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): June 20, 2016

 

 

VISA INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-33977   26-0267673

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

P.O. Box 8999

San Francisco, California

  94128-8999
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (650) 432-3200

N/A

(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 Instructions 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-12)

 

¨

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 ExchangeAct 17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information regarding the Litigation Management Deed set forth in Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.01

Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

Closing of the Transaction

On June 21, 2016, pursuant to the previously announced Amended and Restated Transaction Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2016 (the “Transaction Agreement”), between Visa Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Visa Europe Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (“Visa Europe”), and to which 441 Trust Company Limited, a company limited by guarantee incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “VE Member Representative”) has been joined as a party, the Company completed its acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Visa Europe (the “Transaction”). The Transaction was effected pursuant to the exercise of Visa Europe’s put option under the Put-Call Option Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2007, between the Company and Visa Europe, as amended by the Amended and Restated Amendment No.1 thereto, dated May 10, 2016.

At the closing of the Transaction (the “Closing”), the Company paid to the members of Visa Europe, in the aggregate, cash consideration of approximately 12.19 billion. The Transaction Agreement also requires the Company, on the third anniversary of the Closing, to make an additional cash payment of approximately 1.12 billion to the members of Visa Europe.

Issuance of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock

Also at the Closing, pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, the Company issued (a) 2,480,466 shares of Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “UK&I Preferred Stock”) to certain Visa Europe members in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and (b) 3,156,823 shares of Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Europe Preferred Stock”) to certain other Visa Europe members. The aggregate value of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock issued at the Closing, on an as-converted basis, was approximately 5.38 billion (based on the closing price of $77.34 per share of the underlying class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Class A Common Stock”) on the New York Stock Exchange on the last trading day prior to the Closing and a Euro/Dollar exchange rate of 1.1314).

Each share of UK&I Preferred Stock and each share of Europe Preferred Stock is, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable certificate of designations, initially convertible into 13.952 shares of Class A Common Stock or 0.13952 shares of Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Class A Equivalent Preferred Stock”). The conversion rates may be reduced from time to time to offset certain liabilities, if any, which may be incurred by the Company, Visa Europe or their affiliates as a result of certain existing and potential litigation relating to the setting of multilateral interchange fee rates in the Visa Europe territory (“Covered Claims”). Additionally, the shares of UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock are subject to restrictions on transfer and may become partially convertible in stages based on developments in the Covered Claims. The shares of UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock will become fully convertible on the 12th anniversary of Closing, subject to a holdback to cover any then-pending claims.

 

2


Entry into the Litigation Management Deed

In connection with the Closing, on June 21, 2016, the Company, the VE Member Representative and the other parties thereto entered into a Litigation Management Deed (the “Litigation Management Deed”) which sets forth certain procedures for the management of the Covered Claims, the allocation of losses resulting from the Covered Claims, and the procedures for the determination of any accelerated conversion or adjustment to the conversion rate of the shares of UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, the Litigation Management Deed provides that the Company will generally control the conduct of the Covered Claims, subject to certain obligations to report, and consult with Litigation Management Committees comprising representatives of former Visa Europe members. The Litigation Management Committees also have rights to approve certain material decisions in relation to Covered Claims.

The foregoing summary of the Transaction Agreement, the certificates of designations of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock, the Litigation Management Deed and the transactions contemplated thereby does not purport to be complete, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the full text of the Transaction Agreement, the certificates of designations of the Class A Equivalent Preferred Stock, UK&I Preferred Stock, the Europe Preferred Stock and the Litigation Management Deed, which are filed as Exhibits 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 10.1, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 3.02

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The information regarding the issuance of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock set forth in Item 2.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

The shares of UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock issued in connection with the Transaction were issued in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as set forth in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated thereunder.

 

Item 5.02

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

On June 21, 2016, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company, upon the recommendation of the Board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, increased the size of the Board from 11 to 12 members and appointed Gary A. Hoffman to the Board, effective immediately, for a term that will expire at the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Board determined that Mr. Hoffman will be an independent director within the meaning of the New York Stock Exchange listing standards.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Hoffman and any other persons pursuant to which he was selected as a director. Mr. Hoffman is continuing in his role as Chairman of Visa Europe, which will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company following the completion of the Transaction. There are no other transactions involving the Company and Mr. Hoffman that the Company would be required to report pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Mr. Hoffman will receive compensation for his Board and committee service in accordance with the Company’s standard compensation arrangements for non-employee directors, which are described in the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 11, 2015. In addition, Mr. Hoffman will continue to receive cash payments in the aggregate amount of 175,000 annually in connection with his service as Chairman of

 

3


Visa Europe. Mr. Hoffman is also entitled to be reimbursed for customary expenses incurred while attending meetings of the Visa Europe board. The Company will enter into an indemnification agreement with Mr. Hoffman in the form of the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement. Such form of indemnification agreement was included as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 25, 2012, and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.03

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

The information set forth above in Item 2.01 of this current report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference.

On June 20, 2016, the Company filed certificates of designations to its Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation for the Class A Equivalent Preferred Stock, UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The certificates of designations authorize and establish the rights, preferences and privileges of each of the foregoing series of preferred stock of the Company.

The summary of the terms of the Class A Equivalent Preferred Stock, UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K does not purport to be complete, and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the full text of each of the certificates of designations, which are filed as Exhibits 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 8.01

Other Events.

On June 21, 2016, the Company issued a press release regarding the completion of the Transaction and the appointment of Mr. Hoffman to its Board. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(a)

Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

The Visa Europe audited consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, Visa Europe audited consolidated income statements and Visa Europe audited consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013, and the notes related thereto, which were included in Exhibit 99.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 2, 2015, are filed as Exhibit 99.2 hereto and are incorporated in this Current Report on Form 8-K by reference.

 

(b)

Pro Forma Financial Information.

The unaudited pro forma financial information required by paragraph (b) of Item 9.01 of Form 8-K has been omitted pursuant to paragraphs (b)(2) and (a)(4) thereof. The Company will file such unaudited pro forma financial information with the SEC by amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K no later than the deadline prescribed by paragraph (a)(4) of Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.

 

4


(d)

Exhibits

 

Exhibit

  

Description

Number

    

2.1

  

Amended and Restated Transaction Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2016, by and between Visa Inc. and Visa Europe Limited, and to which 441 Trust Company Limited has been joined as a party (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Visa Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 10, 2016).

3.1

  

Certificate of Designations of Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 20, 2016.

3.2

  

Certificate of Designations of Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 20, 2016.

3.3

  

Certificate of Designations of Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 20, 2016.

10.1

  

Litigation Management Deed, dated as of June 21, 2016, by and among the VE Member Representative, Visa Inc., the LMC Appointing Members, the UK&I DCC Appointing Members, the Europe DCC Appointing Members and the UK&I DCC Interested Members.

99.1

  

Press Release issued by Visa Inc., dated June 21, 2016.

99.2

  

Audited financial statements of Visa Europe Limited as of September 30, 2015 and 2014, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2015, together with the report of the independent auditor thereon (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Visa Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 2, 2015).

† Schedules have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule will be furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the parties may request confidential treatment pursuant to Rule 24b-2 of the Exchange Act for any document so furnished.

 

5


SIGNATURES

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

 

       

VISA INC.

Date: June 21, 2016

     
    By:  

/s/ Charles W. Scharf

     

Charles W. Scharf

     

Chief Executive Officer

 

6


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

2.1

  

Amended and Restated Transaction Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2016, by and between Visa Inc. and Visa Europe Limited, and to which 441 Trust Company Limited has been joined as a party (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Visa Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 10, 2016).

3.1

  

Certificate of Designations of Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 20, 2016.

3.2

  

Certificate of Designations of Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 20, 2016.

3.3

  

Certificate of Designations of Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on June 20, 2016.

10.1

  

Litigation Management Deed, dated as of June 21, 2016, by and among the VE Member Representative, Visa Inc., the LMC Appointing Members, the UK&I DCC Appointing Members, the Europe DCC Appointing Members and the UK&I DCC Interested Members.

99.1

  

Press Release issued by Visa Inc., dated June 21, 2016.

99.2

  

Audited financial statements of Visa Europe Limited as of September 30, 2015 and 2014 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended September 30, 2015, together with the report of the independent auditor thereon (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Visa Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 2, 2015).

† Schedules have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule will be furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission upon request; provided, however, that the parties may request confidential treatment pursuant to Rule 24b-2 of the Exchange Act for any document so furnished.

 

7

Exhibit 3.1

Certificate of Designations

of

Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock

of

Visa Inc.

(pursuant to Section 151 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

Visa Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Corporation ”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 151 thereof, hereby certifies that the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”), in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and applicable law, at a meeting duly called and held on October 30, 2015, adopted resolutions creating a series of shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation with the designation and number of shares of such series, and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of the shares of such series, as follows:

Section 1.         Designation and Number .

There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation a series of Preferred Stock designated as the “Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock,” par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Series A Preferred Stock ”), and the authorized number of shares constituting such series shall be 4,000,000.

Section 2.         Ranking .

The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank pari passu in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon Liquidation with the Parity Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank senior in right of payment of dividends and distributions to the Junior Stock, provided that it shall rank pari passu with the Common Stock except, with respect to Class A Common Stock, as otherwise provided in Section 3(b) , Section 3(c) and Section 4(a) . The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank junior to any series of capital stock of the Corporation hereafter created that by its terms specifically ranks senior in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon Liquidation to the Series A Preferred Stock and shall rank junior to all of the Corporation’s existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities.

Section 3.         Dividends and Other Distributions .

(a)        In the event that any dividend on the Class A Common Stock is declared by the Board and paid by the Corporation or any other distribution is made on or with respect to the Class A Common Stock (other than any dividend or distribution payable in shares of Class A Common Stock or rights to acquire shares of Class A Common Stock), the Holder as of the record date established by the Board for such dividend or distribution on the Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, with respect to each share of Series A Preferred Stock held, that dividend or distribution that such Holder would have been entitled to if such Holder held that number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate, with such dividend


or distribution to be payable on the same payment date established by the Board for the payment of such dividend or distribution to the holders of Class A Common Stock. The record date for any such dividend or distribution shall be the record date for the applicable dividend or distribution on the Class A Common Stock, and any such dividend or distribution shall be payable with respect to each share of Series A Preferred Stock to the Holder to whom such share is registered, as reflected on the stock register of the Corporation, at the close of business on the applicable record date.

(b)        In the event that any dividend or distribution payable in shares of Class A Common Stock shall be paid on the Class A Common Stock, or in the event of any subdivision, stock split, reverse stock split, combination, consolidation or reclassification of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Class A Common Stock (a “ Class A Common Event ”), a proportionate adjustment shall be simultaneously effected with respect to the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by each Holder thereof as of the effective time of such Class A Common Event such that, upon the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event, the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by each Holder equals the product of (i) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by such Holder immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event multiplied by (ii) the quotient, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of (A) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately following, and solely as a result of, such Class A Common Event divided by (B) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event.

(c)        In the event that any dividend or distribution shall be paid on the Class A Common Stock consisting of rights to acquire Class A Common Stock, the Holder of each share of Series A Preferred Stock as of the record date established by the Board for such dividend or distribution on the Class A Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, with respect to each share of Series A Preferred Stock held, a similarly structured right to acquire shares of Series A Preferred Stock, the terms and conditions of which shall be established by the Board, intended to provide the same economic effect to such Holder that such Holder would have been entitled to if such Holder held that number of shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Conversion Rate, with such dividend or distribution to be payable on the same payment date established by the Board for the payment of such dividend or distribution to the holders of Class A Common Stock.

(d)        No dividend or distribution shall be declared and paid on any share of Class A Common Stock, unless a dividend or distribution is simultaneously declared and paid with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 3(a) or Section 3(c) or a proportionate adjustment is simultaneously effected with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 3(b) .

(e)        Prior to declaring any dividend or making any distribution on or with respect to shares of Class A Common Stock, the Corporation shall take any and all prior corporate action necessary to authorize any corporate action in respect of the Series A Preferred Stock required under this Certificate of Designations.

Section 4.         Liquidation Preference .

(a)        In the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation (a “ Liquidation ”), after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the Holders shall be entitled to receive, with

 

2


respect to each share of Series A Preferred Stock held (i) first, before any payment shall be made or any assets distributed to the holders of any class or series of the Common Stock or any other class or series of Junior Stock, an amount equal to $0.01 per share of Series A Preferred Stock (the “ Liquidation Preference ”) and (ii) second, an amount, less the Liquidation Preference, on a pari passu basis with the Common Stock and any Parity Stock and without preference with respect to the Common Stock or any Parity Stock, equal to the distribution(s) such Holder would have been entitled to receive as a result of such Liquidation as if each such share of Series A Preferred Stock had been converted into Class A Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof immediately prior to such Liquidation.

(b)        If in any Liquidation the assets available for payment of the Liquidation Preference are insufficient to permit the payment of the full preferential amounts described in Section 4(a)(i) to the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to Liquidation rights to the Series A Preferred Stock, then all the remaining available assets shall be distributed pro rata among the holders of the then outstanding Series A Preferred Stock and then outstanding shares of any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to Liquidation rights to the Series A Preferred Stock in accordance with the respective aggregate Liquidation Preferences.

(c)        Neither the consolidation or merger of the Corporation into or with another entity nor the dissolution, liquidation, winding up or reorganization of the Corporation immediately followed by the incorporation of another corporation to which such assets are distributed or transferred, nor the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation to another entity shall be deemed a Liquidation; provided that, in each case, effective provision is made in the certificate of incorporation of the resulting or surviving entity or otherwise for the preservation and protection of the rights of the Holders on substantially identical terms.

(d)        The Corporation shall, within five (5) Business Days following the date the Board approves any Liquidation or within ten (10) Business Days following the commencement of any involuntary bankruptcy or similar proceeding, concerning the Corporation, whichever is earlier, give each Holder written notice of the event. Such written notice shall describe, to the extent known to the Corporation, the material terms and conditions of such event relating to the treatment of the Series A Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, including, to the extent known to the Corporation, a description of the stock, cash and property to be received by the Holders with respect to their shares of Series A Preferred Stock and by holders of Class A Common Stock as a result of the event and the date of delivery thereof. If any material change in the facts set forth in the initial notice shall occur, the Corporation shall keep the Holders reasonably apprised, and in a manner consistent with any similar information provided to holders of any other series of the Corporation’s capital stock.

Section 5.         Voting Rights .

(a)        Except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law or expressly set forth in this Section 5 , the Holders shall have no voting rights and shall not be entitled to any vote with respect to shares of Series A Preferred Stock held of record by such Holder on any matters on which any of the Corporation’s stockholders are entitled to vote.

(b)        Notwithstanding Section 5(a) and for so long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock remain issued and outstanding, without the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the outstanding voting power of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as

 

3


a single class separate from all other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation, the Corporation shall not enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which shares of Class A Common Stock are exchanged for, converted into or changed into other stock or securities, or the right to receive stock, securities, cash or other property, unless the shares of Series A Preferred Stock, on an as-converted basis to Class A Common Stock, are exchanged for or changed into the same per share amount of stock, securities, cash or any other property, as the case may be, for which or into which each share of Class A Common Stock is exchanged, converted or changed as a result of such transaction.

(c)        Notwithstanding Section 5(a) , the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the voting power of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class separate from all other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation, shall be required for the approval of any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of this Certificate of Designations (including by merger, operation of Law or otherwise) which adversely affects the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series A Preferred Stock; provided , however , that nothing herein contained shall require such vote or approval (i) in connection with any increase in the total number of authorized shares under the Certificate of Incorporation or any authorization, designation or increase of any class or series of shares under the Certificate of Incorporation or (ii) in connection with any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which the Corporation is the surviving entity which does not adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series A Preferred Stock.

(d)        On any matter on which Holders are entitled to vote pursuant to this Section 5 , each Holder will have one (1) vote per share.

Section 6.         Automatic Conversion .

(a)        Upon the Transfer thereof by any Holder to a Class A Common Eligible Holder, each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be, effective immediately following such Transfer, automatically and without further action on the part of the Corporation or any Holder but subject to Section 6(g) , as applicable, converted into one hundred (100) fully paid and nonassessable shares of Class A Common Stock (the “ Conversion Rate ”).

(b)        All shares of Series A Preferred Stock that are converted shall thereupon be cancelled and retired and cease to exist, shall cease to confer upon the Holder thereof any rights, and shall not thereafter be reissued or sold and shall return to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock undesignated as to series.

(c)        All shares of Class A Common Stock delivered upon any conversion of Series A Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 6 will, upon such conversion, be duly and validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free from all preemptive rights, free from all taxes, liens, security interests, charges and encumbrances (other than liens, security interests, charges or encumbrances created by or imposed upon the Holder or taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously therewith).

(d)        The issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock upon conversion of shares of Series A Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 6 shall be made without payment of additional consideration by, or other charge, cost or tax to, the Holder in respect thereof; provided, however , that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge that may be payable with respect to the issuance or delivery of any

 

4


shares of Class A Common Stock in the name of any Person other than the Holder of the converted shares, and no such delivery shall be made unless and until the Person requesting such issuance has paid to the Corporation the amount of any such tax or charge, or has established to the satisfaction of the Corporation that such tax or charge has been paid or that no such tax or charge is due.

(e)        The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available, free from any preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued shares of Class A Common Stock, for the sole purpose of effecting such conversion, the full number of shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of all the outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock at the Conversion Rate.

(f)        In connection with any conversion of Series A Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 6 , the Corporation shall either (i) register under the Securities Act (on Form S-3 or any other appropriate form) the issuance of the shares of Class A Common Stock to be issued in connection with such conversion or (ii) otherwise provide for such shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon conversion to be freely tradable upon issuance, including by causing an opinion of counsel to be delivered to the Corporation’s transfer agent to permit the issuance of such shares of the Corporation’s capital stock without restrictive legends. Each Holder thereof, or its designated representative acting on its behalf, shall provide any information, authorizations or agreements reasonably required by the Corporation in order to effectuate any such registration on Form S-3 and any sales of Class A Common Stock pursuant thereto and the Corporation’s obligations under this Section 6(f) with respect to such Holder and any such shares held by such Holder shall be subject to the receipt of such information, authorizations or agreements in relation to such Holder.

(g)        The conversion of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock into shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to this Section 6 shall be subject to compliance with the procedural requirements of the transfer agent of the Corporation.

Section 7.         Repurchased or Reacquired Shares .

Shares of Series A Preferred Stock that have been repurchased or reacquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized, unissued and undesignated shares that shall be available for future issuance.

Section 8.         Record Holders .

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the Corporation and the Corporation’s transfer agent for the Series A Preferred Stock may deem and treat the Holder of any share of Series A Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 9.         Notices .

Except as otherwise expressly provided hereunder, all notices and other communications referred to herein shall be in writing and delivered personally or sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, or by reputable overnight courier service, charges prepaid:

(a)        If to the Corporation as follows, or as otherwise specified in a written notice given to each of the Holders in accordance with this Section 9 :

 

5


Visa Inc.

900 Metro Center Boulevard

Foster City, California 94404, U.S.A.

Attention:        General Counsel

(b)        If to any Holder, by e-mail if such Holder has provided an e-mail address to the Corporation or its transfer agent for purposes of notification, or, if no such e-mail address is available, to such Holder’s address as it appears in the stock records of the Corporation or as otherwise specified in a written notice given by such Holder to the Corporation or, at the Corporation’s option with respect to any notice from the Corporation to a Holder, in accordance with customary practices of the Corporation’s transfer agent. Any such notice or communication given as provided above shall be deemed received by the receiving party upon: actual receipt, if delivered personally; actual delivery, if delivered in accordance with customary practices of the Corporation’s transfer agent; five (5) Business Days after deposit in the mail, if sent by first class mail; on the next Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier, if sent by an overnight courier; or on the next Business Day after transmission, if sent by e-mail.

Section 10.         Severability .

Whenever possible, each provision hereof shall be interpreted in a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any provision hereof is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable Law, then such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating or otherwise adversely affecting the remaining provisions hereof.

Section 11.         Replacement Certificates .

The Corporation shall replace any mutilated certificate at the Holder’s expense upon surrender of that certificate to the Corporation. The Corporation shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the Holder’s expense upon delivery to the Corporation of reasonably satisfactory evidence that the certificate has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be reasonably required by the Corporation and any other documentation as may be required by the Corporation’s transfer agent.

Section 12.         No Preemptive Rights .

No share of Series A Preferred Stock shall have any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Corporation, or any warrants, rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted, except as expressly set forth in any resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of a series of stock adopted by the Board, or any agreement between the Corporation and its stockholders.

Section 13.         Withholding .

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Corporation shall have the right to deduct and withhold from any payment or distribution (or deemed distribution) made with respect to a share of Series A Preferred Stock and from the issuance of any Class A Common Stock upon its conversion such amounts as are required to be deducted or withheld with respect to the making of such payment or distribution or such issuance under any applicable tax Law

 

6


and, in the event that any amounts are deducted or withheld, the Corporation shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law. To the extent that any amounts are so deducted or withheld, such deducted or withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Certificate of Designations and the relevant share of Series A Preferred Stock as having been paid to the Holder of such share of Series A Preferred Stock. After any payment of taxes by the Corporation to a Governmental Authority with respect to a Holder pursuant to this Section 13 , upon the written request by such Holder, the Corporation shall deliver to such Holder the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other customary evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to such Holder.

Section 14.         Other Rights .

The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers or relative, participating, optional or other special rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation or as required by applicable Law.

Section 15.         Defined Terms .

Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Certificate of Designations shall have their respective meanings as defined below:

Beneficial Owner ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rules), except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular Person, for purposes solely of this Certificate of Designations, and not for purposes of such rules, such Person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such Person has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms “ Beneficially Owns ,” “ Beneficial Ownership ” and “ Beneficially Owned ” have a corresponding meaning.

Board ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Business Day ” means any day except a Saturday, a Sunday and any day which in New York, New York, United States shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by Law or other government action to close.

Certificate of Designations ” means this Certificate of Designations relating to the Series A Preferred Stock, as it may be amended from time to time.

Certificate of Incorporation ” means the Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time, and shall include this Certificate of Designations.

Class A Common Eligible Holder ” means a Holder that is eligible to hold Class A Common Stock without automatic conversion into any shares of any other class of Common Stock pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation.

Class A Common Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) .

 

7


Class A Common Stock ” means the Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Class B Common Stock ” means the Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Class C Common Stock ” means the Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Common Stock ” means the Class A Common Stock, the Class B Common Stock and the Class C Common Stock.

Control ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

Conversion Rate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) .

Corporation ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Exchange Act ” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor legislation which shall be in effect at the time).

Governmental Authority ” means any United States, European Union, national, federal, state, provincial, county, municipal or other local government or governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, or any court, in each case whether of the United States of America or any other country applicable to a specified Person.

Holder ” means a holder of record of one (1) or more shares of Series A Preferred Stock, as reflected in the stock records of the Corporation or the transfer agent, which may be treated by the Corporation and the transfer agent as the absolute owner of such shares for all purposes to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

Junior Stock ” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation that ranks junior to the Series A Preferred Stock either or both as to the payment of dividends and/or as to the distribution of assets on any Liquidation.

Law ” means any statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority.

Liquidation ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) .

Liquidation Preference ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) .

Parity Stock ” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation that ranks equally with the Series A Preferred Stock both in the payment of dividends and in the distribution of assets on any Liquidation.

Person ” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust, common or collective fund, association, private foundation, joint stock company or other entity and includes a group as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.

Preferred Stock ” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Corporation, including the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

8


Securities Act ” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

Series A Preferred Stock ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1 .

Series B Preferred Stock ” means the Series B preferred stock of the Corporation, par value $0.0001 per share.

Series C Preferred Stock ” means the Series C preferred stock of the Corporation, par value $0.0001 per share.

Transfer ” means any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, distribution, devise or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by operation of Law or otherwise, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire Beneficial Ownership, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, of Series A Preferred Stock, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option) in respect of Series A Preferred Stock, (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Series A Preferred Stock or any interest in Series A Preferred Stock or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) “Transfers” of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership of Series A Preferred Stock, including, in the case of each of clauses (a), (b) and (c), whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, or Beneficially Owned and whether by merger, operation of Law or otherwise; provided , however , that the mere change of Control of any Person, the equity securities of which are publicly traded, shall not, in and of itself, constitute a Transfer unless a purpose of such change of Control is to acquire ownership of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The terms “ Transferable ,” “ Transferring ,” “ Transferred ,” “ Transferee ” and “ Transferor ” shall have the correlative meanings.

*        *        *        *         *        *

 

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Certificate of Designations to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 20 th day of June, 2016.

 

VISA INC.

By:

 

/s/ Kelly Mahon Tullier

 

Name:

 

Kelly Mahon Tullier

 

Title:

 

Corporate Secretary

Exhibit 3.2

Certificate of Designations

of

Series B Convertible Participating

Preferred Stock

of

Visa Inc.

(pursuant to Section 151

of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

Visa Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Corporation ”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 151 thereof, hereby certifies that the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”), in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and applicable Law, at a meeting duly called and held on October 30, 2015, adopted resolutions creating a series of shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, with the designation and number of shares of such series, and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of the shares of such series, as follows:

Section 1.         Designation and Number .

There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation a series of Preferred Stock designated as the “Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock,” par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Series B Preferred Stock ”), and the authorized number of shares constituting such series shall be 2,480,500.

Section 2.         Ranking .

The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank pari passu in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon Liquidation with the Parity Stock. The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank senior in right of payment of dividends and distributions to the Junior Stock, provided that it shall rank pari passu with the Common Stock except, with respect to Class A Common Stock, as otherwise provided in Section 3(b) and Section 4(a) . The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank junior to any series of capital stock of the Corporation hereafter created that by its terms specifically ranks senior in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon Liquidation to the Series B Preferred Stock and shall rank junior to all of the Corporation’s existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities.

Section 3.         Dividends and Other Adjustments .

(a)        In the event that any regular, quarterly cash dividend on the Class A Common Stock is declared by the Board, the Board shall simultaneously declare a dividend for each share of Series B Preferred Stock in an amount equal to the product of (i) the per share dividend declared and to be paid in respect of each share of Class A Common Stock and (ii) the Class A Common Equivalent Number in effect at the close of business on the date immediately prior to the record date for such dividend, with such dividend to be payable on the same


payment date established by the Board for the payment of such dividend to the holders of Class A Common Stock. The record date for any such dividend shall be the record date for the applicable dividend on the Class A Common Stock, and any such dividend shall be payable with respect to each share of Series B Preferred Stock to the Holder to whom such share is registered, as reflected on the stock register of the Corporation, at the close of business on the applicable record date.

(b)        In the event any dividend or distribution, other than a regular, quarterly cash dividend (an “ Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend ”), is declared by the Board on the Class A Common Stock, no corresponding dividend or distribution shall be declared for the Series B Preferred Stock; in lieu thereof, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted as follows:

 

 

i)

in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend declared to be paid in shares of Class A Common Stock, as set forth in Section 3(d) .

 

 

ii)

in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend declared to be paid in anything other than shares of Class A Common Stock, such that, effective on the ex-dividend date, it equals the sum of

 

 

(a)

the Class A Common Equivalent Number as in effect immediately prior to the application of the adjustment in this Section 3(b) (the “ Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ”) plus

 

 

(b)

the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(x)

(1) the amount of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid in cash, or the Dividend FMV of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid other than in cash, multiplied by (2) the Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number, divided by

 

 

(y)

(1) the weighted average of the Daily VWAP of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market for the three (3) consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the ex-dividend date with respect to the Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend (the “ Extraordinary Dividend VWAP ”) minus (2) the amount of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid in cash, or the Dividend FMV of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid other than in cash.

 

 

iii)

in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend declared to be paid partly in shares of Class A Common Stock and partly in anything other than shares of Class A Common Stock (a “ Combined Dividend ”), first, as set forth in Section 3(b)ii) as to the portion of the Combined Dividend that would be described in Section 3(b)ii) if only that portion of the Combined Dividend

 

2


  were paid, and second, as set forth in Section 3(d) as to the portion of the Combined Dividend  paid in shares of  Class A Common Stock, and such combined adjustment shall be effective on the ex-dividend date.

 

 

iv)

In the event that such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend is not so paid, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall again be adjusted, effective as of the date the Board publicly announces its decision not to pay such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend, to the Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number that would then be in effect if such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend had not been declared (and, for the avoidance of doubt, no adjustments or cash payments shall be made pursuant to Section 3(g)i) , ii) , iii)(a) or iii)(c) with respect to such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend).

(c)        No dividend or distribution shall be declared and paid on any share of Class A Common Stock, unless, in the case of a regular, quarterly cash dividend, a cash dividend is simultaneously declared and paid with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 3(a) , or, in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend, the Class A Common Equivalent Number is adjusted pursuant to Section 3(b) or Section 3(d) , as applicable.

(d)        In the event of any subdivision, stock split, reverse stock split, combination, consolidation or reclassification of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares with respect to the Class A Common Stock, or an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend paid in shares of Class A Common Stock (each of the foregoing, a “ Class A Common Event ”), the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be automatically adjusted, without any action of the Corporation, such that the Class A Common Equivalent Number from the effectiveness of any such Class A Common Event shall equal the product, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of (i) the Class A Common Equivalent Number in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event multiplied by (ii) a fraction equal to (A) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately following, and solely as a result of, such Class A Common Event divided by (B) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event.

(e)        No subdivision, stock split, reverse stock split, combination, consolidation or reclassification into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be effected unless a proportionate and equitable adjustment is simultaneously effected with respect to the Class A Common Equivalent Number. All adjustments pursuant to this Section 3 shall be notified to the Holders.

(f)        Prior to declaring any dividend or making any distribution on or with respect to shares of Class A Common Stock, the Corporation shall take any and all prior corporate action necessary to authorize any corporate action in respect of the Series B Preferred Stock required under this Certificate of Designations.

(g)        Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, in the event that any adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number pursuant to this Section 3 would result in any withholding tax required to be paid or withheld by the Corporation under applicable Law (including a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law) with respect to

 

3


any Holder (or, if different, the Beneficial Owner of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such Holder), then in lieu of the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number that would otherwise occur (the Class A Common Equivalent Number that would result from such adjustment, the “ Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ”),

 

 

i)

the Corporation shall pay (or cause to be paid), with respect to each share of Series B Preferred Stock an amount equal to the maximum withholding tax, if any, otherwise required to be paid or withheld by the Corporation with respect to such adjustment, determined on a per share basis, with respect to the Holder(s) or Beneficial Owner(s), as applicable, subject to the highest rate of withholding tax (the “ Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax ”) and

 

 

ii)

the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted (as specifically determined pursuant to Section 3(g)iii)) to take into account the cash payable under Section 3(g)i) in respect of the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax such that, immediately after such adjustment, the fair market value of the amount of Class A Common Shares that a Holder is entitled to receive upon conversion is equal to (1) the fair market value of the amount of Class A Common Shares that a Holder would have been entitled to receive on such conversion based on the Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number less (2) the amount of cash payable to a Holder under Section 3(g)i) in respect of the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax (the sum of the value of the cash to be received by Holders in clause i) and the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number described in this clause ii), the “ Withholding Consideration ”).

 

 

iii)

Specifically, the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number described in Section 3(g)ii) shall be determined on the following basis:

 

 

(a)

In the case of an adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number occurring pursuant to Section 3(b)ii) , the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted to be equal to the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(i)

the Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number minus

 

 

(ii)

the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax divided by the excess of (A) the Extraordinary Dividend VWAP over (B) the value of the Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock (the excess of (A) over (B), the “ Post-Dividend VWAP ”);

 

 

(b)

In the case of any adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number occurring pursuant to Section 3(d) , the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted to be equal to the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(i)

the Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number minus

 

4


 

(ii)

the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax divided by the product of (i) the weighted average of the Daily VWAP of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market for the three (3) consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day immediately preceding the date on which a purchaser of shares of Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market would receive shares of Class A Common Stock unaffected by the event giving rise to the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number pursuant to Section 3(d) (such weighted average, the “ Common Event VWAP ”) and (ii) a fraction equal to (A) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event divided by (B) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately following, and solely as a result of, such Class A Common Event; and

 

 

(c)

In the case of an adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number as a result of a Combined Dividend pursuant to Section 3(b)iii) , the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted by first applying the formula set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(a) to the portion of the Combined Dividend that would be described in Section 3(g)iii)(a) if only that portion of the Combined Dividend were paid (the “ First Step ”) and then applying the formula set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(b) to the portion of the Combined Dividend that would be described in Section 3(g)iii)(b) if only that portion of the Combined Dividend were paid (the “ Second Step ”). In applying the Second Step, the Class A Common Equivalent Number in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event described in Section 3(d)(i) shall be the Class A Common Equivalent Number resulting from application of the First Step and the Common Event VWAP shall be the Post-Dividend VWAP determined under Section 3(g)iii)(a) in the First Step.

 

 

iv)

With respect to each Holder, the Corporation shall, in accordance with Section 17 , withhold from the amount of cash payable to such Holder pursuant to clause i) above the amount of withholding tax required to be withheld by the Corporation with respect to such Holder with respect to the aggregate Withholding Consideration received or deemed received by such Holder or Beneficial Owner, and shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority the full amount of the tax so withheld and shall pay to the Holder the excess, if any, of the amount of cash otherwise payable to such Holder pursuant to clause i) above over the amount of tax paid to the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such Holder or Beneficial Owner. Except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law (including a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law), for purposes of determining the amount of withholding tax applicable as a result of any adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number, to the extent that such withholding tax is determined by reference to the fair market value of an entitlement to receive shares of Class A Common Stock, the fair market value of such entitlement shall be determined by reference to the Adjustment Date Price.

 

5


Section 4.         Liquidation Preference .

(a)        In the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation (a “ Liquidation ”), after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the Holders shall be entitled to receive, with respect to each share of Series B Preferred Stock held, (i) first, before any payment shall be made or any assets distributed to the holders of any class or series of the Common Stock or any other class or series of Junior Stock, an amount equal to $0.01 per share of Series B Preferred Stock (the “ Liquidation Preference ”) and (ii) second, an amount, less the Liquidation Preference, on a pari passu basis with the Common Stock and any Parity Stock and without preference with respect to the Common Stock or any Parity Stock, equal to the distribution(s) such Holder would have been entitled to receive as a result of such Liquidation as if each such share of Series B Preferred Stock, and each share of Series C Preferred Stock and Series A Preferred Stock, had been converted into Class A Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof immediately prior to such Liquidation.

(b)        If in any Liquidation the assets available for payment of the Liquidation Preference are insufficient to permit the payment of the full preferential amounts described in Section 4(a)(i) to the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to Liquidation rights to the Series B Preferred Stock, then all the remaining available assets shall be distributed pro rata among the holders of the then outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and then outstanding shares of any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to Liquidation rights to the Series B Preferred Stock in accordance with the respective aggregate Liquidation Preferences.

(c)        Neither the consolidation or merger of the Corporation into or with another entity nor the dissolution, liquidation, winding up or reorganization of the Corporation immediately followed by the incorporation of another corporation to which such assets are distributed or transferred, nor the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation to another entity shall be deemed a Liquidation; provided that, in each case, effective provision is made in the certificate of incorporation of the resulting or surviving entity or otherwise for the preservation and protection of the rights of the Holders on substantially identical terms.

(d)        The Corporation shall, within five (5) Business Days following the date the Board approves any Liquidation or within ten (10) Business Days following the commencement of any involuntary bankruptcy or similar proceeding concerning the Corporation, whichever is earlier, give each Holder written notice of the event. Such written notice shall describe, to the extent known to the Corporation, the material terms and conditions of such event relating to the treatment of the Series B Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, including, to the extent known to the Corporation, a description of the stock, cash and property to be received by the Holders with respect to their shares of Series B Preferred Stock and by holders of Class A Common Stock as a result of the event and the date of delivery thereof. If any material change in the facts set forth in the initial notice shall occur, the Corporation shall keep the Holders reasonably apprised, and in a manner consistent with any similar information provided to holders of any other series of the Corporation’s capital stock.

Section 5.         Voting Rights .

(a)        Except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law or expressly set forth in this Section 5 , the Holders shall have no voting rights and shall not be entitled to

 

6


any vote with respect to shares of Series B Preferred Stock held of record by such Holder on any matters on which any of the Corporation’s stockholders are entitled to vote.

(b)        Notwithstanding Section 5(a) and for so long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock remain issued and outstanding, without the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the outstanding voting power of the Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class separate from all other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation, the Corporation shall not enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which shares of Class A Common Stock are exchanged for, converted into or changed into other stock or securities, or the right to receive cash or other property, unless, as a result of such transaction, the Holders (i) receive shares of stock or other equity securities with preferences, rights and privileges substantially identical to the preferences, rights and privileges of the Series B Preferred Stock or (ii) receive, for each share of Series B Preferred Stock held, that amount of stock or other securities, cash or other property, as the case may be, which such Holder would have received, or had the right to receive, in respect of that number shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Class A Common Equivalent Number.

(c)        Notwithstanding Section 5(a) , the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the voting power of the Series B Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class separate from all other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation, shall be required for the approval of any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of this Certificate of Designations (including by merger, operation of Law or otherwise) which adversely affects the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Holders; provided , however , that nothing herein contained shall require such vote or approval (i) in connection with any increase in the total number of authorized shares under the Certificate of Incorporation or any authorization, designation or increase of any class or series of shares under the Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) in connection with any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which the Corporation is the surviving entity which does not adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Holders, or (iii) in connection with any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which the Corporation is not the surviving entity if, as a result of such transaction, the Holders (A) receive shares of stock or other equity securities with preferences, rights and privileges substantially identical to the preferences, rights and privileges of the Series B Preferred Stock or (B) receive, for each share of Series B Preferred Stock held, that amount of stock or other securities, cash or other property, as the case may be, which such Holder would have received, or had the right to receive, in respect of that number shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Class A Common Equivalent Number.

(d)        On any matter on which Holders are entitled to vote pursuant to this Section 5 , each Holder will have one vote per share.

Section 6.         Recording of Adjustments .

Whenever the Class A Common Equivalent Number is adjusted (including pursuant to Section 3 , Section 8 and Section 10 hereof), the Corporation shall (i) promptly make a public announcement to notify Holders of such adjustment(s) and of the resulting Class A Common Equivalent Number, and (ii) promptly provide notice to such Holders of such adjustment and of the resulting Class A Common Equivalent Number. The Corporation shall keep with its records such notice and a certificate from the Corporation’s Chief Financial Officer stating the facts requiring the adjustment(s), and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation by which the adjustment(s) have been made. The Corporation shall include such calculation(s)

 

7


in the notification provided pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above. The certificate shall be conclusive evidence that the adjustment(s) are correct, absent manifest error.

Section 7.         Limitations on Transfer .

No shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be Transferable, except for (a) any Transfer to any Person entitled to receive shares of Series B Preferred Stock or Series C Preferred Stock as consideration pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, (b) any Transfer by a Holder to any person eligible to hold shares of the Class B Common Stock, (c) any Transfer by the Corporation to any Person or by any Holder to the Corporation and (d) any Transfer by a Holder to any Person that (1) directly or indirectly, wholly owns such Holder, (2) is, directly or indirectly, wholly owned by, such Holder or (3) is, directly or indirectly, wholly owned by any Person that, directly or indirectly, wholly owns such Holder; provided , in each case, that (i) such Transfer is made in accordance with applicable securities Laws and (ii) such Transfer is made in accordance with the procedural requirements of the transfer agent of the Corporation. The Corporation may approve one or more exceptions to the foregoing Transfer restrictions in the case of any proposed Transfer by any Holder, in which case such restrictions shall not apply to such Transfer.

Section 8.         Conversion Adjustments .

(a)        Each share of Series B Preferred Stock held by a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be automatically partially converted into shares of Class A Common Stock, and each share of Series B Preferred Stock held by any Holder other than a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be automatically partially converted into shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in each case in accordance with the procedures and subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 8 .

(b)        Promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days) following each final determination, in accordance with the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed, of:

 

 

i)

the aggregate reduction, if any, in the amount of coverage (in Dollars) to be retained in the form of the Series B Preferred Stock in connection with potential UK&I Covered Claims (a “ Liability Coverage Reduction Amount ”),

 

 

ii)

the related adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number (a “ Conversion Adjustment ”), which shall equal (A) the Liability Coverage Reduction Amount divided by (B) the Series B Number divided by (C) the Fair Market Value of the Class A Common Stock as of the applicable Scheduled Assessment Date or, in the case of an Additional Assessment, the date of the request of such Additional Assessment by the VE Member Representative, and

 

 

iii)

the resulting Class A Common Equivalent Number after giving effect to the Conversion Adjustment;

the Corporation shall notify the Holders of the Conversion Adjustment, if any, and the date on which the Conversion Adjustment, if any, shall become effective. Additionally, on such date,

(x) each share of Series B Preferred Stock held by a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be partially converted into (by way of reducing the Class

 

8


A Equivalent Number pursuant to clause (z), below), and the Corporation shall issue to each such Class A Common Eligible Holder, for each share of Series B Preferred Stock held, that number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Conversion Adjustment; provided , however , that each such Class A Common Eligible Holder who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fraction of a Class A Common Stock pursuant to this Section 8(b)(x) (after aggregating all fractional interests to which such Holder would be so entitled) shall receive, in lieu thereof, cash (without interest) in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Fair Market Value of the Class A Common Stock as of the applicable Scheduled Assessment Date or, in the case of an Additional Assessment, the date of the request of such Additional Assessment by the VE Member Representative,

(y) each share of Series B Preferred Stock held by any Holder other than a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be partially converted into (by way of reducing the Class A Equivalent Number pursuant to clause (z), below), and the Corporation shall issue to each such Holder, for each share of Series B Preferred Stock held, that number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Series A Preferred Stock equal to (x) the Conversion Adjustment divided by (y) one hundred (100), and

(z) in connection with such partial conversion and issuance, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be reduced by the amount of the Conversion Adjustment.

In no event shall the Conversion Adjustment be greater than the then applicable Class A Common Equivalent Number. For the avoidance of doubt, the partial conversion of the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 8 shall result in the adjustment of the Class A Common Equivalent Number as provided herein and shall not reduce the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding.

(c)        All shares of Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock delivered upon any partial conversion of Series B Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 8 will, upon such conversion, be duly and validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free from all preemptive rights, free from all taxes, liens, security interests, charges and encumbrances (other than liens, security interests, charges or encumbrances created by or imposed upon the Holder or taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously therewith).

(d)        The issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock upon conversion of shares of Series B Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 8 shall be made without payment of additional consideration by, or other charge, cost or tax to, the Holder in respect thereof; provided, however , that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge that may be payable with respect to the issuance or delivery of any shares of Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock in the name of any Person other than the Holder of the converted shares, and no such delivery shall be made unless and until the Person requesting such issuance has paid to the Corporation the amount of any such tax or charge, or has established to the satisfaction of the Corporation that such tax or charge has been paid or that no such tax or charge is due.

 

9


(e)        The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available, free from any preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Class A Common Stock, for the sole purpose of effecting such conversion, the full number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Class A Common Stock as shall from time to time be issuable upon the conversion of all the outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock at the Class A Common Equivalent Number.

(f)        In connection with any conversion of Series B Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 8 , the Corporation shall either (i) register under the Securities Act (on Form S-3 or any other appropriate form) the issuance of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock or Class A Common Stock to be issued in connection with such conversion or (ii) otherwise provide for such shares of Series A Preferred Stock or Class A Common Stock issuable upon conversion to be freely tradable upon issuance, including by causing an opinion of counsel to be delivered to the Corporation’s transfer agent to permit the issuance of such shares of the Corporation’s capital stock without restrictive legends. Each Holder thereof, or its designated representative acting on its behalf, shall provide any information, authorizations or agreements reasonably required by the Corporation in order to effectuate any such registration on Form S-3 and any sales of Series A Preferred Stock or Class A Common Stock pursuant thereto and the Corporation’s obligations under this Section 8(f) with respect to such Holder and any such shares held by such Holder shall be subject to the receipt of such information, authorizations or agreements in relation to such Holder.

Section 9.         Redeemed, Repurchased or Reacquired Shares; Redemption .

Shares of Series B Preferred Stock that have been redeemed, repurchased or reacquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized, unissued and undesignated shares that shall be available for future issuance. Upon the reduction of the Class A Common Equivalent Number to zero (0), whether as a result of adjustments pursuant to Section 8 or Section 10 , the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all (but not less than all) of the Series B Preferred Stock, at a redemption rate of $0.0001 per share, by delivering notice of redemption to the Holders, such that no shares of Series B Preferred Stock remain outstanding from and after such time, and all such shares shall be restored to the status of authorized, unissued and undesignated shares that shall be available for future issuance.

Section 10.         Adjustment for Covered Losses .

(a)        Within three (3) months of the final determination of the allocation of any Covered Loss with respect to any UK&I Covered Claim pursuant to Clause 13 and/or Clause 21.2, as applicable, of the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed (an “ Incurred Loss ”), the Corporation shall give written notice of such Incurred Loss (an “ Incurred Loss Notice ”) to the VE Member Representative. Each Incurred Loss Notice shall be certified by an officer of the Corporation and shall set forth, (i) the amount of such Incurred Loss in Dollars (the “ Incurred Loss Amount ”) and, with respect to any Incurred Loss that is in a currency other than Dollars, the conversion calculation pursuant to Section 10(c) , (ii) the date on which the Incurred Loss was suffered or incurred (the “ Incurred Loss Date ”), (iii) the date on which the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number is to be adjusted pursuant to Section 10(b) and (iv) a brief description of the legal and factual basis of the Incurred Loss. The Corporation shall not make any adjustment pursuant to this Section 10 with respect to any Covered Loss unless and until such Covered Loss has been allocated as a UK&I Covered Claim in accordance with Clause 13 and/or Clause 21.2, as applicable, of the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

 

10


(b)        Within ten (10) Business Days following the Corporation’s issuance of any Incurred Loss Notice or such later date as may be specified by the Corporation in the Incurred Loss Notice, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall, subject to Section 10(d) , be automatically adjusted to reflect the Incurred Loss Amount (an “ Incurred Loss Adjustment Event ”) such that, following each such adjustment, the new Class A Common Equivalent Number shall equal:

 

 

i)

the Class A Common Equivalent Number prior to such adjustment minus

 

 

ii)

the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(1)

(x) the Incurred Loss Amount divided by (y) the Series B Number divided by

(2)      the Fair Market Value of the Class A Common Stock as of the date of such adjustment.

(c)        The amount of any Incurred Loss suffered or incurred in a currency other than Dollars shall be converted into Dollars based on the average of the applicable exchange rate reported by Bloomberg at 5:00 p.m. New York time on each day during the ten (10) trading-day period ending on the last trading day preceding the Incurred Loss Date.

(d)        There shall not be more than one Incurred Loss Adjustment Event within any six (6)-month period; provided , however , that the Corporation may specify a date on which multiple Incurred Loss Amounts within one fiscal year of such date will be reflected on an aggregate basis in one Incurred Loss Adjustment Event. In the event that any Incurred Loss Adjustment Event would occur by operation of Section 10(b) within any six (6)-month period in which an Incurred Loss Adjustment Event has already occurred, such subsequent Incurred Loss Adjustment Event shall be deferred to the first Business Day of the next six (6)-month period unless the Corporation specifies a later date in the relevant Incurred Loss Notice. The foregoing provisions of this Section 10(d) shall not apply to an Incurred Loss Amount that is equal to or in excess of Twenty Million Euros ( 20,000,000), and an Incurred Loss Adjustment Event with respect to such Incurred Loss Amount shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining the foregoing six (6)-month period limitation. In the event of any Incurred Loss Amount that is equal to or in excess of Twenty Million Euros ( 20,000,000), the Loss Adjustment Event with respect to such Incurred Loss Amount may include any other Incurred Loss Amounts then outstanding pending aggregation pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 10(d) .

(e)        For all U.S. federal (and applicable U.S. state and U.S. local) income tax purposes, the Corporation agrees to and, by holding the Series B Preferred Stock, each Holder agrees to (i) treat each Incurred Loss Adjustment Event as an adjustment to the consideration paid by the Corporation for the equity interests in Visa Europe pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law (including a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any similar provision of state or local Law) and (ii) file all relevant U.S. federal (and applicable U.S. state and U.S. local) income tax returns in a manner consistent with the treatment described in the immediately preceding clause (i). In the event that a Holder is not the Beneficial Owner, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, of all of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by it, such Holder shall use all reasonable efforts to cause any Person that is treated as the owner, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, of any shares of

 

11


Series B Preferred Stock held by such Holder to comply with clauses (i) and (ii) of the preceding sentence.

(f)        Following any Incurred Loss Adjustment Event in accordance with Section 10(b) , no Holder or any of its Affiliates shall have any liability to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates for any Covered Loss to the extent reflected in such Incurred Loss Adjustment Event; provided , that the foregoing shall not preclude the Corporation from recovering against any Holder in respect of any Covered Loss suffered in connection with the same Covered Claim pursuant to successive or separate awards of damages, costs or expenses, including interim and final awards and/or separate costs orders in the same Covered Claim.

Section 11.         Record Holders .

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the Corporation and the Corporation’s transfer agent for the Series B Preferred Stock may deem and treat the Holder of any share of Series B Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 12.         Form .

Any certificate representing shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall bear a legend that the shares represented by such certificates have not been registered under the Securities Act and are subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in this Certificate of Designations. If any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are not represented by a certificate, the Corporation reserves the right to require that an analogous notification be used in order to reflect on the books and records of the Corporation such restrictions with respect to such shares of Series B Preferred Stock.

Section 13.         Notices .

Except as otherwise expressly provided hereunder, all notices and other communications referred to herein shall be in writing and delivered personally or sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, or by reputable overnight courier service, charges prepaid:

(a)        If to the Corporation as follows, or as otherwise specified in a written notice given to each of the Holders and the VE Member Representative in accordance with this Section 13 :

Visa Inc.

900 Metro Center Boulevard

Foster City, California 94404, U.S.A.

Attention:        General Counsel

(b)        If to any Holder, by e-mail if such Holder has provided an e-mail address to the Corporation or its transfer agent for purposes of notification, or, if no such e-mail address is available, to such Holder’s address as it appears in the stock records of the Corporation or as otherwise specified in a written notice given by such Holder to the Corporation or, at the Corporation’s option with respect to any notice from the Corporation to a Holder, in accordance with customary practices of the Corporation’s transfer agent.

 

12


(c)        If to the VE Member Representative as follows, or as otherwise specified in a written notice given to the Corporation and each of the Holders in accordance with this Section 13 :

441 Trust Company Limited

C/o Moore Stephens

150 Aldersgate Street

London EC1A 4AB, United Kingdom

Attention:        Adrian Phillips (General Counsel) and

     Marco Bolgiani (CEO)

(d)        Any such notice or communication given as provided in this Section 13 shall be deemed received by the receiving party upon: actual receipt, if delivered personally; actual delivery, if delivered in accordance with customary practices of the Corporation’s transfer agent; five (5) Business Days after deposit in the mail, if sent by first class mail; on the next Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier, if sent by an overnight courier; or on the next Business Day after transmission, if sent by e-mail.

Section 14.         Severability .

Whenever possible, each provision hereof shall be interpreted in a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any provision hereof is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable Law, then such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating or otherwise adversely affecting the remaining provisions hereof.

Section 15.         Replacement Certificates .

The Corporation shall replace any mutilated certificate at the Holder’s expense, upon surrender of that certificate to the Corporation. The Corporation shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the Holder’s expense, upon delivery to the Corporation of reasonably satisfactory evidence that the certificate has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be reasonably required by the Corporation and any other documentation as may be required by the Corporation’s transfer agent.

Section 16.         No Preemptive Rights .

No share of Series B Preferred Stock shall have any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Corporation, or any warrants, rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted.

Section 17.         Withholding.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Corporation shall have the right to deduct and withhold from any payment or distribution (or deemed distribution) made with respect to a share of Series B Preferred Stock and from the issuance of any Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock upon its conversion such amounts as are required to be deducted or withheld with respect to the making of such payment or distribution or such issuance under any applicable tax Law and, in the event that any amounts are deducted or withheld, the Corporation shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant

 

13


Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law. To the extent that any amounts are so deducted or withheld, such deducted or withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Certificate of Designations and the relevant share of Series B Preferred Stock as having been paid to the Holder of such share of Series B Preferred Stock. After any payment of taxes by the Corporation to a Governmental Authority with respect to a Holder pursuant to this Section 17 , upon the written request by such Holder, the Corporation shall deliver to such Holder the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other customary evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to such Holder.

Section 18.         Other Rights .

The shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not have any rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers or relative, participating, optional or other special rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation or as required by applicable Law.

Section 19.         Defined Terms .

Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Certificate of Designations shall have their respective meanings as defined below:

Additional Assessment ” means a conversion assessment following a request by the VE Member Representative, on one (1) occasion between the fourth and the eighth anniversaries of the Closing Date, as more fully set forth in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Adjustment Date Price ” means the average of the highest and lowest quoted trading prices of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market on (i) in the case of an adjustment occurring pursuant to Section 3(b)ii) or Section 3(b)iii) , the ex-dividend date, and (ii) in the case of an adjustment occurring pursuant to Section 3(d) , the first trading day following the effectiveness of the Class A Common Event.

Affiliate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

Beneficial Owner ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rules), except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular Person, for purposes solely of this Certificate of Designations, and not for purposes of such rules, such Person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such Person has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms “ Beneficially Owns ,” “ Beneficial Ownership ” and “ Beneficially Owned ” have a corresponding meaning.

Board ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Business Day ” means any day except a Saturday, a Sunday and any day which in New York, New York, United States shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by Law or other government action to close.

 

14


Certificate of Designations ” means this Certificate of Designations relating to the Series B Preferred Stock, as it may be amended from time to time.

Certificate of Incorporation ” means the Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time, and shall include this Certificate of Designations.

Class A Common Eligible Holder ” means a Holder that is eligible to hold Class A Common Stock without automatic conversion into any shares of any other class of Common Stock pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation.

Class A Common Equivalent Number ” means, with respect to each share of Series B Preferred Stock, the number of shares of underlying Class A Common Stock, issuable upon conversion, or represented by the Series A Preferred Stock issuable upon conversion, pursuant to Section 8 , at an initial conversion rate of 13.952, as the same shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Certificate of Designations.

Class A Common Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(d) .

Class A Common Stock ” means the Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Class B Common Stock ” means the Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Class C Common Stock ” means the Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Closing Date ” means June 21, 2016.

Combined Dividend ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)iii) .

Common Event VWAP ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(b)(ii) .

Common Stock ” means the Class A Common Stock, the Class B Common Stock and the Class C Common Stock.

Control ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

Conversion Adjustment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(b)ii) .

Corporation ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Covered Claim ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Covered Loss ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Daily VWAP ” means the volume-weighted average price per share for any given trading day, as displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on Bloomberg page V <equity> VWAP (or

 

15


any equivalent successor page) in respect of the period from 9:30 am EST to 4:00 pm EST, or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable, Reuters volume weighted average price shall be used as displayed under their “Time Series Data” for the Corporation (/V.N) using the “Vol x Prc1” field; or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable, the market value per share of the Class A Common Stock on such trading day as calculated by the Corporation using a volume weighted average that uses the price and volume of each trade of Class A Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange from 9:30 am EST to 4:00 pm EST for that trading day.

Dividend FMV ” means, with respect to any Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend that is paid other than in cash, the fair market value of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Common Stock as determined by the Board in good faith.

Dollars ” and “ $ ” means the lawful currency of the United States of America.

Exchange Act ” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor legislation which shall be in effect at the time).

Existing English High Court Claims ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) .

Extraordinary Dividend VWAP ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)ii)(b)(y) .

Fair Market Value ” of the Class A Common Stock means the weighted average of the Daily VWAP of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market during the ten (10) full trading days prior to (but not including) the applicable reference date.

First Step ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(c) .

Governmental Authority ” means any United States, European Union, national, federal, state, provincial, county, municipal or other local government or governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, or any court, in each case whether of the United States of America or any other country applicable to a specified Person.

Holder ” means a holder of record of one or more shares of Series B Preferred Stock, as reflected in the stock records of the Corporation or the transfer agent, which may be treated by the Corporation and the transfer agent as the absolute owner of such shares for all purposes to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

Incurred Loss ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Incurred Loss Adjustment Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(b) .

Incurred Loss Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Incurred Loss Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Incurred Loss Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

 

16


Junior Stock ” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation that ranks junior to the Series B Preferred Stock either or both as to the payment of dividends and/or as to the distribution of assets on any Liquidation.

Law ” means any statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority.

Liability Coverage Reduction Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(b)i) .

Liquidation ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) .

Liquidation Preference ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) .

Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)i) .

Parity Stock ” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation that ranks equally with the Series B Preferred Stock both in the payment of dividends and in the distribution of assets on any Liquidation. Without limiting the foregoing, Parity Stock shall include the Corporation’s Series C Preferred Stock.

Person ” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust, common or collective fund, association, private foundation, joint stock company or other entity and includes a group as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.

Post-Dividend VWAP ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(a)(ii) .

Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g) .

Preferred Stock ” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Corporation, including the Series B Preferred Stock.

Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed ” means the Litigation Management Deed, dated June 21, 2016, among the Corporation, the VE Member Representative and the other parties thereto.

Scheduled Assessment Date ” means (a) each of the fourth, sixth, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth year anniversaries of the Closing Date and annually thereafter and (b) the date that is three months following the final resolution of all of the Existing English High Court Claims (whether by a settlement or final and non-appealable judgment).

Second Step ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(c) .

Securities Act ” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

Series A Preferred Stock ” means the Series A preferred stock of the Corporation, par value $0.0001 per share.

Series B Number ” means, as of a given date, the number of shares outstanding of Series B Preferred Stock.

Series B Preferred Stock ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1 .

 

17


Series C Preferred Stock ” means the Series C preferred stock of the Corporation, par value $0.0001 per share.

Transaction Agreement ” means the transaction agreement entered into on November 2, 2015, between the Corporation and Visa Europe, and as amended or adhered to from time to time.

Transfer ” means any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, distribution, devise or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by operation of Law or otherwise, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire Beneficial Ownership, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, of Series B Preferred Stock, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Series B Preferred Stock or any interest in Series B Preferred Stock or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) “Transfers” of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership of Series B Preferred Stock, in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, or Beneficially Owned and whether by merger, operation of Law or otherwise; provided , however , that the mere change of Control of any Person, the equity securities of which are publicly traded, shall not, in and of itself, constitute a Transfer unless a purpose of such change of Control is to acquire ownership of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock. The terms “ Transferable ,” “ Transferring ,” “ Transferred ,” “ Transferee ” and “ Transferor ” shall have the correlative meanings.

UK&I Covered Claim ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)ii)(a) .

VE Member Representative ” means 441 Trust Company Limited, a private company limited by guarantee and incorporated in England and Wales under number 9918839 whose registered address is at 150 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4AB, United Kingdom.

Visa Europe ” means Visa Europe Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales.

Withholding Consideration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)ii) .

*        *        *        *         *        *

 

18


IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the undersigned has caused this Certificate of Designations to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 20 th day of June, 2016.

 

VISA INC.

By:

 

/s/ Kelly Mahon Tullier

 

Name:

 

Kelly Mahon Tullier

 

Title:

 

Corporate Secretary

Exhibit 3.3

Certificate of Designations

of

Series C Convertible Participating

Preferred Stock

of

Visa Inc.

(pursuant to Section 151 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)

Visa Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Corporation ”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 151 thereof, hereby certifies that the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board ”), in accordance with the provisions of the Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation and applicable Law, at a meeting duly called and held on October 30, 2015, adopted resolutions creating a series of shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, with the designation and number of shares of such series, and the voting and other powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions, of the shares of such series, as follows:

Section 1.         Designation and Number .

There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation a series of Preferred Stock designated as the “Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock,” par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Series C Preferred Stock ”), and the authorized number of shares constituting such series shall be 3,157,000.

Section 2.         Ranking .

The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank pari passu in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon Liquidation with the Parity Stock. The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank senior in right of payment of dividends and distributions to the Junior Stock, provided that it shall rank pari passu with the Common Stock except, with respect to Class A Common Stock, as otherwise provided in Section 3(b) and Section 4(a) . The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank junior to any series of capital stock of the Corporation hereafter created that by its terms specifically ranks senior in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon Liquidation to the Series C Preferred Stock and shall rank junior to all of the Corporation’s existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities.

Section 3.         Dividends and Other Adjustments .

(a)        In the event that any regular, quarterly cash dividend on the Class A Common Stock is declared by the Board, the Board shall simultaneously declare a dividend for each share of Series C Preferred Stock in an amount equal to the product of (i) the per share dividend declared and to be paid in respect of each share of Class A Common Stock and (ii) the Class A Common Equivalent Number in effect at the close of business on the date immediately prior to the record date for such dividend, with such dividend to be payable on the same payment date established by the Board for the payment of such dividend to the holders of Class


A Common Stock. The record date for any such dividend shall be the record date for the applicable dividend on the Class A Common Stock, and any such dividend shall be payable with respect to each share of Series C Preferred Stock to the Holder to whom such share is registered, as reflected on the stock register of the Corporation, at the close of business on the applicable record date.

(b)        In the event any dividend or distribution, other than a regular, quarterly cash dividend (an “ Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend ”), is declared by the Board on the Class A Common Stock, no corresponding dividend or distribution shall be declared for the Series C Preferred Stock; in lieu thereof, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted as follows:

 

 

i)

in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend declared to be paid in shares of Class A Common Stock, as set forth in Section 3(d) .

 

 

ii)

in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend declared to be paid in anything other than shares of Class A Common Stock, such that, effective on the ex-dividend date, it equals the sum of

 

 

(a)

the Class A Common Equivalent Number as in effect immediately prior to the application of the adjustment in this Section 3(b) (the “ Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ”) plus

 

 

(b)

the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(x)

(1) the amount of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid in cash, or the Dividend FMV of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid other than in cash, multiplied by (2) the Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number, divided by

 

 

(y)

(1) the weighted average of the Daily VWAP of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market for the three (3) consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the ex-dividend date with respect to the Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend (the “ Extraordinary Dividend VWAP ”) minus (2) the amount of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid in cash, or the Dividend FMV of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock, to the extent declared to be paid other than in cash.

 

 

iii)

in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend declared to be paid partly in shares of Class A Common Stock and partly in anything other than shares of Class A Common Stock (a “ Combined Dividend ”), first, as set forth in Section 3(b)ii) as to the portion of the Combined Dividend that would be described in Section 3(b)ii) if only that portion of the Combined Dividend were paid, and second, as set forth in Section 3(d) as to the portion of the

 

2


  Combined Dividend paid in shares of Class A Common Stock, and such combined adjustment shall be effective on the ex-dividend date.

 

 

iv)

In the event that such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend is not so paid, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall again be adjusted, effective as of the date the Board publicly announces its decision not to pay such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend, to the Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number that would then be in effect if such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend had not been declared (and, for the avoidance of doubt, no adjustments or cash payments shall be made pursuant to Section 3(g)i) , ii) , iii)(a) or iii)(c) with respect to such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend).

(c) No dividend or distribution shall be declared and paid on any share of Class A Common Stock, unless, in the case of a regular, quarterly cash dividend, a cash dividend is simultaneously declared and paid with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 3(a) , or, in the case of an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend, the Class A Common Equivalent Number is adjusted pursuant to Section 3(b) or Section 3(d) , as applicable.

(d) In the event of any subdivision, stock split, reverse stock split, combination, consolidation or reclassification of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares with respect to the Class A Common Stock, or an Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend paid in shares of Class A Common Stock (each of the foregoing, a “ Class A Common Event ”), the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be automatically adjusted, without any action of the Corporation, such that the Class A Common Equivalent Number from the effectiveness of any such Class A Common Event shall equal the product, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of (i) the Class A Common Equivalent Number in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event multiplied by (ii) a fraction equal to (A) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately following, and solely as a result of, such Class A Common Event divided by (B) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event.

(e) No subdivision, stock split, reverse stock split, combination, consolidation or reclassification into a greater or lesser number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be effected unless a proportionate and equitable adjustment is simultaneously effected with respect to the Class A Common Equivalent Number. All adjustments pursuant to this Section 3 shall be notified to the Holders.

(f) Prior to declaring any dividend or making any distribution on or with respect to shares of Class A Common Stock, the Corporation shall take any and all prior corporate action necessary to authorize any corporate action in respect of the Series C Preferred Stock required under this Certificate of Designations.

(g) Notwithstanding anything else contained herein, in the event that any adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number pursuant to this Section 3 would result in any withholding tax required to be paid or withheld by the Corporation under applicable Law (including a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law) with respect to any Holder (or, if different, the Beneficial Owner of such shares of Series C Preferred Stock held

 

3


by such Holder), then in lieu of the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number that would otherwise occur (the Class A Common Equivalent Number that would result from such adjustment, the “ Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ”),

 

 

i)

the Corporation shall pay (or cause to be paid), with respect to each share of Series C Preferred Stock an amount equal to the maximum withholding tax, if any, otherwise required to be paid or withheld by the Corporation with respect to such adjustment, determined on a per share basis, with respect to the Holder(s) or Beneficial Owner(s), as applicable, subject to the highest rate of withholding tax (the “ Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax ”) and

 

 

ii)

the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted (as specifically determined pursuant to Section 3(g)iii)) to take into account the cash payable under Section 3(g)i) in respect of the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax such that, immediately after such adjustment, the fair market value of the amount of Class A Common Shares that a Holder is entitled to receive upon conversion is equal to (1) the fair market value of the amount of Class A Common Shares that a Holder would have been entitled to receive on such conversion based on the Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number less (2) the amount of cash payable to a Holder under Section 3(g)i) in respect of the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax (the sum of the value of the cash to be received by Holders in clause i) and the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number described in this clause ii), the “ Withholding Consideration ”).

 

 

iii)

Specifically, the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number described in Section 3(g)ii) shall be determined on the following basis:

 

 

(a)

In the case of an adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number occurring pursuant to Section 3(b)ii) , the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted to be equal to the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(i)

the Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number minus

 

 

(ii)

the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax divided by the excess of (A) the Extraordinary Dividend VWAP over (B) the value of the Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Class A Common Stock (the excess of (A) over (B), the “ Post-Dividend VWAP ”);

 

 

(b)

In the case of any adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number occurring pursuant to Section 3(d) , the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted to be equal to the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(i)

the Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number minus

 

 

(ii)

the Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax divided by the product of (i) the weighted average of the Daily VWAP of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market for the three (3)

 

4


 

consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day immediately preceding the date on which a purchaser of shares of Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market would receive shares of Class A Common Stock unaffected by the event giving rise to the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number pursuant to Section 3(d) (such weighted average, the “ Common Event VWAP ”) and (ii) a fraction equal to (A) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event divided by (B) the number of shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding immediately following, and solely as a result of, such Class A Common Event; and

 

 

(c)

In the case of an adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number as a result of a Combined Dividend pursuant to Section 3(b)iii) , the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be adjusted by first applying the formula set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(a) to the portion of the Combined Dividend that would be described in Section 3(g)iii)(a) if only that portion of the Combined Dividend were paid (the “ First Step ”) and then applying the formula set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(b) to the portion of the Combined Dividend that would be described in Section 3(g)iii)(b) if only that portion of the Combined Dividend were paid (the “ Second Step ”). In applying the Second Step, the Class A Common Equivalent Number in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of such Class A Common Event described in Section 3(d)(i) shall be the Class A Common Equivalent Number resulting from application of the First Step and the Common Event VWAP shall be the Post-Dividend VWAP determined under Section 3(g)iii)(a) in the First Step.

 

 

iv)

With respect to each Holder, the Corporation shall, in accordance with Section 17 , withhold from the amount of cash payable to such Holder pursuant to clause i) above the amount of withholding tax required to be withheld by the Corporation with respect to such Holder with respect to the aggregate Withholding Consideration received or deemed received by such Holder or Beneficial Owner, and shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority the full amount of the tax so withheld and shall pay to the Holder the excess, if any, of the amount of cash otherwise payable to such Holder pursuant to clause i) above over the amount of tax paid to the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such Holder or Beneficial Owner. Except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law (including a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. Law), for purposes of determining the amount of withholding tax applicable as a result of any adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number, to the extent that such withholding tax is determined by reference to the fair market value of an entitlement to receive shares of Class A Common Stock, the fair market value of such entitlement shall be determined by reference to the Adjustment Date Price.

 

5


Section 4.         Liquidation Preference .

(a)        In the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation (a “ Liquidation ”), after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation, the Holders shall be entitled to receive, with respect to each share of Series C Preferred Stock held, (i) first, before any payment shall be made or any assets distributed to the holders of any class or series of the Common Stock or any other class or series of Junior Stock, an amount equal to $0.01 per share of Series C Preferred Stock (the “ Liquidation Preference ”) and (ii) second, an amount, less the Liquidation Preference, on a pari passu basis with the Common Stock and any Parity Stock and without preference with respect to the Common Stock or any Parity Stock, equal to the distribution(s) such Holder would have been entitled to receive as a result of such Liquidation as if each such share of Series C Preferred Stock, and each share of Series B Preferred Stock and Series A Preferred Stock, had been converted into Class A Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof immediately prior to such Liquidation.

(b)        If in any Liquidation the assets available for payment of the Liquidation Preference are insufficient to permit the payment of the full preferential amounts described in Section 4(a)(i) to the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock and any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to Liquidation rights to the Series C Preferred Stock, then all the remaining available assets shall be distributed pro rata among the holders of the then outstanding Series C Preferred Stock and then outstanding shares of any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to Liquidation rights to the Series C Preferred Stock in accordance with the respective aggregate Liquidation Preferences.

(c)        Neither the consolidation or merger of the Corporation into or with another entity nor the dissolution, liquidation, winding up or reorganization of the Corporation immediately followed by the incorporation of another corporation to which such assets are distributed or transferred, nor the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation to another entity shall be deemed a Liquidation; provided that, in each case, effective provision is made in the certificate of incorporation of the resulting or surviving entity or otherwise for the preservation and protection of the rights of the Holders on substantially identical terms.

(d)        The Corporation shall, within five (5) Business Days following the date the Board approves any Liquidation or within ten (10) Business Days following the commencement of any involuntary bankruptcy or similar proceeding concerning the Corporation, whichever is earlier, give each Holder written notice of the event. Such written notice shall describe, to the extent known to the Corporation, the material terms and conditions of such event relating to the treatment of the Series C Preferred Stock and the Common Stock, including, to the extent known to the Corporation, a description of the stock, cash and property to be received by the Holders with respect to their shares of Series C Preferred Stock and by holders of Class A Common Stock as a result of the event and the date of delivery thereof. If any material change in the facts set forth in the initial notice shall occur, the Corporation shall keep the Holders reasonably apprised, and in a manner consistent with any similar information provided to holders of any other series of the Corporation’s capital stock.

 

6


Section 5.         Voting Rights .

(a)        Except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law or expressly set forth in this Section 5 , the Holders shall have no voting rights and shall not be entitled to any vote with respect to shares of Series C Preferred Stock held of record by such Holder on any matters on which any of the Corporation’s stockholders are entitled to vote.

(b)        Notwithstanding Section 5(a) and for so long as any shares of Series C Preferred Stock remain issued and outstanding, without the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the outstanding voting power of the Series C Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class separate from all other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation, the Corporation shall not enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which shares of Class A Common Stock are exchanged for, converted into or changed into other stock or securities, or the right to receive cash or other property, unless, as a result of such transaction, the Holders (i) receive shares of stock or other equity securities with preferences, rights and privileges substantially identical to the preferences, rights and privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock or (ii) receive, for each share of Series C Preferred Stock held, that amount of stock or other securities, cash or other property, as the case may be, which such Holder would have received, or had the right to receive, in respect of that number shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Class A Common Equivalent Number.

(c)        Notwithstanding Section 5(a) , the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority of the voting power of the Series C Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class separate from all other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation, shall be required for the approval of any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of this Certificate of Designations (including by merger, operation of Law or otherwise) which adversely affects the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Holders; provided , however , that nothing herein contained shall require such vote or approval (i) in connection with any increase in the total number of authorized shares under the Certificate of Incorporation or any authorization, designation or increase of any class or series of shares under the Certificate of Incorporation, (ii) in connection with any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which the Corporation is the surviving entity which does not adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Holders, or (iii) in connection with any consolidation, merger, combination or similar transaction in which the Corporation is not the surviving entity if, as a result of such transaction, the Holders (A) receive shares of stock or other equity securities with preferences, rights and privileges substantially identical to the preferences, rights and privileges of the Series C Preferred Stock or (B) receive, for each share of Series C Preferred Stock held, that amount of stock or other securities, cash or other property, as the case may be, which such Holder would have received, or had the right to receive, in respect of that number shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Class A Common Equivalent Number.

(d)        On any matter on which Holders are entitled to vote pursuant to this Section 5 , each Holder will have one vote per share.

Section 6.         Recording of Adjustments .

Whenever the Class A Common Equivalent Number is adjusted (including pursuant to Section 3 , Section 8 and Section 10 hereof), the Corporation shall (i) promptly make a public announcement to notify Holders of such adjustment(s) and of the resulting Class A Common Equivalent Number, and (ii) promptly provide notice to such Holders of such adjustment and of the resulting Class A Common Equivalent Number. The Corporation shall

 

7


keep with its records such notice and a certificate from the Corporation’s Chief Financial Officer stating the facts requiring the adjustment(s), and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation by which the adjustment(s) have been made. The Corporation shall include such calculation(s) in the notification provided pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above. The certificate shall be conclusive evidence that the adjustment(s) are correct, absent manifest error.

Section 7.         Limitations on Transfer .

No shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be Transferable, except for (a) any Transfer to any Person entitled to receive shares of Series B Preferred Stock or Series C Preferred Stock as consideration pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, (b) any Transfer by a Holder to any person eligible to hold shares of the Class B Common Stock, (c) any Transfer by the Corporation to any Person or by any Holder to the Corporation and (d) any Transfer by a Holder to any Person that (1) directly or indirectly, wholly owns such Holder, (2) is, directly or indirectly, wholly owned by, such Holder or (3) is, directly or indirectly, wholly owned by any Person that, directly or indirectly, wholly owns such Holder; provided , in each case, that (i) such Transfer is made in accordance with applicable securities Laws and (ii) such Transfer is made in accordance with the procedural requirements of the transfer agent of the Corporation. The Corporation may approve one or more exceptions to the foregoing Transfer restrictions in the case of any proposed Transfer by any Holder, in which case such restrictions shall not apply to such Transfer.

Section 8.         Conversion Adjustments .

(a) Each share of Series C Preferred Stock held by a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be automatically partially converted into shares of Class A Common Stock, and each share of Series C Preferred Stock held by any Holder other than a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be automatically partially converted into shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in each case in accordance with the procedures and subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 8 .

(b) Promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days) following each final determination, in accordance with the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed, of:

 

 

i)

the aggregate reduction, if any, in the amount of coverage (in Dollars) to be retained in the form of the Series C Preferred Stock in connection with potential Europe Covered Claims (a “ Liability Coverage Reduction Amount ”),

 

 

ii)

the related adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number (a “ Conversion Adjustment ”), which shall equal (A) the Liability Coverage Reduction Amount divided by (B) the Series C Number divided by (C) the Fair Market Value of the Class A Common Stock as of the applicable Scheduled Assessment Date or, in the case of an Additional Assessment, the date of the request of such Additional Assessment by the VE Member Representative, and

 

 

iii)

the resulting Class A Common Equivalent Number after giving effect to the Conversion Adjustment;

the Corporation shall notify the Holders of the Conversion Adjustment, if any, and the date on which the Conversion Adjustment, if any, shall become effective. Additionally, on such date,

 

8


(x) each share of Series C Preferred Stock held by a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be partially converted into (by way of reducing the Class A Equivalent Number pursuant to clause (z), below), and the Corporation shall issue to each such Class A Common Eligible Holder, for each share of Series C Preferred Stock held, that number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Class A Common Stock equal to the Conversion Adjustment; provided , however , that each such Class A Common Eligible Holder who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fraction of a Class A Common Stock pursuant to this Section 8(b)(x) (after aggregating all fractional interests to which such Holder would be so entitled) shall receive, in lieu thereof, cash (without interest) in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Fair Market Value of the Class A Common Stock as of the applicable Scheduled Assessment Date or, in the case of an Additional Assessment, the date of the request of such Additional Assessment by the VE Member Representative,

(y) each share of Series C Preferred Stock held by any Holder other than a Class A Common Eligible Holder shall be partially converted into (by way of reducing the Class A Equivalent Number pursuant to clause (z), below), and the Corporation shall issue to each such Holder, for each share of Series C Preferred Stock held, that number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Series A Preferred Stock equal to (x) the Conversion Adjustment divided by (y) one hundred (100), and

(z) in connection with such partial conversion and issuance, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall be reduced by the amount of the Conversion Adjustment.

In no event shall the Conversion Adjustment be greater than the then applicable Class A Common Equivalent Number. For the avoidance of doubt, the partial conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 8 shall result in the adjustment of the Class A Common Equivalent Number as provided herein and shall not reduce the number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding.

(c)        All shares of Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock delivered upon any partial conversion of Series C Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 8 will, upon such conversion, be duly and validly authorized and issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free from all preemptive rights, free from all taxes, liens, security interests, charges and encumbrances (other than liens, security interests, charges or encumbrances created by or imposed upon the Holder or taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously therewith).

(d)        The issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock upon conversion of shares of Series C Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 8 shall be made without payment of additional consideration by, or other charge, cost or tax to, the Holder in respect thereof; provided, however , that the Corporation shall not be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge that may be payable with respect to the issuance or delivery of any shares of Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock in the name of any Person other than the Holder of the converted shares, and no such delivery shall be made unless and until the Person requesting such issuance has paid to the Corporation the

 

9


amount of any such tax or charge, or has established to the satisfaction of the Corporation that such tax or charge has been paid or that no such tax or charge is due.

(e)        The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available, free from any preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Class A Common Stock, for the sole purpose of effecting such conversion, the full number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Class A Common Stock as shall from time to time be issuable upon the conversion of all the outstanding shares of the Series C Preferred Stock at the Class A Common Equivalent Number.

(f)        In connection with any conversion of Series C Preferred Stock in accordance with this Section 8 , the Corporation shall either (i) register under the Securities Act (on Form S-3 or any other appropriate form) the issuance of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock or Class A Common Stock to be issued in connection with such conversion or (ii) otherwise provide for such shares of Series A Preferred Stock or Class A Common Stock issuable upon conversion to be freely tradable upon issuance, including by causing an opinion of counsel to be delivered to the Corporation’s transfer agent to permit the issuance of such shares of the Corporation’s capital stock without restrictive legends. Each Holder thereof, or its designated representative acting on its behalf, shall provide any information, authorizations or agreements reasonably required by the Corporation in order to effectuate any such registration on Form S-3 and any sales of Series A Preferred Stock or Class A Common Stock pursuant thereto and the Corporation’s obligations under this Section 8(f) with respect to such Holder and any such shares held by such Holder shall be subject to the receipt of such information, authorizations or agreements in relation to such Holder.

Section 9.         Redeemed, Repurchased or Reacquired Shares; Redemption .

Shares of Series C Preferred Stock that have been redeemed, repurchased or reacquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized, unissued and undesignated shares that shall be available for future issuance. Upon the reduction of the Class A Common Equivalent Number to zero (0), whether as a result of adjustments pursuant to Section 8 or Section 10 , the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all (but not less than all) of the Series C Preferred Stock, at a redemption rate of $0.0001 per share, by delivering notice of redemption to the Holders, such that no shares of Series C Preferred Stock remain outstanding from and after such time, and all such shares shall be restored to the status of authorized, unissued and undesignated shares that shall be available for future issuance.

Section 10.         Adjustment for Covered Losses .

(a)        Within three (3) months of the final determination of the allocation of any Covered Loss with respect to any Europe Covered Claim pursuant to Clause 13 and/or Clause 21.2, as applicable, of the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed (an “ Incurred Loss ”), the Corporation shall give written notice of such Incurred Loss (an “ Incurred Loss Notice ”) to the VE Member Representative. Each Incurred Loss Notice shall be certified by an officer of the Corporation and shall set forth, (i) the amount of such Incurred Loss in Dollars (the “ Incurred Loss Amount ”) and, with respect to any Incurred Loss that is in a currency other than Dollars, the conversion calculation pursuant to Section 10(c) , (ii) the date on which the Incurred Loss was suffered or incurred (the “ Incurred Loss Date ”), (iii) the date on which the adjustment to the Class A Common Equivalent Number is to be adjusted pursuant to Section 10(b) and (iv) a brief description of the legal and factual basis of the Incurred Loss. The Corporation shall not make any adjustment pursuant to this Section 10 with respect to any

 

10


Covered Loss unless and until such Covered Loss has been allocated as a Europe Covered Claim in accordance with Clause 13 and/or Clause 21.2, as applicable, of the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

(b)        Within ten (10) Business Days following the Corporation’s issuance of any Incurred Loss Notice or such later date as may be specified by the Corporation in the Incurred Loss Notice, the Class A Common Equivalent Number shall, subject to Section 10(d) , be automatically adjusted to reflect the Incurred Loss Amount (an “ Incurred Loss Adjustment Event ”) such that, following each such adjustment, the new Class A Common Equivalent Number shall equal:

 

 

i)

the Class A Common Equivalent Number prior to such adjustment minus

 

 

ii)

the result, rounded to the nearest one one-thousandth, of

 

 

(1)

(x) the Incurred Loss Amount divided by (y) the Series C Number divided by

(2)      the Fair Market Value of the Class A Common Stock as of the date of such adjustment.

(c)        The amount of any Incurred Loss suffered or incurred in a currency other than Dollars shall be converted into Dollars based on the average of the applicable exchange rate reported by Bloomberg at 5:00 p.m. New York time on each day during the ten (10) trading-day period ending on the last trading day preceding the Incurred Loss Date.

(d)        There shall not be more than one Incurred Loss Adjustment Event within any six (6)-month period; provided , however , that the Corporation may specify a date on which multiple Incurred Loss Amounts within one fiscal year of such date will be reflected on an aggregate basis in one Incurred Loss Adjustment Event. In the event that any Incurred Loss Adjustment Event would occur by operation of Section 10(b) within any six (6)-month period in which an Incurred Loss Adjustment Event has already occurred, such subsequent Incurred Loss Adjustment Event shall be deferred to the first Business Day of the next six (6)-month period unless the Corporation specifies a later date in the relevant Incurred Loss Notice. The foregoing provisions of this Section 10(d) shall not apply to an Incurred Loss Amount that is equal to or in excess of Twenty Million Euros ( 20,000,000), and an Incurred Loss Adjustment Event with respect to such Incurred Loss Amount shall not be taken into account for purposes of determining the foregoing six (6)-month period limitation. In the event of any Incurred Loss Amount that is equal to or in excess of Twenty Million Euros ( 20,000,000), the Loss Adjustment Event with respect to such Incurred Loss Amount may include any other Incurred Loss Amounts then outstanding pending aggregation pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 10(d) .

(e)        For all U.S. federal (and applicable U.S. state and U.S. local) income tax purposes, the Corporation agrees to and, by holding the Series C Preferred Stock, each Holder agrees to (i) treat each Incurred Loss Adjustment Event as an adjustment to the consideration paid by the Corporation for the equity interests in Visa Europe pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, except to the extent otherwise required by applicable Law (including a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any similar provision of state or local Law) and (ii) file all relevant U.S. federal (and applicable U.S. state and U.S. local) income tax returns in a manner consistent

 

11


with the treatment described in the immediately preceding clause (i). In the event that a Holder is not the Beneficial Owner, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, of all of the shares of Series C Preferred Stock held by it, such Holder shall use all reasonable efforts to cause any Person that is treated as the owner, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, of any shares of Series C Preferred Stock held by such Holder to comply with clauses (i) and (ii) of the preceding sentence.

(f)        Following any Incurred Loss Adjustment Event in accordance with Section 10(b) , no Holder or any of its Affiliates shall have any liability to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates for any Covered Loss to the extent reflected in such Incurred Loss Adjustment Event; provided , that the foregoing shall not preclude the Corporation from recovering against any Holder in respect of any Covered Loss suffered in connection with the same Covered Claim pursuant to successive or separate awards of damages, costs or expenses, including interim and final awards and/or separate costs orders in the same Covered Claim.

Section 11.         Record Holders .

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the Corporation and the Corporation’s transfer agent for the Series C Preferred Stock may deem and treat the Holder of any share of Series C Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 12.         Form .

Any certificate representing shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall bear a legend that the shares represented by such certificates have not been registered under the Securities Act and are subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in this Certificate of Designations. If any shares of Series C Preferred Stock are not represented by a certificate, the Corporation reserves the right to require that an analogous notification be used in order to reflect on the books and records of the Corporation such restrictions with respect to such shares of Series C Preferred Stock.

Section 13.         Notices .

Except as otherwise expressly provided hereunder, all notices and other communications referred to herein shall be in writing and delivered personally or sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, or by reputable overnight courier service, charges prepaid:

(a)        If to the Corporation as follows, or as otherwise specified in a written notice given to each of the Holders and the VE Member Representative in accordance with this Section 13 :

Visa Inc.

900 Metro Center Boulevard

Foster City, California 94404, U.S.A.

Attention:        General Counsel

(b)        If to any Holder, by e-mail if such Holder has provided an e-mail address to the Corporation or its transfer agent for purposes of notification, or, if no such e-mail address is available, to such Holder’s address as it appears in the stock records of the Corporation or as otherwise specified in a written notice given by such Holder to the

 

12


Corporation or, at the Corporation’s option with respect to any notice from the Corporation to a Holder, in accordance with customary practices of the Corporation’s transfer agent.

(c)        If to the VE Member Representative as follows, or as otherwise specified in a written notice given to the Corporation and each of the Holders in accordance with this Section 13 :

441 Trust Company Limited

C/o Moore Stephens

150 Aldersgate Street

London EC1A 4AB, United Kingdom

Attention:        Adrian Phillips (General Counsel) and

     Marco Bolgiani (CEO)

(d)        Any such notice or communication given as provided in this Section 13 shall be deemed received by the receiving party upon: actual receipt, if delivered personally; actual delivery, if delivered in accordance with customary practices of the Corporation’s transfer agent; five (5) Business Days after deposit in the mail, if sent by first class mail; on the next Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier, if sent by an overnight courier; or on the next Business Day after transmission, if sent by e-mail.

Section 14.         Severability .

Whenever possible, each provision hereof shall be interpreted in a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any provision hereof is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable Law, then such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating or otherwise adversely affecting the remaining provisions hereof.

Section 15.         Replacement Certificates .

The Corporation shall replace any mutilated certificate at the Holder’s expense, upon surrender of that certificate to the Corporation. The Corporation shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the Holder’s expense, upon delivery to the Corporation of reasonably satisfactory evidence that the certificate has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be reasonably required by the Corporation and any other documentation as may be required by the Corporation’s transfer agent.

Section 16.         No Preemptive Rights .

No share of Series C Preferred Stock shall have any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Corporation, or any warrants, rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted.

Section 17.         Withholding.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Corporation shall have the right to deduct and withhold from any payment or distribution (or deemed distribution) made with respect to a share of Series C Preferred Stock and from the issuance of any Class A Common Stock or Series A Preferred Stock upon its conversion such amounts as are required to be

 

13


deducted or withheld with respect to the making of such payment or distribution or such issuance under any applicable tax Law and, in the event that any amounts are deducted or withheld, the Corporation shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law. To the extent that any amounts are so deducted or withheld, such deducted or withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Certificate of Designations and the relevant share of Series C Preferred Stock as having been paid to the Holder of such share of Series C Preferred Stock. After any payment of taxes by the Corporation to a Governmental Authority with respect to a Holder pursuant to this Section 17 , upon the written request by such Holder, the Corporation shall deliver to such Holder the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other customary evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to such Holder.

Section 18.         Other Rights .

The shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall not have any rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers or relative, participating, optional or other special rights, or qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Certificate of Incorporation or as required by applicable Law.

Section 19.         Defined Terms .

Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Certificate of Designations shall have their respective meanings as defined below:

Additional Assessment ” means a conversion assessment following a request by the VE Member Representative, on one (1) occasion between the fourth and the eighth anniversaries of the Closing Date, as more fully set forth in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Adjustment Date Price ” means the average of the highest and lowest quoted trading prices of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market on (i) in the case of an adjustment occurring pursuant to Section 3(b)ii) or Section 3(b)iii) , the ex-dividend date, and (ii) in the case of an adjustment occurring pursuant to Section 3(d) , the first trading day following the effectiveness of the Class A Common Event.

Affiliate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

Beneficial Owner ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rules), except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular Person, for purposes solely of this Certificate of Designations, and not for purposes of such rules, such Person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such Person has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms “ Beneficially Owns ,” “ Beneficial Ownership ” and “ Beneficially Owned ” have a corresponding meaning.

Board ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

14


Business Day ” means any day except a Saturday, a Sunday and any day which in New York, New York, United States shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by Law or other government action to close.

Certificate of Designations ” means this Certificate of Designations relating to the Series C Preferred Stock, as it may be amended from time to time.

Certificate of Incorporation ” means the Sixth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as it may be amended from time to time, and shall include this Certificate of Designations.

Class A Common Eligible Holder ” means a Holder that is eligible to hold Class A Common Stock without automatic conversion into any shares of any other class of Common Stock pursuant to the Certificate of Incorporation.

Class A Common Equivalent Number ” means, with respect to each share of Series C Preferred Stock, the number of shares of underlying Class A Common Stock, issuable upon conversion, or represented by the Series A Preferred Stock issuable upon conversion, pursuant to Section 8 , at an initial conversion rate of 13.952, as the same shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Certificate of Designations.

Class A Common Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(d) .

Class A Common Stock ” means the Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Class B Common Stock ” means the Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Class C Common Stock ” means the Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share of the Corporation.

Closing Date ” means June 21, 2016.

Combined Dividend ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)iii) .

Common Event VWAP ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(b)(ii) .

Common Stock ” means the Class A Common Stock, the Class B Common Stock and the Class C Common Stock.

Control ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

Conversion Adjustment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(b)ii) .

Corporation ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

Covered Claim ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

 

15


Covered Loss ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Daily VWAP ” means the volume-weighted average price per share for any given trading day, as displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on Bloomberg page V <equity> VWAP (or any equivalent successor page) in respect of the period from 9:30 am EST to 4:00 pm EST, or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable, Reuters volume weighted average price shall be used as displayed under their “Time Series Data” for the Corporation (/V.N) using the “Vol x Prc1” field; or if such volume-weighted average price is unavailable, the market value per share of the Class A Common Stock on such trading day as calculated by the Corporation using a volume weighted average that uses the price and volume of each trade of Class A Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange from 9:30 am EST to 4:00 pm EST for that trading day.

Dividend FMV ” means, with respect to any Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend that is paid other than in cash, the fair market value of such Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend per share of Common Stock as determined by the Board in good faith.

Dollars ” and “ $ ” means the lawful currency of the United States of America.

Europe Covered Claim ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Exchange Act ” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or any successor legislation which shall be in effect at the time).

Existing English High Court Claims ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed.

Extraordinary Class A Common Dividend ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) .

Extraordinary Dividend VWAP ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)ii)(b)(y) .

Fair Market Value ” of the Class A Common Stock means the weighted average of the Daily VWAP of the Class A Common Stock on its principal trading market during the ten (10) full trading days prior to (but not including) the applicable reference date.

First Step ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(c) .

Governmental Authority ” means any United States, European Union, national, federal, state, provincial, county, municipal or other local government or governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, or any court, in each case whether of the United States of America or any other country applicable to a specified Person.

Holder ” means a holder of record of one or more shares of Series C Preferred Stock, as reflected in the stock records of the Corporation or the transfer agent, which may be treated by the Corporation and the transfer agent as the absolute owner of such shares for all purposes to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

Incurred Loss ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Incurred Loss Adjustment Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(b) .

 

16


Incurred Loss Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Incurred Loss Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Incurred Loss Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Junior Stock ” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation that ranks junior to the Series C Preferred Stock either or both as to the payment of dividends and/or as to the distribution of assets on any Liquidation.

Law ” means any statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority.

Liability Coverage Reduction Amount ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(b)i) .

Liquidation ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) .

Liquidation Preference ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) .

Maximum Per Share Withholding Tax ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)i) .

Parity Stock ” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation that ranks equally with the Series C Preferred Stock both in the payment of dividends and in the distribution of assets on any Liquidation. Without limiting the foregoing, Parity Stock shall include the Corporation’s Series B Preferred Stock.

Person ” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust, common or collective fund, association, private foundation, joint stock company or other entity and includes a group as that term is used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.

Post-Dividend VWAP ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(a)(ii) .

Pre-Tax Adjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g) .

Preferred Stock ” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Corporation, including the Series C Preferred Stock.

Preferred Stock Litigation Management Deed ” means the Litigation Management Deed, dated June 21, 2016, among the Corporation, the VE Member Representative and the other parties thereto.

Scheduled Assessment Date ” means (a) each of the fourth, sixth, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth year anniversaries of the Closing Date and annually thereafter and (b) the date that is three months following the final resolution of all of the Existing English High Court Claims (whether by a settlement or final and non-appealable judgment).

Second Step ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)iii)(c) .

Securities Act ” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

Series A Preferred Stock ” means the Series A preferred stock of the Corporation, par value $0.0001 per share.

 

17


Series B Preferred Stock ” means the Series B preferred stock of the Corporation, par value $0.0001 per share.

Series C Number ” means, as of a given date, the number of shares outstanding of Series C Preferred Stock.

Series C Preferred Stock ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1 .

Transaction Agreement ” means the transaction agreement entered into on November 2, 2015, between the Corporation and Visa Europe, and as amended or adhered to from time to time.

Transfer ” means any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, distribution, devise or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by operation of Law or otherwise, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire Beneficial Ownership, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, of Series C Preferred Stock, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Series C Preferred Stock or any interest in Series C Preferred Stock or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) “Transfers” of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership of Series C Preferred Stock, in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, or Beneficially Owned and whether by merger, operation of Law or otherwise; provided , however , that the mere change of Control of any Person, the equity securities of which are publicly traded, shall not, in and of itself, constitute a Transfer unless a purpose of such change of Control is to acquire ownership of any shares of Series C Preferred Stock. The terms “ Transferable ,” “ Transferring ,” “ Transferred ,” “ Transferee ” and “ Transferor ” shall have the correlative meanings.

Unadjusted Class A Common Equivalent Number ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b)ii)(a).

VE Member Representative ” means 441 Trust Company Limited, a private company limited by guarantee and incorporated in England and Wales under number 9918839 whose registered address is at 150 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4AB, United Kingdom.

Visa Europe ” means Visa Europe Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales.

Withholding Consideration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(g)ii) .

*        *        *        *         *        *

 

18


IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the undersigned has caused this Certificate of Designations to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 20 th day of June, 2016.

 

VISA INC.

By:

 

/s/ Kelly Mahon Tullier

 

Name:

 

Kelly Mahon Tullier

 

Title:

 

Corporate Secretary

 

EXHIBIT 10.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

DATED 21 JUNE 2016

 

 

LITIGATION MANAGEMENT DEED

 

 

THE VE MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE

(as defined herein)

 

VISA INC.

 

THE LMC APPOINTING MEMBERS

(as defined herein)

THE UK&I DCC APPOINTING MEMBERS

(as defined herein)

THE EUROPE DCC APPOINTING MEMBERS

(as defined herein)

THE UK&I DCC INTERESTED MEMBERS

(as defined herein)

 

 

 


  

 

 

CONTENTS

 

Clause    Page  

1.

  Definitions and Interpretation      3   

2.

  Appointment of VEMR Directors      14   

3.

  Decisions and Actions of the VE Member Representative      15   

4.

  Composition of the Litigation Management Committee      16   

5.

  Composition of the UK&I DCC      18   

6.

  Composition of the Europe DCC      20   

7.

  Decisions of the Litigation Management Committee      22   

8.

  Decisions of the UK&I DCC      23   

9.

  Decisions of the Europe DCC      24   

10.

  Notification of Covered Claims      25   

11.

  Attribution of Covered Claims      25   

12.

  Management of Covered Claims      26   

13.

  Allocation of Covered Losses      28   

14.

  Release Assessments for Conversion of Preferred Stock      28   

15.

  Confidentiality and Privilege      31   

16.

  Termination      33   

17.

  Notices      33   

18.

  Authority      35   

19.

  Entire Agreement      36   

20.

  Miscellaneous      36   

21.

  Governing Law, Jurisdiction and Remedies      39   

Schedule 1

   The LMC Appointing Members      51   

Schedule 2

   UK&I DCC Appointing Members      54   

Schedule 3

   Europe DCC Appointing Members      56   

Schedule 4

   UK&I DCC Interested Members      58   

Exhibit 1

     Form of Confidentiality Agreement      59   

 

  

 

 

– i –


  

 

 

THIS DEED is dated 21 June 2016 and made between:

PARTIES

 

(1)

441 TRUST COMPANY LIMITED , a private company limited by guarantee and incorporated in England and Wales under number 9918839 whose registered address is at 150 Aldersgate St, London, EC1A 4AB, United Kingdom, in its capacity as trustee to represent those VE Members (as defined below) designated as beneficiaries in accordance with the VEMR Trust Documents (as defined below) (the “ VE Member Representative ”)

 

(2)

VISA INC. , a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware (“ Visa Inc. ”)

 

(3)

THE PERSONS whose names and further details are set out in Schedule 1 (the “ LMC Appointing Members ”)

 

(4)

THE PERSONS whose names and further details are set out in Schedule 2 (the “ UK&I DCC Appointing Members ”)

 

(5)

THE PERSONS whose names and further details are set out in Schedule 3 (the “ Europe DCC Appointing Members ”)

 

(6)

THE PERSONS whose names and further details are set out in Schedule 4 (the “ UK&I DCC Interested Members ”)

RECITALS

 

(A)

In connection with the acquisition by Visa Inc. of the entire issued and outstanding share capital of Visa Europe (as defined below) (the “ Transaction ”), the parties hereto (the “ Parties ”) have agreed to enter into this Deed for the purposes set out below.

 

(B)

The VE Member Representative was established pursuant to the VEMR Constitutional Documents and the VEMR Trust Documents to represent those VE Members (each as defined below) designated as beneficiaries under the VEMR Trust Documents following the Closing (as defined below) in connection with, among other things, the matters described in this Deed.

 

(C)

It has been agreed that each Appointing Member (as defined below) will be entitled, with effect from Closing, to appoint a VEMR Director (as defined below) in accordance with this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents.

 

(D)

Each Appointing Member will be entitled (in accordance with this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents) to nominate its appointed VEMR Director to either (or both) (i) the Litigation Management Committee (LMC) and/or (ii) the UK&I Domestic Claims Committee (UK&I DCC) or the Europe Domestic Claims Committee (Europe DCC), respectively (each as defined below).

 

  

 

 

– 2 –


(E)

Each UK&I DCC Interested Member will be entitled (in accordance with this Deed) to nominate its appointed UK&I DCC Observer (as defined below) to attend UK&I DCC meetings and to receive information regarding matters concerning the UK&I DCC.

 

(F)

The LMC, UK&I DCC and Europe DCC are each committees of the VEMR Board (as defined below) which are authorised to bind, make decisions and take actions on behalf of the VE Member Representative in accordance with the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents. Decisions of such committees taken in accordance with this Deed shall be binding on the VE Member Representative.

 

(G)

In particular, the LMC is authorised, under the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents, to bind, make decisions and take actions on behalf of, the VE Member Representative in respect of all matters described in this Deed, save in respect of matters where, under the terms of this Deed, the VE Member Representative may be bound, or decisions or actions made or taken on its behalf, by the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC.

AGREEMENT

 

1.

Definitions and Interpretation

 

  1.1

In this Deed the following words shall have the following meanings:

Accelerated Conversion : has the meaning given in Clause 14.1;

Affiliate : in relation to a Person, any Person directly or indirectly Controlling, Controlled by or under direct or indirect common Control with that Person and, in respect of an Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member, any Subsidiary Undertaking or Parent Undertaking of that Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member, or any Subsidiary Undertaking of any such Parent Undertaking of that Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member, but shall not, for the avoidance of doubt, include (i) in respect of Visa Inc., any Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member or any shareholder of Visa Inc., and (ii) in respect of any Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member, Visa Inc.;

Appointing Members : together, the LMC Appointing Members, the UK&I DCC Appointing Members and the Europe DCC Appointing Members;

Assessment Date : has the meaning given in Clause 14.1;

Business Day : any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day which is a public or federal holiday in any of London (United Kingdom), New York City (USA) or Foster City, California (USA);

CEO Assessment : has the meaning given in Clause 14.6;

Class A Common Equivalent Number : has the meaning given in the Certificates of Designations of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock;

 

– 3 –


Class A Common Stock : means the Class A Common Stock of Visa Inc., par value $0.0001 per share;

Class A Equivalent Preferred Stock : means the Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., par value $0.0001 per share;

Closing : means the closing of the Transaction pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Agreement;

Closing Cash Consideration : has the meaning given in the Transaction Agreement;

Contingent Liability Risk : has the meaning given in Clause 14.2;

Control : in relation to a Person, the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise (and “ Controlled ” and “ Controlling ” shall be construed accordingly);

Conversion Adjustment : has the meaning given in the Certificates of Designations of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock;

Covered Claims : shall mean any claim, demand, action, cause of action, set-off, right, suit, arbitration, inquiry, proceeding or investigation of any nature whatsoever (including investigations or other proceedings by or before any Governmental Authority commenced or threatened in the Visa Europe Territory, but excluding the European Commission’s ongoing investigation into Inter-Regional MIFs (Case AT.39398)) concerning:

 

   (i)

any Domestic MIFs, Intra-Regional MIFs or Inter-Regional MIFs that apply to transactions in the Visa Europe Territory during the Covered Period (provided that any ‘Covered Claims’ in respect of Inter-Regional MIFs shall be subject to the VE Inter Contribution (as defined below)); or

 

  (ii)

point of sale rules (including the ‘Honour All Cards’ or ‘No Surcharge’ rules) that apply to transactions in the Visa Europe Territory during the Covered Period where the measure of alleged injury, damage or loss is based wholly or substantially on the level of MIFs paid in transactions in the Visa Europe Territory during the Covered Period,

(each, a “ Claim ”)

including in each case:

 

    (i)

any Claim relating to antitrust or competition laws, regulations or rules;

 

   (ii)

any Claim that is existing, including the Existing English High Court Claims;

 

  (iii)

any other Claim arising out of facts or circumstances similar to those alleged in any existing ‘Covered Claims’ brought in the English High Court;

 

– 4 –


    (iv)

any Claim in respect of which a claim form has been issued in the English High Court against any of Visa Inc., Visa Europe, Visa UK and/or any of their respective Affiliates, but where, as a result of an agreement to extend the time limit for service of the claim form, the claim form has yet to be served;

 

     (v)

any Claim which has been preserved by way of standstill agreement to which any of Visa Inc., Visa Europe, Visa UK and/or any of their respective Affiliates is a party; and

 

    (vi)

any Claim relating to consumer protection laws, regulations or rules, including those under the Competition Act 1998 and/or the Enterprise Act 2002 as amended by the Consumer Rights Act 2015,

regardless of:

 

      (i)

whether a Claim presently exists or hereafter arises after this Deed is signed;

 

     (ii)

whether a Claim is known or unknown to any of Visa Inc., Visa Europe, Visa UK and/or any of their respective Affiliates (or to the law) at Closing;

 

    (iii)

whether or not a Claim is in the contemplation of the parties thereto or the Parties;

 

    (iv)

the country within the Visa Europe Territory in which a Claim is filed, commenced, asserted, threatened and/or instigated;

 

     (v)

whether the Claim is brought against any of Visa Inc., Visa Europe, Visa UK and/or any of their respective Affiliates;

 

    (vi)

whether the Claim is brought by any Governmental Authority, corporate entity (including retailers and merchants), consumer (or group or class of consumers) or any other claimant entity or entities;

 

   (vii)

the specific entities or members that set the rates/rules or took other actions or decisions which are the subject of the Claim;

 

  (viii)

the views of Visa Inc., Visa Europe, Visa UK, any of their respective Affiliates and/or of any VE Members as to the merits of such Claim; and/or

 

    (ix)

whether or not they relate to one or more Domestic Covered Claims and/or Intra-Regional Covered Claims and/or Inter-Regional Covered Claims (provided always that any ‘Covered Claims’ in respect of Inter-Regional MIFs shall be subject to the VE Inter Contribution);

Covered Losses : all and any existing or future liabilities, damages (including punitive, treble, or other enhanced or exemplary damages), judgments, awards, assessments, settlements, fines, penalties, interest, reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney fees and costs) and any other losses of any nature whatsoever arising out of, or resulting from, any Covered Claims, which in each

 

– 5 –


case have either been paid or are due and payable (provided always that any ‘Covered Losses’ in respect of Inter-Regional MIFs shall be limited to the VE Inter Contribution);

Covered Period : the period:

 

   (i)

before Closing; and

 

  (ii)

from and after Closing until the date on which Visa Inc. or any of its Controlled Affiliates is legally permitted to set the MIF to which the relevant Covered Claim(s) relate(s);

 

  DCC

Majority : means both:

 

  (i)

at least a 66% majority by number of UK&I DCC Representatives or Europe DCC Representatives, as applicable; and

 

  (ii)

at least a 66% majority by DCC Voting Proportion of UK&I DCC Appointing Members (exerciseable by each of their respective UK&I DCC Representatives) or Europe DCC Appointing Members (exerciseable by each of their respective Europe DCC Representatives), as applicable;

DCC Voting Proportion : means, in relation to a UK&I DCC Appointing Member or a Europe DCC Appointing Member (as applicable), a percentage amount equal to A (rounded to the nearest sixth decimal), where:

A = (B / C) x 100

and where:

 

  B

is an amount equal to the Closing Cash Consideration received by the relevant UK&I DCC Appointing Member or Europe DCC Appointing Member; and

 

  C

is the aggregate amount of Closing Cash Consideration received by, when the calculation relates to:

 

  (i)

a UK&I DCC Appointing Member, all of the UK&I DCC Appointing Members and the UK&I DCC Interested Members, taken together; and

 

  (ii)

a Europe DCC Appointing Member, all of the Europe DCC Appointing Members, taken together;

Deed : has the meaning given in Clause 1.2.4;

Disputed Covered Claim : has the meaning given in Clause 10.2;

Domestic Covered Claims : such part of any Covered Claims (i) as involves, concerns or relates to any of the Domestic MIFs (as distinct from Intra-Regional MIFs or Inter-Regional MIFs) or (ii) where the measure of alleged injury, damage or loss is based in whole or in part on the level of Domestic MIFs (but when in part, only to the extent of that part);

 

– 6 –


Domestic MIF : a MIF applicable to a Domestic Transaction (regardless of the method for setting such MIF);

Domestic Transaction : a transaction where the merchant outlet and the issuer are based in the same jurisdiction in the Visa Europe Territory;

Europe Covered Claims : means (a) Europe Domestic Covered Claims, (b) the Europe Share of Intra-Regional Covered Claims and (c) the Europe Share of VE Inter-Regional Covered Claims;

Europe DCC Appointing Member : has the meaning given in the preamble, or any other VE Member which is incorporated and/or domiciled in the Visa Europe Territory but outside of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and which has a right to appoint a Europe DCC Representative (from time to time) in accordance with the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents;

Europe DCC Claim : has the meaning given in Clause 11.4;

Europe DCC Exiting Member : has the meaning given in Clause 6.5;

Europe DCC Representative : means a VEMR Director who is appointed by a Europe DCC Appointing Member as its representative on the Europe DCC (from time to time) in accordance with the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents;

Europe DCC Termination Event : has the meaning given in Clause 6.5;

Europe Domestic Claims Committee or Europe DCC : the committee of the VEMR Board which is authorised (under the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents) to represent the VE Member Representative in respect of the matters set out in this Deed, comprising up to (but no more than) seven Europe DCC Representatives appointed by Europe DCC Appointing Members from time to time in accordance with this Deed (and comprising, at the date of this Deed, the Europe DCC Representatives appointed by the Europe DCC Appointing Members whose details are, respectively, set out in Schedule 3);

Europe Domestic Covered Claims : Domestic Covered Claims other than UK&I Domestic Covered Claims;

Europe LMC Appointing Members : means the LMC Appointing Members incorporated and/or domiciled in the Visa Europe Territory but outside the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and designated as a ‘Europe LMC Appointing Member’ (i) in the final column of the table in Schedule 1 or (ii) from time to time in accordance with Clause 4.6;

Europe Preferred Stock : means the Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., par value $0.0001 per share;

Europe Share : means 100% minus the UK&I Share;

 

– 7 –


Existing English High Court Claims : means the Covered Claims issued in the English High Court with current claim numbers CL-2013-000728, CL-2013-000672, CL-2013-000833, CL-2013-000305, CL-2013-000554, CL-2013-000727, CL-2013-000553, CL-2013-000729, CL-2013-000676, CL-2013-000303, CL-2013-000198, CL-2013-000304, CL-2013-000673, CL-2015-000102, CL-2015-000039, CL-2015-000471, CL-2015-000795, CL-2015-000850, CL-2015-000865, HC13E05457, HC13B05454 and HC2014000896;

Governmental Authority : any (i) regional, federal, state, provincial, local, foreign or international government, governmental or quasi-governmental authority, regulatory authority or administrative agency; (ii) governmental commission, department, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality; (iii) court, tribunal, arbitrator, arbitral body (public or private) or self-regulatory organisation; or (iv) political sub-division of any of the foregoing;

Holdback Amount : has the meaning given in Clause 14.3;

Initial Determination : has the meaning given in Clause 14.5;

Insolvent : means, in respect of a Person, that any one or more of the following has occurred in relation to it:

 

  (i)

it is or becomes unable or admits inability to pay its debts as they fall due;

 

  (ii)

it suspends making payment on any of its debts;

 

  (iii)

any (non-vexatious) corporate action, legal proceedings or other procedure or step has been taken in relation to the suspension of its payments, a moratorium of any of its indebtedness, winding-up, dissolution, administration or reorganisation of its business;

 

  (iv)

a liquidator (other than in respect of a solvent liquidation), receiver, administrative receiver, administrator, compulsory manager or other similar officer has been appointed in relation to it; and/or

 

  (v)

any procedure, step or event analogous to any of the foregoing has occurred or is taken, in any jurisdiction, with respect to it;

Inter-Regional Covered Claims : such part of any Covered Claims (i) as involves, concerns or relates to any of the Inter-Regional MIFs (as distinct from Domestic MIFs or Intra-Regional MIFs) or (ii) where the measure of alleged injury, damage or loss is based in whole or in part on the level of Inter-Regional MIFs (but when in part, only to the extent of that part);

Inter-Regional MIF : a MIF set by Visa International Service Association and/or Visa Inc. that applies, by default, to Inter-Regional Transactions;

Inter-Regional Transaction : a transaction where the issuer is located outside the Visa Europe Territory while the merchant outlet is located within the Visa Europe Territory;

 

– 8 –


Intra-Regional Covered Claims : such part of any Covered Claims (i) as involves, concerns or relates to the Intra-Regional MIFs (as distinct from Domestic MIFs or Inter-Regional MIFs) or (ii) where the measure of alleged injury, damage or loss is based in whole or in part on the level of Intra-Regional MIFs (but when in part, only to the extent of that part);

Intra-Regional MIF : a MIF set by Visa Europe that applies, by default, to Intra-Regional Transactions and/or to Domestic Transactions (regardless of the method for setting such MIF);

Intra-Regional Transaction : a transaction where the merchant outlet is located in one jurisdiction in the Visa Europe Territory and the issuer is based in a different jurisdiction within the Visa Europe Territory;

LCIA : the London Court of International Arbitration;

Liability Coverage Reduction Amount : has the meaning given in the Certificates of Designations of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock;

Litigation Management Committee or LMC : the committee of the VEMR Board which is authorised under the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents to represent the VE Member Representative in respect of the matters set out in this Deed, comprising up to (but no more than) seven LMC Representatives appointed by Europe LMC Appointing Members and up to (but no more than) four LMC Representatives appointed by UK&I LMC Appointing Members (respectively) in accordance with this Deed (and comprising, at the date of this Deed, the LMC Representatives appointed by the LMC Appointing Members whose details are, respectively, set out in Schedule 1);

LMC Appointing Members : has the meaning given in the preamble, or any other VE Member that has a right to appoint an LMC Representative (from time to time) in accordance with this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents;

LMC Exiting Member : has the meaning given in Clause 4.5;

LMC Representative : means a VEMR Director who is appointed by an LMC Appointing Member as its representative on the Litigation Management Committee (from time to time) in accordance with the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents;

LMC Termination Event : has the meaning given in Clause 4.5;

Material Decision : a decision, concerning a Covered Claim, to:

 

(i)   

enter into, or refuse to enter into, a compromise or settlement (or to make a payment in respect of any such compromise or settlement);

(ii)   

appeal or not to appeal any court judgment;

 

– 9 –


(iii)   

make, or not make, an application for summary judgment and/or strike out, or any equivalent application in any other jurisdiction in which a Covered Claim is filed, commenced, asserted and/or instigated; or

(iv)   

make a formal admission of liability for an infringement of law, or for an infringement of antitrust, competition or consumer protection rules or regulations, which in either case directly results in a Covered Loss;

 

MIFs : multilateral interchange fees (each, a “ MIF ”);

Parent Undertaking : has the meaning given in section 1162 of the Companies Act 2006;

Parties : has the meaning given in Recital (A) (and “ Party ” means any one of them), or any other Person who enters into a deed of adherence to this Deed (in a form reasonably satisfactory to Visa Inc.) from time to time;

Person : any natural person, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited company, joint venture, firm, corporation, association, incorporated organisation, unincorporated organisation, trust or other enterprise, or any Governmental Authority;

Preferred Stock : means the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock;

Principal Member : has the meaning given in the operating regulations of Visa Europe, as in force from time to time;

Release Assessment : has the meaning given in Clause 14.1;

Release Factors : has the meaning given in Clause 14.2;

Rules : has the meaning given in Clause 21.4;

Subregion : means each of:

 

(i)   

subregion #1, being the United Kingdom, Ireland and Gibraltar (including Isle of Man, Channel Is. and Falkland Is.);

(ii)   

subregion #2, being France, Monaco (including the DOM-TOMs);

(iii)   

subregion #3, being Andorra and Spain;

(iv)   

subregion #4, being Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden (including Bear Is., Faeroe Is. and Greenland);

(v)   

subregion #5, being Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania;

(vi)   

subregion #6, being Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Malta and Portugal;

(vii)   

subregion #7, being Italy, San Marino and Vatican City;

(viii)   

subregion #8, being Germany;

 

– 10 –


(ix)   

subregion #9, being Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Switzerland; and

(x)   

subregion #10, being Turkey;

Subsidiary Undertaking : has the meaning given in section 1162 of the Companies Act 2006;

Transaction : has the meaning given in Recital (A);

Transaction Agreement : the transaction agreement entered into on 2 November 2015 between Visa Inc. and Visa Europe, as amended and/or adhered to from time to time in accordance with its terms;

Transfer : has the meaning given in Clause 20.2.1;

UK Domestic Covered Claims : such part of any Domestic Covered Claims as involves, concerns or relates to any of the Domestic MIFs applicable to Domestic Transactions in the United Kingdom or where the measure of alleged injury, damage or loss is based in whole or in part on the level of Domestic MIFs applicable to Domestic Transactions in the United Kingdom;

UK&I Covered Claims : means (a) UK&I Domestic Covered Claims, (b) the UK&I Share of Intra-Regional Covered Claims and (c) the UK&I Share of VE Inter-Regional Covered Claims;

UK&I DCC Appointing Member : has the meaning given in the preamble, or any other VE Member which is incorporated and/or domiciled in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland and which has a right to appoint a UK&I Domestic Committee Representative (from time to time) in accordance with the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents;

UK&I DCC Claim : has the meaning given in Clause 11.3;

UK&I DCC Exiting Member : has the meaning given in Clause 5.5;

UK&I DCC Interested Members : has the meaning given in the preamble;

UK&I DCC Observer : means an observer who is appointed by a UK&I DCC Interested Member as its representative to receive information regarding and attend meetings of the UK&I DCC (from time to time) in accordance with the terms of this Deed, each of whom shall be an individual employee (with an appropriate level of seniority) of the UK&I DCC Interested Member, or an Affiliate of the UK&I DCC Interested Member, which (in accordance with this Deed) nominated or appointed him or her;

UK&I DCC Representative : means a VEMR Director who is appointed by a UK&I DCC Appointing Member as its representative on the UK&I DCC (from time to time) in accordance with the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents;

UK&I DCC Termination Event : has the meaning given in Clause 5.5;

 

– 11 –


UK&I Domestic Claims Committee or UK&I DCC : the committee of the VEMR Board which is authorised (under the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents) to represent the VE Member Representative in respect of the matters set out in this Deed, comprising up to (but no more than) six UK&I DCC Representatives appointed by UK&I DCC Appointing Members from time to time in accordance with this Deed (and comprising, at the date of this Deed, the UK&I DCC Representatives appointed by the UK&I DCC Appointing Members whose details are, respectively, set out in Schedule 2);

UK&I Domestic Covered Claims : such part of any Domestic Covered Claims as involves, concerns or relates to any of the Domestic MIFs applicable to Domestic Transactions in the United Kingdom and/or Ireland or where the measure of alleged injury, damage or loss is based in whole or in part on the level of Domestic MIFs applicable to Domestic Transactions in the United Kingdom and/or Ireland (including, in each case, Intra-Regional MIFs to the extent that those apply as the default Domestic MIF in the United Kingdom and/or Ireland);

UK&I LMC Appointing Members : means the LMC Appointing Members that are incorporated and/or domiciled in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland and designated as a ‘UK&I LMC Appointing Member’ (i) in the final column of the table in Schedule 1 or (ii) from time to time in accordance with Clause 4.6;

UK&I Preferred Stock : means the Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of Visa Inc., par value $0.0001 per share;

UK&I Share : means 32.9951%;

VE Inter Contribution : 70% of Covered Losses relating to Inter-Regional Covered Claims;

VE Inter-Regional Covered Claims : means that portion of all Inter-Regional Covered Claims equal to the VE Inter Contribution;

VE Member Representative : has the meaning given in the preamble;

VE Members : the shareholders of Visa Europe immediately before Closing that, for the avoidance of doubt, shall cease to be shareholders of Visa Europe with effect from Closing;

VEMR Board : the board of directors of the VE Member Representative from time to time;

VEMR Constitutional Documents : the memorandum and articles of association of the VE Member Representative;

VEMR Director : a member of the VEMR Board from time to time, each of whom shall be an individual director, officer and/or employee (with an appropriate level of seniority) of the Appointing Member, or an Affiliate of the

 

– 12 –


Appointing Member, which (in accordance with this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents) nominated or appointed him or her;

VEMR Trust Documents : means the Deferred Consideration Rights Trust Deed dated on or around the date hereof and the Litigation Management Rights Trust Deed dated on or around the date hereof, in each case entered into by the VE Member Representative;

Visa Europe : Visa Europe Limited (company number 05139966), a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, whose registered office is at 1 Sheldon Square, London W2 6TT;

Visa Europe Territory : the jurisdictions of Andorra, Austria, Bear Island, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Channel Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France (including its “DOM-TOMs”), Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, including the territories and possessions thereof, and any other jurisdiction which becomes a full member state of the European Union, and including any military bases, embassies or diplomatic consulates of the foregoing jurisdictions which are located outside of the aforementioned jurisdictions but excluding any military bases, embassies or diplomatic consulates located in the aforementioned jurisdictions of any jurisdictions which are located outside of the aforementioned jurisdictions;

Visa Inc. : has the meaning given in the preamble; and

Visa UK : Visa UK Limited (company number 02744892), a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, whose registered office is at 1 Sheldon Square, London W2 6TT.

 

  1.2

In the interpretation of this Deed, unless the context otherwise requires:

 

  1.2.1

clause and other headings are for reference only and do not affect the interpretation of this Deed;

 

  1.2.2

references to clauses are to clauses of this Deed;

 

  1.2.3

the singular shall include the plural and vice versa;

 

  1.2.4

references to this “ Deed ” are to this litigation management deed, which has been entered into by the Parties as a deed on the date set out at its head;

 

  1.2.5

references to a statutory provision include that provision as from time to time modified or re-enacted; and

 

– 13 –


  1.2.6

references to the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Deed shall mean “including without limitation” unless otherwise specified.

 

  1.3

If any clause in this Deed is inconsistent with any other agreement or document referred to herein, the provisions of this Deed shall take precedence.

 

  1.4

The Parties’ obligations under this Deed are conditional upon Closing having occurred. If the Transaction Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms (such that Closing does not occur), this Deed will terminate.

 

  1.5

The Appointing Members’ individual rights under this Deed comprise their rights to nominate VEMR Directors under Clause 2, their rights to require the appointment of such VEMR Directors to committees of the VEMR Board under Clauses 4, 5 and 6, and their rights as Parties under Clauses 15 to 21 (inclusive). The Appointing Members shall have no individual or collective rights against Visa Inc. (or otherwise) under Clauses 7 to 14 (inclusive). Visa Inc.’s obligations under Clauses 7 to 14 (inclusive) are owed solely to the VE Member Representative, as represented by the LMC, the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as applicable).

 

  1.6

The UK&I DCC Interested Members’ individual rights under this Deed comprise (a) their rights to nominate UK&I DCC Observers under Clause 5 and have their UK&I DCC Observers attend and participate in meetings of, and receive information made available to, the UK&I DCC in accordance with clause 8.4, and (b) their rights as Parties under Clauses 15 to 21 (inclusive). The UK&I DCC Interested Members shall have no individual or collective rights against Visa Inc. (or otherwise) under Clauses 7 to 14 (inclusive). Visa Inc.’s obligations under Clauses 7 to 14 (inclusive) are owed solely to the VE Member Representative, as represented by the LMC, the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as applicable).

 

  1.7

Upon reasonable request by Visa Inc., the VE Member Representative agrees to provide Visa Inc. with a record, from time to time, of all persons with the right to appoint a director of the VE Member Representative, together with their respective appointed director(s) and any nominated alternate directors.

 

2.

Appointment of VEMR Directors

 

  2.1

Each Appointing Member shall have the right to nominate or require the appointment of, at its discretion, one natural person as a VEMR Director (provided that each Appointing Member (together with its Affiliates) shall have the right to appoint only one such VEMR Director from time to time, such that any LMC Appointing Member which is also a UK&I DCC Appointing Member or a Europe DCC Appointing Member shall be entitled to appoint only one VEMR Director (who may serve on more than one of the committees of the VEMR Board described in Clause 3) from time to time).

 

  2.2

Each of the LMC Appointing Members, UK&I DCC Appointing Members and/or Europe DCC Appointing Members shall be entitled to remove from office any

 

– 14 –


 

person appointed by it as a VEMR Director in accordance with Clause 2.1 and, if it so chooses, to nominate another person in his or her place.

 

  2.3

Each VEMR Director appointed by an LMC Appointing Member, UK&I DCC Appointing Member and/or Europe DCC Appointing Member in accordance with this Clause 2 shall be appointed to one or more of the committees of the VEMR Board described in Clauses 3 to 6.

 

  2.4

Each of the Appointing Members and the VE Member Representative agrees that each VEMR Director shall execute a confidentiality agreement with the VE Member Representative and Visa Inc. consistent with the form set out in Exhibit 1 hereto, and acknowledges that prior to executing such a confidentiality agreement the relevant VEMR Director shall not be provided with copies of information made available pursuant to this Deed or be permitted to participate in any of the activities of the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC (as applicable).

 

  2.5

Each of (i) the VE Member Representative and (ii) the Appointing Members, agrees to take such actions as are within its or their control to give effect to this Clause 2.

 

3.

Decisions and Actions of the VE Member Representative

 

  3.1

With effect from the Closing, pursuant to the VEMR Constitutional Documents and this Deed, the VE Member Representative has established:

 

  3.1.1

the LMC;

 

  3.1.2

the UK&I DCC; and

 

  3.1.3

the Europe DCC,

as committees of the VEMR Board, each of which is authorised, under the terms of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents, to bind, make decisions and take actions on behalf of, the VE Member Representative.

 

  3.2

Any decisions or actions taken (or purported to be taken) by or on behalf of the VE Member Representative (including decisions or actions taken following a vote of any of the LMC, UK&I DCC or Europe DCC and whether acting by the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC) in accordance with this Deed shall be binding on the VE Member Representative, and Visa Inc. may rely on any such decisions or actions as being validly taken by or on behalf of the VE Member Representative.

 

  3.3

The VE Member Representative will be responsible for co-ordinating all meetings, votes, written consents, decisions and actions of the LMC, UK&I DCC and Europe DCC in connection with this Deed, at its own cost. Without prejudice to Visa Inc.’s obligations under this Deed to provide notice to, and consult with, the VE Member Representative, Visa Inc. shall under no circumstances (without its consent) be required to participate in, or perform any administrative or other role in relation to, the meeting, voting or other processes of the LMC, UK&I DCC

 

– 15 –


 

or Europe DCC, save that Visa Inc. may elect to attend meetings of the relevant committees where it is invited to do so in accordance with the terms of this Deed.

 

  3.4

Without prejudice to any specific time period set out in this Deed within which the VE Member Representative (whether acting by the LMC, UK&I DCC or Europe DCC (as applicable)) is required to provide any notice, decision or other communication to Visa Inc. (or otherwise), the VE Member Representative shall, or shall procure that the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC (as applicable), provide written notice or confirmation to Visa Inc. as soon as reasonably practicable following any decision of the LMC, UK&I DCC or Europe DCC of which Visa Inc. is entitled to receive notice or confirmation under this Deed.

 

  3.5

Each of the Appointing Members agrees to take such actions as are within its control to procure compliance by the VE Member Representative with the provisions of this Clause 3.

 

4.

Composition of the Litigation Management Committee

 

  4.1

The LMC shall consist from time to time of up to (but no more than) eleven LMC Representatives and their successors (selected in accordance with this Clause 4), of which:

 

  4.1.1

up to (but no more than) seven shall be (or have been) appointed by Europe LMC Appointing Members; and

 

  4.1.2

up to (but no more than) four shall be (or have been) appointed by UK&I LMC Appointing Members,

and provided that the number of LMC Representatives appointed by Europe LMC Members shall always be greater than the number of LMC Representatives appointed by UK&I LMC Appointing Members. Particulars of the LMC Representatives at the date of this Deed are in Schedule 1.

 

  4.2

The number of LMC Appointing Members (and, consequently, the number of LMC Representatives that may be appointed to the LMC) may (subject to Clause 4.1) be increased or decreased from time to time only with the written approval of (i) all of the LMC Appointing Members and (ii) Visa Inc.

 

  4.3

Each LMC Appointing Member may appoint one LMC Representative from time to time .   Subject to Clauses 2.1 and 2.2, an LMC Appointing Member may appoint, remove, replace and/or substitute its LMC Representative (in each case provided that an LMC Representative must be a VEMR Director) on written notice to Visa Inc. and the other LMC Appointing Members.

 

  4.4

The LMC Appointing Members shall (save as provided in this Clause 4) be those listed in Schedule 1 unless and until, in each case, an LMC Termination Event (as defined below) occurs in relation to any of them. Subject to Clause 4.6, if there are fewer than eleven LMC Appointing Members at

 

– 16 –


 

the date of this Deed, the VE Member Representative may appoint one or more new LMC Appointing Member(s), until there are eleven in total.

 

  4.5

If an LMC Appointing Member (the “ LMC Exiting Member ”):

 

  4.5.1

becomes Insolvent;

 

  4.5.2

fails to appoint a new VEMR Director in circumstances where it has removed its VEMR Director from office (or where such VEMR Director leaves, or is otherwise removed from, office for any reason), in each case under Clause 2.2; or

 

  4.5.3

no longer wishes to be an LMC Appointing Member

(each an “ LMC Termination Event ”), the VE Member Representative shall appoint a replacement LMC Appointing Member (subject to Clause 4.6) following a decision of the LMC Appointing Members (excluding the LMC Exiting Member) by a majority of votes (with each such LMC Appointing Member having one vote), which decision shall be binding on the VE Member Representative.

 

  4.6

A new LMC Appointing Member appointed by the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 4.4, or a replacement LMC Appointing Member appointed in place of an LMC Exiting Member in accordance with Clause 4.5, shall:

 

  4.6.1

not be Insolvent;

 

  4.6.2

be incorporated and/or domiciled in the Visa Europe Territory, provided that, in the case of replacing an LMC Exiting Member:

 

  (a)

if the LMC Exiting Member was a UK&I LMC Appointing Member, the replacement LMC Appointing Member shall be incorporated and/or domiciled in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland (and shall be designated as a UK&I LMC Appointing Member in place of the LMC Exiting Member); and

 

  (b)

if the LMC Exiting Member was a Europe LMC Appointing Member, the replacement LMC Appointing Member shall not be incorporated or domiciled in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland (and shall be designated as a Europe LMC Appointing Member in place of the LMC Exiting Member);

 

  4.6.3

enter into a deed of adherence to this Deed in a form reasonably satisfactory to Visa Inc.; and

 

  4.6.4

shall, to the extent practicable (and provided such Person is willing to become an LMC Appointing Member), be:

 

  (a)

in the case of the appointment of a new LMC Appointing Member by the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 4.4, the VE Member operating in a Subregion not already represented

 

– 17 –


 

on the LMC who received the highest amount of Closing Cash Consideration excluding (i) the other LMC Appointing Members and (ii) any former LMC Appointing Members; and

 

  (b)

in the case of a replacement LMC Appointing Member appointed in accordance with Clause 4.5, the VE Member operating in the same Subregion as the LMC Exiting Member who received the highest amount of Closing Cash Consideration excluding (i) the other LMC Appointing Members and (ii) any former LMC Appointing Members.

 

  4.7

An LMC Exiting Member shall cease to be an LMC Appointing Member only when:

 

  4.7.1

the appointment of the replacement LMC Appointing Member has become effective; and

 

  4.7.2

the replacement LMC Appointing Member has appointed a VEMR Director who has been appointed as an LMC Representative,

in each case in accordance with the provisions of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents.

 

  4.8

Each of (i) the VE Member Representative and (ii) the LMC Appointing Members, agrees to take such actions as are within its control to give effect to the provisions of this Clause 4.

 

5.

Composition of the UK&I DCC

 

  5.1

The UK&I DCC shall comprise up to (but no more than) six UK&I DCC Representatives (selected in accordance with this Clause 5), each of whom shall have been appointed by a UK&I DCC Appointing Member in accordance with this Deed. Particulars of the UK&I DCC Representatives at the date of this Deed are in Schedule 2.

 

  5.2

The number of UK&I DCC Appointing Members (and, consequently, the number of UK&I DCC Representatives that may be appointed to the UK&I DCC) may be increased (subject to Clause 5.1) or decreased from time to time only with the written approval of (i) all the UK&I DCC Appointing Members and (ii) Visa Inc.

 

  5.3

Each UK&I DCC Appointing Member may appoint one UK&I DCC Representative from time to time .   Subject to Clauses 2.1 and 2.2, a UK&I DCC Appointing Member may appoint, remove, replace and/or substitute its UK&I DCC Representative (in each case provided that a UK&I DCC Representative must be a VEMR Director) on written notice to Visa Inc. and the other UK&I DCC Appointing Members.

 

  5.4

The UK&I DCC Appointing Members shall be those listed in Schedule 2 unless and until, in each case, a UK&I DCC Termination Event (as defined below) occurs in relation to any of them.

 

– 18 –


  5.5

If a UK&I DCC Appointing Member (the “ UK&I DCC Exiting Member ”):

 

  5.5.1

becomes Insolvent;

 

  5.5.2

fails to appoint a new VEMR Director in circumstances where it has removed its VEMR Director from office (or where such VEMR Director leaves, or is otherwise removed from, office for any reason), in each case under Clause 2.2; or

 

  5.5.3

no longer wishes to be a UK&I DCC Appointing Member

(each a “ UK&I DCC Termination Event ”), the VE Member Representative shall appoint a replacement UK&I DCC Appointing Member (subject to Clause 5.6) following a decision of the UK&I DCC Appointing Members (excluding the UK&I DCC Exiting Member) by a majority of votes (with each such UK&I DCC Appointing Member having one vote), which decision shall be binding on the VE Member Representative.

 

  5.6

A replacement UK&I DCC Appointing Member appointed in place of a UK&I DCC Exiting Member in accordance with Clause 5.5 shall:

 

  5.6.1

not be Insolvent;

 

  5.6.2

enter into a deed of adherence to this Deed in a form reasonably satisfactory to Visa Inc.; and

 

  5.6.3

shall, to the extent practicable (and provided such Person is willing to become a UK&I DCC Appointing Member), be the VE Member who received the highest amount of Closing Cash Consideration excluding (i) the other UK&I DCC Appointing Members and (ii) any former UK&I DCC Appointing Members.

 

  5.7

A UK&I DCC Exiting Member shall cease to be a UK&I DCC Appointing Member only when:

 

  5.7.1

the appointment of the replacement UK&I DCC Appointing Member has become effective; and

 

  5.7.2

the replacement UK&I DCC Appointing Member has appointed a VEMR Director who has been appointed as a UK&I DCC Representative,

in each case in accordance with the provisions of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents.

 

  5.8

There shall be up to (but no more than) five UK&I DCC Observers (selected in accordance with this Clause 5), each of whom shall have been appointed by a UK&I DCC Interested Member in accordance with this Deed. Particulars of the UK&I DCC Observers are set out in Schedule 4.

 

  5.9

Each UK&I DCC Interested Member may appoint one UK&I DCC Observer from time to time. A UK&I DCC Interested Member may appoint, remove,

 

– 19 –


 

replace and/or substitute its UK&I DCC Observer on advance written notice to Visa Inc., the UK&I DCC Appointing Members and the other UK&I DCC Interested Members.

 

  5.10

The UK&I DCC Interested Members shall be those listed in Schedule 4 unless and until, in each case, a UK&I DCC Termination Event (as defined above, mutatis mutandis ) occurs in relation to any of them. If a UK&I DCC Termination Event occurs in relation to any of the UK&I DCC Interested Members, the number of UK&I DCC Interested Members (and, consequently, the number of UK&I DCC Observers that may attend meetings of the UK&I DCC) shall be decreased accordingly.

 

  5.11

Each of (i) the VE Member Representative, (ii) the UK&I DCC Appointing Members, and (iii) the UK&I DCC Interested Members agrees to take such actions as are within its control to give effect to the provisions of this Clause 5.

 

6.

Composition of the Europe DCC

 

  6.1

The Europe DCC shall consist from time to time of up to (but no more than) seven Europe DCC Representatives (selected in accordance with this Clause 6), each of whom shall have been appointed by a Europe DCC Appointing Member in accordance with this Deed. Particulars of the Europe DCC Representatives at the date of this Deed are set out in Schedule 3.

 

  6.2

The number of Europe DCC Appointing Members (and, consequently, the number of Europe DCC Representatives that may be appointed to the Europe DCC) may be increased (subject to Clause 6.1) or decreased from time to time with the written approval of (i) all the Europe DCC Appointing Members and (ii) Visa Inc.

 

  6.3

Each Europe DCC Appointing Member may appoint one Europe DCC Representative from time to time .   Subject to Clauses 2.1 and 2.2, a Europe DCC Appointing Member may appoint, remove, replace and/or substitute its Europe DCC Representative (in each case provided that a Europe DCC Representative must be a VEMR Director) on written notice to Visa Inc. and the other Europe DCC Appointing Members.

 

  6.4

The Europe DCC Appointing Members shall (save as provided in this Clause 6) be those listed in Schedule 3 unless and until, in each case, a Europe DCC Termination Event (as defined below) occurs in relation to any of them. Subject to Clause 6.6, if there are fewer than seven Europe DCC Appointing Members at the date of this Deed, the VE Member Representative may appoint one or more new Europe DCC Appointing Member(s), until there are seven in total, provided that the VE Member Representative shall also appoint any such new Europe DCC Appointing Member(s) as an LMC Appointing Member(s) in accordance with (and subject to) Clauses 4.4 and 4.6.

 

– 20 –


  6.5

If a Europe DCC Appointing Member (the “ Europe DCC Exiting Member ”):

 

  6.5.1

becomes Insolvent;

 

  6.5.2

fails to appoint a new VEMR Director in circumstances where it has removed its VEMR Director from office (or where such VEMR Director leaves, or is otherwise removed from, office for any reason), in each case under Clause 2.2; or

 

  6.5.3

no longer wishes to be a Europe DCC Appointing Member

(each a “ Europe DCC Termination Event ”), the VE Member Representative shall appoint a replacement Europe DCC Appointing Member (subject to Clause 6.6) following a decision of the Europe DCC Appointing Members (excluding the Europe DCC Exiting Member) by a majority of votes (with each such Europe DCC Appointing Member having one vote), which decision shall be binding on the VE Member Representative.

 

  6.6

A new Europe DCC Appointing Member appointed by the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 6.4, or a replacement Europe DCC Appointing Member appointed in place of a Europe DCC Exiting Member in accordance with Clause 6.5, shall:

 

  6.6.1

not be Insolvent;

 

  6.6.2

enter into a deed of adherence to this Deed in a form reasonably satisfactory to Visa Inc.; and

 

  6.6.3

shall, to the extent practicable (and provided such Person is willing to become a Europe DCC Appointing Member), be:

 

  (a)

in the case of the appointment of a new Europe DCC Appointing Member by the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 6.4, the VE Member operating in a Subregion not already represented on the Europe DCC who received the highest amount of Closing Cash Consideration excluding (i) the other Europe DCC Appointing Members and (ii) any former Europe DCC Appointing Members; and

 

  (b)

in the case of a replacement Europe DCC Member appointed in accordance with Clause 6.5, the VE Member operating in the same Subregion as the Europe DCC Exiting Member who received the highest amount of Closing Cash Consideration excluding (i) the other Europe DCC Appointing Members and (ii) any former Europe DCC Appointing Members.

 

  6.7

A Europe DCC Exiting Member shall cease to be a Europe DCC Appointing Member only when:

 

  6.7.1

the appointment of the replacement Europe DCC Appointing Member has become effective; and

 

– 21 –


  6.7.2

the replacement Europe DCC Appointing Member has appointed a VEMR Director who has been appointed as a Europe DCC Representative,

in each case in accordance with the provisions of this Deed and the VEMR Constitutional Documents.

 

  6.8

Each of (i) the VE Member Representative and (ii) the Europe DCC Appointing Members, agrees to take such actions as are within its control to give effect to the provisions of this Clause 6.

 

7 .

Decisions of the Litigation Management Committee

 

  7.1

All decisions of the LMC shall be made by a majority in number of the LMC Representatives present and entitled to vote at a quorate meeting of the LMC (with each LMC Representative having one vote), or in writing by a majority in number of the LMC Representatives.

 

  7.2

Subject to any shorter period stated in Clause 12.6, Visa Inc. or an LMC Representative may call a meeting of the LMC by not less than 10 Business Days’ written notice to Visa Inc. and each LMC Representative, provided that if the relevant meeting is called by an LMC Representative who reasonably believes that Visa Inc. should not be present due to a conflict of interest between Visa Inc. and the LMC relating to the subject matter of the meeting, Visa Inc. shall not be entitled to receive notice of such meeting.

 

  7.3

Visa Inc. may attend and participate in all meetings of the LMC, unless (i) the relevant meeting is called without notice to Visa Inc. as provided in Clause 7.2, in which case the LMC Representatives shall ensure that appropriate legal counsel are present at such meeting, or (ii) Visa Inc. is requested (at any point during a meeting) by a majority of the LMC Representatives to withdraw from all or part of a meeting, provided that the LMC Appointing Members shall use reasonable endeavours to ensure that appropriate legal counsel attend any such meeting.

 

  7.4

The quorum for a meeting of the LMC shall be three LMC Representatives, provided that at least one such LMC Representative shall have been appointed by a UK&I LMC Appointing Member and at least one such LMC Representative shall have been appointed by a Europe LMC Appointing Member.

 

  7.5

If a quorum is not present at the first calling of the meeting, Visa Inc., or any LMC Representative present and entitled to vote, may adjourn the meeting for at least 24 hours (but no longer than seven days) and give notice by electronic mail (or otherwise in accordance with Clause 17, with the first such served notice being binding) of a place, time and date for the adjourned meeting to Visa Inc. and each LMC Representative, and a quorum shall be deemed present at the adjourned meeting so long as any LMC Representative entitled to vote is present.

 

  7.6

LMC Representatives and Visa Inc. may attend meetings of the LMC by telephone or similar communications equipment. Meetings of the LMC shall be

 

– 22 –


 

deemed to be held at the location specified by Visa Inc. or, if Visa Inc. is not present at the meeting, the location agreed between the LMC Representatives participating in such meeting.

 

  7.7

The LMC shall keep a record of its proceedings. Upon the dissolution of the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC, those records shall become the property of Visa Inc.

 

8.

Decisions of the UK&I DCC

 

  8.1

All decisions of the UK&I DCC shall be made either:

 

  8.1.1

by a DCC Majority of the UK&I DCC Representatives present and entitled to vote at a quorate meeting of the UK&I DCC; or

 

  8.1.2

in writing by a DCC Majority of all UK&I DCC Representatives.

 

  8.2

Subject to any shorter period stated in Clause 12.6, Visa Inc. or a UK&I DCC Representative may call a meeting of the UK&I DCC by not less than 10 Business Days’ written notice to Visa Inc., each UK&I DCC Representative and each UK&I DCC Observer, provided that if the relevant meeting is called by a UK&I DCC Representative who reasonably believes that Visa Inc. should not be present due to a conflict of interest between Visa Inc. and the UK&I DCC relating to the subject matter of the meeting, Visa Inc. shall not be entitled to receive notice of such meeting.

 

  8.3

Visa Inc. may attend and participate in all meetings of the UK&I DCC, unless (i) the relevant meeting is called without notice to Visa Inc. as provided in Clause 8.2, in which case the UK&I DCC Representatives shall ensure that appropriate legal counsel are present at such meeting, or (ii) Visa Inc. is requested (at any point during a meeting) by a majority of the UK&I DCC Representatives to withdraw from all or part of a meeting, provided that the UK&I DCC Appointing Members shall use reasonable endeavours to ensure that appropriate legal counsel attend any such meeting.

 

  8.4

Subject to having first executed a confidentiality agreement with the VE Member Representative and Visa Inc. consistent with the form set out in Exhibit 1 hereto, each UK&I DCC Observer:

 

  8.4.1

shall be provided with copies of all information and materials made available to the UK&I DCC in accordance with the terms of this Deed; and

 

  8.4.2

may attend and participate in all meetings of the UK&I DCC, but shall not be entitled to vote or count towards the quorum at meetings of the UK&I DCC.

 

  8.5

The quorum for a meeting of the UK&I DCC shall be five UK&I DCC Representatives.

 

– 23 –


  8.6

If a quorum is not present at the first calling of the meeting, Visa Inc. or any UK&I DCC Representative present and entitled to vote may adjourn the meeting for at least 24 hours (but no longer than seven days) and give notice by electronic mail (or otherwise in accordance with Clause 17, with the first such served notice being binding) of a place, time and date for the adjourned meeting to Visa Inc., each UK&I DCC Representative and each UK&I DCC Observer, and a quorum shall be deemed present at the adjourned meeting so long as any UK&I DCC Representative entitled to vote is present.

 

  8.7

UK&I DCC Representatives, UK&I DCC Observers and Visa Inc. may attend meetings of the UK&I DCC by telephone or similar communications equipment. Meetings of the UK&I DCC shall be deemed to be held at the location specified by Visa Inc. or, if Visa Inc. is not present at the meeting, the location agreed between the UK&I DCC Representatives participating in such meeting.

 

  8.8

The UK&I DCC shall keep a record of its proceedings. Upon the dissolution of the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC, those records shall become the property of Visa Inc.

 

9.

Decisions of the Europe DCC

 

  9.1

All decisions of the Europe DCC shall be made either:

 

  9.1.1

by a DCC Majority of the Europe DCC Representatives present and entitled to vote at a quorate meeting of the Europe DCC; or

 

  9.1.2

in writing by a DCC Majority of all Europe DCC Representatives.

 

  9.2

Subject to any shorter period stated in Clause 12.6, Visa Inc. or a Europe DCC Representative may call a meeting of the Europe DCC by not less than 10 Business Days’ written notice to Visa Inc. and each Europe DCC Representative, provided that if the relevant meeting is called by a Europe DCC Representative who reasonably believes that Visa Inc. should not be present due to a conflict of interest between Visa Inc. and the Europe DCC relating to the subject matter of the meeting, Visa Inc. shall not be entitled to receive notice of such meeting.

 

  9.3

Visa Inc. may attend and participate in all meetings of the Europe DCC, unless (i) the relevant meeting is called without notice to Visa Inc. as provided in Clause 9.2, in which case the Europe DCC Representatives shall ensure that appropriate legal counsel are present at such meeting, or (ii) Visa Inc. is requested (at any point during a meeting) by a majority of the Europe DCC Representatives to withdraw from all or part of a meeting, provided that the Europe Appointing Members shall use reasonable endeavours to ensure that appropriate legal counsel attend any such meeting.

 

  9.4

The quorum for a meeting of the Europe DCC shall be three Europe DCC Representatives.

 

  9.5

If a quorum is not present at the first calling of the meeting, Visa Inc. or any Europe DCC Representative present and entitled to vote may adjourn the meeting

 

– 24 –


 

for at least 24 hours (but no longer than seven days) and give notice by electronic mail (or otherwise in accordance with Clause 17, with the first such served notice being binding) of a place, time and date for the adjourned meeting to Visa Inc. and each Europe DCC Representative, and a quorum shall be deemed present at the adjourned meeting so long as any Europe DCC Representative entitled to vote is present.

 

  9.6

Europe DCC Representatives and Visa Inc. may attend meetings of the Europe DCC by telephone or similar communications equipment. Meetings of the Europe DCC shall be deemed to be held at the location specified by Visa Inc. or, if Visa Inc. is not present at the meeting, the location agreed between the Europe DCC Representatives participating in such meeting.

 

  9.7

The Europe DCC shall keep a record of its proceedings. Upon the dissolution of the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC, those records shall become the property of Visa Inc.

 

10.

Notification of Covered Claims

 

  10.1

Visa Inc. shall keep the LMC reasonably informed of any threatened claims which have been notified to Visa Inc. and which in Visa Inc.’s view, acting reasonably, might result in a Covered Claim. As soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event within 30 Business Days of Visa Inc. concluding that the matter is a Covered Claim, Visa Inc. shall give written notice to the LMC of any new Covered Claim, specifying in reasonable detail (taking into account the information which is available to Visa Inc. at that time) the nature of the Covered Claim.

 

  10.2

The LMC shall notify Visa Inc. in writing with reasons within 30 Business Days of receipt of Visa Inc.’s written notification if it disputes that the matter notified is a Covered Claim (a “ Disputed Covered Claim ”), failing which the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DDC will not have any right subsequently to dispute that the matter notified is a Covered Claim.

 

  10.3

If there is notice of a Disputed Covered Claim within the time specified in Clause 10.2, Visa Inc. and the LMC will follow the procedure in Clause 21.2.

 

  10.4

It is envisaged that, for each Covered Claim, a joint defence agreement will be entered into between (i) the LMC, UK&I DCC or Europe DCC (as appropriate) and (ii) whichever of Visa Inc. and/or all Visa Inc.’s Affiliates and/or Visa UK who are or become defendants to that Covered Claim.

 

11.

Attribution of Covered Claims

 

  11.1

Visa Inc. shall make a proposal to each of the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC for the attribution of a Covered Claim between Domestic Covered Claims (including between UK&I Domestic Covered Claims, UK Domestic Covered Claims and Europe Domestic Covered Claims) and/or Intra-Regional Covered Claims and/or Inter-Regional Covered Claims as soon as it has sufficient

 

– 25 –


 

information to do so (and will do so in relation to the Existing English High Court Claims, to the extent possible, within 60 Business Days of Closing). Visa Inc.’s proposal shall be final and binding unless, within 30 Business Days of receipt of such proposal, the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC deliver written notice of objection to Visa Inc. whereupon Visa Inc. and the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as appropriate) will follow the procedure in Clause 21.2.

 

  11.2

Decisions of the VE Member Representative shall be taken by the LMC except where expressly provided to the contrary in this Deed. Before attribution of a Covered Claim under Clause 11.1 above, the LMC shall be authorised to make decisions of the VE Member Representative.

 

  11.3

Where, following attribution of a Covered Claim in accordance with the process in Clause 11.1, at least 75% of the value of a Covered Claim is attributable to UK&I Domestic Covered Claims (such Covered Claim being a “ UK&I DCC Claim ”), decisions of the VE Member Representative under this Deed in relation thereto shall be taken by the UK&I DCC (acting in accordance with Clause 8).

 

  11.4

Where, following attribution of a Covered Claim in accordance with the process in Clause 11.1, at least 75% of the value of a Covered Claim is attributable to Europe Domestic Covered Claims (such Covered Claim being a “ Europe DCC Claim ”), decisions of the VE Member Representative under this Deed in relation thereto shall be taken and made by the Europe DCC (acting in accordance with Clause 9).

 

12.

Management of Covered Claims

 

  12.1

Visa Inc. will have the conduct and control of the Covered Claims, subject to the provisions of this Clause 12.

 

  12.2

Visa Inc. and the VE Member Representative (acting by the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC, as applicable) will, in good faith, use reasonable endeavours to ensure that all key decisions in relation to the Covered Claims are to be taken with a view to keeping the exposure to Covered Losses to the lowest levels possible whilst not otherwise materially damaging Visa Inc.’s ongoing business interests.

 

  12.3

Visa Inc. will give a monthly update on material developments:

 

  12.3.1

in relation to Covered Claims (of whatever nature), to the LMC;

 

  12.3.2

in relation to UK&I DCC Claims, to the UK&I DCC; and

 

  12.3.3

in relation to Europe DCC Claims, to the Europe DCC,

including, where appropriate and permissible in Visa Inc.’s reasonable view, providing copies of key correspondence and other key documents. Such updates will also include information in relation to any key settlement initiatives in relation to Covered Claims, any updated views of Visa Inc. in relation to the attribution of Covered Claims (see Clause 11.1) and any provisional views

 

– 26 –


concerning the allocation of Covered Losses (see Clause 13.1 below). Visa Inc. will also provide information in relation to its quarterly and annual budgets for legal and other expenses in relation to Covered Claims, together with monthly updates on legal and other expenses actually incurred in respect of Covered Claims, and will consider any concerns raised in this regard by the LMC (or by the UK&I DCC in relation to UK&I DCC Claims, or the Europe DCC in relation to Europe DCC Claims).

 

  12.4

Visa Inc. will discuss and consult with the VE Member Representative, acting by the LMC (and by the UK&I DCC in relation to UK&I DCC Claims, and the Europe DCC in relation to Europe DCC Claims), on key strategic decisions in relation to Covered Claims and will consider suggestions and recommendations made by the LMC (and by the UK&I DCC or by the Europe DCC, as appropriate) in that regard.

 

  12.5

The VE Member Representative, acting by the LMC, may appoint legal advisors, at the sole expense of the VE Member Representative (and Visa Inc. shall have no responsibility under any circumstances for any such expenses). Visa Inc. shall facilitate regular consultation between its legal advisors and those appointed by the VE Member Representative.

 

  12.6

Material Decisions

No Material Decision shall be made without the approval of the VE Member Representative, acting by the LMC (or, where Clause 11.3 applies, the UK&I DCC, or where Clause 11.4 applies, the Europe DCC) in accordance with this Clause 12.6:

 

  12.6.1

When requesting the approval of a Material Decision by the VE Member Representative, acting by the LMC (or the UK&I DCC or Europe DCC, as appropriate), Visa Inc. shall specify the period within which approval is required, which shall be not less than 10 Business Days unless the approval is required urgently. If the approval is required urgently, Visa Inc. will use best endeavours to include in the notification (i) an explanation of the urgency, (ii) the consequence of failure to approve the Material Decision, and (iii) the time for approving the Material Decision .

 

  12.6.2

The VE Member Representative, acting by the LMC (or the UK&I DCC or Europe DCC, as appropriate) shall not unreasonably withhold or delay its consent to a Material Decision nor subject any such consent to unreasonable conditions.

 

  12.6.3

If the LMC (or the UK&I DCC or Europe DCC, as appropriate) is unable to approve or reject a Material Decision in the time specified by Visa Inc., it may request Visa Inc.’s consent to an extension of that period (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).

 

– 27 –


  12.6.4

If the LMC (or the UK&I DCC or Europe DCC, as appropriate) does not approve or reject the Material Decision in the time specified by Visa Inc. pursuant to Clause 12.6.1 (as extended, if applicable, pursuant to Clause 12.6.3) the Material Decision will be deemed to have been approved.

 

  12.7

The sole remedy of each of (i) the VE Member Representative (whether acting by the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC) and (ii) Visa Inc., in respect of any alleged breach of Clause 12.6 shall be as set out in Clause 21.3 below.

 

13.

Allocation of Covered Losses

 

  13.1

Visa Inc. shall, within 60 Business Days of a Covered Loss having been paid or becoming due and payable by Visa Inc. and/or any of Visa Inc.’s Affiliates and/or Visa UK or, if later, within 60 Business Days of the Closing, make a proposal to the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC for the allocation of each Covered Loss between Domestic Covered Claims (including between UK&I Domestic Covered Claims, UK Domestic Covered Claims and Europe Domestic Covered Claims) and/or Intra-Regional Covered Claims and/or Inter-Regional Covered Claims, and shall specify the time for responding to that proposal (which shall be not less than 30 Business Days).

 

  13.2

Visa Inc. shall, where permissible in Visa Inc.’s reasonable view, give the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC the information they reasonably request to assess Visa Inc.’s proposed allocation.

 

  13.3

Visa Inc.’s proposal shall be final and binding unless the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC notifies Visa Inc. in writing that they disagree with such proposal within the period specified by Visa Inc. for a response in accordance with Clause 13.1. If such a notice is served within that time-frame, Visa Inc. and whichever of the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC has served notice will jointly follow the procedure in Clause 21.2.

 

14.

Release Assessments for Conversion of Preferred Stock

 

  14.1

At the 4 th , 6 th , 8 th , 9 th , 10 th and 11 th anniversaries of the Closing and annually thereafter, and on the date that is three (3) months after the final resolution of all of the Existing English High Court Claims (whether by a settlement or final and non-appealable judgment), and by the date that is two (2) months after the VE Member Representative (acting by the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC, as applicable) exercises the right pursuant to Clause 14.4 below (each of the foregoing dates, an “ Assessment Date ”), Visa Inc. will carry out an assessment (a “ Release Assessment ”) of the extent to which, if at all, it is appropriate to effect a partial conversion of UK&I Preferred Stock or Europe Preferred Stock (as applicable) into Class A Common Stock or Class A Equivalent Preferred Stock in accordance with Section 8 of the Certificates of Designations setting out the terms of the UK&I Preferred Stock or Europe Preferred Stock (an “ Accelerated Conversion ”). Each Release Assessment shall set forth (i) the Liability Coverage Reduction Amount, if any, (ii) the related Conversion Adjustment, and (iii) the

 

– 28 –


 

resultant Class A Common Equivalent Number (which shall equal (A) the Class A Common Equivalent Number prior to the Conversion Adjustment minus (B) the Conversion Adjustment) (in each case, as such terms are defined in the Certificates of Designations of the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock).

 

  14.2

In making each Release Assessment, Visa Inc. will consult with the LMC and consider the following factors to make a conservative assessment of the ongoing risk of liability pursuant to Covered Claims (the “ Contingent Liability Risk ”) and to determine the amount and timing of any Accelerated Conversion (collectively, the “ Release Factors ”):

 

  14.2.1

the views expressed by the LMC;

 

  14.2.2

the goal of maintaining UK&I Preferred Stock or Europe Preferred Stock to provide coverage for Visa Inc. against all Covered Claims, whilst recognising that the Contingent Liability Risk is expected to decrease over time;

 

  14.2.3

the extent of any prior payments made in respect of Covered Claims, whether by way of settlement, satisfaction of any judgments, or otherwise;

 

  14.2.4

any settlements or final and non-appealable judgments in those or any other Covered Claims;

 

  14.2.5

any significant developments in the Existing English High Court Claims or any other then pending claims;

 

  14.2.6

any significant developments in the European Commission’s ongoing investigation into Inter-Regional MIFs or any other applicable regulatory developments;

 

  14.2.7

any relevant legislative changes, including domestic legislation implementing the EU Directive on antitrust damages actions (Directive 2014/104/EU); and

 

  14.2.8

the expiry of any limitation periods which are applicable to the Covered Claims.

 

  14.3

In the case of any Release Assessment made with respect to the 12 th anniversary of the Closing or any Assessment Date thereafter, each share of UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock shall be partially converted into that number of shares of Class A Common Stock or Class A Equivalent Preferred Stock equal to the Class A Common Equivalent Number unless there are any UK&I Covered Claims or Europe Covered Claims, respectively, which remain unresolved and outstanding as of such date, in which case a reasonable and conservative portion (a “ Holdback Amount ”) of the then applicable Class A Common Equivalent Number of each share of UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock, as applicable, shall not be so converted. The Holdback Amount shall be determined

 

– 29 –


 

by means of a Release Assessment in accordance with the procedures set out in this Clause 14.

 

  14.4

Each of (i) the UK&I DCC and (ii) the Europe DCC will have the right to request that Visa Inc. undertake one additional assessment (i.e., between them a total of two additional assessments) between the 4 th and the 8 th year anniversaries of the Closing, if it reasonably believes that there have been significant developments such that, taking into account all of the Release Factors, it is appropriate to effect an Accelerated Conversion of UK&I Preferred Stock or Europe Preferred Stock, as applicable, prior to the next scheduled assessment pursuant to Clause 14.1.

 

  14.5

Within 10 Business Days following each Assessment Date, Visa Inc. shall notify the LMC of its initial Release Assessment determination (an “ Initial Determination ”) of (i) the Liability Coverage Reduction Amount, if any, (ii) the resultant Conversion Adjustment, and (iii) the resultant Class A Common Equivalent Number.

 

  14.6

Each Initial Determination shall be final and binding unless, within 20 Business Days of its receipt of such Initial Determination, the LMC delivers a written objection notice to Visa Inc. If such an objection notice is timely received by Visa Inc., the chief executive officer of Visa Inc. shall, within 30 Business Days of such receipt by Visa Inc., make a reasonable good faith determination of the disputed amounts (a “ CEO Assessment ”). Each CEO Assessment made in respect of any Release Assessment for an Assessment Date that is prior to the 6 th anniversary of the Closing shall be final and binding.

 

  14.7

Each CEO Assessment made in respect of any Release Assessment for an Assessment Date that is on or after the 6 th anniversary of the Closing shall be final and binding unless, within 20 Business Days of its receipt of such CEO Assessment, the LMC delivers a written objection notice to Visa Inc. If such a notice of objection is timely received by Visa Inc., Visa Inc. and the LMC will jointly seek, and agree to be bound by, advice from a Queen’s Counsel on the appropriate Liability Coverage Reduction Amount, if any, on the basis set out in Clause 21.2.

 

  14.8

In no event shall any Conversion Adjustment determined pursuant to this Clause 14 be greater than the then applicable Class A Common Equivalent Number as of the date of such Conversion Adjustment.

 

  14.9

Within 30 days following the end of each Visa Inc. fiscal quarter, Visa Inc. shall provide to the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC, a statement reflecting the approximate value (in US dollars) as of the last day of Visa Inc.’s most recent fiscal quarter, of the outstanding shares of UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock, respectively (which shall be equal to: (A) the aggregate number of outstanding shares of UK&I Preferred Stock and/or Europe Preferred Stock, as applicable, multiplied by (B) the applicable Class A Common Equivalent Number, multiplied by (C) the volume-weighted average price per share of Visa Inc.’s Class A Common Stock on the last day of Visa Inc.’s most recent fiscal

 

– 30 –


 

quarter, as displayed under the heading “Bloomberg VWAP” on Bloomberg page V <equity> VWAP (or any equivalent successor page) in respect of the period from 9:30am to 4:00pm New York time). On each such date, Visa Inc. will also provide to the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC, a statement reflecting the total approximate value (in US dollars) of all Liability Coverage Reduction Amounts with respect to the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock, respectively, with respect to the preceding fiscal quarter.

 

15.

Confidentiality and Privilege

 

  15.1

The terms of this Deed, and the substance of negotiations in connection with it, are confidential to the Parties and to their representatives, who shall not disclose them, or otherwise communicate them, to any third party without the written consent of the other Parties.

 

  15.2

The Parties agree that they have a common interest in relation to the defence of the Covered Claims.

 

  15.3

The Parties recognise and agree that the documents and information exchanged between them under the terms of this Deed (whether in relation to the Covered Claims or otherwise) are likely to be of a confidential nature and/or covered by legal professional privilege (and/or equivalent privileges under other applicable laws) and they wish to maintain that confidence and privilege to the greatest extent possible.

 

  15.4

Subject to each relevant individual at an Appointing Member or a UK&I DCC Interested Member (being those individuals who may receive documents and information in connection with this Deed) having first executed a confidentiality agreement with the VE Member Representative and Visa Inc. consistent with the form set out in Exhibit 1 hereto, the Parties agree that any documents and information received by:

 

  15.4.1

any of the LMC Representatives, the Europe DCC Representatives and/or the UK&I DCC Representatives; or

 

  15.4.2

any of the UK&I DCC Observers,

in each case, and in accordance with this Deed, may only be shared with a limited group of not more than five individuals (or such higher number as Visa Inc. and the VE Member Representative, acting reasonably, may agree in advance in writing, on a case-by-case basis, with an Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member) within their respective Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member (as applicable). The Parties agree that a list of those five individuals within the Appointing Members and the UK&I DCC Interested Members with whom such documents and information may be shared will be agreed between the Parties prior to the execution of this Deed and will be maintained subsequently by the VE Member Representative. That list may be revised from time to time with the consent of the VE Member Representative and Visa Inc. (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed),

 

– 31 –


provided that the list of individuals within each Appointing Member and each UK&I DCC Interested Member shall not exceed five unless otherwise agreed on a case by case basis.

 

  15.5

All documents or information exchanged or disclosed in accordance with this Deed (including documents and information already exchanged or disclosed subject to common interest privilege) shall be maintained in confidence, and no disclosure of such information or documentation by the receiving Party shall be made to any third party without the prior written permission of the disclosing Party other than to the extent that:

 

  15.5.1

the disclosure or use of that information is required by any applicable laws or regulations or any Governmental Authority;

 

  15.5.2

the disclosure is required by compulsion of law or regulation (including, where required by legally-mandated governance policies of any applicable regulator or listing authority, disclosure to group-level audit committees), pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or pursuant to any proper order or demand made by any competent authority or body where the relevant Party is under a legal or regulatory obligation to make such a disclosure;

 

  15.5.3

the disclosure is made to the relevant Party’s professional advisers (including its legal advisors and auditors) who are themselves bound by professional duties of confidentiality owed to the disclosing Party or its Affiliate;

 

  15.5.4

the information or documentation is provided to a senior Queen’s Counsel for independent advice in accordance with the provisions of Clause 21.2; or

 

  15.5.5

the information is or becomes publicly available (other than as a result of a breach of this Deed),

provided that, prior to disclosure or use of any information pursuant to Clauses 15.5.1 and/or 15.5.2, the disclosing Party concerned shall, where not prohibited by law, consult with the other Parties and use reasonable endeavours to assist the other Parties in seeking to preserve the confidentiality and, where applicable, privilege, of such information consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

 

  15.6

No past or future exchange or disclosure of information or documents under this Deed, including to any legal advisors, will constitute a waiver of any privilege or other protection that any Party may be entitled to claim.

 

  15.7

All documents or information exchanged or disclosed under this Deed shall be used by the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC for the purposes specified in this Deed only and for no other purposes.

 

  15.8

If reasonably required and wherever reasonably practicable, all documents exchanged or disclosed under this Deed to the LMC, the UK&I DCC and/or the

 

– 32 –


 

Europe DCC (or any representative or member thereof), and all copies thereof made by the LMC, the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (or any representative or member thereof), shall be returned to Visa Inc., or the documents and copies shall be destroyed, on demand from Visa Inc.

 

  15.9

Nothing in this Deed shall limit the right of any Party to disclose to third parties any documents and/or information which are already in the possession of that Party or have been independently obtained by that Party.

 

16.

Termination

 

  16.1

This Deed will terminate on the later of (i) the date on which the Class A Equivalent Number in respect of both the UK&I Preferred Stock and the Europe Preferred Stock has been reduced to zero in accordance with Section 8 of (respectively) the Certificates of Designations of the UK&I Preferred Stock and Europe Preferred Stock and (ii) final resolution of any Covered Claims which are outstanding on the 12 th anniversary of the Closing, together with any issues concerning the allocation of Covered Losses in relation to those Covered Claims (such issues to be resolved in accordance with Clause 13.1 above), and at that point the LMC, UK&I DCC and Europe DCC shall each be dissolved, save that:

 

  16.1.1

the following provisions will remain in full force and effect, namely: Clauses 1, 3.2, 7.7, 8.8, 9.7, 12.7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21; and

 

  16.1.2

the termination will be without prejudice to the rights of the Parties in respect of any breach of this Deed occurring before the termination.

 

17.

Notices

 

  17.1

A notice or other communication given in connection with this Deed shall be in writing and may only be given by:

 

  17.1.1

leaving it by hand at; or

 

  17.1.2

sending by courier using an internationally recognised courier service provider to; or

 

  17.1.3

sending by electronic mail to,

the address and marked for the attention of the relevant Party set out below (or such other address as may be notified in accordance with Clause 17.3):

 

  17.1.4

in the case of the VE Member Representative (including the LMC, the UK&I DCC and the Europe DCC): (a) Adrian Phillips (General Counsel) and Marco Bolgiani (CEO), 441 Trust Company Limited, c/o Moore Stephens, 150 Aldersgate St., London, EC1A 4AB, United Kingdom (with copy, which shall not constitute notice, to David Broadley, Allen & Overy LLP, One Bishops Square, London, E1 6AD, United Kingdom), marked for the attention of either the ‘LMC’, ‘UK&I DCC’ or ‘Europe DCC’ (such address being the service address for the VE Member Representative (and each of the LMC, the UK&I DCC and

 

– 33 –


 

the Europe DCC)), or (b) in the case of electronic mail, to adrianbphillips@yahoo.com and marco@bolgiani.it (with copy, which shall not constitute notice, to David.Broadley@AllenOvery.com);

 

  17.1.5

in the case of Visa Inc.: (a) 1 Sheldon Square, London W2 6TT, United Kingdom, marked for the attention of The General Counsel (such address being the service address for Visa Inc.) (with copy, which shall not constitute notice, to Julian Stait, Partner, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, 10 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7JD, United Kingdom), or (b) in the case of electronic mail, to LegalNotice@visa.com (with copy, which shall not constitute notice, to jstait@milbank.com);

 

  17.1.6

in the case of each of the LMC Appointing Members (and/or the LMC Representatives), to the (a) postal address, or (b) email address set out opposite their name in Schedule 1 (provided that notices, if any, required to be served by Visa Inc. to any LMC Appointing Member or LMC Representative shall be validly served if sent to the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 17.1.4);

 

  17.1.7

in the case of each of the UK&I DCC Appointing Members (and/or the UK&I DCC Representatives), to the (a) postal address, or (b) email address set out opposite their name in Schedule 2 (provided that notices, if any, required to be served by Visa Inc. to any UK&I DCC Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Representative shall be validly served if sent to the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 17.1.4);

 

  17.1.8

in the case of each of the Europe DCC Appointing Members (and/or the Europe DCC Representatives), to the (a) postal address, or (b) email address set out opposite their name in Schedule 3 (provided that notices, if any, required to be served by Visa Inc. to any Europe DCC Appointing Member or Europe DCC Representative shall be validly served if sent to the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 17.1.4); and

 

  17.1.9

in the case of each of the UK&I DCC Interested Members (and/or the UK&I DCC Observers), to the (a) postal address, or (b) email address set out opposite their name in Schedule 4 (provided that notices, if any, required to be served by Visa Inc. to any UK&I DCC Interested Member or UK&I DCC Observer shall be validly served if sent to the VE Member Representative in accordance with Clause 17.1.4).

 

  17.2

A notice shall be deemed to have been received:

 

  17.2.1

if:

 

  (a)

left by hand, at the time of leaving it;

 

– 34 –


  (b)

sent by courier, on the second Business Day after deposit with the internationally recognised courier service provider; and

 

  (c)

sent by electronic mail, upon confirmation of receipt by the recipient; and

 

  17.2.2

if notice is given by more than one means it shall be deemed given at the earliest to occur,

provided that if deemed receipt thereby occurs before 9.00am on a Business Day the notice shall instead be deemed to have been received at 9.00am on that day, and if deemed receipt thereby occurs after 5.00pm on a Business Day, or on a day which is not a Business Day, the notice shall instead be deemed to have been received at 9.00am on the next Business Day. References to time are references to local time at the place of receipt of the notice.

 

  17.3

A Party may change its address details stated in Clause 17.1 by giving notice to the other Parties, and such change shall take effect for the notified Parties at 9.00am UK time on the later of:

 

  17.3.1

the date, if any, specified in the notice as the effective date for the change; or

 

  17.3.2

the date 10 Business Days after deemed receipt (in accordance with Clause 17.1) of the notice,

provided that under no circumstances shall Visa Inc. be required to serve notices on any Party other than to the single address of the VE Member Representative (as changed from time to time in accordance with this Clause 17.3).

 

18.

Authority

Each Party represents and warrants to the other Parties hereto that:

 

  18.1

it has all necessary power, authority and capacity to execute and deliver this Deed and to perform its obligations hereunder, and the execution and delivery of this Deed has been duly authorised by all necessary corporate or other action on its part;

 

  18.2

this Deed has been duly executed and delivered by such Party and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of such Party, enforceable against such Party in accordance with its terms;

 

  18.3

such Party is not a party to, bound by or subject to any indenture, mortgage, lease, agreement, instrument, statute, regulation, order, judgment, decree or law which would be violated, contravened or breached by, require any consent or payment under, give any third party the right to terminate or accelerate any obligation under, or under which any default would occur, as a result of the execution and delivery by such Party of this Deed or the performance by such Party of any of the terms hereof; and

 

– 35 –


  18.4

no Governmental Authority authorisation and no other registration, declaration or filing by such Party is required in order for such Party: (i) to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Deed; (ii) to execute and deliver any documents and instruments to be delivered by such Party under this Deed; and (iii) to duly perform and observe the terms and provisions of this Deed.

 

19.

Entire Agreement

 

  19.1

This Deed constitutes the entire understanding and agreement between the Parties in relation to the subject matter of this Deed to the exclusion of any terms implied by law which may be excluded by contract and supersedes any previous written or oral agreement between the Parties in relation to the subject matter of this Deed.

 

  19.2

Each Party acknowledges that it has not entered into this Deed in reliance wholly or partly on any representation, undertaking or warranty made by or on behalf of any other Party (whether orally or in writing) other than as expressly set out in this Deed.

 

  19.3

Each Party irrevocably and unconditionally waives any rights it may have:

 

  19.3.1

to sue another Party for misrepresentation, whether in equity, tort or under the Misrepresentation Act 1967, in respect of any non-fraudulent misrepresentation in connection with this Deed, whether or not contained within this Deed; or

 

  19.3.2

to rescind this Deed for any non-fraudulent misrepresentation, whether or not contained within this Deed, or to terminate this Deed for any other reason.

 

20.

Miscellaneous

 

  20.1

No admission

Nothing in this Deed is intended or shall be deemed, to be an admission of any liability to any Person.

 

  20.2

Assignment and sub-contracting

 

  20.2.1

Subject to Clauses 20.2.2, 20.2.3 and 20.2.4:

 

  (a)

Each Appointing Member and each UK&I DCC Interested Member agrees that it shall not, without the prior written consent of Visa Inc., such consent not to be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed; and

 

  (b)

Visa Inc. agrees that it shall not, without the prior written consent of the VE Member Representative, such consent not to be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed,

assign, transfer, charge or deal in any other manner with any of its rights or its obligations under this Deed (or purport to do any of the same) (a “ Transfer ”). For the purposes of this Clause 20.2.1, Visa Inc. will be

 

– 36 –


deemed to be acting unreasonably in relation to a proposed Transfer by an Appointing Member or a UK&I DCC Interested Member if it conditions, withholds or delays consent to any Transfer that (i) is required by law or the rules, regulations, confirmations or directions of a regulatory authority to which the Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member seeking to effect the Transfer is subject (and each such Person shall provide Visa Inc. with evidence, to Visa Inc.’s reasonable satisfaction, that such Transfer is required); and (ii) is to a Person who has, to the reasonable satisfaction of Visa Inc., equivalent financial standing to the Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member seeking to effect the Transfer and who is a Principal Member, or an Affiliate of a Principal Member.

 

  20.2.2

Visa Inc. may assign, transfer, charge, sub-contract, or deal in any other manner with any of its rights or obligations under this Deed, or purport to do any of the same, in favour of any of its Affiliates, provided that the obligations and/or liabilities of the other Parties shall be no greater than if such assignment, transfer, charge, sub-contract or dealing by Visa Inc. had not taken place.

 

  20.2.3

Each of the Appointing Members and UK&I DCC Interested Members may assign, transfer, charge, sub-contract, or deal in any other manner with any of its rights (but not its obligations) under this Deed, or purport to do any of the same, in favour of any of its Affiliates, provided that the obligations and/or liabilities of Visa Inc. shall be no greater than if such assignment, transfer, charge, sub-contract or dealing had not taken place.

 

  20.2.4

Any Appointing Member or UK&I DCC Interested Member which is permitted, in accordance with Clause 20.2.1, to assign, transfer, charge or otherwise deal with its rights or obligations under this Deed, shall procure that the assignee shall enter into a deed of adherence to this Deed (which shall be in a form acceptable to Visa Inc., acting reasonably) pursuant to which the assignee shall undertake to Visa Inc. to observe, perform and be bound by all the terms contained in this Deed, and with effect from the due delivery to Visa Inc. of such deed of adherence, the assignor shall be released from its obligations under this Deed.

 

  20.2.5

The VE Member Representative shall not assign, transfer, charge or deal in any other manner with any of its rights or its obligations under this Deed (or purport to do any of the same) without the prior written consent of Visa Inc. (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).

 

  20.3

Expenses

Save as expressly set out in this Deed, each Party shall bear its own expenses in connection with this Deed and the roles to be performed hereunder.

 

– 37 –


  20.4

Severability

If any provision of this Deed is found to be void or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed to be deleted from this Deed and the remaining provisions of this Deed shall continue in full force and effect and the Parties shall use their respective reasonable endeavours to procure that any such provision is replaced by a provision which is valid and enforceable, and which gives effect to the spirit and intent of this Deed.

 

  20.5

Third parties

No person who is not a party to this Deed has any other rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of this Deed but this does not affect any rights or remedy of a third party which exists or is available other than under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) no VE Member who is not a party to this Deed will have any direct right to enforce any provision of this Deed, (ii) subject to Clause 1.5, no Appointing Member will have any direct right to enforce any provision of this Deed, and (iii) subject to Clause 1.6, no UK&I DCC Interested Member will have any direct right to enforce any provision of this Deed.

 

  20.6

Further assurance

The Parties shall deliver or cause to be delivered such instruments and other documents at such times and places as are reasonably necessary or desirable, and shall take any other action reasonably requested by any other Party, for the purpose of putting this Deed into effect.

 

  20.7

Counterparts

This Deed may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be an original and all the counterparts together shall constitute one and the same instrument. For the purposes of execution, faxed or scanned and emailed signatures by the Parties’ legal advisers shall be binding.

 

  20.8

Variations

Any variation of this Deed must be in writing and signed by or on behalf of each Party, save for minor administrative amendments (or amendments to correct clerical errors) which must be in writing but need be signed only by or on behalf of Visa Inc. and the VE Member Representative, provided that all such variations shall be notified to all Parties.

 

  20.9

Successors in title

This Deed shall be binding upon and enure to the benefit of the successors in title and assigns of each Party.

 

– 38 –


  20.10

Non waiver

 

  20.10.1

The failure or delay of any Party at any time or times to require performance of any provision of this Deed shall not affect such Party’s right to enforce such a provision at a later time.

 

  20.10.2

No waiver by any Party of any condition or of the breach of any term, covenant, indemnity, representation, warranty or undertaking contained in this Deed, whether by conduct or otherwise, in any one or more instances shall be deemed to be or construed as a further or continuing waiver of any such condition or breach or a waiver of any other condition or of the breach of any other term, covenant, indemnity, representation, warranty or undertaking in this Deed.

 

21.

Governing Law, Jurisdiction and Remedies

 

  21.1

Governing law

This Deed is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English law. Non-contractual obligations (if any) arising out of or in connection with this Deed (including its formation) shall also be governed by English law.

 

  21.2

Advice from Queen s Counsel

 

  21.2.1

Where agreement cannot be reached on the matters referred to in Clauses 10.3, 11.1, 13.3 and 14.7 above, Visa Inc. and the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as appropriate) will jointly seek, and they (and the other Parties to this Deed) agree to be bound by, advice from a mutually agreed Queen’s Counsel (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld) from Brick Court Chambers, One Essex Court, Fountain Court Chambers, Monckton Chambers, or 3 Verulam Buildings (or such other chambers as may be agreed between Visa Inc. and the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as appropriate)). For the avoidance of doubt, Visa Inc. and the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as appropriate) are free to agree different Queen’s Counsel on each occasion on which joint advice is sought. If agreement is not reached on the choice of Queen’s Counsel within 10 Business Days of the time when Visa Inc. and the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as appropriate) have become bound to seek advice from Queen’s Counsel under the terms of Clauses 10.3, 11.1, 13.3 and 14.7 above (as appropriate), each agrees to be bound by the recommendation of the then Chairman of the Commercial Bar Association of a Queen’s Counsel from one of the chambers listed above.

 

  21.2.2

Visa Inc. and the LMC and/or the UK&I DCC and/or the Europe DCC (as appropriate) shall provide the Queen’s Counsel with any material that they and that he or she reasonably considers to be necessary in order properly to answer the question(s) on which advice is sought, under

 

– 39 –


 

terms of strict confidence and privilege. Without prejudice to the provisions of Clause 15, the LMC, the UK&I DCC, the Europe DCC and Visa Inc. will take all reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of, and privilege (including common interest privilege) attaching to, all communications generated during this process including, but not limited to, the instructions to the Queen’s Counsel and his or her advice.

 

  21.3

Remedy for breach

 

  21.3.1

The sole remedy of each of (i) the VE Member Representative (whether acting by the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC) and (ii) Visa Inc., in respect of any alleged breach of this Deed (other than in respect of Clauses 12.3 (but only if and to the extent that Visa Inc. has failed to provide any monthly update for three consecutive months), 14.2 (but only if and to the extent that Visa Inc. has made no attempt to consult with the LMC), 14.9, 15, 20.2, 20.6, 21.3 and 21.4), shall be a claim for damages which shall be made in accordance with Clause 21.4, and which shall not be commenced until after resolution of the Covered Claim to which the breach relates (whether by a settlement or final and non-appealable judgment); provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing does not apply to the provisions of Clause 21.2, and the matters referred to in that clause shall be referred to a Queen’s Counsel for binding advice in accordance with Clause 21.2.

 

  21.3.2

Pending the resolution of the Covered Claim to which any alleged breach relates, the alleged breach shall have no effect on the rights and obligations of Visa Inc. and the VE Member Representative (whether acting by the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC), including, but not limited to, in relation to the allocation of Covered Losses under Clause 13.

 

  21.3.3

Neither (i) the VE Member Representative (whether acting by the LMC, the UK&I DCC or the Europe DCC) nor (ii) Visa Inc. will raise any limitation defence to any claim for damages which is brought within two years of the final resolution of the Covered Claim.

 

  21.3.4

Without prejudice to Clauses 1.5 and 1.6, the Appointing Members and the UK&I DCC Interested Members shall have no individual or collective right to claim for damages (or otherwise) in respect of any breach, or alleged breach, of this Deed.

 

  21.3.5

Each Party acknowledges and agrees that the VE Member Representative, in its capacity as trustee for certain VE Members designated as beneficiaries in accordance with the VEMR Trust Documents, will be entitled to pursue and enforce any claim for breach of this Deed in its own name, and will be entitled to claim for any damages or losses which can be proved to have been suffered or incurred by a VE Member which is a beneficiary of the VEMR Trust Documents

 

– 40 –


 

as a result of such breach, regardless of whether the VE Member Representative has itself incurred or suffered such damages or losses as a result of such breach.

 

  21.4

Reference to arbitration

Any dispute or difference arising out of or in connection with this Deed (including any question regarding its existence, validity, interpretation, performance or termination) shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under the rules of the LCIA (the “ Rules ”), which Rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this clause.

 

  21.4.1

The number of arbitrators shall be three and the appointing authority for the purposes of the Rules shall be the LCIA.

 

  21.4.2

The seat (or legal place) of the arbitration shall be London and the law and language of the arbitration shall be English.

 

  21.4.3

The award(s) of the tribunal shall be final and binding.

 

  21.5

Each Party irrevocably consents to any process in any legal action or proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Deed (including its formation) being served on it in accordance with the provisions of this Deed relating to service of notices (including the service address given in respect of that Party under Clause 17 (Notices)). Nothing contained in this Deed shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

EXECUTED AS A DEED by the Parties or their duly authorised representatives and delivered on the date set out at its head.

 

– 41 –


[ The VE Member Representative ]

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by

441   TRUST COMPANY LIMITED

  

)

)

  
acting by   

)

)

   /s/ Marco Bolgiani ……………….……..……………...
Marco Bolgiani    )   
(director)      
in the presence of:      
Witness:      
Signature:       /s/ Adrian Phillips ……….....…..………………………
Name:       Adrian Phillips……………………………..…………..
Address:       1 Brunswick Square…………......……………………
      Hove……………………….……………………………
Occupation:       Solicitor…………………………………………..……..

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ Visa Inc. ]

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by

VISA   INC. , a company incorporated

under the laws of the State of

Delaware, U.S.A., by:

  

)

)

)

)

)

  
Charles W. Scharf    )    /s/ Charles W. Scharf ……………….....………………
   )    Charles W. Scharf

being a person who, in accordance

with the laws of that territory, is acting

under the authority of that company

  

)

)

)

  

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ LMC Appointing Members and Europe DCC Appointing Members ]

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by VISA    )   
SWEDEN FÖRENING EK. FÖR , a    )   
company incorporated under the laws    )    /s/ P.O Goransson ……………………………………
of Sweden, by:    )    P.O Goransson
   )    Chair of Board
P.O Goransson, Kurt Gjesten    )   
   )   
being a person (or persons) who, in    )    / s/ Kurt Gjesten …………………………..……………
accordance with the laws of that    )    Kurt Gjesten
territory, is (or are) acting under the    )    Managing Director and CEO
authority of that company    )   

 

 

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by BPCE , a    )   
company incorporated under the laws    )   
of France, by:    )   
   )   
François Perol    )   
   )   
being a person (or persons) who, in    )    /s/ Francois Perol ………………………..……………
accordance with the laws of that    )    Francois Perol
territory, is (or are) acting under the    )   
authority of that company    )   
   )   

 

 

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by    )   
SERVIRED SOCIEDAD    )   
ESPANOLA DE MEDIOS DE    )   
PAGO S.A. , a company incorporated    )   
under the laws of Spain, by:    )   
   )   
Rafael Martin-Pena    )   
   )    /s/ Rafael Martin-Pena ………………………………
being a person (or persons) who, in    )    Rafael Martin-Pena
accordance with the laws of that    )    Chairman of the Board
territory, is (or are) acting under the    )   
authority of that company    )   

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ LMC Appointing Members and Europe DCC Appointing Members (continued) ]

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by    )   
CARTASI S.p.A , a company    )   
incorporated under the laws of Italy,    )   
by:    )   
   )   
Giuseppe Capponcelli    )   
   )    /s/ Giuseppe Capponcelli ………………………….
being a person (or persons) who, in    )    Giuseppe Capponcelli
accordance with the laws of that    )    Chief Executive Officer
territory, is (or are) acting under the    )   
authority of that company    )   

 

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by ISRAEL    )   
DISCOUNT BANK LTD. , a    )   
company incorporated under the laws    )    /s/ Yossi Beressi ……………………………………
of Israel, by:    )    Yossi Beressi
   )    SEVP, Chief Accountant
Yossi Beressi, Uri Levin    )   
   )   
being a person (or persons) who, in    )    /s/ Uri Levin ………………………………………....
accordance with the laws of that    )    Uri Levin
territory, is (or are) acting under the    )    SEVP, CFO, Head of Planning, Strategy
authority of that company    )    & Finance Division

 

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by    )   
SOCIÉTÉ GÉNÉRALE S.A. , a    )   
company incorporated under the laws    )   
of France, by:    )   
   )   
Pascal Auge    )   
   )    /s/ Pascal Auge …………………………………….
being a person (or persons) who, in    )    Pascal Auge
accordance with the laws of that    )    Head of Global Transaction and Payment
territory, is (or are) acting under the    )    Services
authority of that company    )   

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ LMC Appointing Members and UK&I DCC Appointing Members ]

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by HSBC    )   
BANK PLC under Common Seal    )   
   )   
The Common Seal of HSBC Bank plc    )   
was hereunto affixed to this DEED in    )   
the presence of:    )    /s/ Jane Fahrey ……………………………………
      (Authorised signatory)
      Name / title: Jane Fahrey
      /s/ Syeeda Siddiqui ………………………………..
      (Authorised Countersignatory)
      Name / title: Ms. Syeeda Siddiqui

 

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by    )   
BARCLAYS BANK PLC acting by    )   
its attorney,    )    /s/ R. Hickson ……………………………………...
   )    R. Hickson
   )    General Counsel
in the presence of:      
Witness:      
Signature:       /s/ Sheryl Jermyn ………………………………….
Name:       Sheryl Jermyn ……………………………………..
Address:       Flat 4, 161 Bethnal Green Road………………….
      London E2 7DG …………………………………...
Occupation:       Lawyer………………………………………………

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ LMC Appointing Members and UK&I DCC Appointing Members (continued) ]

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by THE

ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND

  

)

)

  
PLC acting by its attorney,    )    /s/ Donald R. MacDonald …………………………….
   )    Donald R. MacDonald
in the presence of:      
Witness:      
Signature:       /s/ Natalie Charlick ………………………………..…..
Name:       Natalie Charlick ……………………………………….
Address:       1 st Floor, House G, RBS Gogarburn …………….….
      Edinburgh EH12 1HQ……………………………..….
Occupation:       Senior Legal Counsel……………………………..…..

 

 

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by

WORLDPAY (UK) LIMITED acting

by

  

)

)

)

   /s/ Philip Jansen ……………………………………….
   )    Philip Jansen
(Director)      
in the presence of:      
Witness:      
Signature:       /s/ Carly Howorth …………………………….........…..
Name:       Carly Howorth………………………………………….
Address:       8 Smarts Heath Road……………………………...….
      Mayford, Woking, GU22 ONP ……………………….
Occupation:       EA……………………………………………………….

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ UK&I DCC Appointing Members ]

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by

LLOYDS BANK PLC acting by its

attorney,

 

)

)

)

   /s/ Andrew Mawer ……………………………………….
Andrew Mawer   )    Andrew Mayer
  )   
in the presence of:     
Witness:     
Signature:      /s/ Susan Wilson ………………………………………...
Name:      Susan Wilson……………………………………………
Address:      25 Gresham Street……………………………………...
     London…………………………………………………...
Occupation:      Solicitor…………………………………………………..

 

 

 

The Common Seal of

SANTANDER UK PLC

was hereunto affixed to this DEED by

Order of the Board of Directors in the

presence of

 

)

)

)

)

)

)

  
(Authorised sealing officer)      /s/ Stuard Mead …………………………………………
     Name: Stuard Mead
    

Title: Assistant Company Secretary,

Authorised Grantor

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ UK&I DCC Interested Members ]

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by  

)

  
CITIBANK EUROPE PLC   )   
(as “Successor Company” (as defined   )    /s/ Tony Woods ...................................………………..
in the Irish Merger Regulations) of   )    Tony Woods
Citibank International Limited) acting   )    Director
by:     
(as its attorney) in the presence of:     
Witness:     
Signature:      /s/ Deirdre Pepper ...................................…………….
Name:      Deirdre Pepper........................................…………….
Address:      c/o North Wall Quay.................................……………
     Dublin 1....................................................……………
Occupation:      Solicitor.....................................................……………

The Common Seal of THE CO-

OPERATIVE BANK PLC

was hereunto affixed to this DEED by

Order of the Board of Directors in the

presence of

 

)

)

)

)

)

)

  
(Authorised sealing officer)      /s/ Lisa Hartshorn .....................................……………
     Name: Lisa Hartshorn
     Title: Assistant Company Secretary

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ UK&I DCC Interested Members (continued) ]

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by GPUK    )   
LLP acting by    )   
                            David L. Green    )    /s/ David L. Green ……………………………………..
   )    David Green
duly authorised by Global Payments    )   
UK Ltd to sign on its behalf as    )   
member of GPUK LLP    )   
     
in the presence of:      
     
Witness:      
Signature:       /s/ Nancy Lloyd ………………………………………...
Name:       Nancy Lloyd…………………………………………....
Address:       10 Glenlake Parkway, North Tower………………....
      Atlanta Georgia 30328, USA…………………...…….
Occupation:       Senior Paralegal……………………………………….

 

 

 

 

EXECUTED as a DEED by MBNA    )   
LIMITED acting by    )   
   )    /s/ Elyn Corfield ………………………………………..
Elyn Corfield    )    Elyn Corfield
   )   
(Director)      
in the presence of:      
Witness:      
Signature:       /s / Jonathan Metcalfe ………………………………...
Name:       Jonathan Metcalfe………………………………..…...
Address:       Haddon Farm, Sutton,…………………………….…..
      Macclesfield, SK11 0NG……………………………...
Occupation:       Accountant……………………………………………...

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]


[ UK&I DCC Interested Members (continued) ]

 

The Common Seal of NATIONWIDE    )   
BUILDING SOCIETY    )   
was hereunto affixed to this DEED by    )   
Order of the Board of Directors by    )   
     
(Authorised sealing officer)      
      /s/ Jason Lindsey ………………………………………
      Name: Jason Lindsey
      Title: Deputy Secretary
in the presence of:      
Witness:      
Signature:       /s/ Lorraine Cinquegrani ………………………………
Name:       Lorraine Cinquegrani………………………………….
Address:       Secretariat ……………………………………………..
      Nationwide Building Society………………………….
Occupation       Secretariat Administrator……………………………..

 

[ Signature Page to the Litigation Management Deed ]

LOGO

EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

 

 

Visa Inc. Completes Acquisition of Visa Europe

 

 

Company appoints Gary A. Hoffman, CEO of Hastings Group, to its Board of Directors

SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON —  June 21, 2016  — Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) today announced the completion of its acquisition of Visa Europe Ltd.

The combined, global company provides digital payment products, services and processing to about 17,100 financial institution clients and partners, 40 million merchant outlets, and 3.0 billion Visa cards worldwide. Visa–branded cards and payment products enable approximately $6.8 trillion in global payments volume annually.

In addition, Visa Inc.’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) announced today that it appointed Gary A. Hoffman, CEO of Hastings Group, as a Board member of Visa Inc. He is currently a director and Chairman of Visa Europe Limited. This brings the Board to twelve members.

Mr. Hoffman has been the Chief Executive Officer of Hastings Group, a UK insurance provider, since November 2012. Prior to this role, Mr. Hoffman was Chief Executive Officer of NBNK Investments, an investment vehicle formed in August 2010 to establish personal and business retail banking in the UK, from 2011 to 2012. He also served as Chief Executive Officer of Northern Rock PLC, from 2008 to 2010 and Vice Chairman of Barclays PLC, from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that, he served in various other roles at Barclays Group, including Chairman of UK Banking and Barclaycard at Barclays PLC and Chief Executive Officer of Barclaycard.

“I am pleased to welcome Gary to the Board of Directors,” said Charlie Scharf, CEO of Visa Inc. “Gary’s broad knowledge of the European payments and banking industries brings an important perspective to the Visa Inc. Board and will be invaluable as we build our business in Europe.”

Gary Hoffman said “It is exciting to be part of the next chapter in the Visa story. Visa Europe has performed strongly as a business and combining with Visa Inc. will provide European clients with greater access to the global scale, additional innovation resources and range of capabilities necessary to continue to offer the best payment services to their customers.”

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. We operate one of the world’s most advanced processing networks — VisaNet — that is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and assured payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa’s innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, pay ahead with prepaid or pay later with credit products. For more information, visit usa.visa.com/about-visa, visacorporate.tumblr.com and @VisaNews.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as “will,” “continue,” and other similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,


statements Visa Inc. makes about the benefits to Visa Inc. arising from the completion of the transaction and the addition of a Board member.

By their nature, forward-looking statements: (i) speak only as of the date they are made; (ii) are not statements of historical fact or guarantees of future performance; and (iii) are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. Therefore, actual results could differ materially and adversely from Visa Inc.’s forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including the risk that the benefits of the transaction may not be realized, or may not be realized on the currently anticipated timeline; risks related to developments in Visa Inc.’s business; and various other factors, including those contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, and Visa Inc.’s other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

You should not place undue reliance on such statements. Except as required by law, Visa Inc. does not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Contacts:

Media Relations

Visa Inc., Connie Kim, +1 212-521-3962, globalmedia@visa.com

or

Visa Europe, Diane Scott, +44 207 795 5459, europeanmedia@visa.com

or

Investor Relations

Visa Inc., Jack Carsky or Victoria Hyde-Dunn, +1 650-432-7644, ir@visa.com

 

2