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Exhibit 10.7
STRATEGIC INVESTOR
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Registration Rights Agreement dated March __, 1999, among Global
Markets Access Ltd., a Bermuda corporation (the "Company"), and [Purchaser] (the
"Initial Holder").
The Company has issued its common shares, par value US$1.00 per share
(the "Common Shares"), and its Class B Warrants to purchase Common Shares (the
"Warrants") to the Initial Holder pursuant to the terms of that certain
Securities Purchase Agreement between the Company and the Initial Holder dated
as of February __, 1999 (the "Securities Purchase Agreement"). Pursuant to the
Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to register such shares
for sale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as more specifically
provided below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the completion of the transactions
contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement and of the mutual covenants
contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows,
intending to be legally bound.
Section 1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms
have the following meanings:
"Business Day": any day on which the Company's Common Shares are
available for trading on the principal stock exchange or market upon which they
are traded.
"Closing Date": the date on which is consummated the transactions
contemplated by the Securities Purchase Agreement.
"Common Shares": the Company's Common Shares, par value US$1.00 per
share.
"Exchange Act": the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, all as the same shall be in
effect at the relevant time.
"Holders": the Initial Holder and the permitted successors or assignees
of the Initial Holder, for so long as (and to the extent that) such Persons own
or have the right to acquire any Registrable Securities.
"Holder Agreements": this Agreement and any other Agreement between the
Company and one of the Other Investors which is substantially similar to this
Agreement.
"Other Investors": the Persons (other than the Company) which are
parties to Securities Purchase Agreements in substantially the form entered into
between the Company and the Initial Holder on February __, 1999.
"Person": an individual, a partnership (general or limited),
corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, business trust,
cooperative, association or other form of business
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organization, whether or not regarded as a legal entity under applicable law, a
trust (inter vivos or testamentary), an estate of a deceased, insane or
incompetent person, a quasi-governmental entity, a government or any agency,
authority, political subdivision or other instrumentality thereof, or any other
entity.
"Registrable Securities": (1) the Common Shares issued pursuant to the
terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement; (2) the Common Shares issued or
issuable pursuant to the Warrants issued pursuant to the terms of the Securities
Purchase Agreement; and (3) any additional Common Shares or other equity
securities of the Company issued or issuable in respect of such Common Shares
(or other equity securities issued in respect thereof) by way of a stock
dividend or stock split, in connection with a combination, exchange,
reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of Company securities, or
pursuant to a merger, division, consolidation or other similar business
transaction or combination involving the Company; provided that as to any
particular Registrable Securities, such securities shall cease to constitute
Registrable Securities (a) when a registration statement with respect to the
sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and
such securities shall have been disposed of thereunder, (b) when such securities
shall have been disposed of pursuant to Rule 144 (or any successor provision to
such Rule) under the Securities Act, or (c) when such securities shall have
ceased to be outstanding.
"Registration Expenses": all expenses incident to the Company's
performance of or compliance with the registration requirements set forth in
this Agreement including, without limitation, the following: (a) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel, accountants and experts in
connection with the registration under the Securities Act of Registrable
Securities; (b) all expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and
filing of the registration statement, any preliminary prospectus or final
prospectus, any other offering document and amendments and supplements thereto,
and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to underwriters and dealers, if
any; (c) the cost of printing or producing any agreement(s) among underwriters,
underwriting agreement(s) and blue sky or legal investment memoranda, any
selling agreements, and any other documents in connection with the offering,
sale or delivery of Registrable Securities to be disposed of; (d) the fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the listing of Registrable Securities on
each securities exchange on which Company securities of the same class are then
listed or with the Nasdaq National Market System; (e) the fees and expenses, not
to exceed $50,000, of a single counsel retained by any and all Persons
participating in a registration pursuant to a Holder Agreement; (f) any
underwriters' discounts or compensation, brokers' commissions or similar selling
expenses attributable to the sale of Registrable Securities; (g) any SEC or blue
sky registration or filing fees attributable to Registrable Securities or
transfer taxes applicable to Registrable Securities; (h) any other expenses in
connection with the qualification of Registrable Securities for offer and sale
under state securities laws, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with
any blue sky and legal investment surveys; and (i) the filing fees incident to
securing any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. of the terms of the sale of Registrable Securities to be disposed of.
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"Registration Statement": a registration statement under the Securities
Act filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, including all amendments
thereto, all preliminary and final prospectuses included therein and all
exhibits thereto.
"SEC": the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or such
other federal agency at the time having the principal responsibility for
administering the Securities Act.
"Securities Act": the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules
and regulations of the SEC thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the
relevant time.
"Warrant": the Class B Warrants of the Company.
Section 2. Underwritten Demand Registration.
(a) At any time on or after the first anniversary of the Closing Date,
and before the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date, the Holder or Holders of
thirty (30) percent or more of the Registrable Securities may (by written notice
delivered to the Company) require registration of all or any portion of such
Registrable Securities for sale in an underwritten public offering. In each such
case, such notice shall specify the number of Registrable Securities for which
such underwritten offering is to be made. Within ten Business Days after its
receipt of any such notice, the Company shall give written notice of such
request to all other Holders, and all such Holders shall have the right to have
any or all Registrable Securities owned by them included in the requested
underwritten offering as they shall specify in a written notice received by the
Company within ten Business Days after the Company's notice is given. Within ten
Business Days after the expiration of such ten Business Day period, the Company
shall notify all Holders requesting inclusion of Registrable Securities in the
proposed underwriting of (1) the aggregate number of Registrable Securities
proposed to be included by all Holders in the offering, and (2) the proposed
commencement date of the offering, which shall be a date not more than thirty
days after the Company gives such notice. The managing underwriter for such
offering shall be chosen by the Holders of a majority of the Registrable
Securities being included therein and shall be approved by the Company (such
approval not to be unreasonably withheld).
(b) If any request for a registration shall have been made pursuant to
subsection (a), the Company shall, at the request of the managing underwriter
for such offering, prepare and file a Registration Statement with the SEC as
promptly as reasonably practicable, but in any event within forty-five days
after the managing underwriter's request therefor.
(c) The Company shall not have any obligation to permit or participate
in more than two underwritten public offerings pursuant to this Section (not
including an offering canceled pursuant to Section 2(f) or otherwise), or to
file a Registration Statement pursuant to this Section with respect to less than
thirty (30) percent of the Registrable Securities.
(d) The Company shall have the right on no more than two occasions in
any 365-day period to defer the filing or effectiveness of a Registration
Statement relating to any registration requested under this Section for a
reasonable period of time not to exceed (1) 180 days if the Company is, at such
time, working on an underwritten public offering of its securities for the
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account of the Company and is advised by its managing underwriter that such
offering would in its opinion be materially adversely affected by such filing;
or (2) 60 days if the Company in good faith determines that any such filing or
the offering of any Registrable Securities would (A) materially impede, delay or
interfere with any proposed financing, offer or sale of securities, acquisition,
corporate reorganization or other significant transaction involving the Company
or (B) require the disclosure of material non-public information, the disclosure
of which would materially and adversely affect the Company.
(e) The Company shall have no obligation to file a Registration
Statement pursuant to this Section earlier than 180 days after the effective
date of a prior registration statement of the Company covering an underwritten
public offering for the account of the Company the effective date of which is
after the first anniversary of the Closing Date if (1) the Company shall have
offered pursuant to Section 4 to include the Holders' Registrable Securities in
such Registration Statement; (2) the Holders shall not have elected to include
in such Registration Statement at least thirty (30) percent of the Registrable
Securities; and (3) no Registrable Securities requested to be included in such
registration statement shall have been excluded therefrom pursuant to Section
4(c).
(f) The Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities requested to be
included in any offering pursuant to this Section may elect by written notice to
the Company not to proceed with the offering, in which case the Company shall
not be obligated to proceed with such offering. In such event, Holders so
electing to cancel the offering shall, on a pro rata basis, pay all Registration
Expenses incurred by the Company in connection with such offering prior to
receipt of such notice.
(g) Neither the Company nor any other Person shall be entitled to
include any securities held by it in any underwritten offering pursuant to this
Section, except to the extent that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter,
the inclusion of such securities will not interfere with the orderly sale and
distribution of all of the Registrable Securities for which inclusion has been
requested and will not adversely affect the price of such Registrable
Securities.
(h) No registration of Registrable Securities under this Section shall
relieve the Company of its obligation to effect registrations of Registrable
Securities pursuant to Sections 3 and 4.
Section 3. Shelf Registrations.
(a) At any time on or after the first anniversary of the Closing Date,
and before the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date, the Holder or Holders of
thirty (30) percent or more of the Registrable Securities may (by written notice
to the Company) require registration of all or any portion of such Registrable
Securities for sale in open market transactions or negotiated block trades.
Within ten Business Days after its receipt of such notice, the Company shall
give written notice of such request to all other Holders, and all such Holders
shall have the right to have any or all Registrable Securities owned by them
included in the requested registration as they shall specify in a written notice
received by the Company within ten Business Days after the Company's notice is
given. Within ten Business Days after the expiration of such ten Business Day
period, the Company shall notify all Holders requesting inclusion of Registrable
Securities
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in the requested registration of the aggregate number of Registrable Securities
proposed to be included by all Holders in this registration.
(b) If any request for registration shall have been made pursuant to
subsection (a) the Company shall prepare and file a Registration Statement with
the SEC as promptly as reasonably practicable, but in any event within 45 days
after the expiration of the ten Business Day period within which the Holders may
request inclusion in the registration.
(c) The Company shall have no obligation to file a Registration
Statement pursuant to this Section earlier than 180 days after the effective
date of any earlier Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section.
(d) The Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities requested to be
included in any registration pursuant to this Section may elect by written
notice to the Company not to proceed with such registration, in which case the
Company will not be obligated to proceed therewith. In such event, Holders so
electing not to proceed with such registration shall, on a pro rata basis, pay
all Registration Expenses incurred by the Company in connection with such
offering prior to receipt of such notice.
(e) No registration of Registrable Securities under this Section shall
relieve the Company of its obligation to effect registrations of Registrable
Securities under Sections 2 and 4.
Section 4. Incidental Registration.
(a) From and after the first anniversary of the Closing Date, and
before the tenth anniversary of the Closing Date, if the Company proposes, other
than pursuant to Section 2 or 3 of this Agreement, to file a Registration
Statement under the Securities Act to register any of its Common Shares for
public sale under the Securities Act (whether proposed to be offered for sale by
the Company or by any other Person), other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any
successor to such forms promulgated by the SEC, it will give prompt written
notice (which notice shall specify the intended method or methods of
disposition) to the Holders of its intention to do so, and upon the written
request of any Holder delivered to the Company within ten Business Days after
any such notice is given (which request shall specify the number of Registrable
Securities intended to be disposed of by such Holder), the Company will use
commercially reasonable efforts to include in such Registration Statement all
Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to register by
the Holders.
(b) If at any time prior to the effective date of any Registration
Statement described in subsection (a), the Company shall determine for any
reason not to proceed with such registration, the Company may, at its election,
give written notice of such determination to the Holders requesting registration
and thereupon the Company shall be relieved of its obligation to register such
Registrable Securities in connection with such registration.
(c) The Company will not be required to effect any registration of
Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section in connection with an offering
of securities solely for the account of the Company if the Company shall have
been advised in writing (with a copy to the Holders
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requesting registration) by a nationally recognized investment banking firm
(which may be the managing underwriter for the offering) selected by the Company
that, in such firm's opinion, registration of Registrable Securities and of any
other securities requested to be included in such registration by Persons having
rights to include securities therein at that time may interfere with an orderly
sale and distribution of the securities being sold by the Company in such
offering or adversely affect the price of such securities; but if an offering of
less than all of the Registrable Securities requested to be registered by the
Holders and other securities requested to be included in such registration by
such other Persons would not, in the opinion of such firm, adversely affect the
distribution or price of the securities to be sold by the Company in the
offering, the aggregate number of Registrable Securities requested to be
included in such offering by the Holders shall be reduced pro rata in accordance
with the proportion that the number of shares proposed to be included in such
registration by each of the Holders bears to the number of shares proposed to be
included in such registration by the Holders and all other such Persons.
(d) The Company shall not be required to give notice of, or effect any
registration of Registrable Securities under this Section incidental to, the
registration of any of its securities in connection with mergers,
consolidations, acquisitions, exchange offers, subscription offers, dividend
reinvestment plans or stock options or other employee benefit or compensation
plans.
(e) No registration of Registrable Securities effected under this
Section shall relieve the Company of its obligations to effect registrations of
Registrable Securities pursuant to Sections 2 and 3.
Section 5. Holdbacks and Other Transfer Restrictions.
(a) No Holder shall, if requested by the managing underwriter in an
underwritten offering: (1) that includes such Holder's Registrable Securities,
effect (except as part of such underwritten registration) any public sale or
distribution of securities of the Company of the same class as the securities
included in such Registration Statement (or convertible into such class),
including a sale pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act during the
ten-day period prior to, and during the 180-day period (or such shorter period
as may be applicable to the Company) beginning on the closing date of each
underwritten offering made pursuant to such Registration Statement, to the
extent timely notified in writing by the Company or the managing underwriter;
and (2) in the event of an offering for the account of the Company, to the
extent Holder does not elect (or is not permitted under Section 4(c)) to sell
such securities in connection with such offering, effect any public sale or
distribution of securities of the Company of the same class as the securities
included in such Registration Statement (or convertible into such class),
including a sale pursuant to Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act during the
shorter of (x) the period referred to in clause (1) and (y) the period of
initial distribution of the Company's securities in such offering and during the
period in which the underwriting syndicate, if any, participates in the
aftermarket. In any such case the Company shall require the managing underwriter
to notify the Company and the Company, in turn, shall notify all Holders of
Registrable Securities included in the offering promptly after such
participation ceases. If the Company or such managing underwriter so requests,
each Holder shall enter into an agreement reflecting such restrictions.
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(b) No Holder shall, during any period in which any of its Registrable
Securities are included in any effective Registration Statement, (1) effect any
stabilization transactions or engage in any stabilization activity in connection
with the Common Shares or other equity securities of the Company in
contravention of Regulation M under the Exchange Act; (2) permit any Affiliated
Purchaser (as that term is defined in Rule 100(b) of Regulation M under the
Exchange Act) to bid for or purchase for any account in which such Holder has a
beneficial interest, or attempt to induce any other person to purchase, any
Common Shares or Registrable Securities in contravention of Regulation M under
the Exchange Act; or (3) offer or agree to pay, directly or indirectly, to
anyone any compensation for soliciting another to purchase, or for purchasing
(other than for such Holder's own account), any securities of the Company on a
national securities exchange in contravention of Regulation M under the Exchange
Act.
(c) Each Holder shall, in the case of a registration including
Registrable Securities to be offered by it for sale through brokers'
transactions, furnish each broker through whom such Holder offers Registrable
Securities such number of copies of the prospectus as the broker may require and
otherwise comply with the prospectus delivery requirements under the Securities
Act.
Section 6. Registration Procedures. If and whenever the Company is
required by the provisions of this Agreement to effect a registration of
Registrable Securities:
(a) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and
file with the SEC, within the time periods specified herein, a Registration
Statement, which may be on Form S-3 or its equivalent to the extent available
(or on such other registration form available to the Company that permits the
greatest extent of incorporation by reference of materials filed by the Company,
under the Exchange Act), and will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause
such registration statement to become effective as promptly as practicable
thereafter and to remain effective under the Securities Act until (1) the
earlier of such time as all securities covered thereby have been disposed of
pursuant to such Registration Statement or 180 days after such Registration
Statement becomes effective, in the case of registrations pursuant to Section 2,
or (2) 90 days after such Registration Statement becomes effective, in the case
of registrations pursuant to Section 3, in every case as any such period may be
extended pursuant to subsection (h) or Section 8.
(b) The Company will prepare and file with the SEC such amendments,
post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement and the
prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such
Registration Statement effective for such period of time required by subsection
(a), as such period may be extended pursuant to subsection (h) or Section 8.
(c) The Company will comply in all material respects with the
provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all
securities covered by such Registration Statement during the period during which
any such Registration Statement is required to be effective.
(d) The Company will furnish to any Holder and any underwriter of
Registrable Securities (1) such number of copies (including manually executed
and conformed copies) of
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such Registration Statement and of each amendment thereof and supplement thereto
(including all annexes, appendices, schedules and exhibits), (2) such number of
copies of the prospectus used in connection with such Registration Statement
(including each preliminary prospectus, any summary prospectus and the final
prospectus and including prospectus supplements), and (3) such number of copies
of other documents, in each case as the Holder or such underwriter may
reasonably request.
(e) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to register or
qualify all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement under
the securities or "blue sky" laws of states of the United States and any other
jurisdiction as any Holder or any underwriter shall reasonably request, and do
any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably requested by such
Holder or such underwriter to consummate the offering and disposition of
Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; but the Company shall not be
required to qualify generally to do business as a foreign corporation or as a
dealer in securities, subject itself to taxation, or consent to general service
of process in any jurisdiction wherein it is not then so qualified or subject.
(f) The Company will use, as soon as practicable after the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, commercially reasonable efforts to
cause the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement to be
registered with, or approved by, such other United States and Bermuda public,
governmental or regulatory authorities, if any, as may be required in connection
with the disposition of such Registrable Securities.
(g) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to list the
Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement on any securities
exchange (or if applicable, the Nasdaq National Market System) on which any
securities of the Company are then listed, if the listing of such Registrable
Securities is then permitted under the applicable rules of such exchange (or if
applicable, the Nasdaq National Market System).
(h) The Company will notify each Holder as promptly as practicable and,
if requested by any Holder, confirm such notification in writing, (1) when a
prospectus or any prospectus supplement has been filed with the SEC, and when a
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed
with and declared effective by the SEC, (2) of the issuance by the SEC of any
stop order or the coming to its knowledge of the initiation of any proceedings
for that purpose, (3) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of any of the Registrable
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for such purpose, (4) of the occurrence of any event which requires
the making of any changes to a Registration Statement or related prospectus so
that such documents will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading (and the Company shall promptly prepare and furnish to each
Holder a reasonable number of copies of a supplemented or amended prospectus
such that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable
Securities, such prospectus shall not include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
are made, not misleading), and (5) of the Company's
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determination that the filing of a post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement shall be necessary or appropriate. Upon the receipt of any notice from
the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in clause (4),
the Holders shall forthwith discontinue any offer and disposition of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable
Securities until all Holders shall have received copies of a supplemented or
amended prospectus which is no longer defective and, if so directed by the
Company, shall deliver to the Company all copies (other than permanent file
copies) of the defective prospectus covering such Registrable Securities which
are then in the Holders' possession. If the Company shall provide any notice of
the type referred to in the preceding sentence, the period during which the
Registration Statement is required by subsection (a) to be effective shall be
extended by the number of days from and including the date such notice is
provided, to and including the date when the Holders shall have received copies
of the corrected prospectus.
(i) The Company will enter into such agreements and take such other
appropriate actions as are customary and reasonably necessary to expedite or
facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities (including, without
limitation, making its management available to the extent reasonably requested
by the Holders to participate in marketing presentations to potential investors
in connection with any underwritten offering), and in that regard, will deliver
to the Holders such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by
the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold or, as
applicable, the managing underwriters, to evidence the Company's compliance with
this Agreement, including, in the case of any underwritten offering, using
commercially reasonable efforts to cause its independent accountants to deliver
to the managing underwriters an accountants' comfort letter substantially
similar to that in scope delivered in an underwritten public offering and
covering audited and interim financial statements included in the registration
statement, or if such letter cannot be obtained through the exercise of
commercially reasonable efforts, cause its independent accountants to deliver to
the managing underwriters a comfort letter based on negotiated procedures
providing comfort with respect to the Company's financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the registration statement at the highest level
permitted to be given by such accountants under the then applicable standards of
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants with respect to such
Registration Statement.
Section 7. Underwriting.
(a) If requested by the underwriters for any underwritten offering of
Registrable Securities pursuant to a registration under Section 2, the Company
will enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement with
the underwriters for such offering, such agreement to contain such
representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms and
provisions as are customarily contained in underwriting agreements with respect
to secondary distributions, including, without limitation, customary provisions
relating to indemnities and contribution and the provision of opinions of
counsel and accountants' comfort letters. If Registrable Securities are to be
distributed by such underwriters on behalf of any Holder, such Holder shall also
be a party to any such underwriting agreement.
(b) If any registration pursuant to Section 4 shall involve an
underwritten offering, the Company may require Registrable Securities requested
to be registered pursuant to Section 4 to
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be included in such underwriting on the same terms and conditions as shall be
applicable to the securities being sold through underwriters under such
registration. In such case, each Holder requesting registration shall be a party
to any such underwriting agreement. Such agreement shall contain such
representations and warranties by the Holders requesting registration and such
other terms and provisions as are customarily contained in underwriting
agreements with respect to secondary distributions, including, without
limitation, provisions relating to indemnities and contribution (it being
understood that each Holder shall not be required to make any representation
concerning the Company or its business or to indemnify or contribute for any
liabilities, losses or expenses related to any omission or misstatements in any
registration statement or prospectus except to the extent based upon information
provided in writing by the Holder expressly for use therein).
(c) In any offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a
registration hereunder, each Holder requesting registration shall also enter
into such additional or other agreements as may be customary in such
transactions, which agreements may contain, among other provisions, such
representations and warranties as the Company or the underwriters of such
offering may reasonably request (including, without limitation, those concerning
such Holder, its Registrable Securities, such Holder's intended plan of
distribution and any other information supplied by it to the Company for use in
such registration statement), and customary provisions relating to indemnities
and contribution (it being understood that each Holder shall not be required to
make any representation concerning the Company or its business or to indemnify
or contribute for any liabilities, losses or expenses related to any omission or
misstatements in any registration statement or prospectus except to the extent
based upon information provided in writing by the Holder expressly for use
therein).
Section 8. Information Blackout.
(a) At any time when a Registration Statement is effective, upon
written notice from the Company to the Holders that the Company has determined
in good faith that sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration
Statement would require disclosure of non-public material information, the
disclosure of which would have a material adverse effect on the Company, all
Holders shall suspend sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to such
Registration Statement until the earlier of (1) 20 days after the Company
notifies the Holders of such good faith determination, and (2) such time as the
Company notifies the Holders that such material information has been disclosed
to the public or has ceased to be material or that sales pursuant to such
Registration Statement may otherwise be resumed (the number of days from such
suspension of sales by the Holders until the day when such sales may be resumed
hereunder is hereinafter called a "Sales Blackout Period").
(b) The time period set forth in Section 6(a)(1) or (2) shall be
extended for a number of days equal to the number of days in the Sales Blackout
Period.
(c) No Sales Blackout Period shall be commenced by the Company within
90 days after the end of a Sales Blackout Period.
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Section 9. Rule 144. The Company shall take all actions reasonably
necessary to comply with the filing requirements described in Rule 144(c)(1)
under the Securities Act so as to enable the Holders to sell Registrable
Securities without registration under the Securities Act. Upon the written
request of any Holder, the Company will deliver to such Holder a written
statement as to whether it has complied with the filing requirements under such
Rule 144(c)(1).
Section 10. Preparation; Reasonable Investigation; Information. In
connection with the preparation and filing of each Registration Statement
registering Registrable Securities under the Securities Act, (a) the Company
will give the Holders and the underwriters, if any, and their respective counsel
and accountants, drafts of such registration statement for their review and
comment prior to filing and (during normal business hours and subject to such
reasonable limitations as the Company may impose to prevent disruption of its
business) such reasonable and customary access to its books and records and such
opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and the
independent public accountants who have certified its financial statements as
shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of the Holders of a majority of
the Registrable Securities being registered and such underwriters or their
respective counsel, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of
the Securities Act and (b) as a condition precedent to including any Registrable
Securities of any Holder in any such registration, the Company may require such
Holder to furnish the Company such information regarding such Holder and the
distribution of such securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably
request in writing or as shall be required by law or the SEC in connection with
any registration.
Section 11. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) In the case of each offering of Registrable Securities made
pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, its officers and
directors, each underwriter of Registrable Securities so offered and each
Person, if any, who controls any of the foregoing persons within the meaning of
the Securities Act ("Holder Indemnitees"), from and against any and all claims,
liabilities, losses, damages, expenses and judgments, joint or several, to which
they or any of them may become subject, including any amount paid in settlement
of any litigation commenced or threatened, and shall promptly reimburse them, as
and when incurred, for any legal or other expenses incurred by them in
connection with investigating any claims and defending any actions, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions shall arise out of, or
shall be based upon, any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the
Securities Act, any blue sky laws, securities laws or other applicable laws of
any state or country in which the Registrable Securities are offered, and
relating to action taken or action or inaction required of the Company in
connection with such offering, or shall arise out of, or shall be based upon,
any untrue statement or alleged
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untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or
in any preliminary or final prospectus included therein) relating to the
offering and sale of such Registrable Securities, or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or in any document incorporated by reference therein, or any
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; but
the Company shall not be liable to any Holder Indemnitee in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or
is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or any omission
or alleged omission, if such statement or omission shall have been made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in
writing by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for use in the preparation
of the Registration Statement (or in any preliminary or final prospectus
included therein), or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. Such
indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Holder and shall survive the transfer of such
securities. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability
which the Company may otherwise have to any Holder Indemnitee.
(b) In the case of each offering of Registrable Securities made
pursuant to this Agreement, each Holder shall, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers and
directors and each person, if any, who controls any of the foregoing within the
meaning of the Securities Act (the "Company Indemnitees"), from and against any
and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, expenses and judgments, joint or
several, to which they or any of them may become subject, including any amount
paid in settlement of any litigation commenced or threatened, and shall promptly
reimburse them, as and when incurred, for any legal or other expenses incurred
by them in connection with investigating any claims and defending any actions,
insofar as any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions shall arise
out of, or shall be based upon, any violation by such Holder of the Securities
Act, any blue sky laws, securities laws or other applicable laws of any state or
country in which the Registrable Securities are offered and relating to action
taken or action or inaction required of such Holder in connection with such
offering, or shall arise out of, or shall be based upon, any untrue statement of
a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in any preliminary
or final prospectus included therein) relating to the offering and sale of such
Registrable Securities or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only
to the extent that such untrue statement is contained in, or such fact is
omitted from, information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of
such Holder specifically for use in the preparation of such Registration
Statement (or in any preliminary or final prospectus included therein). Such
indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Company Indemnitee. In no event shall the liability
of a Holder hereunder or under Section 11(d) be greater in amount than the
dollar amount of the net proceeds received by it upon the sale of Registrable
Securities pursuant to such offering. The foregoing indemnity is in addition to
any liability which such Holder may otherwise have to any Company Indemnitee.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 11, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing, but the failure to give such notice shall not
relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they
may have to the indemnified party. In case any such proceeding shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall pay as
incurred the fees and
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disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such
proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel
at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall
pay as incurred the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified
party in the event (1) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (2) the named parties
to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties
by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing
interests between them. The indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any
proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the
reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm for all such
indemnified parties. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Holders of
a majority of the Registrable Securities disposed under the applicable
Registration Statements in the case of Holder Indemnitees and by the Company in
the case of Company Indemnitees. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for
any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if
settled with such consent or if there be a final judgement for the plaintiff,
the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and
against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party
shall have requested the indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party
for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this Section, the
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any
proceeding effected without the indemnifying party's written consent if (i) such
settlement is entered into more than thirty (30) days after receipt by the
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, and (ii) the indemnifying party
shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request
prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the
consent of the indemnified party, which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which
does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or
plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect
to such claim or litigation or which requires action other than the payment of
money by the indemnifying party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 11 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities
(or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein, or if the
indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) and
the indemnified party is actually prejudiced by such failure, then each
indemnifying party shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, contribute
to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect
thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only both the
relative benefits received by such party (as compared to the benefits received
by all other parties) from the offering in respect of which indemnity is sought,
but also the relative fault of all parties in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by a party shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by it bear to the total amounts received by
each other party. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or the omission or
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alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
party and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this
subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above shall be deemed to include any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 11, the Company
shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any such
registration statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary
prospectus contained therein or any omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in
light of the circumstances in which they were made not misleading in a
prospectus or prospectus supplement, if such untrue statement or omission is
completely corrected in an amendment or supplement to such prospectus or
prospectus supplement, the seller of the Registrable Securities has an
obligation under the Securities Act to deliver a prospectus or prospectus
supplement in connection with such sale of Registrable Securities and the seller
of Registrable Securities thereafter fails to deliver such prospectus or
prospectus supplement as so amended or supplemented prior to or concurrently
with the sale of Registrable Securities to the person asserting such loss,
claim, damage or liability after the Company has timely furnished such seller
with a sufficient number of copies of the same.
Section 12. Expenses. In connection with any registration under this
Agreement the Company shall pay, subject to the Company complying with the
provisions of the Bermuda Companies Act of 1981, all Registration Expenses (to
the extent not borne by underwriters or others), except as provided in Section
2(f) or 3(d), and each Holder shall pay its pro rata share of the items
described in clause (f) of the definition of "Registration Expenses" in Section
1.
Section 13. Additional Rights. If the Company at any time grants to any
other holders (other than employees or directors of the Company) of Common
Shares or securities convertible into Common Shares any rights to request the
Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any such
securities on terms more favorable to such holders than the terms set forth in
this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed amended or
supplemented to the extent necessary to provide the Holders with the same more
favorable terms. The Company shall not grant any other person rights to register
securities of the Company on terms which could restrict in any way the ability
of the Company fully to perform its obligations to the Holders pursuant to this
Agreement.
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Section 14. Notices. Except as otherwise provided below, whenever it is
provided in this Agreement that any notice, demand, request, consent, approval,
declaration or other communication shall or may be given to or served upon any
of the parties hereto, or whenever any of the parties hereto, wishes to provide
to or serve upon the other party any other communication with respect to this
Agreement, each such notice, demand, request, consent, approval, declaration or
other communication shall be in writing and shall be delivered in person or sent
by telecopy, as follows: (a) if to a Holder, at the most current address given
by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 13, and with respect to all other holders is as set
forth in the register for the Registrable Securities; and (b) if to the Company,
initially at the Company's principal address and thereafter at such other
address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 13. The furnishing of any notice required hereunder may be waived in
writing by the party entitled to receive such notice. Every notice, demand,
request, consent, approval, declaration or other communication hereunder shall
be deemed to have been duly furnished or served on the party to which it is
addressed, in the case of delivery in person or by telecopy, on the date when
sent (with receipt personally acknowledged in the case of telecopied notice),
and in all other cases, five business days after it is sent. Failure or delay in
delivering copies of any notice, demand, request, consent, approval, declaration
or other communication to the persons designated above to receive copies shall
in no way adversely affect the effectiveness of such notice, demand, request,
consent, approval, declaration or other communication.
Section 15. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Securities
Purchase Agreement represent the entire agreement and understanding among the
parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and
all prior oral and written agreements, arrangements and understandings among the
parties hereto with respect to such subject matter; and this Agreement can be
amended, supplemented or changed, and any provision hereof can be waived or a
departure from any provision hereof can be consented to, only by a written
instrument making specific reference to this Agreement signed by the Company and
the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities then outstanding, but if
by less than all Holders, then only to the extent such amendment, supplement or
change does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder which is not a party
thereto.
Section 16. Headings. The section headings contained in this Agreement
are for general reference purposes only and shall not affect in any manner the
meaning, interpretation or construction of the terms or other provisions of this
Agreement.
Section 17. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by,
construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of New York applicable to
contracts to be made, executed, delivered and performed wholly within such state
and, in any case, without regard to the conflicts of law principles of such
state.
Section 18. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be
held by any court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, void or
unenforceable, such provision shall be of no force and effect, but the
illegality or unenforceability of such provision shall have no effect upon and
shall not impair the enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.
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Section 19. No Waiver. The failure of any party at any time or times to
require performance of any provision hereof shall not affect the right at a
later time to enforce the same. No waiver by any party of any condition, and no
breach of any provision, term, covenant, representation or warranty contained in
this Agreement, whether by conduct or otherwise, in any one or more instances,
shall be deemed to be construed as a further or continuing waiver of any such
condition or of the breach of any other provision, term, covenant,
representation or warranty of this Agreement.
Section 20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute but one and the same original instrument. Not all
parties need sign the same counterpart. Delivery by facsimile of a signature
page to this Agreement shall have the same effect or delivery of an original
executed counterpart.
Section 21. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each
of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an
express assignment, subsequent Holders; but nothing herein shall be deemed to
permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities
in violation of applicable law. If any Holder shall acquire Registrable
Securities, in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such
Registerable Securities shall be held subject to all of the terms of this
Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Holder
shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of
the terms and provisions of this Agreement, including the restrictions on resale
set forth in this Agreement, and such Holder shall be entitled to receive the
benefits hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed and delivered as
of the date first above written.
GLOBAL MARKETS ACCESS LTD.
By_______________________________________
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Chief Executive Officer
[PURCHASER]
By_______________________________________
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