Exhibit 2.k.(ii)
PAYING AGENT AGREEMENT
This PAYING AGENT AGREEMENT, dated as of this ____ day of ___, 1997, by
and between The Bank of New York, a New York banking corporation (the "Paying
Agent"), and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ III, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇'▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
(collectively, the "Trustees"), not in their individual capacities but solely as
Trustees of Reader's Digest Automatic Common Exchange Security Trust (the
"Trust"), a trust organized under the laws of the State of New York under and by
virtue of an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of ______, 1997 (the
"Trust Agreement").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Trust is a non-diversified, closed-end management
investment company, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
"Investment Company Act"), formed to purchase and hold the U.S. treasury
securities (the "Treasury Securities"), to enter into and hold forward purchase
contracts (the "Contracts") with one or more existing shareholders of The
Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (the "Company") and to issue Trust Automatic
Common Exchange Securities (the "Securities") to the public in accordance with
the terms and conditions of the Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Trustees desire to engage the services of the Paying Agent
to assume certain responsibilities and to perform certain duties as the transfer
agent, registrar and paying agent with respect to the Securities upon the terms
and conditions of this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Paying Agent is qualified and willing to assume such
responsibilities and to perform such duties, subject to the supervision of the
Trustees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants herein contained, the parties agree as follows:
-1-
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall
have the respective meanings specified in the Trust Agreement.
ARTICLE II
PAYING AGENT
2.1 Appointment of Paying Agent and Acceptance. The Trust Agreement
provides that The Bank of New York shall act as the initial Paying Agent. The
Bank of New York accepts such appointment and agrees to act in accordance with
its standard procedures and the provisions of the Trust Agreement and the
provisions set forth in this Article 2 as Paying Agent with respect to the
Securities. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, The Bank of New
York, as Paying Agent, agrees that it shall establish and maintain the Trust
Account, subject to the provisions of Section 2.3 hereof.
2.2 Certificates and Notices. The Trustees shall deliver to the Paying
Agent the certificates and notices required to be delivered to the Paying Agent
pursuant to the Trust Agreement, and the Paying Agent shall mail or publish such
certificates or notices as required by the Trust Agreement, but the Paying Agent
shall have no responsibility to confirm or verify the accuracy of certificates
or notices of the Trustees so delivered.
2.3 Payments and Investments. The Paying Agent shall make payments out
of the Trust Account as provided for in Section 3.2 of the Trust Agreement. The
Paying Agent shall effect the transactions set forth in Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5
and 8.3 of the Trust Agreement upon instructions to do so from the Administrator
(except that with respect to its obligations under Section 8.3 of the Trust
Agreement, the Paying Agent shall act without instructions from the
Administrator) and shall invest monies on deposit in the Trust Account in
Temporary Investments in accordance with Section 3.5 of the Trust Agreement.
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein or in the Trust Agreement, the
Paying Agent shall not have the power to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of
any Temporary Investment prior to the maturity thereof, or to acquire additional
Temporary Investments. The Paying Agent shall hold any Temporary Investment to
its maturity and shall apply the proceeds
-2-
thereof paid upon maturity to the payment of the next succeeding Quarterly
Distribution. All such Temporary Investments shall be selected by the Trustees
from time to time or pursuant to standing instructions from the Trustees, and
the Paying Agent shall have no liability to the Trust or any Holder or any other
Person with respect to any such Temporary Investment.
2.4 Instructions from Administrator. The Paying Agent shall receive and
execute all instructions from the Administrator, except to the extent they
conflict with or are contrary to the terms of the Trust Agreement or this
Agreement.
ARTICLE III
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR
3.1 Original Issue of Certificates. On the date Securities sold
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement are originally issued, certificates for
the Securities shall be issued by the Trust, and, at the request of the
Trustees, registered in such names and such denominations as the underwriters
shall have previously requested of the Trustees, executed manually or in
facsimile by the Managing Trustee and countersigned by the Paying Agent. At no
time shall the aggregate number of Securities represented by such countersigned
certificates exceed the number of then outstanding Securities.
3.2 Registry of Holders. The Paying Agent shall maintain a registry of
the Holders of the Securities.
3.3 Registration of Transfer of the Securities. The Securities shall be
registered for transfer or exchange, and new certificates shall be issued, in
the name of the designated transferee or transferees, upon surrender of the old
certificates in form deemed by the Paying Agent properly endorsed for transfer
with (a) all necessary endorsers' signatures guaranteed in such manner and form
as the Paying Agent may require by a guarantor reasonably believed by the Paying
Agent to be responsible, (b) such assurances as the Paying Agent shall deem
necessary or appropriate to evidence the genuineness and effectiveness of each
necessary endorsement and (c) satisfactory evidence of compliance with all
applicable laws relating to the collection of taxes or funds necessary for the
payment of such taxes.
-3-
3.4 Lost Certificates. The Paying Agent shall issue and register
replacement certificates for certificates represented to have been lost, stolen
or destroyed, upon the fulfillment of such requirements as shall be deemed
appropriate by the Trustees and the Paying Agent, subject at all times to
provisions of law, the Trust Agreement and resolutions adopted by the Trustees
with respect to lost securities. The Paying Agent may issue new certificates in
exchange for and upon the cancellation of mutilated certificates. Any request by
the Trustees to the Paying Agent to issue a replacement or new certificate
pursuant to this Section 3.4 shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty
by the Trustees to the Paying Agent that such issuance will comply with such
provisions of law and the Trust Agreement and resolutions of the Trustees.
3.5 Transfer Books. The Paying Agent shall maintain the transfer books
listing the Holders of the Securities. In case of any written request or demand
for the inspection of the transfer books of the Trust or any other books in the
possession of the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent will notify the Trustees and
secure instructions as to permitting or refusing such inspection. The Paying
Agent reserves the right, however, to exhibit the transfer books or other books
to any person in case it is advised by its counsel that its failure to do so
would be unlawful.
3.6 Disposition of Cancelled Certificates; Records. The Paying Agent
shall retain certificates which have been cancelled in transfer or in exchange
and accompanying documentation in accordance with applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission for six calendar years from the date of such
cancellation, and shall make such records available during this period at any
time, or from time to time, for reasonable periodic, special, or other
examinations by representatives of the Commission and the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System. Thereafter such records shall not be destroyed by
the Paying Agent but will be safely stored for possible future reference. In
case of any request or demand for the inspection of the register of the Trust or
any other books in the possession of the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent will
notify the Trustees and seek to secure instructions as to permitting or refusing
such inspection. The Paying Agent reserves the right, however, to exhibit the
register or other records to any person in case it is advised by its counsel
that its failure to do so would (i) be unlawful, or (ii) expose it to liability,
unless the Trustees shall have offered indemnification satisfactory to the
Paying Agent.
-4-
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TRUSTEES
The Trustees represent and warrant to the Paying Agent that:
(a) the Trust is a validly existing trust under the laws of
the State of New York and the Trustees have full power under the Trust
Agreement to execute and deliver this Agreement and to authorize,
create and issue the Securities;
(b) this Agreement has been duly and validly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Trustees and constitutes the valid and
binding agreement of the Trustees, enforceable against the Trustees in
accordance with its terms, subject as to such enforceability to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general
equitable principles;
(c) the form of the certificate evidencing the Securities
complies with all applicable laws of the State of New York;
(d) the Securities have been duly and validly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Trustees and are validly issued;
(e) the offer and sale of the Securities has been registered
under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Trust has been registered
under the Investment Company Act and no further action by or before any
governmental body or authority of the United States or of any state
thereof is required in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement or the issuance of the Securities;
(f) the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
issuance and delivery of the Securities do not and will not conflict
with, violate, or result in a breach of, the terms, conditions or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Trust Agreement, any
law or regulation, any order or decree of any court or public authority
having jurisdiction over the Trust, or any mortgage, indenture,
contract, agreement or undertaking to which the Trustees are a party or
by which any of them are bound; and
-5-
(g) no taxes are payable upon or in respect of the execution
of this Agreement or the issuance of the Securities.
ARTICLE V
DUTIES AND RIGHTS
5.1 Duties. (a) The Paying Agent is acting solely as agent for the
Trustees hereunder and owes no fiduciary duties to any other Person by reason of
this Agreement.
(b) In the absence of bad faith, gross negligence or willful
misfeasance on its part in the performance of its duties hereunder or its
reckless disregard of its duties and obligations hereunder, the Paying Agent
shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted in the
performance of its duties under this Agreement. The Paying Agent shall under no
circumstances be liable for any indirect or consequential damages hereunder.
5.2 Rights. (a) The Paying Agent may rely and shall be protected in
acting or refraining from acting upon any communication authorized hereby and
upon any written instruction, notice, request, direction, consent, report,
certificate, share certificate or other instrument, paper or document reasonably
believed by it to be genuine. The Paying Agent shall not be liable for acting
upon any telephone communication authorized hereby which the Paying Agent
believes in good faith to have been given by the Trustees.
(b) The Paying Agent may consult with legal counsel and the advice of
such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect
of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in
reliance thereon.
(c) The Paying Agent shall not be required to advance, expend or risk
its own funds or otherwise incur or become exposed to financial liability in the
performance of its duties hereunder.
(d) The Paying Agent may perform its duties and exercise its rights
hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys appointed with
due care by it hereunder.
-6-
5.3 Disclaimer. The Paying Agent makes no representation as to (a) the
first two recitals of this Agreement or (b) the validity or adequacy of the
Securities.
5.4 Compensation, Expenses and Indemnification. (a) The Paying Agent
shall receive for all services rendered by it under this Agreement and, upon the
prior written approval of the Trustees, for all expenses, disbursements and
advances incurred or made by the Paying Agent in accordance with any provision
of this Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and
disbursements of its agents and counsel), the compensation set forth in Section
3.1 of the Administration Agreement.
(b) The Trustees shall indemnify the Paying Agent for and hold it
harmless against any loss, liability, claim or expense (including the costs of
investigation, preparation for and defense of legal and/or administrative
proceedings relating to a claim against it and reasonable attorneys' fees and
disbursements) arising out of or in connection with the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement, provided such loss, liability or expense is
not the result of gross negligence, willful misfeasance or bad faith on its part
in the performance of its duties hereunder or its reckless disregard of its
duties or obligations hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending
itself against any claim or liability in connection with its exercise or
performance of any of its duties or obligations hereunder and thereunder. The
indemnification provided by this Section 5.4(b) shall survive the termination of
this Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS
6.1 Term of Agreement. (a) The term of this Agreement is unlimited
unless terminated as provided in this Section 6.1 or unless the Trust is
terminated, in which case this Agreement shall terminate ten days after the date
of termination of the Trust. This Agreement may be terminated by either party
hereto without penalty upon 60 days' prior written notice to the other party
hereto; provided that neither party hereto may terminate this Agreement pursuant
to this Section 6.1(a) unless a successor Paying Agent shall have been appointed
and shall have accepted the duties of the Paying Agent. The termination of the
Trust Agreement, the Collateral Agreement, the Administration Agreement or the
Custodian Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Custodian shall cause
the termination of this Agreement
-7-
simultaneously therewith. If, within 30 days after notice by the Paying Agent of
termination of this Agreement, no successor Paying Agent shall have been
selected and accepted the duties of the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent may apply
to a court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Paying
Agent.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (b), the respective
rights and duties of the Trustees and the Paying Agent under this Agreement
shall cease upon termination of this Agreement. The Trustees' representations,
warranties, covenants and obligations to the Paying Agent under Article IV and
Section 5.4 hereof shall survive the termination hereof. Upon termination of
this Agreement, the Paying Agent shall, at the Trustees' request, promptly
deliver to the Trustees or to any successor Paying Agent as requested by the
Trustees (i) copies of all books and records maintained by it and (ii) any funds
deposited with the Paying Agent by the Trustees.
6.2 Communications. Except for communications authorized to be made by
telephone pursuant to this Agreement, all notices, requests and other
communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including telecopy or
similar writing) and given to such person at its address or telecopy number set
forth below:
If to the Trust,
addressed: Reader's Digest Automatic Common
Exchange Security Trust
c/o ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Managing
Trustee
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Associates
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Telephone: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Telecopier: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
with a copy to the Administrator if the duties of the Administrator are being
performed by a Person other than the Person performing the obligations of the
Paying Agent.
If to the Paying Agent,
addressed: The Bank of New York
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attn: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Telephone: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Telecopier: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
-8-
or such other address or telecopy number as such party may hereafter specify for
such purpose by notice to the other party. Each such notice, request or
communication shall be effective when delivered at the address specified herein.
Communications shall be given on behalf of the Trust by the Trustees (or by the
Administrator, provided that the Trustees shall not have delivered to the Paying
Agent an instrument in writing revoking the authorization of the Administrator
to act for it pursuant hereto) and on behalf of the Paying Agent by a Senior
Vice President or Vice President of the Paying Agent assigned to its Corporate
Trust Department.
6.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement
between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and there are no
other representations, endorsements, promises, agreements or understandings,
oral, written or inferred, between the parties relating to the subject matter
hereof.
6.4 No Third Party Beneficiaries. Nothing herein, express or implied,
shall give to any Person, other than the Trustees, the Paying Agent and their
respective successors and assigns, any benefit of any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim hereunder.
6.5 Amendment; Waiver. (a) This Agreement shall not be deemed or
construed to be modified, amended, rescinded, cancelled or waived, in whole or
in part, except by a written instrument signed by a duly authorized
representative of the party to be charged. The Trustees shall notify the Paying
Agent of any change in the Trust Agreement prior to the effective date of any
such change.
(b) Failure of either party hereto to exercise any right or remedy
hereunder in the event of a breach hereof by the other party shall not
constitute a waiver of any such right or remedy with respect to any subsequent
breach.
6.6 Successors and Assigns. Any corporation into which the Paying Agent
may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any
corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the
Paying Agent shall be a party, shall be the successor Paying Agent hereunder and
under the Trust Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper,
instrument or further act to be done on the part of the parties hereto, provided
that such corporation meets the requirements set forth in the Trust Agreement,
provided further that the Trustees have given their prior written consent to the
Paying Agent with
-9-
respect to any such merger, conversion or consolidation. This Agreement shall be
binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the respective
successors of each of the Trust and the Paying Agent. This Agreement shall not
be assignable by either the Trustees or the Paying Agent, without the prior
written consent of the other party.
6.7 Severability. If any clause, provision or section hereof shall be
ruled invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the
invalidity or unenforceability of such clause, provision or section shall not
affect any of the remaining clauses, provisions or sections hereof.
6.8 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in
several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall
constitute but one and the same instrument.
6.9 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to
principles of conflicts of law.
-10-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Paying Agent
Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
TRUSTEES
------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ III,
as Trustee
------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇'▇▇▇▇▇,
as Trustee
------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
as Trustee
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
By: __________________________
Name:
Title:
-11-