Award under the Plan.

6. Specific Terms of Awards .

(a) General . Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 6. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise or settlement thereof such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture of Awards in the event of termination of employment or service of the Participant. Except as expressly provided by the Committee (including for purposes of complying with the requirements of the Delaware General Corporation Law relating to lawful consideration for the issuance of shares), no consideration other than services will be required as consideration for the grant (but not the exercise or settlement) of any Award.

(b) Options . The Committee is authorized to grant options to purchase Stock (including “reload” options automatically granted to offset specified exercises of Options) on the following terms and conditions ( “Options” ):

(i) Exercise Price . The exercise price of one share of Stock purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided , however , that the price of one share of Stock which may be purchased upon the exercise of an Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of grant of such Option.

(ii) Time and Method of Exercise . The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, the methods by which such exercise price may be paid or deemed to be paid, the form of such payment, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards or awards granted under other Company plans or other property (including notes or other contractual obligations of Participants to make payment on a deferred basis, such as through “cashless exercise” arrangements, to the extent permitted under applicable law and regulation), and the methods by which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants.

(iii) Termination of Employment . The Committee shall determine the period, if any, during which Options shall be exercisable following a Participant’s termination of his

 

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employment relationship with the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, (i) during any period that an Option is exercisable following termination of employment, it shall be exercisable only to the extent it was exercisable upon such termination of employment, and (ii) if such termination of employment is for cause, as determined by the Committee unless the Participant’s employment agreement otherwise defines cause (in which case, cause shall be determined in accordance with the employment agreement), all Options held by the Participant shall immediately terminate.

(iv) Sale of the Company . Upon the consummation of any transaction whereby the Company (or any successor to the Company or substantially all of its business) becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of any corporation, all Options outstanding under the Plan shall terminate (after taking into account any accelerated vesting pursuant to Section 7(f)), with or without the payment of any consideration therefor, including, without limitation, payment of the intrinsic (i.e., in-the-money) value, if any, of such Options, as determined by the Committee pursuant to Section 4(c), unless such other corporation shall continue or assume the Plan as it relates to Options then outstanding (in which case, such other corporation shall be treated as the Company for all purposes hereunder, and, pursuant to Section 4(c), the Committee of such other corporation shall make appropriate adjustment in the number and kind of shares of Stock subject thereto and the exercise price per share thereof to reflect consummation of such transaction). If the Plan is not to be so assumed, the Company shall notify the Participant of consummation of such transaction at least ten days in advance thereof.

(v) Options Providing Favorable Tax Treatment . The Committee may grant Options that may afford a Participant with favorable treatment under the tax laws applicable to such Participant, including, but not limited to ISOs. If Stock acquired by exercise of an ISO is sold or otherwise disposed of within two years after the date of grant of the ISO or within one year after the transfer of such Stock to the Participant, the holder of the Stock immediately prior to the disposition shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the date and terms of the disposition and shall provide such other information regarding the disposition as the Company may reasonably require in order to secure any deduction then available against the Company’s or any other corporation’s taxable income. The Company may impose such procedures as it determines may be necessary to ensure that such notification is made. Each Option granted as an ISO shall be designated as such in the Award Agreement relating to such Option.

(c) Stock Appreciation Rights . The Committee is authorized to grant stock appreciation rights on the following terms and conditions ( “SARs” ):

(i) Right to Payment . An SAR shall confer on the Participant to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of exercise (or, if the Committee shall so determine in the case of any such right other than one related to an ISO, the Fair Market Value of one share at any time during a specified period before or after the date of exercise), over (B) the grant price of the SAR as determined by the Committee as of the date of grant of the SAR, which shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of grant.

(ii) Other Terms . The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an SAR may be exercised in whole or in part, the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by which Stock will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants, whether or not an SAR shall be in tandem with any other Award, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. “Limited SARs” that may only be exercised upon the occurrence of a Change in Control may be granted on such terms, not inconsistent with this Section 6(c), as the Committee may determine. Limited SARs may be either freestanding or in tandem with other Awards.

 

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(d) Restricted Stock . The Committee is authorized to grant Stock that is subject to restrictions based on continued employment on the following terms and conditions ( “Restricted Stock” ):

(i) Grant and Restrictions . Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee may impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee may determine. Except to the extent restricted under the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement relating to the Restricted Stock, a Participant granted Restricted Stock shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including, without limitation, the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends thereon.

(ii) Forfeiture . Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of employment or service (as determined under criteria established by the Committee) during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Company; provided , however , that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock will be waived in whole or in part in the event of termination resulting from specified causes.

(iii) Certificates for Stock . Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, such certificates may bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, and the Company may retain physical possession of the certificate, in which case the Participant shall be required to have delivered a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Stock.

(iv) Dividends . Dividends paid on Restricted Stock shall be either paid at the dividend payment date in cash or in shares of unrestricted Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, or the payment of such dividends shall be deferred and/or the amount or value thereof automatically reinvested in additional Restricted Stock, other Awards, or other investment vehicles, as the Committee shall determine or permit the Participant to elect. Stock distributed in connection with a Stock split or Stock dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Stock or other property has been distributed, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.

(e) Deferred Stock . The Committee is authorized to grant units representing the right to receive Stock at a future date subject to the following terms and conditions ( “Deferred Stock” ):

(i) Award and Restrictions . Delivery of Stock will occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for an Award of Deferred Stock by the Committee (or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Participant). In addition, Deferred Stock shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose, if any, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier specified times, separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine.

(ii) Forfeiture . Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of employment or service (as determined under criteria established by the Committee) during the applicable deferral period or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply (as provided in the Award Agreement evidencing the Deferred Stock), all Deferred Stock that is at that time subject to such forfeiture conditions shall be forfeited; provided , however , that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Deferred Stock will be waived in whole or in part in the event of termination resulting from specified causes.

 

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(f) Bonus Stock and Awards in Lieu of Cash Obligations . The Committee is authorized to grant Stock as a bonus, or to grant Stock or other Awards in lieu of Company obligations to pay cash under other plans or compensatory arrangements.

(g) Dividend Equivalents . The Committee is authorized to grant awards entitling the Participant to receive cash, Stock, other Awards or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock ( “Dividend Equivalents” ). Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with any other Award. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Stock, Awards or other investment vehicles, and be subject to such restrictions on transferability and risks of forfeiture, as the Committee may specify. Dividend Equivalents may be paid, distributed or accrued in connection with any Award, whether or not vested.

(h) Other Stock-Based Awards . The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law and regulation, to grant such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock and factors that may influence the value of Stock, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including, without limitation, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Stock, purchase rights for Stock, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee and Awards valued by reference to the book value of Stock or the value of securities of or the performance of specified Subsidiaries ( “Other Stock-Based Awards” ). An award granted under the BGC Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan that involves a partnership interest in BGC Holdings, L.P. that is exchangeable for or otherwise represents a right to acquire Stock in accordance with Section 4.5 of that plan shall also constitute an Other Stock-Based Award within the meaning of this Section 6(h). The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of Other Stock-Based Awards. Stock issued pursuant to such an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 6(h) shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, as the Committee shall determine. Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other Award under the Plan, may be granted pursuant to this Section 6(h).

7. Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards .

(a) Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards . Awards granted under the Plan may, as determined by the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with or in substitution for any other Award granted under the Plan or any award granted under any other plan of the Company, its Parent or Subsidiaries or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary, or any other right of a Participant to receive payment from the Company, its Parent or Subsidiaries. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or awards may be granted either as of the same time as or a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

(b) Term of Awards . The term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee; provided , however , that (i) in no event shall the term of any ISO or SAR granted in tandem therewith exceed a period of ten years from the date of its grant (or such shorter period as may be applicable under Section 422 of the Code), and (ii) the term of any Option granted to a resident of the United Kingdom shall not exceed a period of ten years from the date of its grant.

(c) Form of Payment Under Awards . Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, payments to be made by the Company, its Parent or Subsidiaries upon the grant, exercise or settlement of an Award may be made in such forms as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, and may be made in a

 

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single payment or transfer, in installments or on a deferred basis. Such payments may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents in respect of installment or deferred payments denominated in Stock.

(d) Loans in Connection with an Award . The Company may not, in connection with any Award, extend, maintain, renew, guarantee or arrange for credit in the form of a personal loan to any Participant who is a director or executive officer of the Company (within the meaning of the Exchange Act); provided , however , that, with the consent of the Committee, and subject at all times to, and only to the extent, if any, permitted under applicable law and regulation and other binding obligations or provisions applicable to the Company, the Company may extend, maintain, renew, guarantee or arrange for credit in the form of a personal loan to a Participant who is not such a director or executive officer in connection with any Award, including the payment by such Participant of any or all federal, state or local income or other taxes due in connection with any Award. Subject to such limitations, the Committee shall have full authority to decide whether to make a loan hereunder and to determine the amount, terms and provisions of any such loan, including the interest rate to be charged in respect of any such loan, whether the loan is to be with or without recourse against the borrower, the terms on which the loan is to be repaid and conditions, if any, under which the loan may be forgiven.

(e) Performance-Based Awards .

(i) Setting of Performance Objectives . The Committee may designate any Award the exercisability or settlement of which is subject to the achievement of performance conditions as a performance-based Award subject to this Section 7(e), in order to qualify such Award as “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. The performance objectives for an Award subject to this Section 7(e) shall consist of one or more business criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to such criteria, as specified by the Committee but subject to this Section 7(e). Performance objectives shall be objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code. Business criteria used by the Committee in establishing performance objectives for Awards subject to this Section 7(e) shall be based exclusively on one or more of the following corporate-wide or subsidiary, division or operating unit financial and strategic measures:

(i) pre-tax or after-tax net income,

(ii) pre-tax or after-tax operating income,

(iii) gross revenue,

(iv) profit margin,

(v) stock price,

(vi) cash flow(s),

(vii) market share,

(viii) pre-tax or after-tax earnings per share,

(ix) pre-tax or after-tax operating earnings per share,

(x) expenses,

(xi) return on equity, or

(xii) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified revenue, market penetration, or geographic business expansion goals, cost targets, and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures.

 

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The levels of performance required with respect to such business criteria may be expressed on an absolute and/or relative basis, may be based on or otherwise employ comparisons based on current internal targets, the past performance of the Company (including the performance of one or more subsidiaries, divisions and/or operating units) and/or the past or current performance of other companies, and in the case of earnings-based measures, may use or employ comparisons relating to capital (including, without limitation, the cost of capital), stockholders’ equity and/or shares outstanding, or to assets or net assets. Performance objectives may differ for such Awards to different Participants. The Committee shall specify the weighting to be given to each performance objective for purposes of determining the final amount payable with respect to any such Award. The Committee may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of a payout otherwise to be made in connection with an Award subject to this Section 7(e), but may not exercise discretion to increase such amount, and the Committee may consider other performance criteria in exercising such discretion. The Committee may not delegate any responsibility with respect to an Award subject to this Section 7(e).

(ii) Impact of Extraordinary Items or Changes in Accounting. To the extent applicable, the measures used in setting performance objectives for any given performance period shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ( “GAAP” ) in a manner consistent with the methods used in the Company’s audited financial statements, without regard to (i) extraordinary items as determined by the Company’s independent public accountants in accordance with GAAP, (ii) changes in accounting, unless, in each case, the Committee decides otherwise within the period described in Treas. Reg. Sec. 1.162-27(e)(2) (as may be amended from time to time) or (iii) non-recurring acquisition expenses and restructuring charges. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in calculating operating earnings or operating income (including on a per share basis), the Committee may, within the period described in Treas. Reg. Sec. 1.162-27(e)(2) (as may be amended from time to time) for a given performance period, provide that such calculation shall be made on the same basis as reflected in a release of the Company’s earnings for a previously completed period as specified by the Committee.

(f) Acceleration upon a Change of Control. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, except as set forth in an Award Agreement, all conditions and/or restrictions relating to the continued performance of services and/or the achievement of performance objectives with respect to the exercisability or full enjoyment of an Award shall accelerate or otherwise lapse immediately prior to a Change in Control.

8. General Provisions.

(a) Issuance of Stock; Compliance with Laws and Obligations. The Company shall not be obligated to issue or deliver Stock in connection with any Award or take any other action under the Plan in a transaction subject to the requirements of any applicable securities law, any requirement under any listing agreement between the Company and any national securities exchange or automated quotation system or any other law, regulation or contractual obligation of the Company until the Company is satisfied that such laws, regulations, and other obligations of the Company have been complied with in full. Certificates representing shares of Stock issued under the Plan will be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as may be applicable under such laws, regulations and other obligations of the Company, including any requirement that a legend or legends be placed thereon.

(b) Limitations on Transferability. Awards and other rights under the Plan will not be transferable by a Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a Beneficiary in the event of the Participant’s death, shall not be pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated or otherwise encumbered, or otherwise subject to the claims of creditors, and, in the case of ISOs and SARs in tandem therewith, shall be exercisable during the lifetime of a Participant only by such

 

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Participant or his guardian or legal representative; provided , however , that such Awards and other rights (other than ISOs and SARs in tandem therewith) may be transferred to one or more transferees during the lifetime of the Participant to the extent and on such terms as then may be permitted by the Committee. A Beneficiary, transferee, or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Participant shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to such Participant, except as otherwise determined by the Committee, and to any additional terms and conditions determined by the Committee, whether imposed at or subsequent to the grant or transfer of the Award.

(c) No Right to Continued Employment or Service. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any employee, director or other person the right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company, its Parent or any Subsidiary to terminate any employee’s employment or other person’s service at any time or with the right of the Board or stockholders to remove any director. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement, (i) an approved leave of absence shall not be considered a termination of employment or service for purposes of an Award, and (ii) any Participant who is employed by or performs services for a Parent or a Subsidiary shall be considered to have terminated employment or service for purposes of an Award if such Parent or Subsidiary no longer qualifies as a Parent or Subsidiary, unless such Participant remains employed by the Company, a Parent, or a Subsidiary.

(d) Taxes. The Company, its Parent and Subsidiaries are authorized to withhold from any delivery of Stock in connection with an Award, any other payment relating to an Award or any payroll or other payment to a Participant amounts of withholding and other taxes due or potentially payable in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to enable the Company, its Parent and Subsidiaries and Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority to withhold or receive Stock or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of a Participant’s tax obligations.

(e) Changes to the Plan and Awards. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan or the Committee’s authority to grant Awards under the Plan without the consent of stockholders or Participants, except that any such action shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders at or before the next annual meeting of stockholders for which the record date is after such Board action if such stockholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation, including, without limitation, the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock may then be listed or quoted, and the Board may otherwise determine to submit other such changes to the Plan to stockholders for approval; provided , however , that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such action may materially impair the rights of such Participant under any Award theretofore granted to him (as such rights are set forth in the Plan and the Award Agreement). The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate, any Award theretofore granted and any Award Agreement relating thereto; provided , however , that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no such action may materially impair the rights of such Participant under such Award (as such rights are set forth in the Plan and the Award Agreement). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board or the Committee may take any action, including, without limitation, actions affecting or terminating outstanding Awards if and to the extent permitted by the Plan or applicable Award Agreement. The Board or the Committee shall also have the authority to establish separate sub-plans under the Plan with respect to Participants resident in a particular jurisdiction (the terms of which shall not be inconsistent with those of the Plan) if necessary or advisable to comply with applicable law or regulation of such jurisdiction.

 

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(f) No Rights to Awards; No Stockholder Rights. No person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants and employees. No Award shall confer on any Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until Stock is duly issued or transferred and delivered to the Participant in accordance with the terms of the Award or, in the case of an Option, the Option is duly exercised.

(g) Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided , however , that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan to deliver cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property pursuant to any Award, which trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines with the consent of each affected Participant.

(h) Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor any submission of the Plan or amendments thereto to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other compensatory arrangements as it may deem necessary or advisable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

(i) No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

(j) Compliance with Law and Regulation. It is the intent of the Company that employee Options, SARs and other Awards designated as Awards subject to Section 7(e) shall constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. Accordingly, if any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement relating to such an Award does not comply or is inconsistent with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements, and no provision shall be deemed to confer upon the Committee or any other person discretion to increase the amount of compensation otherwise payable in connection with any such Award upon attainment of the performance objectives. With respect to persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, it is the intent of the Company that the Plan and all transactions under the Plan comply with applicable provisions of Rule 16b-3. In addition, it is the intent of the Company that ISOs comply with applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code, and that, to the extent applicable, Awards comply with the requirements of Sections 409A and 280G of the Code or an exception from such requirements. The Committee may revoke any Award if it is contrary to law or regulation or modify an Award to bring it into compliance with any applicable law or regulation.

(k) Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan, any rules and regulations relating to the Plan and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws, and applicable federal law.

(l) Plan Termination. The Plan shall continue in effect until terminated by the Board.

 

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Exhibit 10.10

EXECUTION VERSION

LICENSE AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is dated the 1st day of April, 2008, between BGC Partners, Inc. (formerly named eSpeed, Inc.), a Delaware corporation with offices located at 499 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 ( “BGC Partners” ), and Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership with offices located at 110 East 59th Street, New York, New York 10022 ( “Cantor” ).

 

  1. Definitions.

Terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned thereto in the Merger Agreement (as defined below).

“BGC Partners” means BGC Partners, Inc.

“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of BGC Partners.

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in the State of New York are authorized or required by Law or executive order to close.

“Contract” means any agreement, contract, obligation, promise or undertaking.

“Copyrights” means any foreign or U.S. copyright registrations and applications for registration thereof, and any non-registered copyrights.

“eSpeed” refers to eSpeed, Inc. prior to the Effective Time of the Merger.

“Intellectual Property” means, collectively, all Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Internet Assets, Software and other proprietary rights.

“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.


“License” has the meaning set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement.

“Merger Agreement” means the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, by and among BGC Partners, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., eSpeed, BGC Partners, L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P., as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of November 5, 2007 and Amendment No. 2, dated as of February 1, 2008, as it may be amended from time to time.

“Patents” means any foreign or U.S. 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.

“Parties” means BGC Partners and Cantor, each a “Party.”

“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.

“Software” means any computer software programs, source code, object code, data and documentation, including, any computer software programs that incorporate and run BGC Partners’ pricing models, formulae and algorithms.

“Subsidiary” of any Person means, as of the relevant date of determination, any other Person, any corporation or 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.

“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.

“Trademarks” means any foreign or U.S. 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.

 

  2. License.

Reference is made to the Merger Agreement pursuant to which BGC Partners and Cantor agreed to a termination of the Joint Services Agreement and to the termination and survival of certain mutual rights and obligations. In furtherance thereof, BGC Partners for itself and on behalf of its Subsidiaries that own any right, title or interest in the software, technology and Intellectual Property that Cantor or its Subsidiaries (a) owned and contributed to BGC Partners’ Subsidiaries pursuant to the Separation Agreement or (b) Cantor had a right to use, or that was used by eSpeed for or


on behalf of Cantor and its Subsidiaries, prior to the Effective Time under the Joint Services Agreement (other than any software, technology or Intellectual Property exclusively used by eSpeed as of the date of the Merger Agreement for fully electronic brokerage of U.S. Treasuries and foreign exchange) shall grant Cantor and its Subsidiaries, effective as of the Effective Time, a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-transferable (except as described below), and royalty-free license (the “License” ) to all such software, technology and Intellectual Property in connection with the operation of the business of Cantor and its Subsidiaries on and after the Closing Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the License shall not constitute an assignment or transfer of any software, technology or Intellectual Property owned by a third party if both (i) such assignment or transfer would be ineffective or would constitute a default under, or other contravention of, the provisions of a Contract without the approval or consent of a third party, and (ii) such approval or consent is not obtained; provided , however , that BGC Partners agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any such approval or consent (it being understood that such efforts shall not require BGC Partners to pay to the third party any compensation or other remuneration to obtain such approval or consent). Any enhancements and upgrades of the software, technology and Intellectual Property provided under the License shall be provided free of charge to any licensee under the License for one year following the Closing Date. The License shall not be transferable except that the License is transferable, in whole or in part, to any purchaser of (x) all or substantially all of the business or assets of Cantor or its Subsidiaries; or (y) a business, division or subsidiary of Cantor or its Subsidiaries pursuant to a bona fide acquisition of a line of business of Cantor or its Subsidiaries; provided , further , that, as a condition to any transfer pursuant to clause (y) of this sentence, (A) such purchaser must agree not to use the software, technology and Intellectual Property provided under the License (or grant any right or authority to any other Person to use the software, technology and Intellectual Property provided under the License) to create a fully electronic brokerage system that competes with eSpeed’s fully electronic systems for U.S. Treasuries and foreign exchange; (B) BGC Partners shall be a third-party beneficiary of the transferee’s agreement under clause (B); and (C) Cantor shall enforce its rights against the purchaser to the extent that it breaches its obligations under clause (A). Cantor agrees that neither Cantor nor its Subsidiaries shall use the License (or grant any right or authority to any other Person to use the software, technology and Intellectual Property provided under the License) to create a fully electronic brokerage system that competes with eSpeed’s fully electronic systems for U.S. Treasuries and foreign exchange.

 

  3. Amendment and Waiver.

(a) This Agreement may not be modified or amended and no waiver, consent or approval by or on behalf of BGC Partners may be granted except by an instrument or instruments in writing signed by each Party to this Agreement or the Audit Committee of BGC Partners. No failure or delay on the part of BGC Partners or Cantor in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy.


(b) Any amendment, supplement or modification of or to any provision of this Agreement, any waiver of any provision of this Agreement, and any consent to any departure by BGC Partners or Cantor from the terms of any provision of this Agreement, shall be effective (i) only if it is made or given in writing and signed by BGC Partners and Cantor and (ii) only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which made or given. Except where notice is specifically required by this Agreement, no notice to or demand on BGC Partners or Cantor in any case shall entitle BGC Partners or Cantor, respectively, to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(c) Waiver by any Party of any default by any other Party of any provision hereof shall not be deemed a waiver by the waiving Party of any subsequent or other default, nor shall it prejudice the rights of such other Party.

 

  4. Notices.

All notices and other communications to be given to any Party hereunder shall be sufficiently given for all purposes hereunder if in writing and delivered by hand, courier or overnight delivery service or three days after being mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with appropriate postage prepaid, or when received in the form of a telegram or facsimile and shall be directed to the address set forth below (or at such other address or facsimile number as such Party shall designate by like notice):

if to BGC Partners:

 

BGC Partners, Inc.

499 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Attention:   General Counsel
Fax No.:   (212) 829-4708
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention:   Craig M. Wasserman, Esq.
  Gavin D. Solotar, Esq.
Fax No:   (212) 403-2000
if to Cantor:

Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

110 East 59th Street

New York, New York 10022


Attention:   General Counsel
Fax No.:   (212) 829-4708
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

Attention:   Craig M. Wasserman, Esq.
  Gavin D. Solotar, Esq.
Fax No:   (212) 403-2000

All such notices, demands and other communications shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; when delivered by courier, if delivered by commercial courier service; five (5) Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; and when receipt is mechanically acknowledged, if telecopied. Any Party may by notice given in accordance with this Section 4 designate another address or Person for receipt of notices hereunder.

 

  5. Successors and Assigns; Third-Party Beneficiaries.

(a) This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their successors and permitted assigns, but neither this Agreement nor any rights, interests and obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any Party, in whole or in part (whether by operation of Law or otherwise), without the prior written consent of each of the other Parties and any attempt to make any such assignment without such consent shall be null and void; provided , however , that Cantor or BGC Partners may assign its rights to a wholly owned Subsidiary of Cantor or BGC Partners, as the case may be, without the prior written consent of the other Parties; provided , further , that no such assignment shall relieve Cantor or BGC Partners of any of its obligations hereunder.

(b) This Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Parties to this Agreement and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not intended to confer upon any other Persons any rights or remedies hereunder.

 

  6. Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

  7. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

(a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal Laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts-of-law principles of such State.


(b) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be unavailable, any Delaware State court and the Federal court of the United States of America sitting in the State of Delaware) for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby (and agrees that no such action, suit or proceeding relating to this Agreement shall be brought by it or any of its subsidiaries except in such courts). Each of the Parties further agrees that, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to such Person’s respective address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding in Delaware with respect to any matters to which it has submitted to jurisdiction as set forth above in the immediately preceding sentence. Each of the Parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally waives (and agrees not to plead or claim), any objection to the laying of venue of any action, suit or proceeding arising out of this Agreement in the Delaware Court of Chancery (and if the Delaware Court of Chancery shall be unavailable, in any Delaware State court or the Federal court of the United States of America sitting in the State of Delaware) or that any such action, suit or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

(c) EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY THAT MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND THEREFORE IT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY OF THE AGREEMENTS DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.

 

  8. Severability.

If any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions hereof shall not be in any way impaired, unless the provisions held invalid, illegal or unenforceable shall substantially impair the benefits of the remaining provisions hereof.

 

  9. Entire Agreement.

This Agreement is intended by the Parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the Parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and therein. There are no restrictions, promises, representations, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the Parties with respect to such subject matter.


  10. Further Assurances.

Each of the Parties shall execute such documents and perform such further acts (including, obtaining any consents, exemptions, authorizations or other actions by, or giving any notices to, or making any filings with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person) as may be reasonably required or desirable to carry out or to perform the provisions of this Agreement.

[REST OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed, or have caused to be executed, this Agreement on the date first written above.

 

BGC PARTNERS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.
By:  

/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

[Signature Page to License Agreement between BGC Partners, Inc. and

Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.]

Exhibit 10.11

 

THIS DEED is dated March 31, 2008

BETWEEN:

 

(1) BGC BROKERS L.P., a limited partnership registered in England with number LP011453 whose registered office is at One Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5RD (the Employer ) and

 

(2) SHAUN D. LYNN [Address Omitted] ( You )

WHEREAS

 

(A) The parties agree that the terms of your employment are set out below (the Contract ) and in the attached terms and conditions (which are incorporated by reference, the Terms & Conditions ), together referred to as this Agreement .

 

(B) BGC Partners, Inc., the indirect parent company of the Employer, will be merging with and into eSpeed, Inc. to create a new Combined Company (as defined in the Special Proxy Statement dated 11 February 2008, relating to the merger between BGC Partners, Inc. and eSpeed Inc. (the Proxy Statement )) to be known as BGC Partners, Inc. (the Merger ).

 

1. Commencement of Employment

 

(a) Your employment under this Agreement will commence forthwith upon the closing of the Merger (the Commencement Date ).

 

(b) Subject to clause 6(a) of this Agreement, your employment is for an initial period of six years from the Commencement Date, (the Initial Period ). Thereafter (subject to the other provisions in this Agreement, including, without limitation, clause 6(a)) it shall be extended automatically for successive periods of one year (each, a Renewal Period ), on the same terms and conditions as contained in this Agreement, from the end of the Initial Period or the end of any subsequent Renewal Period, as appropriate, unless notice of termination is given pursuant to clause 1(c).

 

(c) Either you or the Employer may give notice to the other in writing to terminate the Agreement, such notice to be given not more than 53 weeks and not less than 52 weeks prior to the end of the Initial Period or a Renewal Period (as appropriate). The notice shall terminate your employment on the expiry of the Initial Period or the Renewal Period (as appropriate).

 

(d) You acknowledge and warrant that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between you and the Employer. This Agreement supersedes, and is in substitution of, any previous contract of employment between you and the Employer or any Associated Company. Your period of continuous employment with the Employer commenced on 23 May 1989.


2. Job Title, Role, Duties, Place and Hours of Work

 

(a) You will be employed as President of BGC Brokers, L.P. and shall also hold the position of President of BGC Partners, Inc. or such other capacity as the Employer may reasonably require. You will report initially to the Chairman and/or CEO of BGC Partners, Inc.

 

(b) Your duties shall include overseeing the active growth and management of the Business (as defined in the attached Terms and Conditions).

 

(c) You shall accept (if offered) appointment as a statutory director of the Employer or any Associated Company and resign any such appointment if requested by the Board without any claim for damages or compensation.

 

(d) In the event that you shall refuse to comply with the terms of clause (c) above within a reasonable period of being requested to do so, you hereby irrevocably appoint the Employer to be your attorney to execute and do any such instrument or thing and generally to use your name for the purpose of giving the Employer or any Associated Company or their nominee the full benefit of clause 2 (c) above.

 

(e) Your normal hours of work will be 7.15am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday, subject to paragraph 2.2 of the Terms & Conditions and therefore for the avoidance of doubt you shall work such hours and travel as may reasonably be required for the proper performance of your duties.

 

(f) You will be employed to work for the Employer (or to be on secondment with an Associated Company) in the offices based in London or such other offices of the Employer or an Associated Company as it or they may reasonably require in the UK or abroad (Europe, Asia-Pacific or the US).

 

(g) You shall devote the whole of your time and attention, endeavours and abilities to promoting the interests and reputation of the Employer and (i) you shall not engage in any activity which may be or may become in the reasonable opinion of the Chairman of the Employer harmful to or contrary to the interests of the Employer or any Associated Company, (ii) you shall well and faithfully serve the Employer, (iii) you shall maintain the highest standards of integrity, honesty and fair dealing in your work for the Employer.

 

3. Compensation

 

(a)

You will be paid a base salary of US$1,000,000 per annum ( “Salary” ) which shall be subject to annual review by the compensation committee. Your salary shall accrue from day to day and be payable monthly in arrears on or about the 21 st of each month directly into your nominated bank or building society account. Your salary shall be inclusive of any director’s fees payable under the articles of association or equivalent of the Employer or any Associated Company. Your salary shall be reviewed by the Compensation Committee of BGC Partners, Inc. (the “Compensation Committee” ) annually. The Employer is

 

2


 

under no obligation to award an increase following a salary review. There will be no review of the salary after notice has been given by either party to terminate employment under this Agreement.

 

(b) Subject to the satisfactory achievement by you of such performance goals as may be established by the Compensation Committee in its absolute discretion from time to time and Sections 9.2 and 10.3 of the attached Terms and Conditions, the Employer shall pay you a target cash bonus for each bonus year during the term of this Agreement in the amount of 300% of your base salary. In the first bonus period following the Merger, the amount of such bonus shall be reduced by the amount of any bonus paid to you for such period prior to the Merger. You will not be entitled to any bonus if, on the date allotted for payment of the bonus, you are in fundamental breach of any provision of this Agreement (whether or not the Employer shall have accepted such breach) other than if prior to the date of payment you have been dismissed by the Employer in circumstances that amount to a fundamental breach of contract by the Employer as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

(c) The bonus year for payments made under this Agreement is the fiscal year of the Employer or such other twelve-month period as shall be determined by the Employer in accordance with its then current practices and accounting policies (provided that in the year 2008 the fiscal year shall end on 31 December 2008) but in each case payment of the bonus shall be made no later than 60 days after the end of the Employer’s fiscal year.

 

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, a proportion of any cash bonus or other remuneration awarded in any bonus year may, as determined in the sole and absolute discretion of the Employer, consist of (rather than cash) a contingent non-cash grant, subject to the terms of the grant document(s) under which such non-cash grant was awarded, including any vesting and cancellation provisions and restrictive covenants contained therein, provided always that the first $1 million of any bonus to which you are entitled shall be comprised of cash. For the avoidance of doubt, any cash bonus paid in respect of the period prior to the Merger shall be included in determining such $1 million amount.

 

4. Benefits

In addition to your monetary remuneration, you may be eligible to participate in the benefits schemes set out in paragraph 3 of the Terms & Conditions.

 

5. Early Termination

You are referred to the additional provisions in the Terms & Conditions.

 

6. Change of Control

 

(a)

If there is a Change of Control of the Employer (as defined below) at any time during the term of this Agreement (where relevant, as extended), the Employer or the individual or entity which acquires control of the Employer (the “Continuing Company” ) will be required within 60 days of the Change of Control to elect by

 

3


 

notice in writing to you either (i) to continue your employment and extend the term of your employment under this Agreement for a period of three years from the date the Change of Control took effect (if the remaining term of this Agreement as of such date is less than three years) or (ii) to terminate your employment forthwith.

 

(b) If the Continuing Company opts to extend the term of your employment under this Agreement then you shall receive within thirty (30) days of its election to extend the term an amount equal to your aggregate compensation under this Agreement for the most recent full fiscal year (the “Aggregate Compensation Amount” ) in addition to any other compensation that you may be entitled to under this Agreement. In addition, if as of the second anniversary of the Change of Control you are still employed by the Continuing Company (or if you are not employed on such second anniversary date solely as a result of dismissal by the Continuing Company in circumstances that amount to a fundamental breach of contract by the Continuing Company as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction) and have not materially breached this Agreement, you shall receive an additional payment of the Aggregate Compensation Amount within thirty (30) days of such second anniversary.

 

(c) If the Continuing Company elects to terminate your employment under clause (a) above, you will be entitled to receive within thirty (30) days of such election two times your total aggregate compensation under this Agreement for the most recent full fiscal year in full and final settlement of all and any claims that you may have against the Employer, the Continuing Company and/or any Associated Company pursuant to your employment under this Agreement and/or its termination.

 

(d) Any payment under this Section 6 shall be made in cash and non-cash consideration in the same proportions as the Aggregate Compensation Amount, provided that to the extent any non-cash grant or award contains vesting or any analogous provisions based on continued employment by the Continuing Company, such provisions shall not extend beyond the then remaining term of this Agreement, and provided , further , that in the event you fail to satisfy such vesting conditions solely as a result of dismissal by the Continuing Company in circumstances that amount to a fundamental breach of contract by the Continuing Company as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, such non-cash grant or award shall vest immediately.

 

(e) In each case you will receive full vesting of all stock options and restricted stock units of BGC Partners, Inc. (unless otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement) and welfare benefit continuation for two years and a pro rata bonus for the year of termination.

 

(f) For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change of Control of the Employer” shall occur in the event that and on the date that BGC Partners, Inc. is no longer controlled by Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. or a person or entity controlled by, controlling or under common control with Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.

 

7. General

 

4


(a) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. The parties hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts as regards any claim or matter arising out of or in connection with this Agreement.

 

(b) For the definition of Associated Company, please refer to paragraph 1 of the Terms & Conditions.

 

(c) This Agreement constitutes a contract between you and the Employer save that it shall not be binding and enforceable unless or until executed by the representative of the Employer set out below. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original, but all of which counterparts shall be deemed to be one and the same document. Parties may execute this Agreement by signatures obtained through facsimile or email, and those signatures may be relied upon by the other party as valid as if they were signed in the presence of the other party.

 

(d) In the event of a discrepancy between the terms set out in this Contract and the Terms & Conditions and/or any employee handbook in force from time to time (the “Employee Handbook” ), the terms set out in this Contract shall prevail.

Please execute and return both of the enclosed copies of this Contract and the Terms & Conditions as confirmation that you have received and accepted these terms. One copy of each will be returned to you after signature of the Contract on behalf of the Employer and the other copy of each will be placed on your Personnel file.

This document has been executed as a deed and is delivered and takes effect on the date stated at the beginning of it.

 

5


Executed as a deed by

[BGC BROKERS L.P.]

acting by its general partner

BGC BROKERS GP Limited

acting by [NAME OF DIRECTOR], a director and [NAME OF SECRETARY], the secretary OR [NAME OF DIRECTORS], two directors

 

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick     /s/ Stephen M. Merkel

[SIGNATURES OF ONE DIRECTOR AND THE COMPANY SECRETARY OR TWO DIRECTORS OF CORPORATE GENERAL PARTNER]

 

Signed as a deed by SHAUN D. LYNN     /s/ Shaun D. Lynn
    [SIGNATURE OF SHAUN D. LYNN]

in the presence of [NAME OF WITNESS]

         
[SIGNATURE OF WITNESS]    

[NAME, ADDRESS [AND OCCUPATION] OF WITNESS]

[Signature page to Employment Agreement, dated March 31, 2008, between BGC Brokers, L.P. and Shaun D. Lynn]

 

6

Exhibit 10.12

BGC PARTNERS, LLC

199 WATER STREET

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10038

March 31, 2008

Re: Change in Control Agreement for Howard W. Lutnick

Dear Mr. Lutnick:

We understand that a takeover proposal may create uncertainty for highly valued employees such as yourself. In order to encourage you to remain in the employ of BGC Partners, LLC (the “Company” ) and to provide additional incentive for you to promote the success of the business of the Company, the Company has provided you with this agreement (the “ Agreement ”), which provides for certain payments and benefits in the event of a Change in Control. This Agreement will be effective immediately prior to the Closing Date. If the Closing Date does not occur, this Agreement will be void ab initio and of no further force or effect. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement are defined in Exhibit A to this Agreement.

If a Change in Control occurs and you elect to terminate your employment upon the Change in Control pursuant to a written notice of your resignation provided to the Company at any time prior to the Change in Control: (1) the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, upon the Change in Control, an amount equal to the product of (A) two and (B) the sum of (x) your annual base salary and (y) the annual bonus paid or payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries, including any bonus or portion thereof that has been earned but deferred for the most recently completed fiscal year (the “Bonus Amount” ); and (2) you shall receive the Medical Benefits. If a Change in Control occurs and you do not so elect, the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, upon the Change in Control, an amount equal to the product of (1) one and (2) the sum of (A) your annual base salary and (B) the Bonus Amount, provided , that, in the event that, during the three-year period following the Change in Control, your employment is terminated by the Company for any reason (other than by reason of your death or Disability), (1) the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, within 30 days of your date of termination of employment, an amount equal to the product of (A) one and (B) the sum of (x) your annual base salary and (y) the Bonus Amount; and (2) you shall receive the Medical Benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, in the event that you are a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (as determined in accordance with the methodology established by the Company as in effect on the date of termination), amounts that would otherwise be payable pursuant to the proviso of the immediately preceding sentence during the six-month period immediately following your termination of employment shall instead be paid, with interest on any delayed payment at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section


Howard W. Lutnick

BGC Partners, Inc. Change in Control Agreement

Page -2-

 

7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code (“Interest”), on the first business day after the date that is six months following your “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Upon a Change in Control, unless otherwise provided in an applicable award agreement, all stock options and restricted stock units based on shares of the Company’s common stock shall vest in full and become immediately exercisable.

Non-Exclusivity of Rights. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit your continuing or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by the Company or the Affiliated Companies and for which you may qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as you may have under any other contract or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies. Amounts that are vested benefits or that you are otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of or any other contract or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies at or subsequent to your termination (“Other Benefits”) shall be payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program or contract or agreement, except as explicitly modified by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you receive payments and benefits pursuant to this Agreement, you shall not be entitled to any severance pay or benefits under any other severance plan, program or policy of the Company and the Affiliated Companies, unless otherwise specifically provided therein by a specific reference to this Agreement.

No Set-Off; No Duty to Mitigate . The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other claim, right or action which the Company may have against you or others. In no event shall you be obligated to seek other employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to you under any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay as incurred (within 10 days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from you), at any time from the Change in Control through your remaining lifetime (or, if longer, through the 20 th anniversary of the Change in Control) to the full extent permitted by law, all legal fees and expenses that you may reasonably incur as a result of any contest (regardless of the outcome thereof) by the Company, you or others of the validity or enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Agreement or any guarantee of performance thereof (including as a result of any contest by you about the amount of any payment pursuant to this Agreement), plus, in each case, Interest. In order to comply with Section 409A of the Code, in no event shall the payments by the Company under this paragraph be made later than the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred, provided , that you shall have submitted an invoice for such fees and expenses at least 10 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred. The amount of such legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and your right to have the Company pay such legal fees and expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit.

Additional Payment . Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and except as set forth below, in the event it shall be determined that any Payment would be sub-


Howard W. Lutnick

BGC Partners, Inc. Change in Control Agreement

Page -3-

 

ject to the Excise Tax, then you shall be entitled to receive an additional payment (the “Gross-Up Payment” ) in an amount such that, after payment by you of all taxes (and any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes), including, without limitation, any income taxes (and any interest and penalties imposed with respect thereto) and Excise Tax imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, but excluding any income taxes and penalties imposed pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, you retain an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, if it shall be determined that you are entitled to the Gross-Up Payment, but that the Parachute Value of all Payments does not exceed 110% of the Safe Harbor Amount, then no Gross-Up Payment shall be made to you and the amounts payable under this Agreement shall be reduced so that the Parachute Value of all Payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount. The reduction of the amounts payable hereunder, if applicable, shall be made by reducing the cash payment first and then the Medical Benefits. For purposes of reducing the Payments to the Safe Harbor Amount, only amounts payable under this Agreement (and no other Payments) shall be reduced. If the reduction of the amount payable under this Agreement would not result in a reduction of the Parachute Value of all Payments to the Safe Harbor Amount, no amounts payable under the Agreement shall be reduced pursuant to this Agreement. The Company’s obligation to make Gross-Up Payments under this Agreement shall not be conditioned upon your termination of employment.

Subject to the provisions of the following paragraph, all determinations required to be made under this “Additional Payment” section, including whether and when a Gross-Up Payment is required, the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by a nationally recognized certified public accounting firm designated by you (the “Accounting Firm” ). The Accounting Firm shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and you within 15 business days of the receipt of notice from you that there has been a Payment or such earlier time as is requested by the Company. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, you may appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and you. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that Gross-Up Payments that will not have been made by the Company should have been made (the “Underpayment” ), consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder. In the event the Company exhausts its remedies pursuant to this paragraph and you thereafter is required to make a payment of any Excise Tax, the Accounting Firm shall determine the amount of the Underpayment that has occurred and any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for your benefit.

You shall notify the Company in writing of any claim by the Internal Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by the Company of the Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given as soon as practicable, but no later than 10 business days after you are informed in writing of such claim. You shall apprise the Company of the nature of


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BGC Partners, Inc. Change in Control Agreement

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such claim and the date on which such claim is requested to be paid. You shall not pay such claim prior to the expiration of the

30-day period following the date on which you give such notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending on the date that any payment of taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the Company notifies you in writing prior to the expiration of such period that the Company desires to contest such claim, you shall:

(i) give the Company any information reasonably requested by the Company relating to such claim;

(ii) take such action in connection with contesting such claim as the Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to time, including, without limitation, accepting legal representation with respect to such claim by an attorney reasonably selected by the Company;

(iii) cooperate with the Company in good faith in order effectively to contest such claim; and

(iv) permit the Company to participate in any proceedings relating to such claim;

provided , however , that the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs and expenses (including additional interest and penalties) incurred in connection with such contest, and shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, for any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest and penalties) imposed as a result of such representation and payment of costs and expenses. Without limitation on the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such contest, and, at its sole discretion, may pursue or forgo any and all administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings and conferences with the applicable taxing authority in respect of such claim and may, at its sole discretion, either pay the tax claimed to the appropriate taxing authority your behalf and direct you to sue for a refund or contest the claim in any permissible manner, and you agree to prosecute such contest to a determination before any administrative tribunal, in a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as the Company shall determine; provided , however , that, if the Company pays such claim and directs you to sue for a refund, the Company shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest or penalties) imposed with respect to such payment or with respect to any imputed income in connection with such payment; and provided , further , that any extension of the statute of limitations relating to payment of taxes for your taxable year with respect to which such contested amount is claimed to be due is limited solely to such contested amount. Furthermore, the Company’s control of the contest shall be limited to issues with respect to which the Gross-Up Payment would be payable hereunder, and you shall be entitled to settle or contest, as the case may be, any other issue raised by the Internal Revenue Service or any other taxing authority.

If, after the receipt by you of a Gross-Up Payment or payment by the Company of an amount on your behalf pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph, you become entitled to receive any refund with respect to the Excise Tax to which such Gross-Up Payment relates or with respect to such claim, you shall (subject to the Company’s complying with the requirements


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BGC Partners, Inc. Change in Control Agreement

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of the immediately preceding paragraph, if applicable) promptly pay to the Company the amount of such refund (together with any interest paid or credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). If, after payment by the Company of an amount on your behalf pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph, a determination is made that you shall not be entitled to any refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not notify you in writing of its intent to contest such denial of refund prior to the expiration of 30 days after such determination, then the amount of such payment shall offset, to the extent thereof, the amount of Gross-Up Payment required to be paid.

Any Gross-Up Payment shall be paid by the Company to you within five days of the receipt of the Accounting Firm’s determination; provided that, the Gross-Up Payment shall in all events be paid no later than the end of your taxable year next following your taxable year in which the Excise Tax (and any income or other related taxes or interest or penalties thereon) on a Payment are remitted to the Internal Revenue Service or any other applicable taxing authority or, in the case of amounts relating to a claim described above that does not result in the remittance of any federal, state, local and foreign income, excise, social security and other taxes, the calendar year in which the claim is finally settled or otherwise resolved. Notwithstanding any other provision of this “Additional Payment” section, the Company may, in its sole discretion, withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service or any other applicable taxing authority, for the benefit of you, all or any portion of any Gross-Up Payment, and you hereby consent to such withholding.

Assumption . This letter shall be binding upon any successor of the Company or its businesses (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise), in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be obligated under this Agreement if no succession had taken place. In the case of any transaction in which a successor would not by the foregoing provision or by operation of law be bound by this Agreement, the Company shall require such successor expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. The term “Company,” as used in this Agreement, shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor or assignee to the business or assets which by reason hereof becomes bound by this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, upon the Closing Date, this Agreement shall be assumed by eSpeed and all references to the Company shall mean eSpeed.

Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence upon the closing of the merger of the Company with and into eSpeed, Inc. (the “Merger ) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007 and February 1, 2008, by and among the Company, Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, L.P., BGC Global Holdigns, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P. At any time on or after the tenth anniversary of the closing of the Merger, the Company may terminate this Agreement upon two years’ advance written notice to you.


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BGC Partners, Inc. Change in Control Agreement

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Miscellaneous. This letter agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law rules. All payments hereunder are subject to withholding for applicable income and payroll taxes or otherwise as required by law. You and the Company acknowledge that, except as may otherwise be provided under any other written agreement between you and the Company, your employment by the Company is “at will” and, prior to a Change in Control, your employment may be terminated by either you or the Company, in which case you shall have no further rights under this Agreement. From and after the Effective Date, except as specifically provided herein, this Agreement shall supersede any other agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

BGC PARTNERS, LLC
By:   /s/ Stephen M. Merkel
  Name:   Stephen M. Merkel
  Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

Accepted and Acknowledged:
/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Dated: March 31, 2008

[Signature page to Change in Control Agreement, dated March 31, 2008, between BGC Partners, LLC and Howard W. Lutnick]

 


EXHIBIT A

The following terms shall have the meaning set forth below when used in the attached letter Agreement:

Affiliated Company ” means any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company.

Applicable Board ” means the Board, or if the Company is not the ultimate parent corporation of the Affiliated Companies and is not publicly-traded, the board of directors of the ultimate parent of the Company.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Change in Control ” means such date as Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. or one of its Affiliates ceases to have a “Controlling Interest” in the Company. For purposes of this definition, “Affiliate” means any person that directly, or through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P, and “Controlling Interest” means (x) beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of equity securities representing more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding equity securities of the Company or (y) voting control of more than 50% of the voting power of the Company.

Disability ” means the your absence from the performance of your duties with the Company on a full-time basis for 180 consecutive business days as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness that is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by the Company or its insurers and acceptable to you or your legal representative.

Excise Tax ” shall mean the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, together with any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such excise tax.

Medical Benefits ” means, for two years after your termination of employment (the “Benefit Continuation Period” ), the Company shall provide health care and life insurance benefits to you and/or your family substantially similar to, and at the same after-tax cost to you and/or your family, as those that would have been provided to them in accordance with the plans, programs, practices and policies providing health care and life insurance benefits and at the benefit level provided to you immediately prior to the Change in Control or, if more favorable to you, as in effect generally at any time thereafter with respect to other peer executives of the Company and their families; provided , however , that, the health care benefits provided during the Benefit Continuation Period shall be provided in such a manner that such benefits (and the costs and premiums thereof) are excluded from your income for federal income tax purposes and, if the Company reasonably determines that providing continued coverage under one or more of its health care benefit plans contemplated herein could be taxable to you, the Company shall provide such


benefits at the level required hereby through the purchase of individual insurance coverage; provided, however , that if you become re-employed with another employer and are eligible to receive health care and life insurance benefits under another employer-provided plan, the health care and life benefits provided hereunder shall be secondary to those provided under such other plan during such applicable period of eligibility. Following the end of the Benefit Continuation Period, you will be eligible for continued health coverage as required by Section 4980B of the Code or other applicable law (“COBRA Coverage”), as if your employment with the Company had terminated as of the end of such period, and the Company shall take such actions as are necessary to cause such COBRA Coverage not to be offset by the provision of benefits under this paragraph and to cause the period of COBRA Coverage to commence at the end of the Benefit Continuation Period.

Parachute Value ” of a Payment shall mean the present value as of the date of the Change in Control for purposes of Section 280G of the Code of the portion of such Payment that constitutes a “parachute payment” under Section 280G(b)(2), as determined by the Accounting Firm for purposes of determining whether and to what extent the Excise Tax will apply to such Payment.

Parent ” means any “person” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) that controls the Company, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A “ Payment ” shall mean any payment or distribution in the nature of compensation (within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) to or for your benefit, whether paid or payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise.

The “ Safe Harbor Amount ” means 2.99 times your “base amount,” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code.

Exhibit 10.13

BGC PARTNERS, LLC

199 WATER STREET

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10038

March 31, 2008

Re: Change in Control Agreement for Stephen M. Merkel

Dear Mr. Merkel:

We understand that a takeover proposal may create uncertainty for highly valued employees such as yourself. In order to encourage you to remain in the employ of BGC Partners, LLC (the “Company” ) and to provide additional incentive for you to promote the success of the business of the Company, the Company has provided you with this agreement (the “Agreement” ), which provides for certain payments and benefits in the event of a Change in Control. This Agreement will be effective immediately prior to the Closing Date. If the Closing Date does not occur, this Agreement will be void ab initio and of no further force or effect. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement are defined in Exhibit A to this Agreement.

If a Change in Control occurs and you elect to terminate your employment upon the Change in Control pursuant to a written notice of your resignation provided to the Company at any time prior to the Change in Control: (1) the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, upon the Change in Control, an amount equal to the product of (A) two and (B) the sum of (x) your annual base salary and (y) the annual bonus paid or payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries, including any bonus or portion thereof that has been earned but deferred for the most recently completed fiscal year (the “Bonus Amount” ); and (2) you shall receive the Medical Benefits. If a Change in Control occurs and you do not so elect, the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, upon the Change in Control, an amount equal to the product of (1) one and (2) the sum of (A) your annual base salary and (B) the Bonus Amount, provided , that, in the event that, during the three-year period following the Change in Control, your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than by reason of your death or Disability), (1) the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, within 30 days of your date of termination of employment, an amount equal to the product of (A) one and (B) the sum of (x) your annual base salary and (y) the Bonus Amount; and (2) you shall receive the Medical Benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, in the event that you are a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (as determined in accordance with the methodology established by the Company as in effect on the date of termination), amounts that would otherwise be payable pursuant to the proviso of the immediately preceding sentence during the six-month period immediately following your termination of employment by the Company without Cause shall instead be paid, with interest on any delayed payment at the appli-


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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cable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code ( “Interest” ), on the first business day after the date that is six months following your “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Upon a Change in Control, unless otherwise provided in an applicable award agreement, all stock options and restricted stock units based on shares of the Company’s common stock shall vest in full and become immediately exercisable.

Non-Exclusivity of Rights. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit your continuing or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by the Company or the Affiliated Companies and for which you may qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as you may have under any other contract or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies. Amounts that are vested benefits or that you are otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of or any other contract or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies at or subsequent to your termination ( “Other Benefits” ) shall be payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program or contract or agreement, except as explicitly modified by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you receive payments and benefits pursuant to this Agreement, you shall not be entitled to any severance pay or benefits under any other severance plan, program or policy of the Company and the Affiliated Companies, unless otherwise specifically provided therein by a specific reference to this Agreement.

No Set-Off; No Duty to Mitigate . The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other claim, right or action which the Company may have against you or others. In no event shall you be obligated to seek other employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to you under any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay as incurred (within 10 days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from you), at any time from the Change in Control through your remaining lifetime (or, if longer, through the 20 th anniversary of the Change in Control) to the full extent permitted by law, all legal fees and expenses that you may reasonably incur as a result of any contest (regardless of the outcome thereof) by the Company, you or others of the validity or enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Agreement or any guarantee of performance thereof (including as a result of any contest by you about the amount of any payment pursuant to this Agreement), plus, in each case, Interest. In order to comply with Section 409A of the Code, in no event shall the payments by the Company under this paragraph be made later than the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred, provided , that you shall have submitted an invoice for such fees and expenses at least 10 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred. The amount of such legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and your right to have the Company pay such legal fees and expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit.

Additional Payment . Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and except as set forth below, in the event it shall be determined that any Payment would be sub-


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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ject to the Excise Tax, then you shall be entitled to receive an additional payment (the “Gross-Up Payment” ) in an amount such that, after payment by you of all taxes (and any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes), including, without limitation, any income taxes (and any interest and penalties imposed with respect thereto) and Excise Tax imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, but excluding any income taxes and penalties imposed pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, you retain an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, if it shall be determined that you are entitled to the Gross-Up Payment, but that the Parachute Value of all Payments does not exceed 110% of the Safe Harbor Amount, then no Gross-Up Payment shall be made to you and the amounts payable under this Agreement shall be reduced so that the Parachute Value of all Payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount. The reduction of the amounts payable hereunder, if applicable, shall be made by reducing the cash payment first and then the Medical Benefits. For purposes of reducing the Payments to the Safe Harbor Amount, only amounts payable under this Agreement (and no other Payments) shall be reduced. If the reduction of the amount payable under this Agreement would not result in a reduction of the Parachute Value of all Payments to the Safe Harbor Amount, no amounts payable under the Agreement shall be reduced pursuant to this Agreement. The Company’s obligation to make Gross-Up Payments under this Agreement shall not be conditioned upon your termination of employment.

Subject to the provisions of the following paragraph, all determinations required to be made under this “Additional Payment” section, including whether and when a Gross-Up Payment is required, the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by a nationally recognized certified public accounting firm designated by you (the “Accounting Firm” ). The Accounting Firm shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and you within 15 business days of the receipt of notice from you that there has been a Payment or such earlier time as is requested by the Company. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, you may appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and you. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that Gross-Up Payments that will not have been made by the Company should have been made (the “Underpayment” ), consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder. In the event the Company exhausts its remedies pursuant to this paragraph and you thereafter is required to make a payment of any Excise Tax, the Accounting Firm shall determine the amount of the Underpayment that has occurred and any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for your benefit.

You shall notify the Company in writing of any claim by the Internal Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by the Company of the Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given as soon as practicable, but no later than 10 business days after you are informed in writing of such claim. You shall apprise the Company of the nature of


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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such claim and the date on which such claim is requested to be paid. You shall not pay such claim prior to the expiration of the 30-day period following the date on which you give such notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending on the date that any payment of taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the Company notifies you in writing prior to the expiration of such period that the Company desires to contest such claim, you shall:

(i) give the Company any information reasonably requested by the Company relating to such claim;

(ii) take such action in connection with contesting such claim as the Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to time, including, without limitation, accepting legal representation with respect to such claim by an attorney reasonably selected by the Company;

(iii) cooperate with the Company in good faith in order effectively to contest such claim; and

(iv) permit the Company to participate in any proceedings relating to such claim;

provided , however , that the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs and expenses (including additional interest and penalties) incurred in connection with such contest, and shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, for any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest and penalties) imposed as a result of such representation and payment of costs and expenses. Without limitation on the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such contest, and, at its sole discretion, may pursue or forgo any and all administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings and conferences with the applicable taxing authority in respect of such claim and may, at its sole discretion, either pay the tax claimed to the appropriate taxing authority your behalf and direct you to sue for a refund or contest the claim in any permissible manner, and you agree to prosecute such contest to a determination before any administrative tribunal, in a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as the Company shall determine; provided , however , that, if the Company pays such claim and directs you to sue for a refund, the Company shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest or penalties) imposed with respect to such payment or with respect to any imputed income in connection with such payment; and provided , further , that any extension of the statute of limitations relating to payment of taxes for your taxable year with respect to which such contested amount is claimed to be due is limited solely to such contested amount. Furthermore, the Company’s control of the contest shall be limited to issues with respect to which the Gross-Up Payment would be payable hereunder, and you shall be entitled to settle or contest, as the case may be, any other issue raised by the Internal Revenue Service or any other taxing authority.

If, after the receipt by you of a Gross-Up Payment or payment by the Company of an amount on your behalf pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph, you become entitled to receive any refund with respect to the Excise Tax to which such Gross-Up Payment relates or with respect to such claim, you shall (subject to the Company’s complying with the requirements of the immediately preceding paragraph, if applicable) promptly pay to the Company the amount


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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of such refund (together with any interest paid or credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). If, after payment by the Company of an amount on your behalf pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph, a determination is made that you shall not be entitled to any refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not notify you in writing of its intent to contest such denial of refund prior to the expiration of 30 days after such determination, then the amount of such payment shall offset, to the extent thereof, the amount of Gross-Up Payment required to be paid.

Any Gross-Up Payment shall be paid by the Company to you within five days of the receipt of the Accounting Firm’s determination; provided that, the Gross-Up Payment shall in all events be paid no later than the end of your taxable year next following your taxable year in which the Excise Tax (and any income or other related taxes or interest or penalties thereon) on a Payment are remitted to the Internal Revenue Service or any other applicable taxing authority or, in the case of amounts relating to a claim described above that does not result in the remittance of any federal, state, local and foreign income, excise, social security and other taxes, the calendar year in which the claim is finally settled or otherwise resolved. Notwithstanding any other provision of this “Additional Payment” section, the Company may, in its sole discretion, withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service or any other applicable taxing authority, for the benefit of you, all or any portion of any Gross-Up Payment, and you hereby consent to such withholding.

Assumption . This letter shall be binding upon any successor of the Company or its businesses (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise), in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be obligated under this Agreement if no succession had taken place. In the case of any transaction in which a successor would not by the foregoing provision or by operation of law be bound by this Agreement, the Company shall require such successor expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. The term “Company,” as used in this Agreement, shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor or assignee to the business or assets which by reason hereof becomes bound by this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, upon the Closing Date, this Agreement shall be assumed by eSpeed and all references to the Company shall mean eSpeed.

Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence upon the closing of the merger of the Company with and into eSpeed, Inc. (the “Merger” ) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007 and February 1, 2008, by and among the Company, Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P. At any time on or after the tenth anniversary of the closing of the Merger, the Company may terminate this Agreement upon two years’ advance written notice to you.


Stephen M. Merkel

BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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Miscellaneous. This letter agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law rules. All payments hereunder are subject to withholding for applicable income and payroll taxes or otherwise as required by law. You and the Company acknowledge that, except as may otherwise be provided under any other written agreement between you and the Company, your employment by the Company is “at will” and, prior to a Change in Control, your employment may be terminated by either you or the Company, in which case you shall have no further rights under this Agreement. From and after the Effective Date, except as specifically provided herein, this Agreement shall supersede any other agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

BGC PARTNERS, LLC
By:   /s/ Howard W. Lutnick
  Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
  Title:   Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer

 

Accepted and Acknowledged:
/s/ Stephen M. Merkel

Dated: March 31, 2008

[Signature page to Change in Control Agreement, dated March 31, 2008, between BGC Partners, LLC and Stephen M. Merkel]


EXHIBIT A

The following terms shall have the meaning set forth below when used in the attached letter Agreement:

“Affiliated Company” means any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company.

“Applicable Board” means the Board, or if the Company is not the ultimate parent corporation of the Affiliated Companies and is not publicly-traded, the board of directors of the ultimate parent of the Company.

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

“Cause” means

(i) your willful and continued failure to perform substantially your duties with the Company or its subsidiaries (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to you by the Applicable Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company that specifically identifies the manner in which the Applicable Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company believes that you have not substantially performed your duties, or

(ii) the willful engaging by you in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company.

For purposes of this Agreement, no act, or failure to act, on your part shall be considered “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by you in bad faith or without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interests of the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority (A) given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Applicable Board, (B) upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or a senior officer of the Company or (C) based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by you in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. The cessation of your employment shall not be deemed to be for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to you a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters of the entire membership of the Applicable Board (excluding you, if you are a member of the Applicable Board) at a meeting of the Applicable Board called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice is provided to you and you are given an opportunity, together with your counsel, to be heard before the Applicable Board), finding that, in the good faith opinion of the board, you are guilty of the conduct described in clause (i) or (ii) above, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.


“Change in Control” means such date as Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. or one of its Affiliates ceases to have a “Controlling Interest” in the Company. For purposes of this definition, “Affiliate” means any person that directly, or through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P, and “Controlling Interest” means (x) beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of equity securities representing more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding equity securities of the Company or (y) voting control of more than 50% of the voting power of the Company.

“Disability” means the your absence from the performance of your duties with the Company on a full-time basis for 180 consecutive business days as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness that is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by the Company or its insurers and acceptable to you or your legal representative.

“Excise Tax” shall mean the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, together with any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such excise tax.

“Medical Benefits” means, for two years after your termination of employment (the “Benefit Continuation Period” ), the Company shall provide health care and life insurance benefits to you and/or your family substantially similar to, and at the same after-tax cost to you and/or your family, as those that would have been provided to them in accordance with the plans, programs, practices and policies providing health care and life insurance benefits and at the benefit level provided to you immediately prior to the Change in Control or, if more favorable to you, as in effect generally at any time thereafter with respect to other peer executives of the Company and their families; provided , however , that, the health care benefits provided during the Benefit Continuation Period shall be provided in such a manner that such benefits (and the costs and premiums thereof) are excluded from your income for federal income tax purposes and, if the Company reasonably determines that providing continued coverage under one or more of its health care benefit plans contemplated herein could be taxable to you, the Company shall provide such benefits at the level required hereby through the purchase of individual insurance coverage; provided, however , that if you become re-employed with another employer and are eligible to receive health care and life insurance benefits under another employer-provided plan, the health care and life benefits provided hereunder shall be secondary to those provided under such other plan during such applicable period of eligibility. Following the end of the Benefit Continuation Period, you will be eligible for continued health coverage as required by Section 4980B of the Code or other applicable law ( “COBRA Coverage” ), as if your employment with the Company had terminated as of the end of such period, and the Company shall take such actions as are necessary to cause such COBRA Coverage not to be offset by the provision of benefits under this paragraph and to cause the period of COBRA Coverage to commence at the end of the Benefit Continuation Period.

“Parachute Value” of a Payment shall mean the present value as of the date of the Change in Control for purposes of Section 280G of the Code of the portion of such Payment that constitutes a “parachute payment” under Section 280G(b)(2), as determined by the Accounting Firm for purposes of determining whether and to what extent the Excise Tax will apply to such Payment.


“Parent” means any “person” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) that controls the Company, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A “Payment” shall mean any payment or distribution in the nature of compensation (within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) to or for your benefit, whether paid or payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise.

The “Safe Harbor Amount” means 2.99 times your “base amount,” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code.

Exhibit 10.14

BGC PARTNERS, LLC

199 WATER STREET

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10038

March 31, 2008

Re: Change in Control Agreement for Lee M. Amaitis

Dear Mr. Amaitis:

We understand that a takeover proposal may create uncertainty for highly valued employees such as yourself. In order to encourage you to remain in the employ of BGC Partners, LLC (the “Company” ) and to provide additional incentive for you to promote the success of the business of the Company, the Company has provided you with this agreement (the “Agreement” ), which provides for certain payments and benefits in the event of a Change in Control. This Agreement will be effective immediately prior to the Closing Date. If the Closing Date does not occur, this Agreement will be void ab initio and of no further force or effect. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Agreement are defined in Exhibit A to this Agreement.

If a Change in Control occurs and you elect to terminate your employment upon the Change in Control pursuant to a written notice of your resignation provided to the Company at any time prior to the Change in Control: (1) the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, upon the Change in Control, an amount equal to the product of (A) two and (B) the sum of (x) your annual base salary and (y) the annual bonus paid or payable by the Company and its Subsidiaries, including any bonus or portion thereof that has been earned but deferred, for either the most recently completed fiscal year or the annual bonus that is projected to be paid or payable in the fiscal year in which the Change in Control occurs, it being agreed that the determination whether to base this calculation on your bonus in respect of the most recently completed fiscal year or your projected bonus in respect of the fiscal year in which the Change in Control occurs, as well as the determination of the projected amount of such bonus, shall be made by Howard W. Lutnick in his sole and absolute discretion (the “Bonus Amount” ); and (2) you shall receive the Medical Benefits. If a Change in Control occurs and you do not so elect, the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, upon the Change in Control, an amount equal to the product of (1) one and (2) the sum of (A) your annual base salary and (B) the Bonus Amount, provided , that, in the event that, during the three-year period following the Change in Control, your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than by reason of your death or Disability), (1) the Company shall pay to you, in a lump sum in cash, within 30 days of your date of termination of employment, an amount equal to the product of (A) one and (B) the sum of (x) your annual base salary and (y) the Bonus Amount; and (2) you shall receive the Medical Benefits. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, in the event that


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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you are a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (as determined in accordance with the methodology established by the Company as in effect on the date of termination), amounts that would otherwise be payable pursuant to the proviso of the immediately preceding sentence during the six-month period immediately following your termination of employment by the Company without Cause shall instead be paid, with interest on any delayed payment at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code ( “Interest” ), on the first business day after the date that is six months following your “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Upon a Change in Control, unless otherwise provided in an applicable award agreement, all stock options and restricted stock units based on shares of the Company’s common stock shall vest in full and become immediately exercisable.

Non-Exclusivity of Rights. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit your continuing or future participation in any plan, program, policy or practice provided by the Company or the Affiliated Companies and for which you may qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as you may have under any other contract or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies. Amounts that are vested benefits or that you are otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of or any other contract or agreement with the Company or the Affiliated Companies at or subsequent to your termination ( “Other Benefits” ) shall be payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program or contract or agreement, except as explicitly modified by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if you receive payments and benefits pursuant to this Agreement, you shall not be entitled to any severance pay or benefits under any other severance plan, program or policy of the Company and the Affiliated Companies, unless otherwise specifically provided therein by a specific reference to this Agreement.

No Set-Off; No Duty to Mitigate . The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other claim, right or action which the Company may have against you or others. In no event shall you be obligated to seek other employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to you under any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay as incurred (within 10 days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from you), at any time from the Change in Control through your remaining lifetime (or, if longer, through the 20 th anniversary of the Change in Control) to the full extent permitted by law, all legal fees and expenses that you may reasonably incur as a result of any contest (regardless of the outcome thereof) by the Company, you or others of the validity or enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Agreement or any guarantee of performance thereof (including as a result of any contest by you about the amount of any payment pursuant to this Agreement), plus, in each case, Interest. In order to comply with Section 409A of the Code, in no event shall the payments by the Company under this paragraph be made later than the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred, provided , that you shall have submitted an invoice for such fees and expenses at least 10 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred. The amount of such legal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the le-


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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gal fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and your right to have the Company pay such legal fees and expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit.

Additional Payment . Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding and except as set forth below, in the event it shall be determined that any Payment would be subject to the Excise Tax, then you shall be entitled to receive an additional payment (the “Gross-Up Payment” ) in an amount such that, after payment by you of all taxes (and any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes), including, without limitation, any income taxes (and any interest and penalties imposed with respect thereto) and Excise Tax imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, but excluding any income taxes and penalties imposed pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, you retain an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, if it shall be determined that you are entitled to the Gross-Up Payment, but that the Parachute Value of all Payments does not exceed 110% of the Safe Harbor Amount, then no Gross-Up Payment shall be made to you and the amounts payable under this Agreement shall be reduced so that the Parachute Value of all Payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount. The reduction of the amounts payable hereunder, if applicable, shall be made by reducing the cash payment first and then the Medical Benefits. For purposes of reducing the Payments to the Safe Harbor Amount, only amounts payable under this Agreement (and no other Payments) shall be reduced. If the reduction of the amount payable under this Agreement would not result in a reduction of the Parachute Value of all Payments to the Safe Harbor Amount, no amounts payable under the Agreement shall be reduced pursuant to this Agreement. The Company’s obligation to make Gross-Up Payments under this Agreement shall not be conditioned upon your termination of employment.

Subject to the provisions of the following paragraph, all determinations required to be made under this “Additional Payment” section, including whether and when a Gross-Up Payment is required, the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made by a nationally recognized certified public accounting firm designated by you (the “Accounting Firm” ). The Accounting Firm shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and you within 15 business days of the receipt of notice from you that there has been a Payment or such earlier time as is requested by the Company. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, you may appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and you. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that Gross-Up Payments that will not have been made by the Company should have been made (the “Underpayment” ), consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder. In the event the Company exhausts its remedies pursuant to this paragraph and you thereafter is required to make a payment of any Excise Tax, the Accounting Firm shall de-


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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termine the amount of the Underpayment that has occurred and any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for your benefit.

You shall notify the Company in writing of any claim by the Internal Revenue Service that, if successful, would require the payment by the Company of the Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given as soon as practicable, but no later than 10 business days after you are informed in writing of such claim. You shall apprise the Company of the nature of such claim and the date on which such claim is requested to be paid. You shall not pay such claim prior to the expiration of the 30-day period following the date on which you give such notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending on the date that any payment of taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the Company notifies you in writing prior to the expiration of such period that the Company desires to contest such claim, you shall:

(i) give the Company any information reasonably requested by the Company relating to such claim;

(ii) take such action in connection with contesting such claim as the Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to time, including, without limitation, accepting legal representation with respect to such claim by an attorney reasonably selected by the Company;

(iii) cooperate with the Company in good faith in order effectively to contest such claim; and

(iv) permit the Company to participate in any proceedings relating to such claim;

provided , however , that the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs and expenses (including additional interest and penalties) incurred in connection with such contest, and shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, for any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest and penalties) imposed as a result of such representation and payment of costs and expenses. Without limitation on the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such contest, and, at its sole discretion, may pursue or forego any and all administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings and conferences with the applicable taxing authority in respect of such claim and may, at its sole discretion, either pay the tax claimed to the appropriate taxing authority on your behalf and direct you to sue for a refund or contest the claim in any permissible manner, and you agree to prosecute such contest to a determination before any administrative tribunal, in a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as the Company shall determine; provided , however , that, if the Company pays such claim and directs you to sue for a refund, the Company shall indemnify and hold you harmless, on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest or penalties) imposed with respect to such payment or with respect to any imputed income in connection with such payment; and provided , further , that any extension of the statute of limitations relating to payment of taxes for your taxable year with respect to which such contested amount is claimed to be due is limited solely to such contested amount. Furthermore, the Company’s control of the contest shall be limited to issues with respect to which the Gross-Up Payment would be payable


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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hereunder, and you shall be entitled to settle or contest, as the case may be, any other issue raised by the Internal Revenue Service or any other taxing authority.

If, after the receipt by you of a Gross-Up Payment or payment by the Company of an amount on your behalf pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph, you become entitled to receive any refund with respect to the Excise Tax to which such Gross-Up Payment relates or with respect to such claim, you shall (subject to the Company’s complying with the requirements of the immediately preceding paragraph, if applicable) promptly pay to the Company the amount of such refund (together with any interest paid or credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). If, after payment by the Company of an amount on your behalf pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph, a determination is made that you shall not be entitled to any refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not notify you in writing of its intent to contest such denial of refund prior to the expiration of 30 days after such determination, then the amount of such payment shall offset, to the extent thereof, the amount of Gross-Up Payment required to be paid.

Any Gross-Up Payment shall be paid by the Company to you within five days of the receipt of the Accounting Firm’s determination; provided that, the Gross-Up Payment shall in all events be paid no later than the end of your taxable year next following your taxable year in which the Excise Tax (and any income or other related taxes or interest or penalties thereon) on a Payment is remitted to the Internal Revenue Service or any other applicable taxing authority or, in the case of amounts relating to a claim described above that does not result in the remittance of any federal, state, local and foreign income, excise, social security and other taxes, the calendar year in which the claim is finally settled or otherwise resolved. Notwithstanding any other provision of this “Additional Payment” section, the Company may, in its sole discretion, withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service or any other applicable taxing authority, for the benefit of you, all or any portion of any Gross-Up Payment, and you hereby consent to such withholding.

Assumption . This letter shall be binding upon any successor of the Company or its businesses (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise), in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be obligated under this Agreement if no succession had taken place. In the case of any transaction in which a successor would not by the foregoing provision or by operation of law be bound by this Agreement, the Company shall require such successor expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Company’s obligations under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. The term “Company,” as used in this Agreement, shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor or assignee to the business or assets which by reason hereof becomes bound by this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, upon the Closing Date, this Agreement shall be assumed by eSpeed and all references to the Company shall mean eSpeed.

Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence upon the closing of the merger of the Company with and into eSpeed, Inc. (the “Merger” ) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 29, 2007, as amended as of November 5, 2007 and Febru-


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BGC Partners, LLC Change in Control Agreement

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ary 1, 2008, by and among the Company, Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., eSpeed, Inc., BGC Partners, L.P., BGC Global Holdings, L.P. and BGC Holdings, L.P. At any time on or after the fifth anniversary of the closing of the Merger, the Company may terminate this Agreement upon two years’ advance written notice to you.

Miscellaneous. This letter agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law rules. All payments hereunder are subject to withholding for applicable income and payroll taxes or otherwise as required by law. You and the Company acknowledge that, except as may otherwise be provided under any other written agreement between you and the Company, your employment by the Company is “at will” and, prior to a Change in Control, your employment may be terminated by either you or the Company, in which case you shall have no further rights under this Agreement. From and after the Effective Date, except as specifically provided herein, this Agreement shall supersede any other agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

BGC PARTNERS, LLC
By:   /s/ Howard W. Lutnick
  Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
  Title:   Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer

 

Accepted and Acknowledged:
/s/ Lee M. Amaitis

Dated: March 31, 2008

[Signature page to Change in Control Agreement, dated March 31, 2008, between BGC Partners, LLC and Lee M. Amaitis]


EXHIBIT A

The following terms shall have the meaning set forth below when used in the attached letter Agreement:

Affiliated Company ” means any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company.

Applicable Board ” means the Board, or if the Company is not the ultimate parent corporation of the Affiliated Companies and is not publicly-traded, the board of directors of the ultimate parent of the Company.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Cause ” means

(i) your willful and continued failure to perform substantially your duties with the Company or its subsidiaries (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to you by the Applicable Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company that specifically identifies the manner in which the Applicable Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company believes that you have not substantially performed your duties, or

(ii) the willful engaging by you in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company.

For purposes of this Agreement, no act, or failure to act, on your part shall be considered “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by you in bad faith or without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interests of the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority (A) given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Applicable Board, (B) upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or a senior officer of the Company or (C) based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by you in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. The cessation of your employment shall not be deemed to be for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to you a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters of the entire membership of the Applicable Board (excluding you, if you are a member of the Applicable Board) at a meeting of the Applicable Board called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice is provided to you and you are given an opportunity, together with your counsel, to be heard before the Applicable Board), finding that, in the good faith opinion of the board, you are guilty of the conduct described in clause (i) or (ii) above, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.


Change in Control ” means such date as Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. or one of its Affiliates ceases to have a “Controlling Interest” in the Company. For purposes of this definition, “Affiliate” means any person that directly, or through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P, and “Controlling Interest” means (x) beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of equity securities representing more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding equity securities of the Company or (y) voting control of more than 50% of the voting power of the Company.

Disability ” means the your absence from the performance of your duties with the Company on a full-time basis for 180 consecutive business days as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness that is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by the Company or its insurers and acceptable to you or your legal representative.

Excise Tax ” shall mean the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, together with any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such excise tax.

Medical Benefits ” means, for two years after your termination of employment (the “Benefit Continuation Period” ), the Company shall provide health care and life insurance benefits to you and/or your family substantially similar to, and at the same after-tax cost to you and/or your family, as those that would have been provided to them in accordance with the plans, programs, practices and policies providing health care and life insurance benefits and at the benefit level provided to you immediately prior to the Change in Control or, if more favorable to you, as in effect generally at any time thereafter with respect to other peer executives of the Company and their families; provided , however , that, the health care benefits provided during the Benefit Continuation Period shall be provided in such a manner that such benefits (and the costs and premiums thereof) are excluded from your income for federal income tax purposes and, if the Company reasonably determines that providing continued coverage under one or more of its health care benefit plans contemplated herein could be taxable to you, the Company shall provide such benefits at the level required hereby through the purchase of individual insurance coverage; provided, however , that if you become re-employed with another employer and are eligible to receive health care and life insurance benefits under another employer-provided plan, the health care and life benefits provided hereunder shall be secondary to those provided under such other plan during such applicable period of eligibility. Following the end of the Benefit Continuation Period, you will be eligible for continued health coverage as required by Section 4980B of the Code or other applicable law ( “COBRA Coverage” ), as if your employment with the Company had terminated as of the end of such period, and the Company shall take such actions as are necessary to cause such COBRA Coverage not to be offset by the provision of benefits under this paragraph and to cause the period of COBRA Coverage to commence at the end of the Benefit Continuation Period.

Parachute Value ” of a Payment shall mean the present value as of the date of the Change in Control for purposes of Section 280G of the Code of the portion of such Payment that constitutes a “parachute payment” under Section 280G(b)(2), as determined by the Accounting Firm for purposes of determining whether and to what extent the Excise Tax will apply to such Payment.


Parent ” means any “person” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) that controls the Company, either directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.

A “ Payment ” shall mean any payment or distribution in the nature of compensation (within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) to or for your benefit, whether paid or payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise.

The “ Safe Harbor Amount ” means 2.99 times your “base amount,” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code.

Exhibit 10.15

[CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P. LETTERHEAD]

March 31, 2008

Mr. Lee M. Amaitis

[Address Omitted]

Dear Lee:

Following the closing (the “ Closing ”) of the merger of BGC Partners, LLC and eSpeed, Inc. (the “ Effective Time ”), you will have the right to exchange your Founding Partner Units of BGC Holdings, L.P. (“ BGC Holdings ”) for shares of BGC Partners, Inc. Class A common stock (“ BGC Partners Shares ”) in accordance with the terms of the limited partnership agreement of BGC Holdings (the “ Partnership Agreement ”) and as set forth in this letter agreement.

The total number of Founding Partner Units actually held by you at the Effective Time (which, for the avoidance of doubt, does not include any REUs) is referred to in this letter as the “ Aggregate Amount at Closing .” At the Effective Time, 1,100,000 of your Founding Partner Units will become immediately exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement. In addition, 40% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the 1,100,000 units exchangeable or exchanged under the preceding sentence and any other Units or BGC Partners Shares that you were otherwise eligible to exchange or sell or have sold for any reason, including; without limitation, in connection with any grant of additional Units or stock options (the foregoing, collectively, the “ Applicable Shares ”)) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the second anniversary of the Effective Time, 60% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the third anniversary of the Effective Time, 80% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the fourth anniversary of the Effective Time, and 100% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Time.

In the event of your death, the exchangeable portion of your Founding Partner Units will be automatically exchanged for shares, and such shares will be distributed to your estate. To the extent that your Founding Partner Units are not exchangeable at the time of your death, such Units will be automatically exchanged for BGC Partners Shares, and the shares received upon exchange will be distributed to your estate in the amount and at the times you would have received them had you remained a limited partner and exchanged the maximum amount possible on each anniversary of the Effective Time. The distributions of shares provided for under the preceding sentence may be accelerated by Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. in its sole and absolute discretion.


Please sign in the space provided below to indicate your agreement with the foregoing.

 

Sincerely,

 

CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.

 

By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:  

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer

and President

 

Acknowledged and Agreed:

 

/s/ Lee M. Amaitis

Lee M. Amaitis

[Signature page to letter agreement with Lee M. Amaitis regarding schedule for exchanges of Founding Partner Units]

 

2

Exhibit 10.16

[CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P. LETTERHEAD]

March 31, 2008

Mr. Shaun D. Lynn

[Address Omitted]

Dear Shaun:

In consideration for your agreeing to enter into a new employment agreement with BGC Brokers LP, dated as of the date hereof, the following terms and conditions are agreed.

Following the closing (the “ Closing ”) of the merger of BGC Partners, LLC and eSpeed, Inc. and your execution and delivery of your employment agreement with BGC Brokers LP (the “ Effective Time ”), you will have the right to exchange your Founding Partner Units of BGC Holdings, LP. (“ BGC Holdings ”) for shares of BGC Farmers, Inc. Class A common stock (“ BGC Partners Shares ”) in accordance with the terms of the limited partnership agreement of BGC Holdings (the “ Partnership Agreement ”) and as set forth in this letter agreement.

The total number of Founding Partner Units actually held by you at the Effective Time ( i.e. , the number of Founding Partner Units held by you after the sale of a portion of your Founding Partner Units to Cantor in connection with the satisfaction of your debt and High Distribution II Account) is referred to in this letter as the “ Aggregate Amount at Closing .” For the avoidance of doubt, the Aggregate Amount at Closing shall not include any REUs. At the Effective Time, 600,000 of your Founding Partner Units will become immediately exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement. In addition, 40% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the 600,000 units exchangeable or exchanged under the preceding sentence and any other Units or BGC Partners Shares that you were otherwise eligible to exchange or sell or have sold for any reason, including, without limitation, in connection with any grant of additional Units or stock options (the foregoing, collectively, the “ Applicable Shares ”)) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the second anniversary of the Effective Time, 50% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the third anniversary of the Effective Time, 60% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the fourth anniversary of the Effective Time, 70% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Time, 80% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the sixth anniversary of the Effective Time, 90% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the seventh anniversary of the Effective Time, and 100% of the Aggregate Amount at Closing (less the Applicable Shares) will become exchangeable in accordance with the Partnership Agreement on the eighth anniversary of the Effective Time.


In the event of your death, the exchangeable portion of your Founding Partner Units will be automatically exchanged for shares, and such shares will be distributed to your estate. To the extent that your Founding Partner Units are not exchangeable at the time of your death, such Units will be automatically exchanged for BGC Partners Shares, and the shares received upon exchange will be distributed to your estate in the amount-and at the times you would have received them had you remained a limited partner and exchanged the maximum amount possible on each anniversary of the Effective Time. The distributions of shares provided for under the preceding sentence may be accelerated by Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. in its sole and absolute discretion.

This letter agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original, but all of which counterparts shall be deemed to be one and the same document. Parties may execute this Agreement by signatures obtained through facsimile or email, and those signatures may be relied upon by the other party as valid as if they were signed in the presence of the other party.

Please sign in the space provided below to indicate your agreement with the foregoing.

 

Sincerely,

 

CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P.

 

By:  

/s/ Howard W. Lutnick

Name:   Howard W. Lutnick
Title:  

Chairman, Chief Executive Officer

and President

Acknowledged and Agreed:

 

/s/ Shaun D. Lynn

Shaun D. Lynn

[Signature page to letter agreement with Shaun D. Lynn regarding

schedule for exchanges of Founding Partner Units)

Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

BGC Partners and eSpeed Complete Merger, Creating a Leading Global Inter-Dealer Broker and

Provider of Data and Electronic Marketplaces

Combined Company is Now Called “BGC Partners, Inc.”; Will Now Trade as “BGCP”

NEW YORK, NY and LONDON, UK – April 1, 2008 – BGC Partners, a leading global full-service inter-dealer broker of financial instruments, and eSpeed, Inc., a leader in developing and deploying electronic marketplaces and related trading technology for the global capital markets, today announced that eSpeed and BGC Partners have completed their merger. The Combined Company is now named “BGC Partners, Inc.”

Key Facts About BGC Partners, Inc.:

 

 

*

 

The merger creates a company with a market capitalization of approximately $2.2 billion that will trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BGCP” as of the opening of market tomorrow. 1

 

  *  

The Combined Company had pro forma 2007 annual revenue of approximately $1,117 million, which is an increase of 31 percent from approximately $855 million in 2006.

 

  *  

The Combined Company has approximately 1,200 brokers and over 2,000 employees in 14 cities globally.

 

  *  

The Combined Company’s fully electronic and hybrid platform had notional volume of approximately $121 trillion in 2007, up 24% from approximately $98 trillion in 2006.

 

  *  

The corporate headquarters of BGC Partners, Inc. will be at 499 Park Avenue in New York, NY, while its international headquarters will remain at One Churchill Place in London, UK.

“We believe that this combination will be immediately accretive to stockholders,” said Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of BGC Partners, Inc. “We fully expect BGC Partners to generate further stockholder value as the Combined Company continues to grow revenues, expand profit margins, and build upon its position as a market innovator and leader.”

“We are extremely proud of the tremendous growth that BGC’s partners and employees have achieved since its inception in October 2004,” added Lee M. Amaitis, Co-Chief Executive Officer of BGC Partners, Inc. “We believe that the combination of approximately 1,200 world-class brokers, our unique partnership structure, employee ownership of almost one third of the Combined Company 2 , the innovative suite of information and analytics products from BGCantor Market Data, and eSpeed’s industry-leading technology will enable us to realize our strategy of having superior product development and client service while giving brokerage customers the choice of voice or electronic execution.”

Issuance of New Shares

Under the terms of the merger agreement, an aggregate of 133,860,000 shares of eSpeed’s common stock and rights to acquire shares of eSpeed’s common stock were issued. The Combined Company had a fully diluted share count of approximately 188 million shares upon the closing of the merger.

 

1

Based on final closing price of eSpeed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPD) of $11.75 a share on April 1, 2008 as well as the Combined Company’s projected fully diluted share count of approximately 188 million as of the close of the merger and as noted in eSpeed’s 4Q2007 earnings release dated February 27, 2008.

 

2

Please see the “Ownership Structure” sub section beginning on page 259 of eSpeed’s definitive merger proxy filed with SEC and dated February 11, 2008 for a detailed discussion of employee and partner ownership.

 

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About BGC Partners, Inc.

BGC Partners, Inc. (Nasdaq: BGCP) is a leading global full-service inter-dealer broker, specializing in the trading of financial instruments and related derivatives products. BGC Partners provides integrated voice, hybrid, and fully electronic execution and other brokerage services to some of the world’s largest and most credit worthy banks, broker-dealers, investment banks and investment firms for a broad range of global financial products, including fixed income securities, foreign exchange, equity derivatives, credit derivatives, futures, structured products and other instruments. Through its eSpeed and BGCantor Market Data brands, BGC also offers financial technology solutions and market data and analytics related to selected financial instruments and markets. Named after fixed income trading innovator B. Gerald Cantor, BGC Partners has offices in New York and London, as well as in Beijing (representative office), Chicago, Copenhagen, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Mexico City, Nyon, Paris, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. To learn more, please visit www.bgcpartners.com.

Discussion of Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements are based upon current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. For example, words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “strategy,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

The actual results of BGC Partners, Inc. (“we,” “our” or “the Combined Company”) and the outcome and timing of certain events may differ significantly from the expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy for the Combined Company include, but are not limited to, our relationship with Cantor and its affiliates and any related conflicts of interests, competition for and retention of brokers and other managers and key employees, pricing and commissions and market position with respect to any of our products, and that of our competitors, the effect of industry concentration and consolidation, and market conditions, including trading volume and volatility, as well as economic or geopolitical conditions or uncertainties. Results may also be impacted by the extensive regulation of our businesses and risks relating to compliance matters, as well as factors related to specific transactions or series of transactions, including credit, performance and unmatched principal risk as well as counterparty failure. Factors may also include the costs and expenses of developing, maintaining and protecting intellectual property, including judgments or settlements paid or received in connection with intellectual property or employment or other litigation and their related costs, and certain financial risks, including the possibility of future losses and negative cash flow from operations, risks of obtaining financing and risks of the resulting leverage, as well as interest and currency rate fluctuations.

Discrepancies may also result from such factors as the ability to enter new markets or develop new products, trading desks, marketplaces or services and to induce customers to use these products, trading desks, marketplaces or services, to secure and maintain market share, to enter into marketing and strategic alliances, and other transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, reorganizations, partnering opportunities, and joint ventures, and the integration of any completed transactions, to hire new personnel, to expand the use of technology for screen-assisted, voice-assisted and fully electronic trading and to effectively manage any growth that may be achieved. Results are also subject to risks relating to the merger and separation of the BGC businesses and the relationship between the various entities, financial reporting, accounting and internal control factors, including identification of any material weaknesses in our internal controls, our ability to prepare historical and pro forma financial statements and reports in a timely manner, and other factors, including those that are discussed under “Risk Factors” in eSpeed’s

 

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Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, which was filed with the SEC on March 17, 2008, and in the definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on February 11, 2008.

We believe that all forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions when made. However, we caution that it is impossible to predict actual results or outcomes or the effects of risks, uncertainties or other factors on anticipated results or outcomes and that accordingly you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date when made and we undertake no obligation to update these statements in light of subsequent events or developments.

CONTACTS

 

U.K. Media:

  

U.S. Media:

  

Investors:

Adrian Thomas

44-(0)207-894-8647

athomas@bgcpartners.com

  

Florencia Panizza

212-294-7938

fpanizza@bgcpartners.com

  

Jason McGruder

212-829-4988

jmcgruder@bgcpartners.com

Timo Kindred

44-(0)207-894-7292

tkindred@bgcpartners.com

  

Robert Hubbell

212-294-7820

rhubbell@bgcpartners.com

  

Nneoma Njoku

212-610-2297

nnjoku@bgcpartners.com

###

 

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