MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES Section 15.1. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called................77 Section 15.2. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.......................77 Section 15.3. Persons Entitled To Vote at Meetings.....................78 Section 15.4. Quorum; Action...........................................78
Lists of Holders of Securities (a) The Guarantor shall provide the Guarantee Trustee (i) except while the Capital Securities are represented by one or more Global Securities, at least two Business Days prior to the date for payment of Distributions, a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities (“List of Holders”) as of the record date relating to the payment of such Distributions, and (ii) at any other time, within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written request from the Guarantee Trustee for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before such List of Holders is given to the Guarantee Trustee; provided that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to the Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Guarantee Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information contained in Lists of Holders given to it, provided that the Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Meetings of Holders of Notes (1) The Fiscal Agent shall, on receipt of a written request of the Issuer or a written request signed in one or more counterparts by the beneficial holders of not less than 10% of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding and upon being indemnified to its satisfaction by the Issuer or the beneficial holders of Notes signing such request against the costs which may be incurred in connection with the calling and holding of such meeting, convene a meeting of the holders of Notes for any lawful purpose affecting their interests. If the Fiscal Agent fails to give notice convening such meeting within 30 days after receipt of such request and indemnity satisfactory to it, the Issuer or such beneficial holders of Notes, as the case may be, may convene such meeting. Every such meeting shall be held in New York or such other place as may be approved or determined by the Fiscal Agent.
(2) At least 21 days’ notice of any meeting shall be given to the holders of the Global Notes or Certificated Notes, as the case may be, in the manner provided pursuant to the provisions under “Notices” in the terms and conditions of the Notes, and a copy thereof shall be sent by post to the Fiscal Agent unless the meeting has been called by it, and to the Issuer, unless the meeting has been called by the Issuer. Such notice shall state the day, time, place and purpose of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted thereat, and shall include a statement to the effect that, prior to 48 hours prior to the time fixed for the meeting, (i) in the limited circumstances in which Certificated Notes have been issued, those holders of Certificated Notes who deposit such Notes with the Fiscal Agent, or any other person authorized for such purpose by the Fiscal Agent or the Issuer or (ii) in the case of Notes being represented by the Global Notes, those persons recorded in the Register, shall be entitled to obtain voting certificates for appointing proxies, but it shall not be necessary for any such notice to set out the terms of any resolution to be proposed at such meeting or any other provisions.
(3) A holder of Notes may appoint any person by instrument in writing as the holder’s proxy in respect of a meeting of the holders of Notes or any adjournment of such meeting, and such proxy shall have all rights of the holder of Notes in respect of such meeting. All notices of meetings to the holder of a Global Note shall contain a requirement that the Clearing Systems must notify Clearing Systems participants and, if known, owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes of the meeting in accordance with procedures established from time to time by the Clearing Systems. The registered holders of Notes shall seek voting instructions on the matters to be raised at such meeting from the Clearing Systems participants or, if known, from the owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes in accordance with the applicable procedure of the Clearing Systems. For greater certainty, it is acknowledged that none of the Issuer, the Fiscal Agent, any clearing agency or any intermediary or participant shall be required to comply with the time limits set out in the applicable procedure of the Clearing Systems but shall use all reasonable efforts to otherwise comply with such procedure and attempt to provide non-registered holders of the Notes with meeting materials and voting rights as if such non-registered holders of Notes were registered holders thereof.
(4) Some person, who need not be a holder of Notes, nominated in writing by the Fiscal Agent shall be chairman of the meeting and if no person is so nominated or if the person so nominated is not present within 15 minutes from the time fixed for the holding of the meeting, the holders of the Notes present in person or by proxy shall choose some person present to be chairman, and, failing such choice, the Issuer may appoint a chairman.
(5) At a meeting of holders of Notes, a quorum shall consist of two or more holders of Notes present in person or by proxy who represent at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding. If a quorum of the holders of Notes shall not be present within one-half hour after the time fixed for holding any meeting, the meeting, if convened by or at the request of holders of Notes, shall be dissolved, but if otherwise convened, the meeting shall stand adjourned without notice to the same day in the next week (unless such day is not a business day in the place where the meeting is to take place in which case it shall stand adjourned until the next such business day following thereafter) at the same time and place unless the chairman shall appoint some other place, day or time of which not less than seven days’ notice shall be given in the manner provided above. At any adjourned meeting called by the Issuer or the Fiscal Agent, two or more holders of Notes present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was originally convened notwithstanding that they may not represent at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding.
(6) The chairman of any meeting at which a quorum of the holders of Notes is present may, with the consent of the holder(s) of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented thereat, adjourn any such meeting and no notice of such adjournment need be given except such notice, if any, as the meeting may prescribe.
(7) Every motion or question submitted to a meeting shall be decided by Extraordinary Resolution (as hereinafter defined) and in the first place by the votes given on a show of hands. At any such meeting, unless a poll is duly demanded as herein provided, a declaration by the chairman that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously or by a particular majority or lost or not carried by a particular majority shall be conclusive of the fact. On any question submitted to a meeting when ordered by the chairman or demanded by a show of hands by one or more holders of Notes acting in person or by proxy and holding at least 2% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, a poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman shall direct.
(8) In a poll, each holder of Notes present in person or represented by a proxy duly appointed by an instrument in writing shall be entitled to one vote in respect of each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes then held by such holder. A proxy need not be a holder of Notes. In the case of Notes held jointly, any one of the joint holders present in person or by proxy may vote in the absence of the other or others; but in case more than one of them is present in person or by proxy, only one of them may vote in respect of each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes of which they are joint holders.
(9) The Issuer and the Fiscal Agent by their respective officers, directors and representatives, and the legal advisors of the Issuer and the Fiscal Agent may attend any meeting of the holders of Notes, but shall have no vote as such.
(10) Subject to Section 16 (Amendments), in addition to all other powers conferred upon them by any other provision of this Agreement or by law, holders of Notes at a meeting shall have the following powers, any one or combination of which may be exercised from time to time by Extraordinary Resolution:
(a) power to confirm any modification or amendment of this Agreement or the terms and conditions of the Notes proposed by the Issuer; provided that, to the extent that such modification or amendment may affect the rights, duties, protections, indemnities and immunities of the Fiscal Agent, the Issuer shall not propose such modification or amendment and such power shall not be exercised, without the prior written consent of the Fiscal Agent;
(b) power to exercise any power, right, remedy or authority given to it by this Agreement or the Notes in any manner specified in such Extraordinary Resolution or to refrain from exercising any such power, right, remedy or authority;
(c) power to waive any default on the part of the Issuer in complying with any provisions of this Agreement or the Notes or to waive future compliance with any provision or provisions of this Agreement or the Notes; and
(d) power to repeal, modify or amend any Extraordinary Resolution previously passed by the holders of Notes; provided, however, that no such modification nor amendment to this Agreement or to the terms and conditions of the Notes or any other action taken may, (a) without the consent of the holder of each such Note affected thereby: (i) change the stated maturity or interest payment date(s) of any such Note; (ii) reduce the principal amount of or rate of interest on any such Note; (iii) change the currency of payment of any such Note; (iv) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Note; (v) reduce the percentage of the holders of Notes necessary to modify or amend this Agreement or the terms and conditions of the Notes or reduce the percentage of votes required for the taking of action or the quorum required at any meeting of holders of Notes; or (vi) reduce the percentage of outstanding Notes necessary to waive any future compliance or past default; or (b) without the consent of the Fiscal Agent, alter the rights, duties, protections, indemnities or immunities of the Fiscal Agent.
(11) All actions that may be taken and all powers that may be exercised by the holders of Notes at a meeting held as hereinbefore provided may also be taken and exercised by the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding by an instrument in writing signed in one or more counterparts, and the expression “Extraordinary Resolution” when used in this Agreement shall include an instrument so signed.
(12) The term “Extraordinary Resolution” means a resolution proposed to be passed at a meeting of holders of the Notes duly convened for the purpose and held in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and passed by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 66 2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented at the meeting in person or by proxy or as an instrument in writing signed by the holders of not less than 66 2/3% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.
Acts of Holders; Record Dates (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.
(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
(e) The Company may, in the circumstances permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, fix any day as the record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Securities of any series entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, or to vote on any action, authorized or permitted to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series. If not set by the Company prior to the first solicitation of a Holder of Securities of such series made by any Person in respect of any such action, or in the case of any such vote, prior to such vote, the record date for any such action or vote shall be the 30th day (or, if later, the date of the most recent list of Holders required to be provided pursuant to Section 7.01) prior to such first solicitation or vote, as the case may be. With regard to any record date for action to be taken by the Holders of one or more series of Securities, only the Holders of Securities of such series on such date (or their duly designated proxies) shall be entitled to give or take, or vote on, the relevant action.
(f) Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such principal amount. Any notice given or action taken by a Holder or its agents with regard to different parts of such principal amount pursuant to this paragraph shall have the same effect as if given or taken by separate Holders of each such different part.
(g) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or pursuant to one or more indentures supplemental hereto, a Holder, including a Depositary that is the Holder of a Global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a Depositary that is the Holder of a Global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such Global Security through such Depositary's standing instructions and customary practices.
(h) The Trustee shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interests in any Global Security held by a Depositary entitled under the procedures of such Depositary to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.
Acts of Securityholders Meetings Voting Section 6.01
Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,
(1) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and
(2) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder. In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearers Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
Control by Holders of Securities The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that
(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,
(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(3) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.
Meetings of Holders of the Preferred Securities (a) No annual meeting of Holders is required to be held. The Property Trustee, however, shall call a meeting of the Holders of the Preferred Securities to vote on any matter upon the written request of the Holders of at least twenty five percent (25%) in aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities and the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee may, at any time in their discretion, call a meeting of the Holders of the Preferred Securities to vote on any matters as to which such Holders are entitled to vote.
(b) The Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) If a quorum is present at a meeting, an affirmative vote by the Holders present, in person or by proxy, holding Preferred Securities representing at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities held by the Holders present, either in person or by proxy, at such meeting shall constitute the action of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, unless this Trust Agreement requires a lesser or greater number of affirmative votes.
Notice of Dividends; Fixing of Record Date for Holders of Receipts Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution shall become payable, any distribution other than cash shall be made, or any rights, preferences or privileges shall at any time be offered, with respect to the deposited Preferred Stock, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of (i) any meeting at which holders of such Preferred Stock are entitled to vote or of which holders of such Preferred Stock are entitled to notice or (ii) any election on the part of the Company to redeem any shares of such Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall in each such instance fix a record date (which shall be the same date as the record date fixed by the Company with respect to the Preferred Stock) (the “record date”) for the determination of the holders of Receipts who shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting or to receive notice of such meeting or whose Depositary Shares are to be so redeemed.
Notice of Dividends, etc.; Fixing Record Date for Holders of Receipts Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution shall become payable or any distribution other than cash shall be made, or if rights, preferences or privileges shall at any time be offered, with respect to Stock, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting at which holders of Stock are entitled to vote or of which holders of Stock are entitled to notice, or whenever the Depositary and the Company shall decide it is appropriate, the Depositary shall in each such instance fix a record date (which shall be the same date as the record date fixed by the Company with respect to or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the Stock) for the determination of the holders of Receipts who shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, or to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting, or who shall be entitled to notice of such meeting or for any other appropriate reasons.
