25,000,000 Units Churchill Capital Corp IX UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission the Registration Statement (file number 333-278192) on Form S-1, including the related Preliminary Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company has filed one or more amendments thereto, including the related Preliminary Prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the Commission the Prospectus in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such Prospectus shall contain all information required by the Act and, except to the extent the Representative shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information.

On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act; on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined herein) did not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Statutory Prospectus, complied in all material respects with the Act, when considered together with the Statutory Prospectus, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

The Statutory Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Statutory Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.

The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (file number 001-42041) providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of the Securities, which registration is currently effective on the date hereof. The Securities have been authorized for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”), and the Company knows of no reason or set of facts that is likely to adversely affect such authorization.

The Commission has not issued any order or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of any Preliminary Prospectus,

the Prospectus or any part thereof, and has not instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.

(i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was and is an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405).

The Company has not prepared or used a Free Writing Prospectus.

The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as an exempted company in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and to enter into this Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreements, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Unit Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Insider Letter and the Administrative Support Agreement and to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction that requires such qualification.

There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required (and the Statutory Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus); and the statements in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Principal Shareholders,” “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” and “Description of Securities” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus that have not been described as required.

The Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company (the “Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association”).

All issued and outstanding shares of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that the holder thereof shall not, solely by virtue of its status as a shareholder, be liable for additional assessments or calls on such shares by the Company or its creditors (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstance in which a court may be prepared to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ or lift the corporate veil)); and none of such shares were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The offers and sales of the outstanding Ordinary Shares and Warrants were at all relevant times either registered under the Act, the applicable state securities and blue sky laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such Ordinary Shares and Warrants, exempt from such registration requirements. The holders of outstanding shares of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities arising by operation of law or under the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association; and, except as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or other ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.

The Securities have been duly authorized and when executed by the Company and countersigned and issued and delivered against payment by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued.

The Ordinary Shares included in the Units have been duly authorized and, when executed by the Company and countersigned, and issued and delivered against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement (including the registration of the share issuance in the Company’s register of members as fully paid), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that the holder thereof shall not, solely by virtue of its status as a shareholder, be liable for additional assessments or calls on such shares by the Company or its

creditors (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstance in which a court may be prepared to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ or lift the corporate veil)).

The Warrants included in the Units, when executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner set forth in the Public Warrant Agreement against payment for the Securities by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will be duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants included in the Units and the Private Placement Units have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon exercise thereof and, when executed by the Company and countersigned, and issued and delivered against payment therefor pursuant to the Warrants and the Private Placement Units, as applicable, and the Warrant Agreements and the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association (including the registration of the share issuance in the Company’s register of members as fully paid), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that the holder thereof shall not, solely by virtue of its status as a shareholder, be liable for additional assessments or calls on such shares by the Company or its creditors (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstance in which a court may be prepared to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ or lift the corporate veil)). The holders of such Ordinary Shares are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; such Ordinary Shares are not and will not be subject to any preemptive or other similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of such Ordinary Shares (other than such execution, countersignature and delivery at the time of issuance) has been duly and validly taken including in accordance with the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Except as set forth in the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.

No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company from its inception through and including the date hereof, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.

Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities that are required to be “integrated” pursuant to the Act with the offer and sale of the Underwritten Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.

The Founder Shares are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid non-assessable (meaning that the holder thereof shall not, solely by virtue of its status as a shareholder, be liable for additional assessments or calls on such shares by the Company or its creditors (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstance in which a court may be prepared to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ or lift the corporate veil)).

The Private Placement Units have been duly authorized and when executed by the Company and countersigned and issued and delivered against payment by the Sponsor pursuant to the Unit Subscription Agreement, will be validly issued.

The Ordinary Shares included in the Private Placement Units have been duly authorized and, when executed by the Company and countersigned, and issued and delivered against payment for the Private Placement Units by the Sponsor pursuant to the Unit Subscription Agreement (including the registration of the share issuance in the Company’s register of members as fully paid), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (meaning that

the holder thereof shall not, solely by virtue of its status as a shareholder, be liable for additional assessments or calls on such shares by the Company or its creditors (except in exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an illegal or improper purpose or other circumstance in which a court may be prepared to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ or lift the corporate veil)).

The Private Placement Warrants, when delivered upon the consummation of the Offering, will be duly executed, authenticated and issued, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company, in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Warrant Agreements have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and are valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Founder’s Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Sponsor, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Sponsor, enforceable against the Company and the Sponsor in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Unit Subscription Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company and the Sponsor in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

[Intentionally omitted.]

The Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Insider Letter executed by the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge, each executive officer, director and director nominee of the Company, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge, each such executive officer, director and director nominee, respectively, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge, each such executive officer, director and director nominee, respectively, enforceable against the Company, the Sponsor and, to the Company’s knowledge, each such executive officer, director and director nominee, respectively, in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Administrative Support Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the affiliate of the Sponsor party thereto, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and by equitable principles of general applicability.

The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreements, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Unit Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Insider Letter or the Administrative Support Agreement, except for the registration under the Act and the Exchange Act of the Securities and such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.

The Company is not in violation or default of (i) any provision of its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or (iii) any (x) statute, law, rule, regulation, or (y) judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company; except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above for any such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreements, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Unit Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Insider Letter or the Administrative Support Agreement will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, (i) the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association , (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which the Company’s property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, or regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its respective properties.

No holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.

The historical financial statements, including the notes thereto and the supporting schedules, if any, of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The Company is not party to any off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), or other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.

No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or the Sponsor, or the property of either of them is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

The Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.

WithumSmith + Brown PC (“WithumSmith”), who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and delivered their report with respect to the audited financial statements and schedules included in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, is a registered public accounting firm that is independent with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

The Company maintains effective “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act to the extent required by such rule).

Solely to the extent that the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder (the “Sarbanes Oxley Act”) have been applicable to the Company, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company to comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act.

There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, Nasdaq Marketplace Rule IM-5605. Further, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s officers or directors, in their capacities as such, to comply with (as and when applicable), and immediately following the Effective Date the Company will be in compliance with, the phase-in requirements and all other provisions of Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements set forth in the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules.

There are no transfer, stamp, issue, registration, documentary or other similar taxes, duties, fees or charges under U.S. federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, or under the laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Securities.

The Company has filed all tax returns (including U.S. federal, state and non-U.S.) that are required to be filed by it or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect) through the date hereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such tax, assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves required by generally accepted accounting principles have been created with respect thereto or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct its business, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, authorization or permit that, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

None of the Company, the Sponsor or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, director nominee, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company: (i) has used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) has made any direct or indirect unlawful contribution or payment to any official of, or candidate for, or any employee of, any federal, state or foreign office from corporate funds; (iii) has made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment; or (iv) is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the OECD Convention on Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”) or any similar law or regulation to which the Company, any director, director nominee, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company is subject. The Company, the Sponsor and, to the knowledge of the Company, its directors, director nominees, officers, agents, employees and affiliates have each conducted the business of the Company and their own businesses on behalf of the Company in compliance with the FCPA and any applicable similar law or regulation and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company conducts business, the applicable rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

None of the Company, the Sponsor or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, director nominee, officer, agent or affiliate of the Company is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs or any similar sanctions imposed by any other body, governmental or other, to which any of such persons is subject (collectively, “other economic sanctions”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any sanctions administered by OFAC or other economic sanctions.

Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any of the Underwriters and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any of the Underwriters.

All information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by the Sponsor and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s officers, directors and director nominees and provided to the Representative, is true and correct and the Company has not become aware of any information that would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires completed by the Sponsor or the Company’s officers, directors and director nominees to become inaccurate and incorrect.

Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, prior to the date hereof, the Company has not selected any business combination target and has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.

Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, to the knowledge of the Company, (i) there has been no security breach or other security compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data, trade secrets, or equipment; and (ii) the Company is presently in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations,

contractual obligations and internal policies relating to data privacy and security or personally identifiable information.

Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, contracts, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a brokerage commission or finder’s, consulting, origination or similar fee by the Company or the Sponsor with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements, or understandings of the Company, the Sponsor or any officer or director of the Company, or their respective affiliates, that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or any other “item of value” as defined in Rule 5110(c)(3) of FINRA’s Conduct Rules): (i) to any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee, or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) to any person that, to the Company’s knowledge, has been accepted by FINRA as a member of FINRA (a “Member”); or (iii) to any person or entity that, to the Company’s knowledge, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any Member, within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date, other than payments to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.

Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, during the period beginning 180 days prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement and ending on the Effective Date, no Member and/or any person associated or affiliated with a Member has provided any investment banking, financial advisory and/or consulting services to the Company.

Except as disclosed in the FINRA Questionnaires provided to the Representative, to the Company’s knowledge no officer, director, or beneficial owner of any class of the Company’s securities (whether debt or equity, registered or unregistered, regardless of the time acquired or the source from which derived) (any such individual or entity, a “Company Affiliate”) is a Member or a person associated or affiliated with a Member.

Except as disclosed in the FINRA Questionnaires provided to the Representative, to the Company’s knowledge, no Company Affiliate is an owner of shares or other securities of any Member (other than securities purchased on the open market).

No Company Affiliate has made a subordinated loan to any Member.

Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no proceeds from the sale of the Underwritten Securities (excluding underwriting compensation as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus) will be paid by the Company to any Member, or any persons associated or affiliated with a Member.

The Company has not issued any warrants or other securities, or granted any options, directly or indirectly, to anyone who is a potential underwriter in the Offering or a related person (as defined by FINRA rules) of such an underwriter within the earliest of the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date and the initial confidential submission date of the Registration Statement.

No person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement has to the Company’s knowledge any relationship or affiliation or association with any Member.

To the Company’s knowledge, no Member intending to participate in the Offering has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” means, if at the time of the Member’s participation in the Offering, any of the following applies: (A) the securities are to be issued by the Member; (B) the Company controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Member or the Member’s associated persons; (C) at least 5% of the net offering proceeds, not including underwriting compensation, are intended to be: (i) used to reduce or retire the balance of a loan or credit facility extended by the Member, its affiliates and its associated

persons, in the aggregate; or (ii) otherwise directed to the Member, its affiliates and its associated persons, in the aggregate; or (D) as a result of the Offering and any transactions contemplated at the time of the Offering: (i) the Member will be an affiliate of the Company; (ii) the Member will become publicly owned; or (iii) the Company will become a Member or form a broker-dealer subsidiary. “Member intending to participate in the Offering” includes any associated person of a Member that is participating in the Offering, any members of such associated person’s immediate family, and any affiliate of a Member that is participating in the Offering.

The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

The Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other entity.

No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, director nominee, officer, shareholder, special advisor, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Act or the Exchange Act to be described in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus that is not described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers, directors or director nominees of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company has not extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or officer of the Company.

The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, the Underwritten Securities to any person or entity with the intention of unlawfully influencing: (a) a customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or such affiliate or (b) a journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any such affiliate.

Upon delivery and payment for the Units on the Closing Date, the Company will not be subject to Rule 419 under the Act and none of the Company’s outstanding securities will be deemed to be a “▇▇▇▇▇ stock” as defined in Rule 3a51-1 under the Exchange Act.

From the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged, directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf, in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the Execution Time, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.

The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representative with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule III hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.

Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, under current laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands and any political subdivision thereof, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable on the Securities may be paid by the Company to the holder thereof in United States dollars and all such payments made to holders thereof or therein who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands will not be subject to income, withholding or other taxes under laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands

or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and will otherwise be free and clear of any other tax, duty, withholding or deduction in the Cayman Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization in the Cayman Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein.

The Company does not have any expectation, understanding or agreement with any Underwriter for such Underwriter to provide any additional services to the Company after the consummation of the Offering relating to the initial Business Combination, the financing thereof or other related transactions. Any Underwriter’s provision of any such additional services in connection with the initial Business Combination will require the Company’s separate engagement of such Underwriter in connection with the Initial Business Combination and the entry into a related written engagement agreement between such Underwriter and the Company setting forth the terms and conditions of the additional services to be provided by such Underwriter to the Company.

PURCHASE AND SALE

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $9.80 per Unit, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto.

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 3,750,000 Option Securities at the same purchase price per Unit as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 45th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. The number of Option Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be based upon the same percentage of the total number of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as the Representative in its absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.

In addition to the discount from the public offering price represented by the purchase price set forth in the first sentence of Section 2(a) of this Agreement, the Company hereby agrees to pay to the Underwriters a deferred discount of $0.35 per Unit (including both Underwritten Securities and Option Securities) purchased hereunder (the “Deferred Discount”). The Underwriters hereby agree that if no Business Combination is consummated within the time period provided in the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association and the funds held under the Trust Agreement are distributed to the holders of the Ordinary Shares included in the Securities sold pursuant to this Agreement (the “Public Shareholders”), (i) the Underwriters will forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount and (ii) the trustee under the Trust Agreement is authorized to distribute the Deferred Discount to the Public Shareholders on a pro rata basis.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, each Underwriter may at any time prior to an initial Business Combination and in its sole and absolute discretion, by written notice to the Company, elect to forfeit any right or claim to its Deferred Discount, in which case the Company agrees to instruct the trustee not to pay such Underwriter its Deferred Discount upon the consummation of an initial Business Combination. For the avoidance of doubt, any such election by an Underwriter shall be without prejudice to any right or claim of any other Underwriter to its respective portion of the Deferred Discount or to any other right such Underwriter may have under this Agreement. In addition, for the avoidance of doubt, the obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement shall be fully satisfied upon the payment of the purchase price for the Units purchased by the Underwriters on the date of the closing of the Offering without any further conditions.

DELIVERY AND PAYMENT

Payment for the Underwritten Securities shall be made as follows: $250,000,000 of the net proceeds for the Underwritten Securities (including $8,750,000 of Deferred Discount) shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement along with such portion of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units (the “Private Placement Portion”) in order for the Trust Account to equal the product of the number of Units sold and the Public Offering price per Unit as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus upon delivery to the Representative of the Underwritten Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representative has otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Underwritten Securities, in each case for the account of the Underwriters. The Underwritten Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Underwritten Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Underwritten Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all the Underwritten Securities. Payment by the Underwriters for the Underwritten Securities is contingent on the (i) payment by the Sponsor to the Company for the Private Placement Units and (ii) deposit of the Private Placement Portion by or at the direction of the Company into the Trust Account, in each case at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date.

Payment for the Option Securities shall be made as follows: $9.80 per Option Security (including $0.35 per Option Security of Deferred Discount) shall be deposited in the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Trust Agreement along with such portion of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units in order for the Trust Account to equal the product of the number of Units sold and the Public Offering price per Unit as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus upon delivery to the Representative of the Option Securities through the facilities of DTC or, if the Representative has otherwise instructed, upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Option Securities (or through the facilities of DTC), in each case for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. If delivery is not made through the facilities of DTC, the Company will permit the Representative to examine and package the Option Securities for delivery, at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all the Option Securities. Payment by the Underwriters for the Option Securities is contingent on the payment by the Sponsor to the Company for the Private Placement Units and deposit of such portion of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units in order for the Trust Account, together with the proceeds to be received pursuant to this clause (b), to equal the product of the number of Units sold and the Public Offering price per Unit as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus by or at the direction of the Company into the Trust Account, in each case at least one Business Day prior to the applicable settlement date.

OFFERING BY UNDERWRITERS

AGREEMENTS

Prior to the termination of the Offering, the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment, supplement or Rule 462(b) Registration Statement to which you reasonably object. The Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto, to be filed in a form approved by the Representative with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representative of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representative (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication shall have been filed with the Commission, (ii) when, prior to termination of the Offering, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event or development occurs as a result of which the Statutory Prospectus would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representative so that any use of the Statutory Prospectus may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Statutory Prospectus to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event or development occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representative of any such event; (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representative an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries that will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158; provided, that the Company will be deemed to have furnished

such statements to its security holders and the Representative to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (“▇▇▇▇▇”) or any successor system.

The Company will not make any offer relating to the Units that constitutes or would constitute a Free Writing Prospectus or a portion thereof required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Act.

The Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the Offering.

The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (x) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction that is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any other Units, Ordinary Shares, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company may (1) issue and sell the Private Placement Units, (2) issue and sell the Option Securities on exercise of the option provided for in Section 2 hereof, (3) register with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, the resale of the securities covered thereby, and (4) issue securities in connection with a Business Combination or (y) release the Sponsor or any officer, director or director nominee from the 180-day lock-up contained in the Insider Letter; provided, that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to the forfeiture of any Founder Shares pursuant to the terms of the Insider Letter or any transfer of Founder Shares to a current or future independent director of the Company (as long as such current or future independent director is subject to the terms of the Insider Letter with respect to such Founder Shares at the time of such transfer).

The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes (but, in no event, taxes imposed on the net income of an Underwriter) in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or

reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the Offering; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on Nasdaq; (vi) the printing and delivery of a preliminary blue sky memorandum, any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states, and any filings required to be made with FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings, memorandum, registration and qualification in an aggregate amount up to $25,000); (vii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Company (and not the Underwriters) in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (viii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel for the Company; (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and provided that the Underwriters shall make a payment to the Company at the closing of the Offering to reimburse certain of the Company’s expenses and fees in connection with the Offering in an amount equal to 0.5% of the gross proceeds of the Offering.

For a period of at least five (5) years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Ordinary Shares (or such other security into which such Ordinary Shares may be exchanged in connection with an initial Business Combination) under the Exchange Act, except after giving effect to a going private transaction after the completion of a Business Combination. The Company will not deregister the Units, Ordinary Shares or Warrants under the Exchange Act (except in connection with a going private transaction after the completion of a Business Combination) without the prior consent of the Representative.

The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its independent registered public accounting firm to audit the balance sheet of the Company as of the Closing Date (the “Audited Balance Sheet”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering on the Closing Date. As soon as the Audited Balance Sheet becomes available, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the Closing Date, file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall contain the Audited Balance Sheet. Additionally, upon the Company’s receipt of the proceeds from the exercise of all or any portion of the option provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall promptly, but not later than four Business Days after the receipt of such proceeds, file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which report shall disclose the Company’s sale of the Option Securities and its receipt of the proceeds therefrom.

For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs or the Ordinary Shares and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information, the filing of the Company’s Form 10-Q quarterly report and the mailing, if any, of quarterly financial information to shareholders.

For a period of at least five (5) years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs, the Company shall, to the extent such information or documents are not otherwise publicly available, upon written request from the Representative, furnish to the Representative copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of securities, and, to the extent such information or documents are not otherwise publicly available, upon written request from the Representative promptly furnish to the Representative: (i) a copy of such registration statements, financial statements and periodic and special reports as the Company shall be required to file with the Commission and from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any such class of its securities; and (ii) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request, all subject to the execution of a satisfactory confidentiality agreement. Any registration statements, financial statements, periodic and special reports or other additional documents referred to in the preceding sentence filed on the Commission’s ▇▇▇▇▇ website will be considered furnished for the purposes of this section.

For a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or until such earlier time at which the Liquidation occurs or the Ordinary Shares and Warrants cease to be publicly traded, the Company shall retain a transfer and warrant agent.

In no event will the amounts payable by the Company for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support exceed $30,000 per month in the aggregate until the earlier of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or the Liquidation.

In the event the Company seeks to enter into a Business Combination with an entity that is affiliated with the Sponsor and/or any directors or officers of the Company, the Company, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions stating that the consideration to be paid by the Company in such Business Combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view.

The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Units received by it in a manner consistent in all material respects with the applications described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.

For a period of 60 days following the Effective Date, in the event any person or entity (regardless of any FINRA affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search for a merger candidate or to provide any other merger and acquisition services, or has provided or will provide any investment banking, financial, advisory and/or consulting services to the Company, the Company agrees that it shall promptly provide to FINRA (via a FINRA submission), and to the Representative and its counsel, a notification prior to entering into the agreement or transaction relating to a potential Business Combination including: (i) the identity of the person or entity providing any such services; (ii) complete details of all such services and copies of all agreements governing such services prior to entering into the agreement or transaction; and (iii) justification as to why the value received by any person or entity for such services is not underwriting compensation for the Offering. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the tender offer materials or proxy statement, as applicable, which the Company may file in connection with the Business Combination for purposes of offering redemption of shares held by its shareholders or for soliciting shareholder approval, as applicable.

The Company shall advise FINRA, the Representative and its counsel, if it is aware that any 10% or greater shareholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of a Member participating in the distribution of the Securities.

The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Units to be held in the Trust Account will initially be invested only in United States government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations; the holding of these assets in this form is intended to be temporary and for the sole purpose of facilitating the intended business combination, and may at any time be held as cash or cash items, including in demand deposit accounts at a bank. The Company will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates a Business Combination, it will not be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

During the period prior to the Company’s initial Business Combination or Liquidation, the Company may instruct the trustee under the Trust Agreement to release interest from the Trust Account, the amounts necessary to pay its taxes and to fund working capital up to an annual limit of $1,000,000 (the “Permitted Withdrawals”). Otherwise, all funds held in the Trust Account (including any interest income earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account (net of Permitted Withdrawals)) will remain in the Trust Account until the earlier of the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination or the Liquidation; provided, however, that in the event of the Liquidation, up to $100,000 of interest income may be released to the Company if the proceeds of the Offering held outside of the Trust Account are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with the liquidation and dissolution of the Company.

The Company will reserve and keep available that maximum number of its authorized but unissued securities that are issuable upon the exercise of any of the Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants outstanding from time to time and the conversion of the Founder Shares.

Prior to the consummation of a Business Combination or the Liquidation, except in connection with the conversion of Founder Shares pursuant to Article 14 of the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association where the holders of such shares have waived any rights to receive funds from the Trust Account, the Company shall not issue any Ordinary Shares, Warrants or any options or other securities convertible into Ordinary Shares, or any shares of preferred stock, in each case, that participate in any manner in the Trust Account or that vote as a class with the Ordinary Shares on a Business Combination.

Prior to the consummation of a Business Combination or the Liquidation, the Company’s audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments made to the Sponsor, to the Company’s officers or directors, or to the Company’s or any of such other persons’ respective affiliates.

The Company agrees that it shall use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 prior to the consummation of any Business Combination, including, but not limited to, using commercially reasonable efforts to prevent any of the Company’s outstanding securities from being deemed to be a “▇▇▇▇▇ stock” as defined in Rule 3a51-1 under the Exchange Act during such period.

To the extent required by Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act, the Company shall maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect and, for a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending five (5) years from the date of the consummation of the Business Combination or until such earlier time at which Liquidation occurs, maintain the listing of the Units, Ordinary Shares and Warrants on Nasdaq (or another national securities exchange).

As soon as legally required to do so, the Company and its directors and officers, in their capacities as such, shall take all actions necessary to comply with any applicable provisions of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications, and to comply with the Nasdaq Listing Rules.

The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in breach or violation of its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.

The Company shall seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than independent accountants), prospective target businesses, lenders or other entities with which it does business enter into agreements waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account for the benefit of the Public Shareholders. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the Trust Account, the Company will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if the Company believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to the Company than any alternative.

The Company may consummate the initial Business Combination and conduct redemptions of Ordinary Shares for cash upon consummation of such Business Combination without a shareholder vote pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E under the Exchange Act, including the filing of tender offer documents with the Commission. Such tender offer documents will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial

Business Combination and the redemption rights as is required under the Commission’s proxy rules and will provide each shareholder of the Company with the opportunity prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination to redeem the Ordinary Shares held by such shareholder for an amount of cash equal to (A) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, representing (x) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Units and (y) any interest income earned on the funds held in the Trust Account not previously released for Permitted Withdrawals, divided by (B) the total number of Ordinary Shares sold as part of the Units in the Offering (the “Public Shares”) then outstanding. If, however, a shareholder vote is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement in connection with the initial Business Combination or the Company decides to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will submit such Business Combination to the Company’s shareholders for their approval (“Business Combination Vote”). With respect to the initial Business Combination Vote, if any, the Sponsor, and its officers and directors, have agreed to vote all of their Founder Shares and any other Ordinary Shares purchased during or after the Offering in favor of the Company’s initial Business Combination. If the Company seeks shareholder approval of the initial Business Combination, the Company will offer to each Public Shareholder holding Ordinary Shares the right to have its shares redeemed in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules of the Commission at a per share redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) equal to (I) the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, representing (1) the proceeds held in the Trust Account from the Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Units and (2) any interest income earned on the funds held in the Trust Account not previously released for Permitted Withdrawals, divided by (II) the total number of Public Shares then outstanding. If the Company seeks shareholder approval of the initial Business Combination, the Company may proceed with such Business Combination only if a majority of the outstanding Ordinary Shares voted by the shareholders at a duly held shareholders meeting are voted to approve such Business Combination. If, after seeking and receiving such shareholder approval, the Company elects to so proceed, it will redeem shares, at the Redemption Price, from those Public Shareholders who affirmatively requested such redemption. Only Public Shareholders holding Ordinary Shares who properly exercise their redemption rights, in accordance with the applicable tender offer or proxy materials related to such Business Combination and the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Trust Account in connection with an initial Business Combination, and the Company shall pay no distributions with respect to any other holders of shares in the capital of the Company in connection therewith. In the event that the Company does not effect a Business Combination by twenty-four (24) months from the closing of the Offering (or 27 months from the closing of the Offering if the Company has executed a letter of intent, agreement in principle or definitive agreement for an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of the Offering), or such earlier date as the directors may approve in accordance with the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, or such later time as the shareholders of the Company may approve in accordance with the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, or a resolution of the Company’s shareholders is passed pursuant to the Companies Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands to commence the voluntary liquidation of the Company prior to the consummation of an initial Business Combination for any reason (the “Completion Window”), the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten (10) business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account (including interest not previously released to the Company for Permitted Withdrawals, and less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining Shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Only Public Shareholders holding Ordinary Shares included in the Securities will be entitled to receive such redemption amounts and the Company shall pay no such redemption amounts or any distributions in liquidation with respect to any other shares of the Company. The Sponsor and the Company’s officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the outstanding Public Shares if the Company has not consummated a Business Combination within the Completion Window unless the Company offers to redeem the Public Shares in connection with such amendment, as described in the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus.

In the event that the Company desires or is required by an applicable law or regulation to cause an announcement (“Business Combination Announcement”) to be placed in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times or any other news or media publication or outlet or to be made via a public filing with the Commission announcing the consummation of the Business Combination that indicates that the Underwriters were the underwriters in the Offering, the Company shall supply the Representative with a draft of the Business Combination Announcement and provide the Representative with a reasonable advance opportunity to comment thereon, subject to the agreement of the Underwriters to keep confidential such draft announcement in accordance with the Representative’s standard policies regarding confidential information.

Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, upon the consummation of the initial Business Combination, the Company and the Representative will jointly direct the trustee to pay the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, the Deferred Discount out of the proceeds of the Offering held in the Trust Account. The Underwriters shall have no claim to payment of any interest earned on the portion of the proceeds held in the Trust Account representing the Deferred Discount. If the Company fails to consummate its initial Business Combination within the Completion Window, the Deferred Discount will not be paid to the Representative and will, instead, be included in the Liquidation distribution of the proceeds held in the Trust Account made to the Public Shareholders. In connection with any such Liquidation, the Underwriters forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount.

The Company will endeavor in good faith, and in cooperation with the Representative, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; provided that no such qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Company would be subject to service of general process or to taxation as a foreign corporation doing business in such jurisdiction. Until the earliest of (i) the date on which all Underwriters shall have ceased to engage in market-making activities in respect of the Securities, (ii) the date on which the Securities are listed on Nasdaq (or any successor thereto), (iii) a going private transaction after the completion of a Business Combination, and (iv) the date of the liquidation of the Company, in each jurisdiction where such qualification shall be effected, the Company will, unless the Representative agrees that such action is not at the time necessary or advisable, use all reasonable efforts to file and make such statements or reports at such times as are or may be required to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time, not misleading, the Company will promptly (i) notify the Representative so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representative in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.

The Company will promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Act and completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 5(h) hereof.

[Intentionally omitted.]

Upon the earlier to occur of the expiration or termination of the Underwriters’ over-allotment option, the Company shall cancel or otherwise effect the forfeiture/surrender for no consideration of Founder Shares from the Sponsor in an aggregate amount equal to the number of Founder Shares determined by multiplying (a) 937,500 by (b) a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 3,750,000 minus the number of Option Securities purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 3,750,000. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the Company shall not cancel or otherwise effect the forfeiture/surrender for no consideration of the Founder Shares pursuant to this subsection.

CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS

The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

The Company shall have requested and caused ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Schole LLP, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representative its opinions and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable) and addressed to the Representative, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representative.

The Company shall have requested and caused Ogier (Cayman) LLP, Cayman Islands counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representative its opinions, dated the Closing Date and any settlement date, as applicable, and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Representative.

The Representative shall have received from White & Case LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable) and addressed to the Representative, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representative may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable), to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, and this Agreement and that:

the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable) with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable) and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable);

no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated by the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate signed by a director or officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable), certifying (i) that the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect, (ii) that the resolutions relating to the Offering contemplated by this agreement are in full force and effect and have not been modified, (iii) copies of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the

Commission, and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

The Company shall have requested and caused WithumSmith to have furnished to the Representative, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable), letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable), in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm that is independent with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder and that they have performed a review of the audited financial statements of the Company for the period from December 18, 2023 (inception) through December 31, 2023, provided, however, that the cutoff date shall not be more than two business days prior to such Execution Time or Closing Date or settlement date, as applicable, and stating in effect that:

in their opinion the audited financial statements, the unaudited financial statements and any financial statement schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission; and

they have performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which they determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information derived from the general accounting records of the Company) set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, including the information set forth under the captions “Dilution” and “Capitalization” in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company, excluding any questions of legal interpretation.

Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section 6 or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

Prior to the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable), the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further information, certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.

FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the underwriting or other arrangements of the transactions contemplated hereby.

The Securities shall be duly listed subject to notice of issuance on Nasdaq, satisfactory evidence of which shall have been provided to the Representative.

On the Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreements, the Founder’s Purchase Agreement, the Unit Subscription Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Insider Letter and the Administrative Support Agreement.

[Intentionally omitted.]

At least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable), the Company shall have caused the applicable purchase price for the Private Placement Units to be deposited into the Trust Account.

No order preventing or suspending the sale of the Units in any jurisdiction designated by the Representative pursuant to Section 5(ii) hereof shall have been issued as of the Closing Date or settlement date (as applicable), and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall have been threatened.

REIMBURSEMENT OF UNDERWRITERS’ EXPENSES

INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter, each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each affiliate of each Underwriter against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus, any “road show” as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Act or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) any materials or information, including roadshow materials, provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with obtaining stockholder approval of the Business Combination, including any road show or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or in any proxy statement, prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any preliminary prospectus, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, in each case used in connection with the initial Business Combination, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representative specifically for inclusion therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter

consists of the information described in the last sentence of Section 8(b) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have.

Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representative specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth under the heading “Underwriting,” (x) the list of Underwriters and their respective roles and participation in the sale of the Securities, (y) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances and the Underwriter’s intention not to make sales to discretionary accounts, and (z) the paragraphs related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids, in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity.

Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of material rights and defenses and will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless (i) such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 45 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the Offering; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the Offering) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the Offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto, each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan and the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), agrees that process issuing from such courts may be served upon it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join it as an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing party is a party.

Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its directors or officers or any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Securities and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, its directors or officers or any person controlling any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.

DEFAULT BY AN UNDERWRITER

TERMINATION

REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNITIES TO SURVIVE,

NOTICES

SUCCESSORS

NO FIDUCIARY DUTY

RECOGNITION OF THE U.S. SPECIAL RESOLUTION REGIMES.

In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For purposes of this Section 15: (A) a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k); (B) “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b); (C) “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable; and (D) “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the ▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

INTEGRATION

APPLICABLE LAW

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

COUNTERPARTS; ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES.

HEADINGS

DEFINITIONS

Underwriters

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ Financial, Inc.

Ladenburg ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Inc.

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