The Collateral Agent (a) Secured Party hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms hereof, together with all such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
(b) The obligations of the Collateral Agent hereunder are only those expressly set forth in this Agreement.
(c) The Collateral Agent may consult with legal counsel, independent public accountants and other experts selected by it and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts.
(d) Neither the Collateral Agent nor any of its directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in connection with this Agreement (1) with the consent or at the request of Secured Party or (2) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Collateral Agent shall not incur any liability by acting in reliance upon any notice, consent, certificate, statement, or other writing (which may be a bank wire, telex or similar writing) believed by it to be genuine or to be signed by the proper party or parties.
(e) Pledgor shall indemnify the Collateral Agent against any cost, expense (including counsel fees and disbursements), claim, demand, action, loss or liability (except such as result from the Collateral Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct) that the Collateral Agent may suffer or incur in connection with this Agreement or any action taken or omitted by the Collateral Agent hereunder.
(f) Beyond the exercise of reasonable care in the custody thereof, the Collateral Agent shall have no duty as to any Collateral in its possession or control or in the possession or control of any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary or any income thereon or as to the preservation of rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining thereto. The Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Collateral if the Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which it accords its own property, and shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage to any of the Collateral, or for any diminution in the value thereof, by reason of the act or omission of any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary selected by the Collateral Agent in good faith (or selected by an agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary so selected by the Collateral Agent or by any agent, bailee, clearing corporation or securities intermediary selected in accordance with this parenthetical phrase).
(g) Any corporation or association into which the Collateral Agent may be converted or merged, or with which it may be consolidated, or to which it may sell or transfer its agency business or assets as a whole or substantially as a whole, or any corporation or association resulting from any such conversion, sale, merger, consolidation or transfer to which it is a party, shall, subject to the prior written consent of Secured Party, be and become a successor Collateral Agent hereunder and vested with all of the title to the Collateral and all of the powers, discretions, immunities, privileges and other matters as was its predecessor without, except as provided above, the execution or filing of any instrument or any further act, deed or conveyance on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding.
The Collateral Agent’s Duties (a) The powers conferred on the Collateral Agent hereunder are solely to protect the Secured Parties’ interest in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon it to exercise any such powers. Except for the safe custody of any Collateral in its possession and the accounting for moneys actually received by it hereunder, the Collateral Agent shall have no duty as to any Collateral, as to ascertaining or taking action with respect to calls, conversions, exchanges, maturities, tenders or other matters relative to any Collateral, whether or not any Secured Party has or is deemed to have knowledge of such matters, or as to the taking of any necessary steps to preserve rights against any parties or any other rights pertaining to any Collateral. The Collateral Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any Collateral in its possession if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which it accords its own property.
(b) Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Collateral Agent may from time to time, when the Collateral Agent deems it to be necessary, appoint one or more subagents (each a “Subagent”) for the Collateral Agent hereunder with respect to all or any part of the Collateral. In the event that the Collateral Agent so appoints any Subagent with respect to any Collateral, (i) the assignment and pledge of such Collateral and the security interest granted in such Collateral by each Grantor hereunder shall be deemed for purposes of this Security Agreement to have been made to such Subagent, in addition to the Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, as security for the Secured Obligations of such Grantor, (ii) such Subagent shall automatically be vested, in addition to the Collateral Agent, with all rights, powers, privileges, interests and remedies of the Collateral Agent hereunder with respect to such Collateral, and (iii) the term “Collateral Agent,” when used herein in relation to any rights, powers, privileges, interests and remedies of the Collateral Agent with respect to such Collateral, shall include such Subagent; provided, however, that no such Subagent shall be authorized to take any action with respect to any such Collateral unless and except to the extent expressly authorized in writing by the Collateral Agent.
Collateral Agent Each Buyer hereby (i) appoints ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Bay Master Fund Ltd., as the collateral agent hereunder and under the other Security Documents (in such capacity, the “Collateral Agent”), and (ii) authorizes the Collateral Agent (and its officers, directors, employees and agents) to take such action on such Buyer’s behalf in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. The Collateral Agent shall not have, by reason hereof or any of the other Security Documents, a fiduciary relationship in respect of any Buyer. Neither the Collateral Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees or agents shall have any liability to any Buyer for any action taken or omitted to be taken in connection hereof or any other Security Document except to the extent caused by its own gross negligence or willful misconduct, and each Buyer agrees to defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Collateral Agent and all of its officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the “Collateral Agent Indemnitees”) from and against any losses, damages, liabilities, obligations, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, fees, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses) incurred by such Collateral Agent Indemnitee, whether direct, indirect or consequential, arising from or in connection with the performance by such Collateral Agent Indemnitee of the duties and obligations of Collateral Agent pursuant hereto or any of the Security Documents. The Collateral Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the instructions of the Required Holders, and such instructions shall be binding upon all holders of Notes; provided, however, that the Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action which, in the reasonable opinion of the Collateral Agent, exposes the Collateral Agent to liability or which is contrary to this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or applicable law. The Collateral Agent shall be entitled to rely upon any written notices, statements, certificates, orders or other documents or any telephone message believed by it in good faith to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person, and with respect to all matters pertaining to this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents and its duties hereunder or thereunder, upon advice of counsel selected by it.
Rights of the Collateral Agent (i) The Collateral Agent may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting on any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Collateral Agent need not investigate any fact or matter stated in any such document. The Collateral Agent shall not be obligated to communicate with or deal in any way with any Secured Party other than the Trustee and any Additional Pari Passu Agent. In determining (x) the amount of Secured Obligations outstanding under the Indenture or any Permitted Additional Pari Passu Lien Agreement or (y) whether the consent of any Secured Party to any amendment, waiver or other action under this Agreement or any other Security Document has been obtained, the Collateral Agent may conclusively rely on any statement by the Trustee or the applicable Additional Pari Passu Agent as to such matter.
(ii) The Collateral Agent may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any attorney or agent appointed with due care.
(iii) The Collateral Agent shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Agreement or any other Security Document. Whenever in the administration of this Agreement or any Security Document the Collateral Agent shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Collateral Agent (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate.
(iv) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement or any other Security Document, any demand, request, direction or notice from any Grantor shall be sufficient if evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate.
(v) The Collateral Agent shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Agreement or any other Security Document at the request or direction of any of the Secured Parties unless such Secured Parties shall have offered to the Collateral Agent reasonable security and indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(vi) The Collateral Agent shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or documents, but the Collateral Agent, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Collateral Agent shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine during normal business hours and upon reasonable notice the books, records and premises of any Grantor, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Grantors, and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.
(vii) The rights, privileges, protections and benefits given to the Collateral Agent, including, without limitation, its rights to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Collateral Agent in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Persons employed to act hereunder or under any Security Document.
(viii) The Collateral Agent may request that the Issuers deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Agreement or any other Security Document, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded
(ix) The permissive right of the Collateral Agent to take or refrain from taking any actions enumerated in this Agreement or any other Security Document shall not be construed as a duty.
Duties of Collateral Agent Subject to the Collateral Agent having been directed to take such action in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, each Creditor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Collateral Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of the Collateral Documents and any other instruments, documents and agreements referred to in the Collateral Documents and to exercise such powers under the Collateral Documents as are specifically delegated to the Collateral Agent by the terms of the Collateral Documents and such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 of this Agreement, the Collateral Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized to take all actions on behalf of the Creditors to enforce the rights and remedies of the Collateral Agent and the Creditors provided for in the Collateral Documents or by applicable law with respect to the liens upon and security interests in the Collateral granted to secure the Obligations or the other rights and remedies granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant thereto, provided, however, that, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any Collateral Documents, (i) the Collateral Agent shall act solely at and in accordance with the written direction of the Required Creditors, (ii) the Collateral Agent shall not, without the written consent of all of the Qualified Creditors, release or terminate by affirmative action or consent any lien upon or security interest in any Collateral granted under any Collateral Documents (except (x) upon (1) dispositions of Collateral by a Grantor and (2) removal of the Material Subsidiary (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement) designation of a Subsidiary (as defined in the Bank Credit Agreement), in each case as permitted in accordance with the terms of all of the Senior Indebtedness Documents and prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default, (y) upon disposition of such Collateral after an Event of Default pursuant to direction given under clause (i) of this Section 2(b) and (z) to the extent authorized under the provisions of the last sentence of Section 12.1 of the Bank Credit Agreement, paragraph 11V of the Prudential Note Purchase Agreement and paragraph 11V of the NY Life Note Purchase Agreement), and (iii) the Collateral Agent shall not accept any Obligations in whole or partial consideration for the disposition of any Collateral without the written consent of all of the Qualified Creditors. The Collateral Agent agrees to make such demands and give such notices under the Collateral Documents as may be requested by, and to take such action to enforce the Collateral Documents and to foreclose upon, collect and dispose of the Collateral or of the Collateral Documents as may be directed by, the Required Creditors; provided, however, that the Collateral Agent shall not be required to take any action that is contrary to law or the terms of the Collateral Documents or this Agreement. Once a direction to take any action has been given by the Required Creditors to the Collateral Agent, and subject to any other directions which may be given from time to time by the Required Creditors, decisions regarding the manner in which any such action is to be implemented and conducted (with the exception of any decision to settle, compromise or dismiss any legal proceeding, with or without prejudice) shall be made by the Collateral Agent, with the assistance and upon the advice of its counsel. Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding sentence, any decision to settle, compromise or dismiss any legal proceeding, with or without prejudice, which implements, approves or results in or has the effect of causing any release, change or occurrence, where such release, change or occurrence otherwise would require unanimous approval of all of the Qualified Creditors pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, also shall require the unanimous approval of all of the Qualified Creditors.