TRANSACTION AGREEMENT dated as of October 13, 2008 between SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC., and BANCO SANTANDER, S.A.

Exhibit 2.1

TRANSACTION AGREEMENT

dated as of

October 13, 2008

between

SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC.,

and

BANCO SANTANDER, S.A.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


	Page

ARTICLE 1
Definitions

Section 1.01. Definitions		2
Section 1.02. Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions		12

ARTICLE 2
[Left Blank Intentionally]

ARTICLE 3
The Reincorporation Merger

Section 3.01. The Reincorporation Merger		13
Section 3.02. Effective Time		13
Section 3.03. Effect Of Reincorporation Merger		13
Section 3.04. Conversion Of Shares		14
Section 3.05. Options; Restricted Stock		15
Section 3.06. ESPP		15
Section 3.07. Articles of Incorporation		15
Section 3.08. Bylaws		16
Section 3.09. Board of Directors; Management		16
Section 3.10. Tax Consequences		16

ARTICLE 4
The Share Exchange

Section 4.01. The Share Exchange		16
Section 4.02. Exchange Effective Time		17
Section 4.03. Effects of the Share Exchange		17
Section 4.04. Exchange Of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock		18
Section 4.05. Parent Capital Stock		19

ARTICLE 5
Exchange Of Shares

Section 5.01. Deposit of Consideration		19
Section 5.02. Exchange Of Shares		19
Section 5.03. Withholding Rights		22


	Page

ARTICLE 6
Representations and Warranties of the Company

Section 6.01. Corporate Existence and Power		23
Section 6.02. Corporate Authorization		24
Section 6.03. Governmental Authorization		25
Section 6.04. Non-contravention		25
Section 6.05. Capitalization		26
Section 6.06. Subsidiaries		27
Section 6.07. Company Virginia Sub		28
Section 6.08. SEC Filings and the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act		30
Section 6.09. Financial Statements		31
Section 6.10. Disclosure Documents		31
Section 6.11. Absence of Certain Changes		32
Section 6.12. No Undisclosed Material Liabilities		32
Section 6.13. Compliance with Laws and Court Orders		32
Section 6.14. Litigation		33
Section 6.15. Properties		33
Section 6.16. Intellectual Property		34
Section 6.17. Taxes		34
Section 6.18. Employees and Employee Benefits Plans		36
Section 6.19. Environmental Matters		38
Section 6.20. Material Contracts		39
Section 6.21. Insurance		40
Section 6.22. Reports; Regulatory Matters		40
Section 6.23. Agreements With Regulatory Authorities		41
Section 6.24. Investment Securities		41
Section 6.25. Derivative Instruments		42
Section 6.26. Finders’ Fees		42
Section 6.27. Opinion of Financial Advisor		42
Section 6.28. Antitakeover Statutes and Rights Agreement		42
Section 6.29. Allowance For Losses		43
Section 6.30. Related Party Transactions		43
Section 6.31. Loans		44
Section 6.32. Anti-money Laundering and Customer Information Security		44
Section 6.33. Credit Card Accounts		44
Section 6.34. No Reliance		45


	Page

ARTICLE 7
Representations and Warranties of Parent

Section 7.01. Corporate Existence and Power		45
Section 7.02. Capitalization		46
Section 7.03. Corporate Authorization		46
Section 7.04. Governmental Authorization		47
Section 7.05. Non-contravention		48
Section 7.06. Disclosure Documents		49
Section 7.07. Financial Statements		49
Section 7.08. Finders’ Fees		50
Section 7.09. No Reliance		50
Section 7.10. SEC Filings and the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act		50
Section 7.11. Litigation		51

ARTICLE 8
Covenants of the Company

Section 8.01. Conduct of the Company		51
Section 8.02. Access to Information		54
Section 8.03. No Solicitation; Change of Recommendation		55
Section 8.04. [Left Intentionally Blank]		58
Section 8.05. Litigation		59
Section 8.06. Company Virginia Sub Shareholder Vote		59
Section 8.07. Joinder Agreement		59
Section 8.08. Structure of the Transaction		59

ARTICLE 9
Covenants of Parent

Section 9.01. Director and Officer Liability		60
Section 9.02. Employee Matters		61
Section 9.03. Santander Shares		62

ARTICLE 10
Covenants of Parent and the Company

Section 10.01. Regulatory Matters		63
Section 10.02. Stockholder Meetings		65
Section 10.03. Public Announcements		66
Section 10.04. Further Assurances		66
Section 10.05. Notices of Certain Events		66
Section 10.06. Takeover Statutes		67
Section 10.07. Exemption From Liability Under Section 16(b)		67
Section 10.08. Incentive Bonus Program		67

iii


	Page

ARTICLE 11
Conditions to the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange

Section 11.01. Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party		67
Section 11.02. Conditions to Obligations of Parent		68
Section 11.03. Condition to Obligations of the Company		69

ARTICLE 12
Termination

Section 12.01. Termination		70
Section 12.02. Effect of Termination		72

ARTICLE 13
Miscellaneous

Section 13.01. Notices		72
Section 13.02. Survival		73
Section 13.03. Amendments and Waivers		73
Section 13.04. Expenses		74
Section 13.05. Investment Agreement		75
Section 13.06. Disclosure Schedule References		76
Section 13.07. Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment		76
Section 13.08. Governing Law		76
Section 13.09. Jurisdiction		76
Section 13.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL		77
Section 13.11. Counterparts; Effectiveness		77
Section 13.12. Entire Agreement		77
Section 13.13. Severability		77
Section 13.14. Specific Performance		77

TRANSACTION AGREEMENT

TRANSACTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) dated as of October 13, 2008, between Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the “Company”), and Banco Santander, S.A., a Spanish sociedad anónima (“Parent”).

WHEREAS, prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time, the Company shall form a new wholly owned subsidiary (“Company Virginia Sub”) as a Virginia corporation under and in accordance with the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the “VSCA”), and the Company shall cause Company Virginia Sub to, and Company Virginia Sub shall, sign a joinder agreement to this Agreement and be bound hereunder prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time;

WHEREAS, the Executive Committee of Parent and the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”) have approved, and the Board of Directors of Company Virginia Sub (the “Company Virginia Sub Board”) shall approve, the strategic business combination transactions provided for herein (the “Transaction”) whereby (1) the Company will merge with and into Company Virginia Sub, with Company Virginia Sub surviving such merger (the “Reincorporation Merger”), and (2) immediately following the Reincorporation Merger, Company Virginia Sub, as the surviving corporation in the Reincorporation Merger, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent pursuant to a statutory share exchange (the “Share Exchange”) in accordance with the VSCA;

WHEREAS, it is the intent of the parties hereto that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Reincorporation Merger shall constitute a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and that this Agreement shall constitute a “plan of reorganization” in respect of the Reincorporation Merger for the purposes of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code;

WHEREAS, as an inducement to and condition to Parent’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, certain shareholders of the Company are entering into a Voting Agreement simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Voting Agreement”) whereby, among other things, such shareholders have agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, to vote the shares in favor of the Transaction to take or refrain from taking certain actions as set forth in the Voting Agreement to consummate the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange;

WHEREAS, the parties desire to make certain representations, warranties and agreements in connection with the Transaction and also to prescribe certain conditions to the Transaction.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1
Definitions

Section 1.01. Definitions. (a) As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:

“100% Acquisition Proposal” means any Acquisition Proposal, whether payable in cash, securities or a combination thereof, by any Person or group to acquire beneficial ownership of 100% of the equity securities (including those issuable pursuant to Convertible Rights) of the Company (other than the Company Series C Stock) that are not already Beneficially Owned by such Person or group.

“1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933.

“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

“Acquisition Proposal” means, other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any Third-Party offer, proposal or inquiry relating to, or any Third-Party indication of interest in, (i) any acquisition or purchase, direct or indirect, of 25% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or any acquisition, purchase or assumption, direct or indirect, of 25% or more of the Consolidated Deposits whether with or without the assistance (and regardless of whether such is contingent or guaranteed) of any Governmental Authority or any acquisition, purchase or assumption, directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of any class of equity or voting securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 25% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company, (ii) any tender offer (including a self-tender offer) or exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in any Third Party beneficially owning 25% or more of any class of equity or voting securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 25% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company, (iii) a merger, consolidation, share exchange, business combination, sale of substantially all the assets, reorganization, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or other similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate, constitute 25% or more of the consolidated assets or Consolidated Deposits of the Company or (iv) any other transaction the consummation of which could reasonably be expected to impede, interfere with, prevent or materially delay the Transaction (including the Reincorporation Merger and Share Exchange) or that could reasonably be expected to dilute materially the benefits to Parent of the transactions contemplated hereby.

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person.

“Affiliates of Parent” means those individuals designated by Parent to serve on the Company Board pursuant to the Investment Agreement.

“Applicable Law” means, with respect to any Person, any foreign, federal, state or local law (statutory, common or otherwise), constitution, treaty, convention, ordinance, code, rule, regulation, order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling or other similar requirement enacted, adopted, promulgated or applied by a Governmental Authority that is binding upon or applicable to such Person, as amended unless expressly specified otherwise.

“Bank” means Sovereign Bank.

“Bank Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Bank.

“BHC Act” means the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended.

“Business Day” means a day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York or Madrid, Spain are authorized or required by Applicable Law to close.

“Charter” means the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and Applicable Law.

“Company Balance Sheet” means the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2007 and the footnotes thereto set forth in the Company 10-K.

“Company Bylaws” means the bylaws of the Company as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and Applicable Law.

“Company Balance Sheet Date” means December 31, 2007.

“Company Disclosure Schedule” means the disclosure schedule dated the date hereof regarding this Agreement that has been provided by the Company to Parent.

“Company Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), business, assets or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, excluding any effect to the extent resulting from (1) changes in GAAP or regulatory accounting requirements, (2) changes in laws, rules or regulations of general applicability to companies in the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, (3) changes in global, national or regional political conditions or general economic or market conditions (including changes in prevailing interest rates, currency exchange rates, and price levels or trading volumes in the United States or foreign securities markets) affecting other companies in the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, (4) failure to meet earnings projections, but not any of the underlying causes for such failure, (5) the impact of the Transaction on relationships with customers or employees solely to the extent the Company demonstrates such impact to have so resulted from such disclosure or consummation, (6) the public disclosure of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby solely to the extent the Company demonstrates such effect to have so resulted from such disclosure or consummation, (7) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declared or undeclared acts of war or terrorism, (8) actions or omissions taken with the prior written consent of Parent or expressly required by this Agreement, or (9) adverse credit events resulting in deterioration in the credit markets generally or in respect of the customers of the Company and including changes to any previously correctly applied asset marks resulting therefrom; provided that in each case listed in clauses (2), (3), (7) and (9) above, only to the extent such changes or events do not have a materially disproportionate effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, compared to other companies engaged in the same industry as the Company and its Subsidiaries, or (ii) the Company’s or Company Virginia Sub’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

“Company Qualifying SEC Report” means (a) the Company 10-K and (b) the Company SEC Documents filed on or after the date of filing of the Company 10-K that are filed with the SEC on the SEC’s ▇▇▇▇▇ system at least one Business Day prior to the date of this Agreement.

“Company 10-K” means the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007.

“Consolidated Deposits” means all deposits (as defined in 12 U.S.C. § 1813(1)) that are held by the Bank or any of its Affiliates, including demand deposits, commercial deposits with interest, savings accounts, money market deposit accounts, mutual fund and reserve fund sweep accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, certificates of deposit and business investment accounts, in each case, including any such deposits received by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from and after the date hereof.

“Convertible Rights” means warrants, options, rights, convertible securities and any other securities or instruments that obligate an entity to issue capital stock, including the PIERS Instruments and any options, stock appreciation rights or restricted stock granted under the Employee Plans.

“Defensive Measure” means (i) any provision of the Charter or Company Bylaws the purpose or effect of which is, in whole or in part, to defer, delay or make more costly or burdensome, the consummation of an Acquisition Proposal involving the Company, including Articles 8, 11, 15, 16 and 17 of the Charter and Sections 4.03, 4.04, 10.01 and 11.01 of the Company Bylaws, (ii) any shareholder rights plan or “poison pill” including the Rights Agreement, (iii) any employment or severance agreement and any Employee Plan that provides for enhanced benefits to officers, directors or employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any acceleration of any such benefits in connection with the consummation of an Acquisition Proposal involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including the Employee Agreements and the Employee Plans, (iv) any contract or agreement to which the Company is a party that imposes on the Company or any of its Subsidiaries a material cost, or deprives the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of a material asset or benefit, in either case, in connection with the consummation of an Acquisition Proposal involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (v) any standstill or similar agreement to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party and which imposes restrictions, limitations or prohibitions on any Person’s ability to directly or indirectly, by itself or as a member of a group, purchase or make an offer to purchase, or publicly announce its intention to purchase or make an offer to purchase, any Company Securities or any Company Subsidiary Securities, or otherwise seek to control or influence the management or direction of the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (vi) any Applicable Law, the effect of which is to (A) provide special rights, including economic and voting rights, in connection with the consummation of an Acquisition Proposal involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) limit, impair, or otherwise adversely affect the ability of Parent to exercise full control (voting or otherwise) over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, their respective boards of directors or the Shares and (vii) any act by the Board, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is intended to have or has any of the effects described in clauses (i) through (v) above.

“Employee Plan” means any (i) “employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, (ii) employment, severance, change of control, or similar agreement, contract, plan, arrangement or policy or (iii) other plan or arrangement (written or oral) providing for compensation, bonuses, profit-sharing, stock option, restricted stock or other stock related rights or other forms of incentive or deferred compensation, vacation benefits, insurance (including any self-insured arrangements), health or medical benefits, employee assistance program, disability or sick leave benefits, workers’ compensation, supplemental unemployment benefits, severance benefits and post-employment or retirement benefits (including compensation, pension, health, medical or life insurance benefits), in each case, which is (x) maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate and covers any employee or former employee, director or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (y) with respect to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any liability.

“Environmental Laws” means any Applicable Laws or any agreement with any Governmental Authority or other third party, relating to human health and safety, the environment or to Hazardous Substances.

“Environmental Permits” means all permits, licenses, franchises, certificates, approvals and other similar authorizations of Governmental Authorities relating to or required by Environmental Laws and affecting, or relating to, the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as currently conducted.

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

“ERISA Affiliate” of any entity means any other entity that, together with such entity, would be treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

“Exchange Ratio” means 0.2924.

“FDIA” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended.

“FDIC” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

“Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

“Governmental Authority” means any transnational, domestic or foreign federal, state or local, governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, department, court, agency or official, including any political subdivision thereof.

“Hazardous Substance” means any pollutant, contaminant, waste or chemical or any toxic, radioactive, ignitable, corrosive, reactive or otherwise hazardous substance, waste or material, or any substance, waste or material having any constituent elements displaying any of the foregoing characteristics, including any substance, waste or material regulated under any Environmental Law.

“HOLA” means the Home Owners’ Loan Act of 1933, as amended.

“Intellectual Property” means (i) trademarks, service marks, brand names, certification marks, trade dress, domain names and other indications of origin, the goodwill associated with the foregoing and registrations in any jurisdiction of, and applications in any jurisdiction to register, the foregoing, including any extension, modification or renewal of any such registration or application, (ii) inventions and discoveries, whether patentable or not, in any jurisdiction, patents, applications for patents (including divisions, continuations, continuations in part and renewal applications), and any renewals, extensions or reissues thereof, in any jurisdiction, (iii) Trade Secrets, (iv) writings and other works, whether copyrightable or not, in any jurisdiction, and any and all copyright rights, whether registered or not, and registrations or applications for registration of copyrights in any jurisdiction, and any renewals or extensions thereof, (v) moral rights, database rights, design rights, industrial property rights, publicity rights and privacy rights and (vi) any similar intellectual property or proprietary rights.

“Investment Agreement” means that certain Investment Agreement by and between Parent and the Company, dated as of October 24, 2005, as amended from time to time.

“IT Assets” means computers, computer software, firmware, middleware, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, data communications lines and all other information technology equipment, and all associated documentation owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries or licensed or leased by the Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to written agreement (excluding any public networks).

“Knowledge” of or “known” to of any Person that is not an individual means the actual knowledge of such Person’s officers after reasonable inquiry.

“Lien” means, with respect to any property or asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, encumbrance or other adverse claim of any kind in respect of such property or asset. For purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien, any property or asset that it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such property or asset.

“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.

“OTS” means the Office of Thrift Supervision.

“Parent Board” means the Board of Directors of Parent or, as the case may be, any Committee or Director of Parent to whom the Board of Directors has delegated sufficient authority to take the relevant action required of the Board of Directors.

“Parent Disclosure Schedule” means the disclosure schedule dated the date hereof regarding this Agreement that has been provided by Parent to the Company.

“Parent Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), business, assets or results of operations of Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, excluding any effect to the extent resulting from (1) changes in IFRS or regulatory accounting requirements, (2) changes in laws, rules or regulations of general applicability to companies in the industries in which Parent and its Subsidiaries operate, (3) changes in global, national or regional political conditions or general economic or market conditions (including changes in prevailing interest rates, currency exchange rates, and price levels or trading volumes in United States or foreign securities markets) affecting other companies in the industries in which Parent and its Subsidiaries operate, (4) failure to meet earnings projections, but not any of the underlying causes for such failure, (5) the impact of the Transaction on relationships with customers or employees solely to the extent Parent demonstrates such impact to have so resulted from such disclosure or consummation, (6) the public disclosure of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby solely to the extent Parent demonstrates such effect to have so resulted from such disclosure or consummation, (7) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declared or undeclared acts of war or terrorism, (8) actions or omissions taken with the prior written consent of the Company or expressly required by this Agreement, or (9) adverse credit events resulting in deterioration in the credit markets generally or in respect of the customers of Parent and including changes to any previously correctly applied asset marks resulting therefrom); provided that, in each case listed in clauses (2), (3), (7) and (9) above, only to the extent such changes or events do not have a materially disproportionate effect on Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole compared to other companies engaged in the same industry as Parent and its Subsidiaries, or (ii) Parent’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

“Parent Qualifying SEC Report” means (a) the Parent’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and (b) the Parent SEC Documents filed on or after the date of filing of such Form 20-F that are filed with the SEC on the SEC’s ▇▇▇▇▇ system at least one Business Day prior to the date of this Agreement.

“Pennsylvania Law” means the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law.

“Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, trust or other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

“PIERS Instruments” means the Contingent Convertible Trust Preferred Income Equity Redeemable Securities issued by Sovereign Capital Trust IV.

“Requisite Board Approval” means the approval of at least 80% of the members of the Company Board, which approval shall constitute the unanimous approval of all of the members of the Company Board who are not Affiliates of Parent.

“Rights Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated as of January 19, 2005, as amended on October 25, 2005, as further amended on June 29, 2007, between the Company and Mellon Investor Services LLC, a New Jersey Limited Liability Company, as Rights Agent.

“▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act” means the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Shares” means shares of Company Common Stock.

“Subsidiary” means, at any time with respect to any Person, any entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at such time directly or indirectly owned by such Person.

“Third Party” means any Person other than Parent and its Affiliates.

“Trade Secrets” means trade secrets and confidential information and rights in any jurisdiction to limit the use or disclosure thereof by any Person.

“WARN Act” means the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

(b) Each of the following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such term:


Term	Section
Adverse Recommendation Change	Section 8.03
Agreement	Preamble
Board Reports		10.01
Capital Increase	Section 7.05
Closing	Section 3.01
Closing Date	Section 3.01
Code	Preamble
Commercial Registry		4.03
Company	Preamble
Company Board	Preamble
Company Board Recommendation	Section 6.02
Company Committee	Section 8.02
Company Common Certificate		3.04
Company Common Stock		3.04
Company Disclosure Documents	Section 6.10
Company Employees		9.02
Company Requisite Regulatory Approvals	Section 11.03
Company SEC Documents	Section 6.08
Company Securities	Section 6.05
Company Series C Certificate	Section 3.04
Company Series C Stock		3.04
Company Stock Option		3.05
Company Shareholder Approval	Section 6.02
Company Subsidiary Securities	Section 6.06
Company Virginia Exchange Certificate		4.02
Company Virginia Sub	Preamble
Company Virginia Sub Articles		3.07
Company Virginia Sub Board	Preamble
Company Virginia Sub ByLaws		3.08
Company Virginia Sub Certificates	Section 3.04
Company Virginia Sub Common Stock	Section 3.04
Company Virginia Sub Series C Stock	Section 3.04
Confidentiality Agreement		8.02
Continuing Employees	Section 9.02
Credit Committee Representative	Section 8.02
Deed of Capital Increase		4.03
Depositary		5.01
Depositary Agreement		4.04
Derivative Transactions		6.25


Term	Section
End Date	Section 12.01
Equity Plans		3.05
ESPP	Section 3.06
Exchange Agent		5.01
Exchange Effective Time		4.02
Exchange Fund		5.01
FINRA	Section 6.03
Indemnified Person	Section 9.01
Lease		6.15
Letter of Transmittal		5.02
Material Contract	Section 6.20
Materially Burdensome Regulatory Condition	Section 10.01
NSEC		4.03
Parent	Preamble
Parent ADSs		4.04
Parent Bylaws		7.01
Parent Ordinary Shares		4.04
Parent Representative	Section 8.02
Parent Requisite Regulatory Approvals		11.02
Parent SEC Documents	Section 7.10
Parent Shareholder Approval		7.05
Permits	Section 6.13
Prospectus		7.04
Proxy Statement	Section 6.03
Regulatory Agencies		6.22
Regulatory Agreement		6.23
Reincorporation Effective Time		3.02
Reincorporation Merger	Preamble
Reports		6.22
Representatives		8.02
SCL		4.01
Share Consideration		4.04
Share Exchange	Preamble
Subsidiaries	Section 6.19
Superior Proposal	Section 8.03
Surviving Corporation	Section 3.01
Takeover Statutes		6.02
Tax	Section 6.17
Taxing Authority	Section 6.17
Tax Return	Section 6.17
Tax Sharing Agreements	Section 6.17
Transaction	Preamble
Transfer Agent		4.03
Voting Agreement	Preamble
Voting Debt	Section 7.02
VSCA	Preamble
Termination Fee	Section 13.04
USA Patriot Act		6.32

Section 1.02. Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions. The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof. References to Articles, Sections, Exhibits, Annexes and Schedules are to Articles, Sections, Exhibits, Annexes and Schedules of this Agreement unless otherwise specified. All Exhibits and Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement. Any capitalized terms used in any Exhibit, Annex or Schedule but not otherwise defined therein, shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement. Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import. “Writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form. References to any statute shall be deemed to refer to such statute as amended from time to time and to any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder. References to any agreement or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; provided that, with respect to any agreement or contract listed on any schedules hereto, all such amendments, modifications or supplements must also be listed in the appropriate schedule. References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person. References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively. References to “law”, “laws” or to a particular statute or law shall be deemed also to include any and all Applicable Law.

ARTICLE 2
[Left Blank Intentionally]

ARTICLE 3
The Reincorporation Merger

Section 3.01. The Reincorporation Merger. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in accordance with Pennsylvania Law and the VSCA, at the Reincorporation Effective Time, the Company shall merge with and into Company Virginia Sub. Company Virginia Sub shall be the surviving corporation (the “Surviving Corporation”) in the Reincorporation Merger and shall continue its corporate existence under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Upon consummation of the Reincorporation Merger, the separate corporate existence of the Company shall terminate.

(b) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the closing of the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange (the “Closing”) will take place at 10:00 a.m. on a date and at a place to be specified by the parties, which shall be no later than three Business Days after the satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by law or regulation, waiver by all parties) of the conditions set forth in Article 11 (other than those conditions that by their nature can only be satisfied at the Closing), or at such other place, time and date as shall be agreed in writing between Parent and the Company. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to in this Agreement as the “Closing Date”.

Section 3.02. Effective Time. The Reincorporation Merger shall become effective in accordance with a Plan of Merger (which Plan of Merger shall be prepared by Parent promptly following the date of this Agreement and shall be consistent with this Agreement, the Pennsylvania Law and the VSCA and reasonably satisfactory to the Company) on the Closing Date at the time that is specified in the certificate of merger relating to the Reincorporation Merger issued by the Virginia State Corporation Commission and upon the filing of articles of merger and all other filings or recordings required by Pennsylvania Law with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the “Reincorporation Effective Time”).

Section 3.03. Effect Of Reincorporation Merger. At and after the Reincorporation Effective Time, the Reincorporation Merger shall have the effects set forth in Pennsylvania Law and the VSCA.

Section 3.04. Conversion Of Shares.

(a) At the Reincorporation Effective Time, by virtue of the Reincorporation Merger and without any action on the part of the Company, Company Virginia Sub or any holder of common stock, no par value, of the Company (the “Company Common Stock”), (i) each share of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time (other than shares held in treasury) shall be converted into one share of common stock, no par value per share, of Company Virginia Sub (the “Company Virginia Sub Common Stock”), (ii) each share of Company Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company immediately prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time shall be cancelled and (iii) each share of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time shall be cancelled.

(b) All of the shares of Company Common Stock converted into shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock pursuant to Section 3.04(a) shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist as of the Reincorporation Effective Time, and each certificate previously representing any such shares (“Company Common Certificate”) shall thereafter represent, without the requirement of any exchange thereof, that number of shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock into which such shares of Company Common Stock represented by such Company Common Certificate have been converted pursuant to Section 3.04(a) (such certificates following the Reincorporation Merger, the “Company Virginia Sub Certificates”).

(c) At the Reincorporation Effective Time, by virtue of the Reincorporation Merger and without any action on the part of the Company, Company Virginia Sub or any holder of Series C Preferred Stock, no par value per share, of the Company (the “Company Series C Stock”), (i) each share of Company Series C Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time (other than shares held in treasury and shares for which the holder thereof has perfected its dissenter’s rights pursuant to Pennsylvania Law) shall be converted into one share of Series C Preferred Stock, no par value per share, of Company Virginia Sub (the “Company Virginia Sub Series C Stock”), and (ii) each share of Company Series C Stock held in the treasury of the Company immediately prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time shall be cancelled.

(d) All of the shares of Company Series C Stock converted into shares of Company Virginia Sub Series C Stock pursuant to Section 3.04(c) shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist as of the Reincorporation Effective Time, and each certificate previously representing any such shares (“Company Series C Certificate”) shall thereafter represent, without the requirement of any exchange thereof, that number of shares of Company Virginia Sub Series C Stock into which such shares of Company Series C Stock represented by such Company Series C Certificate have been converted pursuant to Section 3.04(c).

Section 3.05. Options; Restricted Stock. (a) The Company and Company Virginia Sub shall take all requisite action such that, at the Reincorporation Effective Time, each then-outstanding option (a “Company Stock Option”) to purchase Shares granted under any equity-based compensation plan or arrangement of the Company (collectively, the “Equity Plans”), whether or not vested or exercisable, shall be canceled, and the Company shall pay to each former holder of any such canceled Company Stock Option at or promptly after the Reincorporation Effective Time an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the excess, if any, of the cash value of one share of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock, determined as of the Reincorporation Effective Time, over the applicable exercise price per Share of such Company Stock Option and (ii) the number of Shares such holder could have purchased (assuming full vesting of such Company Stock Option) had such holder exercised such Company Stock Option in full immediately prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time.

(b) At the Reincorporation Effective Time, each then-outstanding share of restricted stock granted under the Equity Plans (“Company Restricted Stock”) shall become vested and shall be treated in the same manner as other shares of Company Common Stock hereunder.

Section 3.06. ESPP. Prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time, the Company shall take all requisite actions pursuant to the terms of the Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) to (i) preclude the commencement of any new subscription or option period after the date hereof and (ii) effective as of the Reincorporation Effective Time, terminate the ESPP and distribute to each participant in the ESPP the dollar amount, if any, in such participant’s account under the ESPP.

Section 3.07. Articles of Incorporation. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, at the Reincorporation Effective Time, the Articles of Incorporation of Company Virginia Sub (the “Company Virginia Sub Articles”) in effect immediately prior to the Reincorporation Merger shall be the Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance with Applicable Law (it being understood and agreed that the Company Virginia Sub Articles shall be substantially consistent with the form of articles of incorporation attached hereto as Exhibit B hereto with such changes as are proposed by Parent and not reasonably objected to by Company; which in any event shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 9.01 hereof). The Company Virginia Sub Articles shall, in any event, provide that authorization of a share exchange pursuant to Section 13.1-718 of the VSCA shall require the approval of a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter by holders of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock.

Section 3.08. Bylaws. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, at the Reincorporation Effective Time, the Bylaws of Company Virginia Sub (the “Company Virginia Sub Bylaws”) in effect immediately prior to the Reincorporation Merger shall be the Bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance with Applicable Law (it being understood and agreed that the Company Virginia Sub Bylaws shall be substantially consistent with the form of bylaws attached hereto as Exhibit C, with such changes as are proposed by Parent and not reasonably objected to by Company; which in any event shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 9.01 hereof).

Section 3.09. Board of Directors; Management. The directors and officers of Company immediately prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time shall be the directors and officers of Company Virginia Sub immediately after the Reincorporation Effective Time, each to hold office in accordance with the Company Virginia Sub Articles and Bylaws until their respective successors are duly elected or qualified.

Section 3.10. Tax Consequences. It is intended that the Reincorporation Merger shall constitute a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and that this Agreement shall constitute a “plan of reorganization” in respect of the Reincorporation Merger for the purposes of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code.

ARTICLE 4
The Share Exchange

Section 4.01. The Share Exchange. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in accordance with the VSCA and the Spanish Corporation Law of 1989 (Texto Refundido de ▇▇ ▇▇▇ de Sociedades Anónimas aprobado por el Real Decreto Legislativo 1564/1989), as amended (the “SCL”), at the Exchange Effective Time, pursuant to the provisions of Section 13.1-721 of the VSCA, Company Virginia Sub shall become a subsidiary of Parent through the exchange of each outstanding share of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock for the Share Consideration.

Section 4.02. Exchange Effective Time. The Share Exchange shall become effective, immediately following the Reincorporation Effective Time, in accordance with the Plan of Share Exchange (which Plan of Share Exchange shall be prepared by Parent promptly following the date of this Agreement and shall be consistent with this Agreement and the VSCA and reasonably satisfactory to the Company) on the Closing Date at the time (the “Exchange Effective Time”) that is specified in the certificate of share exchange relating to the Share Exchange issued by the Virginia State Corporation Commission with respect to the Plan of Share Exchange, at which time, by virtue of the Share Exchange and as set forth in the Plan of Share Exchange and the VSCA, Parent shall automatically become the holder and owner of one hundred percent of the outstanding shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock, with the former holders of such outstanding shares being only entitled to receive the Share Consideration as provided for in Section 4.04. The Transfer Agent, for the benefit of Parent, shall receive from Company Virginia Sub at the Exchange Effective Time the Company Virginia Exchange Certificate representing Parent’s ownership of all such outstanding shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock in exchange for the Share Consideration being issued pursuant to Section 4.04. As used in this Agreement, “Company Virginia Exchange Certificate” shall mean the certificate representing the shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock being received by Parent pursuant to the terms hereof, which shares shall represent one hundred percent of the outstanding shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock.

Section 4.03. Effects of the Share Exchange. At and after the Exchange Effective Time, the Share Exchange shall have the effects set forth in the VSCA and the separate corporate existence of each of Company Virginia Sub and Parent shall continue and all shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock issued and outstanding shall, by virtue of the Share Exchange, continue to be issued and outstanding shares and shall be owned and held by Parent, and Company Virginia Sub shall deliver the Company Virginia Exchange Certificate evidencing such shares to a transfer agent theretofore selected by Parent and reasonably acceptable to the Company (the “Transfer Agent”) pursuant to an agreement between Company Virginia Sub, Parent and the Transfer Agent obligating the Transfer Agent, immediately upon receipt of the Company Virginia Exchange Certificate, to certify to Parent that it has received such Company Virginia Exchange Certificate on behalf and for the benefit of Parent and that Parent is the beneficial and record owner of such shares and that no other shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock are outstanding. The Parent Board shall thereupon execute the decision taken by the Extraordinary General Meeting of Parent to increase the share capital of Parent in accordance with Articles 153.1(a) and 155 of the SCL, against a contribution in kind (Aumento con aportaciones no dinerarias), and shall register such action pursuant to the Deed of Capital Increase (the “Deed of Capital Increase”) granted before a Spanish Notary with the Commercial Registry (Registro Mercantil) of Santander (the “Commercial Registry”). A Spanish prospectus (Folleto) shall be filed and approved by the National Securities Exchange Commission of Spain (the “NSEC”). Pursuant to the Share Exchange, the Deed of Capital Increase (as registered with the relevant Commercial Registry) shall be delivered to the Spanish Settlement and Clearing System (Iberclear), the Spanish Stock Exchanges and to the NSEC, for the new shares to be listed and registered in the name of the Depositary, for the account of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock holders, and to any required stock exchanges for the admission authorization of Parent Ordinary Shares to be listed.

Section 4.04. Exchange Of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock. At the Exchange Effective Time, by virtue of the Share Exchange and without any further action on the part of Parent, Company Virginia Sub or any holder of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock:

(a) All shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock that are owned by Parent, Company Virginia Sub or any of their respective direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries immediately prior to the Exchange Effective Time (other than shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock held in trust accounts, managed accounts and the like, or otherwise held in a fiduciary or agency capacity, that are beneficially owned by third parties and other than shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock held, directly or indirectly, by Parent, or Company Virginia Sub or any of their respective direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiaries in respect of a debt previously contracted) shall be cancelled and shall cease to exist and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.

(b) Subject to Section 4.04(d), at the Exchange Effective Time, by virtue of the Share Exchange and without any action on the part of Parent, Company Virginia Sub or any holder of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock, each share of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock (except as set forth in Section 4.04(a)) shall be exchanged for the right to receive from Parent the number of ordinary shares of Parent, of 50 euro-cents nominal value each (the “Parent Ordinary Shares”) as is equal to the Exchange Ratio (the “Share Consideration”).

(c) The Parent Ordinary Shares to be issued in exchange for the shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock exchanged hereunder shall be registered in the name of the Depositary by the Spanish Settlement and Clearing System and then delivered (x) in the form of receipts representing American depositary shares representing Parent Ordinary Shares (“Parent ADSs”), and such Parent ADSs shall be issued in accordance with the Depositary Agreement, dated as of June 1, 1987 (as amended), by and between Parent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary, and the holders of Parent ADSs (as such agreement may be amended to deposit the Parent Ordinary Shares being issued pursuant hereto and to deliver the Parent ADSs being delivered hereto) or a depositary agreement to be entered into after the date of this Agreement in form and substance not reasonably objected to by Company (the “Depositary Agreement”) or (y) if and to the extent elected by any holder in the manner provided in Section 5.02(b), in the form of Parent Ordinary Shares, in account entry form, rather than Parent ADSs, but subject to Parent’s discretion, after consultation with the Depositary, to invalidate such election, in which case all Parent Ordinary Shares delivered hereto shall be in the form of Parent ADSs.

(d) If, between the date of this Agreement and the Exchange Effective Time, Parent undergoes a reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, issues a stock dividend, or effects a stock split or reverse stock split, or other similar change in capitalization, an appropriate and proportionate adjustment shall be made to the Share Consideration.

Section 4.05. Parent Capital Stock. At and after the Exchange Effective Time, each Parent Ordinary Share and Parent ADS issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date shall remain issued and outstanding and shall not be affected by the Share Exchange.

ARTICLE 5
Exchange Of Shares

Section 5.01. Deposit of Consideration. Promptly following the Exchange Effective Time, Parent shall provide (i) to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the “Depositary”) the Parent Ordinary Shares being issued in the form of Parent ADSs and the Depositary shall deposit with the Exchange Agent, for the benefit of holders of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock, for exchange in accordance with this Article 5, receipts representing such Parent ADSs, and (ii) to the Exchange Agent, the Parent Ordinary Shares (A) being issued in account entry form and (B) being sold by the Exchange Agent pursuant to the procedure described in Section 5.02(i) (the “Exchange Fund”) and Parent shall instruct the Exchange Agent to timely exchange the Share Consideration and pay such cash in lieu of fractional shares, in accordance with this Agreement.

Section 5.02. Exchange Of Shares. (a) Promptly after the Exchange Effective Time, the Exchange Agent shall mail to each holder of record of Company Virginia Sub Certificate(s) (which, after the Exchange Effective Date, shall represent only the right to receive the Share Consideration and any cash in respect of fractional shares) (i) a letter of transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to Company Virginia Sub Certificate(s) shall pass, only upon delivery of Company Virginia Sub Certificate(s) (or affidavits of loss in lieu of such Company Virginia Sub Certificate(s))) (the “Letter of Transmittal”) to the Exchange Agent and shall be substantially in such form and have such other provisions as shall be prescribed by the Exchange Agent Agreement and (ii) instructions for use in surrendering Company Virginia Sub Certificate(s) in exchange for the Share Consideration and any cash in lieu of fractional Parent Ordinary Shares to be paid in consideration therefor upon surrender of such Company Virginia Sub Certificate . The Letter of Transmittal shall also contain instructions for electing to effect the surrender of Company Virginia Sub Certificates in exchange for Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form in lieu of Parent ADSs, provided that Parent may, at its own discretion, after consultation with the Depositary, invalidate such election.

(b) Upon proper surrender of a Company Virginia Sub Certificate or Company Virginia Sub Certificates for exchange and cancellation to the Exchange Agent, together with such properly completed Letter of Transmittal, duly executed, the holder of such Company Virginia Sub Certificate or Company Virginia Sub Certificates shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor, as applicable, (i) a receipt representing that number of whole Parent ADSs or Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form to which such holder of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock shall have become entitled pursuant to the provisions of Article 4 and (ii) a check representing the amount of any cash in lieu of fractional shares that such holder has the right to receive in respect of the Company Virginia Sub Certificate or Company Virginia Sub Certificates surrendered pursuant to the provisions of this Article 5. No interest will be paid or accrued on any cash in lieu of fractional shares or on any unpaid dividends and distributions payable to holders of Company Virginia Sub Certificates.

(c) No dividends or other distributions with respect to Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Company Virginia Sub Certificate with respect to the Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs represented thereby, in each case unless and until the surrender of such Company Virginia Sub Certificate in accordance with this Article 5. Subject to the effect of applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws, following surrender of any such Company Virginia Sub Certificate in accordance with this Article 5, the record holder thereof shall be entitled to receive, without interest, (i) the amount of dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Exchange Effective Time theretofore payable with respect to the whole Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs represented by such Company Virginia Sub Certificate and not paid and/or (ii) at the appropriate payment date, the amount of dividends or other distributions payable with respect to Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs represented by such Company Virginia Sub Certificate with a record date after the Exchange Effective Time (but before such surrender date) and with a payment date subsequent to the issuance of the Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs issuable with respect to such Company Virginia Sub Certificate.

(d) If any receipt representing Parent ADSs or Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form are to be issued in a name other than that in which the Company Virginia Sub Certificate or Company Virginia Sub Certificates surrendered in exchange therefor is or are registered, it shall be a condition of the issuance thereof that the Company Virginia Sub Certificate or Company Virginia Sub Certificates so surrendered shall be properly endorsed (or accompanied by an appropriate instrument of transfer) and otherwise in proper form for transfer, and that the person requesting such exchange shall pay to the Exchange Agent in advance any transfer or other taxes required by reason of the issuance of a receipt representing Parent ADSs or Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form in any name other than that of the registered holder of the Company Virginia Sub Certificate or Company Virginia Sub Certificates surrendered, or required for any other reason, or shall establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

(e) After the Exchange Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the stock transfer books of Company Virginia Sub of the shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Exchange Effective Time. If, after the Exchange Effective Time, Company Virginia Sub Certificates are presented for transfer to the Exchange Agent, they shall be cancelled and exchanged for receipts representing Parent ADSs or Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form as provided in this Article 5.

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no certificates or scrip representing fractional Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing fractional Parent ADSs shall be issued upon the surrender of Company Virginia Sub Certificates for exchange, no dividend or distribution with respect to Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs shall be payable on or with respect to any fractional share, and such fractional share interests shall not entitle the owner thereof to vote or to any other rights of a holder of Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs. In lieu of the issuance of any such fractional share, Parent shall deliver to the Exchange Agent the Parent Ordinary Shares being sold by the Exchange Agent pursuant to the procedure described in Section 5.02(i).

(g) The Exchange Agent shall sell any Parent ADSs delivered to it by the Depositary and any non-cash portion of the Exchange Fund that remains unclaimed by the stockholders of Company Virginia Sub on the date falling 18 months after the Exchange Effective Time and shall return the proceeds of such sale and any other cash held in the Exchange Fund at such time to Company Virginia Sub. Any former shareholders of Company Virginia Sub who have not theretofore complied with this Article 5 shall thereafter look only to Company Virginia Sub with respect to the Share Consideration, any consideration in lieu of any fractional shares and any unpaid dividends and distributions on the Parent Ordinary Shares in account entry form or receipts representing Parent ADSs deliverable in respect of each share of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock such shareholder holds as determined pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of Parent, Company Virginia Sub, the Exchange Agent or any other person shall be liable to any former holder of shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock for any amount delivered in good faith to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws.

(h) In the event any Company Virginia Sub Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming such Company Virginia Sub Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and, if reasonably required by Parent or the Exchange Agent, the posting by such person of a bond in such amount as Parent may determine is reasonably necessary as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such Company Virginia Sub Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Company Virginia Sub Certificate the Share Consideration and any cash in lieu of fractional shares deliverable in respect thereof pursuant to this Agreement.

(i) The Exchange Agent shall aggregate all fractional interests in Parent Ordinary Shares and sell all such shares, in one or more transactions executed on one or more stock exchanges through one or more brokers nominated by Parent with the proceeds of such sale being remitted to the Exchange Agent as soon as practicable thereafter. The Exchange Agent shall deliver the cash proceeds of any such sales to former holders of shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock in lieu of their fractional interest in Parent Ordinary Shares or Parent ADSs. The proceeds to any holder of shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock sold by the Exchange Agent pursuant to this Section 5.02(i) shall be the proceeds before any costs associated with any such sale, and any costs incurred in connection with any such sale (including any commissions, currency exchange fees, transfer taxes and other transaction costs) shall be borne by Parent. For the avoidance of doubt, any reference in this Agreement to Parent providing to the Exchange Agent any funds in lieu of fractional shares shall refer exclusively to the procedure described in this Section 5.02(i), through which cash is generated through the sale by the Exchange Agent of Parent Ordinary Shares, and through which no cash is provided or funded by Parent at any time.

Section 5.03. Withholding Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Parent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under any provision of Tax law. If Parent so withholds amounts, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of which Parent made such deduction and withholding.

ARTICLE 6
Representations and Warranties of the Company

Subject to Section 13.06, except as (a) disclosed in any Company Qualifying SEC Report (other than (i) any information that is contained in the “Risk Factors” section of such Company Qualifying SEC Reports, except to the extent such information consists of factual historical statements, and (ii) any forward-looking statements, or other statements that are similarly predictive or forward-looking in nature, contained in such Company Qualifying SEC Reports) if the relevance of such disclosure as an exception to one or more of the following representations and warranties is reasonably apparent, or (b) set forth on the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company represents and warrants to Parent that:

Section 6.01. Corporate Existence and Power. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Company is a savings and loan holding company duly registered under the HOLA. The Company has all corporate powers and has, and has had at all relevant times, all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so qualified would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company has heretofore made available to Parent true and complete copies of the Charter and Company Bylaws as currently in effect.

Section 6.02. Corporate Authorization. (a) The Company has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby have been duly, validly and approved by the Company Board by Requisite Board Approval. Promptly following the organization of Company Virginia Sub, the Company, as the sole shareholder of Company Virginia Sub, will approve the Reincorporation Merger, the Share Exchange and waive any right to dissent from the Share Exchange for all purposes of Section 13.1-729 et seq. of the VSCA such that the provisions of such sections will not apply to this Agreement, the Transaction or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby and Section 13.1-725 et seq. and 13.1-728.1 et seq. will not apply thereto. Except for the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding Company Common Stock voting on the Reincorporation Merger, voting together as a single class to approve the Reincorporation Merger (the “Company Shareholder Approval”), no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the Transaction or the other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject, in the case of enforceability, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity or by applicable conservatorship or receivership provisions of the FDIA).

(b) At a meeting duly called and held, the Company Board has by the Requisite Board Approval (i) determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Transaction, the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange, are advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders and has directed that this Agreement be submitted to the Company’s shareholders for approval and adoption, (ii) recommended that such shareholders adopt and approve this Agreement and the Transaction, at a duly held meeting of such shareholders (such recommendation, the “Company Board Recommendation”), (iii) adopted a resolution to the foregoing effect, and (iv) taken all other actions necessary to exempt the Reincorporation Merger, the Share Exchange, the Voting Agreement, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by each of the foregoing from (A) any Defensive Measure (to the extent any such action necessary for such exemption can be taken by Company Board action) or (B) any “fair price”, “moratorium”, “control share acquisition”, “interested stockholder”, “business combination” or other similar statute or regulation promulgated by a Governmental Authority (including Sections 2538 and 2541 through 2588 of Pennsylvania Law and Sections 13.1-725 et seq. and 13.1-728 et seq. of the VSCA) (collectively, “Takeover Statutes”).

Section 6.03. Governmental Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority on the part of the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than (i) the filing of articles of merger with respect to the Reincorporation Merger with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the filing of the articles of merger and articles of share exchange and other appropriate merger and share exchange documents required by the VSCA, the issuance by the Virginia State Corporation Commission of the certificate of merger and certificate of share exchange pursuant to the VSCA with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, and other appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states in which the Company is qualified to do business, (ii) the filing with the SEC of the proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) in definitive form relating to the special meeting of the Company’s shareholders to be held in connection with this Agreement and the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby and the filing and declaration of effectiveness of the F-4 in which the Proxy Statement will be included as a prospectus of Parent, (iii) compliance with any applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and any other applicable state or federal securities laws, (iv) the filing of an application with the Federal Reserve Board under Section 4 of the BHC Act, a notice with the OTS under the HOLA and the approval of such application and notice, (v) filings of applications and notices with, and receipt of approvals or nonobjections from, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), and (vi) any actions or filings the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.04. Non-contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) contravene, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of any provision of the Charter, Company Bylaws or similar governing documents of any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 6.03, contravene, conflict with, or result in a violation or breach of any provision of any Applicable Law, (iii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 6.03, require any consent or other action by any Person under, constitute a default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default, under, or cause or permit the termination, cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled under any provision of any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any license, franchise, permit, certificate, approval or other similar authorization affecting, or relating in any way to, the assets or business of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (iv) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, with only such exceptions, in the case of each of clauses (ii) through (iv), as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.05. Capitalization. (a) The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 800,000,000 Shares and (ii) 7,500,000 shares of preferred stock, of which (x) 25,000 shares of preferred stock are classified as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock and (y) 8,000 shares of preferred stock are classified as Series C Preferred Stock. As of October 10, 2008, there were outstanding 662,641,448 Shares (of which an aggregate of 5,378,814 are Company Restricted Shares), no shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, 8,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock and employee stock options to purchase an aggregate of 8,314,464 Shares (of which options to purchase an aggregate of 6,026,495 Shares were exercisable). In addition, there are outstanding stock appreciation rights with respect to 700,000 Shares and restricted stock units with respect to 180,955 Shares. All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been, and all shares that may be issued pursuant to any employee stock option or other compensation plan or arrangement will be, when issued in accordance with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. No Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company owns any shares of capital stock of the Company. Section 6.05(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a complete and correct list of (A) each outstanding Company Stock Option, including the holder, date of grant, exercise price, vesting schedule and number of Shares subject thereto, and (B) each outstanding Company Restricted Share, including the holder, date of grant and number vested. None of the Company’s preferred stock, Company Securities (other than the Shares) or Company Subsidiary Securities have any voting, consent or approval rights with respect to the Transaction.

(b) There are outstanding no bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of the Company having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which shareholders of the Company may vote. Except as set forth in this Section 6.05 and for changes since October 10, 2008 resulting from the exercise of Company Stock Options outstanding on such date, there are no issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding (i) shares of capital stock of or voting securities of the Company, (ii) securities of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or voting securities of the Company, (iii) warrants, calls, options or other rights to acquire from the Company, or other obligation of the Company to issue, any capital stock or voting securities of the Company or (iv) restricted shares, stock appreciation rights, performance units, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any capital stock or voting securities of the Company (the items in clauses (i) though (iv) being referred to collectively as the “Company Securities”). There are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of the Company Securities. Except for the Investment Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any voting agreement with respect to the voting of any Company Securities.

Section 6.06. Subsidiaries. (a) Each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, has all organizational powers and has, and has had at all relevant times, all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals the absence of which would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. Each such Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is necessary, except for those jurisdictions where failure to be so qualified would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. All material Subsidiaries of the Company and their respective jurisdictions of organization are identified in the Company 10-K.

(b) All of the outstanding capital stock of, or other voting securities or ownership interests in, each Subsidiary of the Company is owned by the Company, directly or indirectly, free and clear of any Lien and free of any other limitation or restriction (including any restriction on the right to vote, sell or otherwise dispose of such capital stock or other voting securities or ownership interests). There are no issued, reserved for issuance or outstanding (i) securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of or other voting securities of or ownership interests in any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) warrants, calls, options or other rights to acquire from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or other obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any capital stock of or other voting securities or ownership interests in, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company or (iii) restricted shares, stock appreciation rights, performance units, contingent value rights, “phantom” stock or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any capital stock of, or other voting securities of or ownership interests in, any Subsidiary of the Company (the items in clauses (i) through (iii) being referred to collectively as the “Company Subsidiary Securities”). There are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of the Company Subsidiary Securities. Except for the capital stock or other equity or voting interests of its Subsidiaries, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock or other equity or voting interests in any Person.

(c) The Bank is a federal savings bank, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America. The Bank is a member in good standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh. The Bank has all corporate powers and has, and has had at all relevant times, all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. The deposits of the Bank are insured by the FDIC to the fullest extent permitted in the FDIA, and all premiums and assessments required to be paid in connection therewith have been paid when due.

(d) The authorized capital stock of the Bank consists of (i) 15,000,000 shares of common stock, $1.00 par value, of which 1,000 shares are outstanding, and (ii) 7,500,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value, of which no shares are outstanding, validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable, free of preemptive rights, all of which are owned by the Company free and clear of any Liens.

Section 6.07. Company Virginia Sub. (a) Following the date of its incorporation, Company Virginia Sub will not engage in any activities other than in connection with or contemplated by the joinder agreement to this Agreement or this Agreement. Company Virginia Sub will have full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the joinder agreement to this Agreement and to consummate the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery of the joinder agreement to this Agreement and the consummation of the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will be duly, validly and unanimously approved by the Company as the sole shareholder of the Company Virginia Sub. The joinder agreement to this Agreement will be duly and validly executed and delivered by Company Virginia Sub and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Parent of the joinder agreement to this Agreement) will constitute a valid and binding obligation of Company Virginia Sub, enforceable against Company Virginia Sub in accordance with its terms (except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity). The Company as the sole shareholder of Company Virginia Sub will unanimously approve this Agreement, the joinder agreement to this Agreement, the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby as required to render inapplicable to this Agreement, the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby all restrictions set forth in any Takeover Statutes of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

(b) Neither the execution and delivery of the joinder agreement to this Agreement by Company Virginia Sub nor the consummation by Company Virginia Sub of the Transaction or the other transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, nor compliance by Company Virginia Sub with any of the terms or provisions of the joinder agreement to this Agreement and this Agreement, will (i) violate any provision of the Company Virginia Sub Articles or the Company Virginia Sub Bylaws or (ii) assuming that the consents, approvals and filings referred to in Section 6.07(c) are duly obtained and/or made, (A) violate any statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ, decree or Injunction applicable to Company Virginia Sub, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets or (B) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any provision of or the loss of any benefit under, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, result in the termination of or a right of termination or cancellation under, accelerate the performance required by, or result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the respective properties or assets of Company Virginia Sub or any of its Subsidiaries under, any of the terms, conditions or provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license, lease, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which Company Virginia Sub or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties or assets is bound.

(c) Except for (i) the filing of articles of merger with respect to the Reincorporation Merger with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the filing of the articles of merger and articles of share exchange and other appropriate merger and share exchange documents required by the VSCA with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, the issuance by the Virginia State Corporation Commission of the certificate of merger and certificate of share exchange pursuant to the VSCA, and other appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states in which the Company is qualified to do business, (ii) compliance with any applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and any other applicable state or federal securities laws, (iii) the filing of an application with the Federal Reserve Board under Section 4 of the BHC Act and the approval of such application, (iv) filings of applications and notices with, and receipt of approvals or nonobjections from FINRA, (v) a notice with the OTS under the HOLA and the approval of such notice, (vi) the Company Shareholder Approval, and (vii) such filings and approvals as are required to be made or obtained under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of various states in connection with the issuance of the Parent Ordinary Shares and Parent ADSs pursuant to this Agreement and approval of listing of such Parent Ordinary Shares and Parent ADSs on the NYSE, no consents or approvals of or filings or registrations with any Governmental Authority, are necessary in connection with the consummation by Company Virginia Sub of the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No consents or approvals of or filings or registrations with any Governmental Authority are necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by Company Virginia Sub of the joinder agreement to this Agreement.

Section 6.08. SEC Filings and the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. (a) The Company has filed with or furnished to the SEC, and made available to Parent, all reports, schedules, forms, statements, prospectuses, registration statements and other documents required to be filed or furnished by the Company since January 1, 2007 (collectively, together with any exhibits and schedules thereto and other information incorporated therein, the “Company SEC Documents”). As of its filing date (and as of the date of any amendment), each Company SEC Document complied, and each Company SEC Document filed subsequent to the date hereof will comply, as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, as the case may be. As of its filing date (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, on the date of such filing), each Company SEC Document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act did not, and each Company SEC Document filed subsequent to the date hereof will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each Company SEC Document that is a registration statement, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, as of the date such registration statement or amendment became effective, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(b) The Company has implemented and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the 1934 Act are being prepared. Such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer to material information required to be included in the Company’s periodic and current reports required under the 1934 Act. For purposes of this Agreement, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act.

(c) The Company has established and maintained a system of internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the Company’s financial reporting and the preparation of Company financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation of internal controls prior to the date hereof, to the Company’s auditors and audit committee (i) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in internal controls.

(d) There are no outstanding loans or other extensions of credit made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any executive officer (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) or director of the Company. The Company has not, since the enactment of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act, taken any action prohibited by Section 402 of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act.

(e) The Company has complied in all material respects with the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the NYSE.

(f) Each of the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Company, as applicable) have made all certifications required by Rule 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the 1934 Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC and the NYSE, and the statements contained in any such certifications are complete and correct.

Section 6.09. Financial Statements. The audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidated interim financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Company SEC Documents fairly present, in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto), the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments in the case of any unaudited interim financial statements).

Section 6.10. Disclosure Documents. (a) Each document required to be filed by the Company with the SEC or required to be distributed or otherwise disseminated to the Company’s shareholders in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Company Disclosure Documents”), including the Schedule 13E-3, and the Proxy Statement to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby, and any amendments or supplements thereto, when filed, distributed or disseminated, as applicable, will comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1934 Act.

(b) (i) The Proxy Statement, as supplemented or amended, if applicable, at the time such Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto is first mailed to shareholders of the Company and at the time such shareholders vote on adoption of this Agreement, and (ii) any Company Disclosure Document (other than the Proxy Statement), at the time of the filing of such Company Disclosure Document or any supplement or amendment thereto and at the time of any distribution or dissemination thereof, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties contained in this Section 6.10(b) will not apply to statements or omissions included in the Company Disclosure Documents based upon information furnished to the Company in writing by Parent or its Representatives specifically for use therein.

(c) The information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries (including Company Virginia Sub) that is provided by the Company or its representatives for inclusion in the F-4, the Schedule 13E-3, the Prospectus, any Company Disclosure Document or in any other document filed with any other Regulatory Agency or Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are made, not misleading.

Section 6.11. Absence of Certain Changes. Since the Company Balance Sheet Date, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been conducted in the ordinary course consistent with past practices and there has not been (other than as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents publicly filed after the Company Balance Sheet Date and prior to the date hereof or the Company Balance Sheet) any event, occurrence, development or state of circumstances or facts that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.12. No Undisclosed Material Liabilities. There are no liabilities or obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any kind whatsoever, whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise, and there is no existing condition, situation or set of circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in such a liability, other than (a) liabilities or obligations disclosed and provided for in the Company Balance Sheet or in the notes thereto, (b) liabilities or obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices since the Company Balance Sheet Date and (c) liabilities and obligations that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.13. Compliance with Laws and Court Orders. (a) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is and has been in compliance with, and to the Knowledge of the Company is not under investigation with respect to and has not been threatened to be charged with or given notice of any violation of, any Applicable Law, except, in each case, for failures to comply or violations that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(b) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries have all material governmental licenses, permits, certificates, approvals and authorizations (“Permits”) necessary for the conduct of their business and the use of their properties and assets, as presently conducted and used, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice from any Governmental Authority that any Permit is subject to any adverse action, or to the Knowledge of the Company, has any notice or adverse action been threatened, except where the failure to have any such Permit or the receipt of such notice would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.14. Litigation. There is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending against, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any Employee Plan, or any of their respective properties before (or, in the case of threatened actions, suits, investigations or proceedings, would be before) or by any Governmental Authority or arbitrator that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.

Section 6.15. Properties. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and valid title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its property and assets reflected in the Company Balance Sheet or acquired after December 31, 2007. None of such property or assets is subject to any Lien, except (a) Liens disclosed on the Company Balance Sheet or the notes thereto, (b) Liens for taxes not yet due, payable or being contested in good faith, (c) Liens that that would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect or would not reasonably be expected to materially detract from the value or materially interfere with any present or intended use of such property or assets or (d) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) each lease, sublease or license (each, a “Lease”) under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries leases, subleases or licenses any real property is valid and in full force and effect and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Knowledge of the Company, any other party to a Lease, has violated any provision of, or taken or failed to take any act which, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default under the provisions of such Lease and, to the Knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice that it has breached, violated or defaulted under any Lease.

Section 6.16. Intellectual Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) the Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use (in each case, free and clear of any Liens), all Intellectual Property used in or necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated the Intellectual Property rights of any Person; (iii) to the Knowledge of the Company, no Person has challenged, infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property right owned by and/or licensed to the Company or its Subsidiaries; (iv) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice or otherwise has Knowledge of any pending claim, action, suit, order or proceeding with respect to any Intellectual Property used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or alleging that the any services provided, processes used or products manufactured, used, imported, offered for sale or sold by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property rights of any Person; (v) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not alter, encumber, impair or extinguish any Intellectual Property right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or impair the right of Parent to develop, use, sell, license or dispose of, or to bring any action for the infringement of, any Intellectual Property right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and (vi) the Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented reasonable backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry practices.

Section 6.17. Taxes.

(a) All material Tax Returns required by Applicable Law to be filed with any Taxing Authority by, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have been filed when due in accordance with all Applicable Law, and all such material Tax Returns are true and complete in all material respects.

(b) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has paid (or has had paid on its behalf) or has withheld and remitted to the appropriate Taxing Authority all Taxes due and payable, or, where payment is not yet due, has established (or has had established on its behalf and for its sole benefit and recourse) in accordance with GAAP an adequate accrual for all material Taxes through the end of the last period for which the Company and its Subsidiaries ordinarily record items on their respective books.

(c) The income and franchise Tax Returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries through the Tax year ended December 31, 2002 have been examined and closed or are Tax Returns with respect to which the applicable period for assessment under Applicable Law, after giving effect to extensions or waivers, has expired.

(d) There is no claim, audit, action, suit, proceeding or investigation now pending or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened against or with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries in respect of any Tax.

(e) During the two-year period ending on the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries was a distributing corporation or a controlled corporation in a transaction intended to be governed by Section 355 of the Code.

(f) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has properly withheld and timely paid over to the applicable Taxing Authority all material taxes that it is required to withhold from amounts paid to any employee, partner, independent contractor, creditor, shareholder or other person.

(g) There are no Liens for material Taxes on any of the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than Liens for Taxes not yet due or Taxes being contested in good faith in appropriate proceedings and for which adequate accruals and reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP.

(h) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or has been, a party to any Tax Sharing Agreement (other than an agreement exclusively among the Company and/or its Subsidiaries) pursuant to which it will have any obligation to make any payments in respect of Taxes after the Exchange Effective Time.

(i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has participated in a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2).

(j) “Tax” means (i) any tax, governmental fee or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever (including withholding on amounts paid to or by any Person), together with any interest, penalty, addition to tax or additional amount imposed by any Governmental Authority (a “Taxing Authority”) responsible for the imposition of any such tax (domestic or foreign), and any liability for any of the foregoing as transferee, (ii) in the case of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, liability for the payment of any amount of the type described in clause (i) as a result of being or having been before the Exchange Effective Time a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group, or a party to any agreement or arrangement, as a result of which liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to a Taxing Authority is determined or taken into account with reference to the activities of any other Person, and (iii) liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for the payment of any amount as a result of being party to any Tax Sharing Agreement or with respect to the payment of any amount imposed on any person of the type described in (i) or (ii) as a result of any existing express or implied agreement or arrangement (including an indemnification agreement or arrangement). “Tax Return” means any report, return, document, declaration or other information or filing required to be supplied to any Taxing Authority with respect to Taxes, including information returns, any documents with respect to or accompanying payments of estimated Taxes, or with respect to or accompanying requests for the extension of time in which to file any such report, return, document, declaration or other information. “Tax Sharing Agreements” means all existing agreements or arrangements (whether or not written) binding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that provide for the allocation, apportionment, sharing or assignment of any Tax liability or benefit, or the transfer or assignment of income, revenues, receipts, or gains for the purpose of determining any Person’s Tax liability (excluding any indemnification agreement or arrangement pertaining to the sale or lease of assets or subsidiaries, and any agreement allocating income, gains, deductions or losses of an entity in which the Company or any Subsidiary is treated as a partner for tax purposes).

Section 6.18. Employees and Employee Benefits Plans. (a) Section 6.18(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a correct and complete list identifying each Employee Plan. A copy of each Employee Plan (and, if applicable, any related trust or funding agreements or insurance policies) and all amendments thereto have been made available to Parent together with, if applicable, the most recent annual report (Form 5500) and actuarial report prepared in connection with such Employee Plan or trust.

(b) Except as would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) no “reportable event,” within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA, other than a “reportable event” which would not reasonably be expected to give rise to any material liability for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and no event described in Section 4062 or 4063 of ERISA, has occurred in connection with any Employee Plan and (ii) either the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate of the Company has engaged in, or is a successor or parent corporation to an entity that has engaged in, a transaction described in Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA or has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, (x) any liability under Title IV of ERISA arising in connection with the termination of, or a complete or partial withdrawal from, any Employee Plan covered or previously covered by Title IV of ERISA or (y) any liability under Section 4971 of the Code that in either case could become a liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Parent or any of its ERISA Affiliates after the Exchange Effective Time.

(c) With respect to each Employee Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code: (i) no “accumulated funding deficiency” has been incurred, (ii) neither Parent nor the Company nor any of their respective Subsidiaries is reasonably expected to be required to post security under ERISA with respect to the funding any such Employee Plan and (iii) the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has not instituted or threatened to institute proceedings for the termination of any such Employee Plan.

(d) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates nor any predecessor thereof contributes to (or has any obligation to contribute to), or has in the past six years contributed to (or had any obligation to contribute to), any multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.

(e) Each Employee Plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter, or has pending or has time remaining in which to file an application for such determination, from the Internal Revenue Service, and the Company is not aware of any reason why any such determination letter should be revoked or not be reissued. The Company has made available to Parent copies of the most recent Internal Revenue Service determination letter with respect to each such Employee Plan. Each Employee Plan has been maintained in substantial compliance with its terms and with the requirements prescribed by any and all Applicable Laws, including ERISA and the Code, which are applicable to such Employee Plan.

(f) The consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (either alone or together with any other event) entitle any current or former employee, director or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to severance pay or accelerate the time of payment or vesting or trigger any payment of funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) of compensation or benefits under or increase the amount payable or trigger any other material obligation, requirement or restriction pursuant to any Employee Plan. There is no contract, plan or arrangement (written or otherwise) covering any employee or former employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, individually or collectively, would entitle such employee or former employee to any material payment or benefit as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby that would not be deductible pursuant to the terms of Section 280G of the Code.

(g) No officer, employee, director or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled to receive any tax gross-up, indemnity or similar payment from the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of the imposition of any income tax or excise tax under Section 409A of the Code.

(h) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liability in respect of any post-retirement health, medical or life insurance benefits for retired, former or current employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries except as required to avoid excise tax under Section 4980B of the Code.

(i) Except as required by Applicable Law, there has been no amendment to, written interpretation of or announcement (whether or not written) by the Company or any of its Affiliates relating to, or change in employee participation or coverage under, any employee benefit plan which would increase materially the expense of maintaining such employee benefit plan above the level of the expense incurred in respect thereof for the fiscal year ended as of the Company Balance Sheet Date.

(j) All material contributions and payments accrued under each Employee Plan, determined in accordance with prior funding and accrual practices, have been discharged and paid on or prior to the date hereof, or to the extent not paid, have been reflected as a liability on the Company Balance Sheet in accordance with GAAP.

(k) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is party to any effective or pending collective bargaining agreement or similar labor agreement covering employees or former employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries have substantially complied with all Applicable Laws relating to labor and employment, including those relating to wages, hours, collective bargaining, unemployment compensation, worker’s compensation, equal employment opportunity, age and disability discrimination, immigration control, employee classification, information privacy and security, payment and withholding of taxes and continuation coverage with respect to group health plans. Each employee, director and independent contractor of the Company and its Subsidiaries is principally employed or engaged in the United States.

(l) Since the Company Balance Sheet Date, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has effectuated or announced (i) a “plant closing” (as defined in the WARN Act) affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within any site of employment or facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) a “mass layoff” (as defined in the WARN Act) or (iii) such other transaction, layoff, reduction in force or employment terminations sufficient in number to trigger application of any similar Applicable Law.

Section 6.19. Environmental Matters. (a) Except as would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, to the Knowledge of the Company: (i) no written notice, order, complaint or penalty has been received by any Company arising out of any Environmental Law in the five years prior to the date of this Agreement, and there are no judicial, administrative or other actions, suits or proceedings pending or threatened which allege a violation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any Environmental Laws; (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all Environmental Permits necessary for their operations to comply with all applicable Environmental Laws and are in compliance with the terms of such permits; and (iii) the operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of applicable Environmental Laws.

(b) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns, leases or operates any real property or conducts any operations in New Jersey or Connecticut such that the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby would require material filings to be made or material actions to be taken pursuant to the New Jersey Industrial Site Recovery Act or the “Connecticut Property Transfer Law” (Sections 22a 134 through 22 134e of the Connecticut General Statutes).

(c) For purposes of this Section 6.19, the terms “Company” and “Subsidiaries” shall include any entity that is, in whole or in part, a predecessor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 6.20. Material Contracts. (a) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any contract, arrangement, lease, commitment or understanding (whether written or oral) (i) that is a “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K of the SEC) to be performed after the date of this Agreement that has not been filed or incorporated by reference in the Company SEC Reports filed prior to the date hereof, (ii) that contains (A) any non-competition or exclusive dealing agreement, or any other agreement or obligation which purports to limit or restrict in any respect the ability of the Company, the Surviving Corporation or any of their Subsidiaries or their businesses or, following consummation of the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby, Parent or its Affiliates, to solicit customers or the manner in which, or the localities in which, all or any portion of the business of the Company or its Subsidiaries or, following consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, Parent or its Affiliates, is or would be conducted or (B) any agreement that grants any right of first refusal or right of first offer or similar right or that limits or purports to limit the ability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, following consummation of the Transaction, Parent or its Affiliates, to own or operate any assets or business, (iii) containing a “most favored nation” clause or other similar term providing preferential pricing or treatment to a party (other than the Company or its Subsidiaries) that is material to the Company or its Subsidiaries, (iv) between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any Affiliate, director or officer (or, to the Company’s Knowledge, any of their respective Affiliates), on the other hand, other than (A) contracts between the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, (B) contracts among Subsidiaries of the Company and (C) contracts with Parent or its Affiliates or (v) that, upon the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, requires any consent or other action by any Person under, constitutes a default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default, under, or causes or permits the termination, cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled and that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Each contract, arrangement, commitment or understanding of the type described in this Section, whether or not set forth in the Company Disclosure Schedule, is referred to as a “Material Contract”.

(b) Except for breaches, violations or defaults which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) each of the Material Contracts is valid and in full force and effect and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Company’s Knowledge any other party to a Material Contract, has violated any provision of, or taken or failed to take any action which, with or without notice, lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default under the provisions of such Material Contract, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice that it has breached, violated or defaulted under any Material Contract.

Section 6.21. Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries have in full force and effect the insurance coverage with respect to their business.

Section 6.22. Reports; Regulatory Matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all reports, forms, correspondence, registrations and statements, together with any amendments required to be made with respect thereto (“Reports”), that they were required to file since January 1, 2006 with (i) any domestic securities, broker-dealer, investment adviser, and insurance agency self-regulatory organization, (ii) the Federal Reserve Board, (iii) the OTS, (iv) the FDIC and (v) any other federal or state governmental or regulatory agency or authority with supervisory responsibility over the operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries (the agencies and authorities identified in clauses (i) through (v), inclusive, are, collectively, the “Regulatory Agencies”), and all other reports and statements required to be filed by them since January 1, 2006, including any report or statement required to be filed pursuant to the laws, rules or regulations of the United States, any state, or any Regulatory Agency and have paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection therewith, except where the failure to file such report, registration or statement or to pay such fees and assessments would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to the jurisdiction of a non-U.S. Governmental Authority. Any such Report and any statement regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries made in any Report filed with or otherwise submitted to any Regulatory Agency complied in all material respects with relevant legal requirements, including as to content. Except for normal examinations conducted by a Regulatory Agency in the ordinary course of the business of the Companies and its Subsidiaries, there are no material pending proceedings before, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, material investigations by, any Regulatory Agency into the business or operations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Except as have been previously disclosed to the Company Board, there are no unresolved violations, criticisms, or exceptions by any Regulatory Agency with respect to any report or statement relating to any examinations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for any such violations, criticisms or exceptions are not, individually or in the aggregate, material.

Section 6.23. Agreements With Regulatory Authorities. Except as is not material, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any cease-and-desist or other order or enforcement action issued by, or is a party to any written agreement, consent agreement or memorandum of understanding with, or is a party to any commitment letter or similar undertaking to, or is subject to any order or directive by, or since January 1, 2006 has been ordered to pay any civil penalty by, or is a recipient of any supervisory letter from, or has outstanding any board resolutions adopted at the request or suggestion of any Regulatory Agency or other Governmental Entity that restricts the conduct of its business or that relates to its capital adequacy, its ability to pay dividends, its credit or risk management policies, its management or its business (each, whether or not set forth in the Company Disclosure Schedule, a “Regulatory Agreement”), nor has the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries been advised since January 1, 2006 by any Regulatory Agency or other Governmental Entity that it is considering issuing or requiring any such Regulatory Agreement.

Section 6.24. Investment Securities. Except as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries each has good and marketable title to all securities held by it (except securities sold under repurchase agreements or held in any fiduciary or agency capacity) free and clear of any Lien, except to the extent such securities are pledged in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries and except for such defects in title or Liens that would not be material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and (ii) such securities are valued on the books of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

Section 6.25. Derivative Instruments. Except as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) all Derivative Transactions (as herein defined) were entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and in accordance with prudent banking practices and applicable rules, regulations and policies of any Regulatory Agency and other policies, practices and procedures employed by the Company and its Subsidiaries and with counterparties believed at the time to be financially responsible and are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries enforceable against it in accordance with their terms (except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and the availability of equitable remedies), and are in full force and effect, (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have duly performed their obligations under the Derivative Transactions to the extent required, and (iii) to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no breaches, violations or defaults or allegations or assertions of such by any party thereunder. As used herein, “Derivative Transactions” means any swap transaction, option, warrant, forward purchase or sale transaction, futures transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction or collar transaction relating to one or more currencies, commodities, bonds, equity securities, loans, interest rates, prices, values, or other financial or non-financial assets, credit-related events or conditions or any indexes, or any other similar transaction or combination of any of these transactions, including collateralized any debt or equity instruments evidencing or embedding any such types of transactions, and any related credit support, collateral or other similar arrangements related to such transactions.

Section 6.26. Finders’ Fees. Except for the financial advisors set forth in the Company Disclosure Schedules, a copy of whose engagement agreements have been provided to Parent, there is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries who might be entitled to any fee or commission from the Company or any of its Affiliates in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 6.27. Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Company has received the opinion of Barclays, financial advisor to the Company, to the effect that, as of the date of this Agreement, the Exchange Ratio is fair to the shareholders of the Company (other than Parent and its Affiliates) from a financial point of view under the circumstances applicable to the Company as of the date hereof.

Section 6.28. Antitakeover Statutes and Rights Agreement. (a) The Company has taken all action necessary to exempt the Voting Agreement, this Agreement, the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated by each of the foregoing from any Takeover Statute, and, accordingly, no Takeover Statute applies or purports to apply to any such transactions.

(b) The Company has taken all action necessary to render the provisions of Articles 11 and 16 of the Charter inapplicable to, or otherwise consistent with the Voting Agreement, this Agreement, the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated by each of the foregoing, and unable to prevent Parent from exercising its rights under this Agreement or the Voting Agreement or making it more difficult to obtain the approval of the Company Board or the shareholders of the Company than it would be in the absence of such provision.

(c) The Company has taken all action necessary to render the rights issued pursuant to the terms of the Rights Agreement inapplicable to the Voting Agreement, this Agreement, the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated by each of the foregoing.

(d) The Company has taken all actions necessary so that, to the extent such actions are within the Company’s or the Company Board’s powers, any other Defensive Measures are rendered inapplicable to, or are otherwise consistent with, and do not prevent Parent from exercising its rights under, the Voting Agreement, this Agreement, the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated by each of the foregoing.

Section 6.29. Allowance For Losses. The allowance for loan losses reflected, and to be reflected, in the Reports each has been, and will be, established in compliance with the requirements of all applicable regulatory criteria, and the allowance for loan losses shown, and to be shown, on the balance sheets contained in the Company Qualifying SEC Reports have been, and will be, established in compliance with the applicable requirements of GAAP.

Section 6.30. Related Party Transactions. Except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents or in the footnotes to the Company Qualifying SEC Reports, the Company is not a party to any material transaction (including any loan or other credit accommodation, but excluding deposits in the ordinary course of business) with any Affiliate of the Company (except (i) a Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) Parent and its Subsidiaries). All such transactions (a) were made in the ordinary course of business, (b) were made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other Persons, and (c) did not involve more than the normal risk of collectibility or present other risks or unfavorable features. No loan or credit accommodation to any Affiliate of the Company is presently in default or, during the three-year period prior to the date of this Agreement, has been in default or has been restructured, modified or extended. Neither the Company nor the Bank has been notified that principal and interest with respect to any such loan or other credit accommodation will not be paid when due or that the loan grade classification accorded such loan or credit accommodation by the Bank is inappropriate.

Section 6.31. Loans. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, each loan reflected as an asset in the Company Qualifying SEC Reports (a) was originated, underwritten, approved, documented and periodically approved in all material respects in accordance with prudent lending standards generally accepted in the banking business and, to the Knowledge of the Company, after appropriate inquiry, did not deviate in any material respect from the Company’s policies and procedures, and (b) is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the obligor named therein, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles (except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general applicability relating to the affecting creditors’ rights or by general equity principles). Each extension of credit made by the Bank to an “insider” (as such term is defined in the Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation O) of the Bank or the Company complies with the Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation O, as made applicable to the Bank by 12 C.F.R. § 563.43.

Section 6.32. Anti-money Laundering and Customer Information Security. Neither the Company nor the Bank is aware of, has been advised of, or has reason to believe that any facts or circumstances exist, which would cause the Bank (a) to be deemed to be operating in violation in any respect of the federal Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, and its implementing regulations (31 C.F.R. Part 103), the USA Patriot Act of 2001, Public Law 107-56 (the “USA Patriot Act”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder, any order issued with respect to anti-money laundering by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other applicable anti-money laundering statute, rule or regulation, or (b) to be deemed not to be in satisfactory compliance in any respect with the applicable privacy of customer information requirements contained in any federal and state privacy laws and regulations, including, without limitation, in Title V of the ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 1999 and regulations promulgated thereunder, as well as the provisions of the information security program adopted by the Bank pursuant to 12 C.F.R. Part 364. The Bank Board of Directors has adopted and implemented an anti-money laundering program that contains adequate and appropriate customer identification certification procedures that has not been deemed ineffective in any material respects by any Regulatory Agency and that meets the requirements in all material respects of Section 352 of the USA Patriot Act and the regulations thereunder.

Section 6.33. Credit Card Accounts. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries originates, maintains or administers credit card accounts.

Section 6.34. No Reliance. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) neither Parent nor any Person on behalf of Parent is making any representations or warranties whatsoever, express or implied, beyond those expressly made by Parent in Article 7 and (b) the Company has not been induced by, or relied upon, any representations, warranties or statements (written or oral), whether express or implied, made by any Person, that are not expressly set forth in Article 7 of this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company acknowledges that no representations or warranties are made with respect to any projections, forecasts, estimates, budgets or information as to prospects with respect to Parent and its Subsidiaries that may have been made available to the Company or any of its Representatives.

ARTICLE 7
Representations and Warranties of Parent

Subject to Section 13.06, except as (a) disclosed in any Parent Qualifying SEC Report (other than (i) any information that is contained in the “Risk Factors” section of such Parent Qualifying SEC Reports, except to the extent such information consists of factual historical statements, and (ii) any forward-looking statements, or other statements that are similarly predictive or forward-looking in nature, contained in such Parent Qualifying SEC Reports) if the relevance of such disclosure as an exception to one or more of the following representations and warranties is reasonably apparent, or (b) set forth in the Parent Disclosure Schedule, Parent represents and warrants to the Company that:

Section 7.01. Corporate Existence and Power. Parent is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. The Parent has all corporate powers and has, and has had at all relevant times, all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. True, complete and correct copies of the Bylaws (estatutos) of Parent, as amended (the “Parent Bylaws”), as in effect as of the date of this Agreement, have previously been made available to the Company.

Section 7.02. Capitalization. As of the date hereof, the issued share capital of Parent is €3,197,623,761.50, represented by 6,395,247,523 shares of capital stock, each of 50 euro-cents nominal value, fully subscribed and paid up. All outstanding shares of the capital stock of Parent (and all of the shares to be delivered as Share Consideration) have been, and all shares that may be issued pursuant to any employee stock option or other compensation plan or arrangement will be prior to issuance in accordance with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive rights arising out of Spanish law, the Parent Bylaws or any contract binding upon Parent, with no personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof. As the date of this Agreement, there are no bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of Parent having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities having the right to vote) on any matters on which Parent shareholders may vote (“Voting Debt”) other than October 2007 €7 billion Valores mandatorily convertible into Parent Ordinary Shares. As of the date of this Agreement, except pursuant to this Agreement, Parent does not have and is not bound by any outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments or agreements of any character calling for the issuance of Parent Ordinary Shares, Voting Debt or any other equity securities of Parent or any securities representing the right to have any Parent Ordinary Shares issued, Voting Debt or any other equity securities of Parent issued except Parent Ordinary Shares that may be issued pursuant to (i) customary resolutions passed by the Parent’s shareholders meeting under sections 153.1.a) and 153.1.b) of SCL which are currently outstanding for total nominal value of, respectively, €1,563,574,144.5 and €375,000,000, (ii) pursuant to share option schemes of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iii) due to the Parent Ordinary Shares issued following the conversion of securities convertible into Parent Ordinary Shares which were outstanding as at the date of this Agreement (including the October 2007 €7 billion Valores mandatorily convertible into Parent Ordinary Shares).

Section 7.03. Corporate Authorization. The Parent has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (except for such corporate action to be taken after the date hereof in accordance with this Agreement) have been duly authorized, validly executed and approved by the Parent Board. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Parent and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Parent, enforceable against the Parent in accordance with its terms (subject, in the case of enforceability, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity).

Section 7.04. Governmental Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by Parent of this Agreement and the consummation by Parent of the transactions contemplated hereby require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority on the part of Parent or its Subsidiaries, other than (1) compliance with any applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or any other state or federal securities laws, (2) the filing of applications with the Federal Reserve Board under Section 4 of the BHC Act, a notice with the OTS under the HOLA, and the approval of such application and notice, (3) the filing with the SEC of the Proxy Statement in definitive form relating to the special meeting of the Company’s shareholders to be held in connection with this Agreement and the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby and the filings of the Schedule 13E-3 and the filing and declaration of effectiveness of the F-4 in which the Proxy Statement will be included as a prospectus of Parent, (4) the filing of articles of merger and articles of share exchange and other appropriate merger and share exchange documents required by the VSCA, the issuance by the Virginia State Corporation Commission of the certificate of merger and certificate of share exchange pursuant to the VSCA, and other appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states in which the Company is qualified to do business, and the filing of articles of merger with respect to the Reincorporation Merger with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, (5) such filings and approvals as are required to be made or obtained under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of various states and other jurisdictions in connection with the issuance of the Parent Ordinary Shares pursuant to this Agreement and approval of listing of such Parent Ordinary Shares and Parent ADSs on the NYSE, (6) the registration with and verification by the NSEC of a prospectus (folleto) relating to the Share Exchange (the “Prospectus”) and all other necessary filings with the Spanish Stock Exchanges, and with all other stock exchanges in which Parent Ordinary Shares are listed, which are necessary for admission to listing of Parent Ordinary Shares, (7) the filing of the Deed of execution of the Capital Increase against contribution in kind, the filing of the necessary auditors’ report and the filing of the necessary report of the expert designated by the Commercial Registry relating to the fair value of the assets acquired by Parent in the Transaction, (8) required approvals of the Bank of Spain and the Spanish Direccion General de Seguros, (9) filings of applications and notices with, and receipt of approvals or nonobjections from the FINRA and (10) any actions or filings the absence of which would not be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.05. Non-contravention. (a) Parent has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby have been duly, validly and unanimously approved by the Executive Committee of the Parent Board. The Parent Board will, following receipt of the necessary report of the auditor designated by the Commercial Registry relating to the abolishment of the preemptive rights of holders of Parent Ordinary Shares, call an Extraordinary General Meeting of Parent to propose the Capital Increase required in connection with the Share Exchange (the “Capital Increase”) and will propose such Capital Increase at such Extraordinary General Meeting, including approval in accordance with Section 159 of the SCL of a resolution abolishing the preemptive rights of holders of Parent Ordinary Shares to subscribe for the Parent Ordinary Shares being issued in the Share Exchange, which approval shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Parent Ordinary Shares present in person or represented by proxy at a duly constituted meeting of holders of Parent Ordinary Shares at which meeting, if on first call, a quorum of at least one-half of the issued share capital is present or represented by proxy or, if on second call, a quorum of at least one-quarter of the issued share capital is present or represented by proxy (provided, however, if, on second call, less than one-half of the issued share capital is present or represented by proxy, the matters being voted upon must be adopted by at least two-thirds of the share capital present or represented at such meeting) (“Parent Shareholder Approval”). No other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent are necessary to approve this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby other than the resolution of the Parent Board executing the Capital Increase, which resolution shall be adopted following receipt of the Parent Shareholder Approval in accordance with the provisions hereof and of the necessary report of the expert designated by the Commercial Registry relating to the fair market value of the assets to be accepted by Parent in the Share Exchange and once the other actions stated in this Agreement to be taken prior to such resolution have been taken.

(b) The execution, delivery and performance by Parent of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) contravene, conflict with, or result in a violation or breach of any provision of the organizational documents of Parent or any Parent Subsidiaries, (ii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 7.04 and Section 7.05(a), contravene, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of any provision of any Applicable Law, (iii) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 7.04 and Section 7.05(a), require any consent or other action by any Person under, constitute a default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default, under, or cause or permit the termination, cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which Parent or any Parent Subsidiary is entitled under any provision of any agreement or other instrument binding upon Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, with only with such exceptions as, in the case of clauses (ii) through (iv), would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

Section 7.06. Disclosure Documents. (a) The information with respect to Parent and any of its Subsidiaries that Parent furnishes to the Company in writing specifically for use in any Company Disclosure Document will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (i) in the case of the Proxy Statement, as supplemented or amended, if applicable, at the time such Proxy Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto is first mailed to shareholders of the Company and at the time such shareholders vote on adoption of this Agreement, and (ii) in the case of any Company Disclosure Document other than the Proxy Statement, at the time of the filing of such Company Disclosure Document or any supplement or amendment thereto and at the time of any distribution or dissemination thereof. Each document required to be filed by the Parent with the SEC or required to be distributed or otherwise disseminated in the U.S. to the Parent’s shareholders in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any amendments or supplements thereto, when filed, distributed or disseminated, as applicable, will comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.

(b) The Schedule 13E-3, when filed and distributed or disseminated, will comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and, at the time of such filing will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that this representation and warranty will not apply to statements or omissions included in the Schedule 13E-3 based upon information furnished to Parent by the Company or any of its Representatives specifically for use therein.

(c) The information supplied by Parent for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the F-4 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 provided that this representation and warranty will not apply to statements or omissions included in the F-4 based upon information furnished to Parent by the Company or any of its Representatives specifically for use therein. The F-4 will comply as to form in all material respects with the provisions of the 1933 Act.

Section 7.07. Financial Statements. The financial statements of Parent and its Subsidiaries included (or incorporated by reference) in the Parent SEC Documents (including the related notes, where applicable, and including any preliminary financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2008 furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K) (and the 2008 20-F, when filed, will) (i) fairly present in all material respects the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and consolidated financial position of Parent and its Subsidiaries for the respective fiscal periods or as of the respective dates therein set forth (subject in the case of unaudited statements to recurring year-end audit adjustments normal in nature and amount) and (ii) have been prepared in accordance with EU-IFRS (applied as required by the Bank of Spain under circular 4/2004) consistently applied during the periods involved, except, in each case, as indicated in such statements or in the notes thereto, and, to the extent required by the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, reconciled to GAAP as noted therein during the periods involved.

Section 7.08. Finders’ Fees. Except for ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc., Lazard and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, whose fees and expenses will be paid by Parent, there is no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of Parent who might be entitled to any fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

Section 7.09. No Reliance. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, Parent acknowledges and agrees that (a) neither the Company nor any Person on behalf of the Company is making any representations or warranties whatsoever, express or implied, beyond those expressly made by the Company in Article 6 and (b) Parent has not been induced by, or relied upon, any representations, warranties or statements (written or oral), whether express or implied, made by any Person, that are not expressly set forth in Article 6 of this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Parent acknowledges that no representations or warranties are made with respect to any projections, forecasts, estimates, budgets or information as to prospects with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries that may have been made available to Parent or any of its representatives.

Section 7.10. SEC Filings and the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act. (a) The Parent has filed with or furnished to the SEC, all reports, schedules, forms, statements, prospectuses, registration statements and other documents required to be filed or furnished by the Parent since January 1, 2007 (collectively, together with any exhibits and schedules thereto and other information incorporated therein, the “Parent SEC Documents”). As of its filing date (and as of the date of any amendment), each Parent SEC Document complied, as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, as the case may be. As of its filing date (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date hereof, on the date of such filing), each Parent SEC Document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act did not, and each Parent SEC Document filed subsequent to the date hereof will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(b) Based on its evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of Parent’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 1934 Act), Parent concluded that, as of December 31, 2007, such disclosure controls and procedures were effective in ensuring that information that is required to be disclosed pursuant to the 1934 Act was recorded and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations.

(c) Based on Parent’s evaluation of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the 1934 Act as of December 31, 2007, Parent believes that as of such date, its internal control over financial reporting was effective.

(d) The Parent has complied in all material respects with the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the NYSE.

(e) Since January 1, 2007, each of the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Parent (or each former principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the Parent, as applicable) have made all certifications required by Rule 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the 1934 Act and Sections 302 and 906 of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC and the NYSE, and the statements contained in any such certifications are complete and correct.

Section 7.11. Litigation. There is no action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of the Parent, threatened against or affecting, the Parent, or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective properties before (or, in the case of threatened actions, suits, investigations or proceedings, that would be before) or by any Governmental Authority or arbitrator or a Spanish governmental authority or abitrator, that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

ARTICLE 8
Covenants of the Company

The Company agrees that:

Section 8.01. Conduct of the Company. From the date hereof until the Exchange Effective Time, the Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, conduct its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and use its reasonable best efforts to (i) preserve intact its present business organization, (ii) maintain in effect all Permits, (iii) keep available the services of its directors, officers, employees and (iv) maintain satisfactory relationships with its customers, lenders, suppliers and others having significant business relationships with it. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth in Section 8.01 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to:

(a) amend its articles of incorporation, bylaws or other similar organizational documents (whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise);

(b) (i) split, combine or reclassify any shares of capital stock, (ii) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or property or any combination thereof) in respect of capital stock or (iii) redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire or offer to redeem, repurchase, or otherwise acquire any Company Securities or any Company Subsidiary Securities;

(c) (i) issue, deliver or sell, or authorize the issuance, delivery or sale of, any shares of any Company Securities or Company Subsidiary Securities, other than the issuance of (A) any shares of the Company Stock upon the exercise of Company Stock Options that are outstanding on the date of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of those Company Stock Options on the date of this Agreement and (B) any Company Subsidiary Securities to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company or (ii) amend any term of any Company Security or any Company Subsidiary Security (in each case, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise);

(d) incur any capital expenditures or any obligations or liabilities in respect thereof, except for (i) capital expenditures commitments outstanding on the date of this Agreement and (ii) individual capital expenditure items inferior to $250,000;

(e) acquire (by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise), directly or indirectly, any assets, securities, properties, interests or businesses, other than assets acquired in order to maintain and operate the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Company and its Subsidiaries in a manner that is consistent with past practice;

(f) (i) sell, lease or otherwise transfer, or create or incur any Lien on, the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ assets, securities, properties, interests or businesses, other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or (ii) permit to lapse any material Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(g) make any loans or advances other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

(h) make any investments other than in (i) United States Treasury bonds, (ii) debt securities issued or guaranteed by an agency of the United States Government, and (iii) debt securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), in each case with a final maturity of less than 2 years from the date of any such investment, ;

(i) create, incur, assume, or otherwise be liable with respect to any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantees thereof, other than in the ordinary course of business and in amounts and on terms consistent with past practices;

(j) (i) enter into any contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding that would constitute a Material Contract if it had been entered into as of the date hereof or (ii) terminate, amend or modify in any material respect, any Material Contract or otherwise waive, release or assign any material rights, claims or benefits of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

(k) (i) with respect to any current or former director, officer, employee or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (A) grant or increase any severance or termination pay to (or amend any existing severance or termination arrangement with), (B) enter into any employment, consultancy, deferred compensation, severance, change in control, retention, transaction bonus or incentive, retirement or other similar agreement or arrangement (or amend any such existing agreement or arrangement) or (C) except for increases in the ordinary course consistent with past practice with respect to any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries whose annual base salary does not exceed $150,000, increase compensation, bonus or other benefits payable to such employee, or (ii) establish, adopt or amend (except as required by Applicable Law) any collective bargaining, bonus, profit-sharing, thrift, pension, retirement, deferred compensation, equity-based compensation or other benefit plan or arrangement covering any director, officer, employee or independent contractor of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, the Company shall be permitted, prior to the Exchange Effective Time, to pay short-term incentive bonuses to employees on the same basis as provided in Section 9.02(d) hereof.

(l) change the Company’s methods of accounting, except as required by concurrent changes in GAAP or in Regulation S-X of the 1934 Act, as agreed to by its independent public accountants;

(m) (i) settle, or offer or propose to settle, (A) any material litigation, investigation, arbitration, proceeding or other claim involving or against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (B) any shareholder litigation or dispute against the Company or any of its officers or directors or (C) any litigation, arbitration, proceeding or dispute that relates to the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) enter into any consent order or decree;

(n) make or change any material Tax election, change any annual Tax accounting period, adopt or change any method of material Tax accounting, materially amend any Tax Returns or file claims for material Tax refunds, enter into any material closing agreement, settle any material Tax claim, audit or assessment, or surrender any right to claim a material Tax refund, offset or other reduction in Tax liability;

(o) materially restructure or materially change its investment securities portfolio or its gap position except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice (and in consultation with Parent), through purchases, sales or otherwise, or the manner in which the portfolio is classified or reported;

(p) enter into any new line of business, exit any existing line of business, or materially change its lending, investment, underwriting, risk and asset liability management and other banking and operating policies, except as required by Applicable Law;

(q) participate in the Troubled Asset Relief Program administered by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 or in any plan, order or proposal of, or offer by, any Governmental Authority that would result in the issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any capital stock, voting or non-voting securities (including warrants and debt securities), or Company Securities to a Governmental Authority or any other party or that would otherwise interfere with the ability of Parent to, directly or indirectly, control one hundred percent of the voting power of the Company and its Subsidiaries and one hundred percent of the outstanding shares of Company Virginia Sub Common Stock following the Closing Date; or

(r) agree, resolve or commit to do any of the foregoing.

Section 8.02. Access to Information. (a) From the date hereof until the Exchange Effective Time and subject to Applicable Law and the Confidentiality Agreement dated as of October 10, 2008 between the Company and Parent (the “Confidentiality Agreement”), the Company shall (i) give Parent and its officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, consultants or other agents or advisors (“Representatives”) full access to the offices, properties, books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) furnish to Parent and its Representatives such financial and operating data and other information as such Persons may reasonably request and (iii) instruct the Representatives of the Company and its Subsidiaries to cooperate with Parent in its investigation of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Any investigation pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in such manner as not to interfere unreasonably with the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries. No information or knowledge obtained by Parent in any investigation pursuant to this Section shall affect or be deemed to modify any representation or warranty made by the Company hereunder.

(b) From the date hereof until the Exchange Effective Time, Parent shall be entitled to appoint a representative of Parent (each, a “Parent Representative”) to each of the Bank’s Credit Committee, the Bank’s Assets and Liabilities Committee, and each other committee of the Bank functioning at the operational level and with a mandate covering the areas of operations addressed in clauses (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (o) and (p) in Section 8.01 above (each, a “Company Committee”). Each such Parent Representative shall be readily available for meetings of the applicable Company Committee. The Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to each Parent Representative written notice at least two Business Days prior to each meeting of the applicable Company Committee of such meeting. Each Parent Representative shall be entitled to (i) attend every meeting of the applicable Company Committee, whether in person or telephonically, (ii) call meetings of the applicable Company Committee, and (iii) object to any decision of the applicable Committee, which decision shall thereafter require the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Company before being adopted or executed. Parent’s rights under this Section 8.02(b) shall be in addition to, and not in limitation of, any of its rights under Section 8.01.

Section 8.03. No Solicitation; Change of Recommendation. (a) General Prohibitions. From and after the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the Exchange Effective Time and the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, nor shall the Company or any of its Subsidiaries authorize or permit any of its or their Representatives to, directly or indirectly, (i) solicit, initiate, or take any action to facilitate or encourage the submission of any Acquisition Proposal by a Third Party or otherwise initiate any process that is intended to, or is reasonably likely to lead to the making of an Acquisition Proposal by any Third Party, (ii) enter into or participate in any discussion or negotiations with, furnish any information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or afford any access to the business, properties, assets, books or records of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to, otherwise cooperate in any way with, or knowingly assist, participate in, facilitate or encourage in any manner any effort by any Third Party that is seeking to make, or has made, an Acquisition Proposal, (iii) fail to make, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to Parent the Company Board Recommendation (or recommend an Acquisition Proposal made by a Third Party or take any action or make any statement inconsistent with the Company Board Recommendation) (any of the foregoing in this clause (iii), an “Adverse Recommendation Change”), (iv) grant to any Third Party any waiver under, or any release from, any standstill or similar agreement concerning or relating to, any Defensive Measure or redeem, modify, repeal or otherwise diminish any Defensive Measure other than for the benefit of Parent and its Affiliates or permit to expire, fail to renew or otherwise fail to maintain in effect any Defensive Measure, (v) exempt any transaction (except the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) or Person (other then Parent or its Affiliates) from any Takeover Statute, (vi) enter into any agreement in principle, letter of intent, term sheet, merger agreement, purchase agreement, option agreement or other similar instrument relating to an Acquisition Proposal or (vii) agree or commit to take any of the actions described in this Section 8.03(a). It is agreed that any violation of the restrictions on the Company set forth in this Section by any Representative of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall be a breach of this Section by the Company.

(b) Exceptions. Notwithstanding Section 8.03(a), at any time prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time,:

(i) following receipt of an unsolicited bona fide Acquisition Proposal that the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with financial and legal advisors, constitutes or is reasonably likely to result in, a Superior Proposal, the Company, directly or indirectly through advisors, agents or other Representatives, may furnish nonpublic information to, or enter into discussions with, any Third Party in connection with such Acquisition Proposal by such Third Party if and only to the extent that (A) the Company is not then in breach of its obligations under this Section 8.03 and (B) prior to furnishing such nonpublic information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, such Third Party, the Company Board receives from such Third Party an executed confidentiality agreement containing confidentiality and stand still provisions that are not less restrictive on such Third Party than the Confidentiality Agreement; provided that all such information (to the extent that such information has not been previously provided or made available to Parent) is provided or made available to Parent, as the case may be, prior to or substantially concurrently with the time it is provided or made available to such Third Party); and

(ii) the Company Board may make an Adverse Recommendation Change, but only following receipt of a Superior Proposal;

provided that, in each case referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) the Company Board may take such action only if the Company Board determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that such action is required by its fiduciary duties under Pennsylvania Law, and, provided, further, that, solely in the case of the foregoing clause (ii), the Board may not make such Adverse Recommendation Change unless (A) the Company promptly notifies Parent in writing at least ten Business Days before taking such action of its intention to do so, attaching (if such Adverse Recommendation Change is in response to a receipt of a Superior Proposal) the most current version of the proposed agreement under which such Superior Proposal is proposed to be consummated and the identity of the Third Party making the Acquisition Proposal, and (B) Parent does not propose, within 10 days after its receipt of such written notification, proposed modifications to this Agreement or the terms of the Transaction or otherwise provide information to the Company that in the aggregate result in the transactions contemplated hereunder being at least as favorable to the stockholders of the Company (other than Parent) as such Superior Proposal (or description thereof).

In addition, nothing contained herein shall prevent the Company Board from complying with Rule 14e-2(a) under the 1934 Act with regard to an Acquisition Proposal, so long as any action taken or statement made to so comply is consistent with this Section 8.03 (provided that any such action taken or statement made that relates to an Acquisition Proposal shall be deemed to be an Adverse Recommendation Change unless the Company Board reaffirms the Company Recommendation in such statement or in connection with such action).

(c) Required Notices. The Company Board shall not take any of the actions referred to in Section 8.03(b) unless the Company shall have delivered to Parent a prior written notice advising Parent that it intends to take such action. In addition, the Company shall notify Parent promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) after receipt by the Company (or any of its Representatives) of any Acquisition Proposal, any indication that a Third Party is considering making an Acquisition Proposal or any request for information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or for access to the business, properties, assets, books or records of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by any Third Party that may be considering making, or has made, an Acquisition Proposal. The Company shall provide such notice orally and in writing and shall identify the Third Party making, and the terms and conditions of, any such Acquisition Proposal, indication or request, and shall promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours after receipt) provide to Parent copies of all correspondence and written materials sent or provided to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that describe any terms or conditions of any Acquisition Proposal (as well as written summaries of any oral communications addressing such matters). After the notification provided for in the preceding sentence, the Company shall thereafter provide Parent, as promptly as practicable, with oral and written notice setting forth all such information as is reasonably necessary to keep Parent informed in all material respects of the status and details (including material amendments or proposed material amendments) of any such Acquisition Proposal, request or inquiry and shall promptly provide to Parent a copy of all written materials subsequently provided in connection with such Acquisition Proposal, request or inquiry. Any material amendment to any Acquisition Proposal will be deemed to be a new Acquisition Proposal for purposes of the Company’s compliance with this Section 8.03(c).

(d) Definition of Superior Proposal. For purposes of this Agreement, “Superior Proposal” means a bona fide, unsolicited written 100% Acquisition Proposal on terms that the Company Board determines in good faith, after considering the advice of a financial advisor of nationally recognized reputation and outside legal counsel and taking into account all terms and conditions of the Acquisition Proposal, including, the value offered to the Company’s shareholders, any break-up fees, expense reimbursement provisions and conditions to consummation, any financing or capital provided or to be provided by such Third Party and the certainty that the Acquisition Proposal will be consummated, are more favorable than the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange to the constituencies and Persons the Company Board is required to consider under the Charter and permitted to consider under Applicable Law, in each case in the exercise of its fiduciary duties.

(e) Obligation to Terminate Existing Discussions, Etc. The Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries and its and their Representatives to, cease immediately and cause to be terminated any and all existing activities, discussions or negotiations, if any, with any Third Party and its Representatives conducted prior to the date hereof with respect to any Acquisition Proposal. The Company shall promptly request that each Third Party, if any, that has executed a confidentiality agreement within the 24-month period prior to the date hereof in connection with its consideration of any Acquisition Proposal return or destroy all confidential information heretofore furnished to such Person by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (and all analyses and other materials prepared by or on behalf of such Person that contains, reflects or analyzes that information), and the Company shall provide to Parent all certifications of such return or destruction from such other Persons as promptly as practicable after receipt thereof. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to secure all such certifications as promptly as practicable. If any such Person fails to provide any required certification within the time period allotted in the relevant confidentiality agreement (or if no such period is specified, then within a reasonable time period after the date hereof), then the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to secure its rights and ensure the performance of such other party’s obligations thereunder as promptly as practicable.

Section 8.04. [Left Intentionally Blank].

Section 8.05. Litigation. Without otherwise limiting or altering any rights that Parent or its Affiliates may have, the Company shall give Parent the opportunity to participate at Parent’s expense in the defense or settlement of any actual or threatened litigation against the Company and/or its directors relating to this Agreement, the Transaction or the other transactions contemplated hereunder, including the Reincorporation Merger or the Share Exchange, and shall not agree to any such settlement without Parent’s written consent.

Section 8.06. Company Virginia Sub Shareholder Vote. Promptly following the organization of Company Virginia Sub, the Company, as the sole shareholder of Company Virginia Sub, will approve the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange and waive any right to dissent from the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange for all purposes of Section 13.1-729 et seq. of the VSCA such that the provisions of such sections will not apply to this Agreement, the Transaction or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby and Section 13.1-725 et seq. and Section 13.1-728.1 et seq. will not apply thereto.

Section 8.07. Joinder Agreement. Promptly following the date hereof, the Company shall form Company Virginia Sub as a Virginia corporation under and in accordance with the VSCA, and the Company shall cause Company Virginia Sub to, and Company Virginia Sub shall, sign a joinder agreement to this Agreement and be bound hereunder.

Section 8.08. Structure of the Transaction. Parent may at any time change the method of effecting the Transaction if and to the extent requested by Parent and consented to by the Company (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld); provided, however, that no such change shall (i) alter or change the amount or kind of the Share Consideration provided for in this Agreement, (ii) adversely affect the Tax treatment of the Transaction with respect to the Company’s or Company Virginia Sub’s stockholders or (iii) materially impede or delay, or make less likely, the consummation of the Transaction.

ARTICLE 9
Covenants of Parent

Parent agrees that:

Section 9.01. Director and Officer Liability. Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation, and the Surviving Corporation hereby agrees, to do the following:

(a) For six years after the Exchange Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, indemnify, defend and hold harmless, and provide advancement of expenses to, each person who is now or has been at any time prior to the date hereof or who becomes prior to the Exchange Effective Time, an officer or a director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including Company Virginia Sub (each, an “Indemnified Person”) against all losses, claims, damages, costs, expenses, liabilities or judgments or amounts that are paid in settlement of or in connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation based in whole or in part on, or arising in whole or in part out of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and pertaining to any matter existing or occurring, or any acts or omissions occurring, at or prior to the Exchange Effective Time, whether asserted or claimed prior to, or at or after, the Exchange Effective Time to the same extent such persons are indemnified or have the right to advancement of expenses as of the date of this Agreement by the Company pursuant to the Charter, the Company Bylaws and indemnification agreements listed on Section 9.01(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules, if any, in existence on the date hereof with any directors and officers of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

(b) Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to continue in full force and effect for a period of six years from the Exchange Effective Time the provisions in existence in the Charter and bylaws in effect on the date of this Agreement regarding elimination of liability of directors, indemnification of officers, directors and employees and advancement of expenses.

(c) For six years after the Exchange Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall provide officers’ and directors’ liability insurance in respect of acts or omissions occurring prior to the Exchange Effective Time covering each Indemnified Person currently covered by the Company’s officers’ and directors’ liability insurance policy on terms with respect to coverage and amount no less favorable than those of such policy in effect on the date hereof (provided, that the Company may elect to purchase a six-year prepaid “tail policy” on terms and conditions reasonably acceptable to Parent providing substantially equivalent benefits to the Indemnified Persons) (in each case, to the extent commercially available); provided that, in satisfying its obligation under this Section 9.01(c), the Surviving Corporation shall not be obligated to pay in the aggregate in excess of 300% of the amount per annum the Company paid in its last full fiscal year, which amount is set forth in Section 9.01(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; and provided further that, if the aggregate premiums of such insurance coverage exceed such amount, the Surviving Corporation shall be obligated to obtain a policy with the greatest coverage available, with respect to matters occurring prior to the Exchange Effective Time, for a cost not exceeding such amount.

(d) If Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger, or (ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case, to the extent necessary, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent or the Surviving Corporation, as the case may be, shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 9.01.

(e) The rights of each Indemnified Person under this Section 9.01 shall be in addition to any rights such Person may have under the Charter or bylaws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, under Pennsylvania Law or any other Applicable Law or under any agreement of any Indemnified Person with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. These rights shall survive consummation of the Share Exchange and are intended to benefit, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Person.

Section 9.02. Employee Matters. (a) For a period of one year following the Exchange Effective Time, Parent shall provide to all employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as of the Exchange Effective Time who continue employment with the Surviving Corporation or any of its Affiliates (“Continuing Employees”) base salary or base wages and benefits (other than equity-based compensation) that are in the aggregate substantially comparable to such salary or wages and benefits provided by the Company and its Subsidiaries as in effect immediately prior to the Exchange Effective Time.

(b) With respect to any “employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, including the Surviving Corporation, in which any Continuing Employee becomes a participant, such Continuing Employee shall receive full credit (for purposes of eligibility to participate, vesting, and benefit level with respect to vacation entitlement, severance benefits and other paid time off) for service with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or predecessor employers to the extent the Company provides such past service credit) to the same extent that such service was recognized as of the Effective Date under a comparable plan of the Company and its Subsidiaries in which the Continuing Employee participated.

(c) Parent shall waive, or cause to be waived, any pre-existing condition limitations, exclusions, actively-at-work requirements and waiting periods under any welfare benefit plan maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in which the Continuing Employees (and their eligible dependents) will be eligible to participate from and after the Exchange Effective Time, except to the extent that such pre-existing condition limitations, exclusions, actively-at-work requirements and waiting periods would not have been satisfied or waived under the comparable plan of the Company and its Subsidiaries in which the Continuing Employee participated. If a Continuing Employee commences participation in any health benefit plan of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries after the commencement of a calendar year, to the extent commercially practicable, Parent shall cause such plan to recognize the dollar amount of all co-payments, deductibles and similar expenses incurred by such Continuing Employee (and his or her eligible dependents) during such calendar year for purposes of satisfying such calendar year’s deductible and co-payment limitations under the relevant welfare benefit plans in which such Continuing Employee (and dependents) commences participation.

(d) Following the Exchange Effective Time, Parent shall, cause the Surviving Corporation or any of its Affiliates to pay, in the ordinary course of business consistent with prior practice, to all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries who participated in the short — term incentive bonus plans of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries in 2008 (“Company Employees”) all short term bonuses for the 2008 calendar year, with the amounts of such bonuses determined at the target level established for each Company Employee (with all corporate performance goals for 2008 deemed satisfied at the target levels).

(e) The parties hereto agree that, with respect to any Employee Plan providing for payments or benefits upon or following the occurrence of a “change in control” (as defined in the applicable Employee Plan), the Transaction shall be deemed to constitute a Buyer Acquisition Transaction (as defined in the Investment Agreement) as contemplated in Sections 8.06, 8.07 and 8.08 and/or Section 8.10 of the Investment Agreement.

(f) Nothing in this Section 9.02 shall (i) be treated as an amendment of, or undertaking to amend, any benefit plan, (ii) prohibit Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, including the Surviving Corporation, from amending any employee benefit plan or (iii) confer any rights or benefits on any person other than the parties to this Agreement.

Section 9.03. Santander Shares. Parent hereby agrees to vote or exercise its right to consent with respect to all Shares beneficially owned as of the date prior to the date of this Agreement by it at the time of any vote or action by written consent to approve and adopt this Agreement, the Reincorporation Merger and the Transaction at any meeting and at any adjournment thereof at which this Agreement and other related transactions in favor of, or consent to, the approval thereof.

ARTICLE 10
Covenants of Parent and the Company

The parties hereto agree that:

Section 10.01. Regulatory Matters. (a) Parent and the Company shall promptly prepare, and Parent shall promptly file with the SEC, the F-4, in which the Proxy Statement will be included as a prospectus. Parent and the Company shall file with the SEC a Rule 13e-3 Transaction Statement on Schedule 13E-3 with respect to the Transaction which shall be filed as a part of the Proxy Statement. Parent and the Company shall each use its reasonable best efforts to have the F-4 declared effective under the 1933 Act as promptly as practicable after such filing, and the Company shall thereafter file with the SEC and mail or deliver the Proxy Statement to its shareholders. Parent shall also use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all necessary state securities law or “Blue Sky” permits and approvals required to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and the Company shall furnish all information concerning the Company and the holders of Company Common Stock as may be reasonably requested in connection with any such action.

(b) (i) The Parent Board shall, with the reasonable assistance of the Company, prepare reports (Informe del consejo de administracion) to be made available to the holders of Parent Ordinary Shares in accordance with Applicable Law (the “Board Reports”) in connection with the meeting of holders of Parent Ordinary Shares contemplated by Section 10.02 of this Agreement containing information required by the SCL, and (ii) Parent shall prepare and arrange to have registered with and verified by the NSEC a Prospectus and (iii) Parent shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain (A) the necessary report of the auditor designated by the Commercial Registry relating to the abolishment of the preemptive rights of holders of Parent Ordinary Shares and (B) report of the expert designated by the commercial Registry relating to the fair value of the assets acquired by Parent in the Share Exchange.. Parent will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Prospectus to receive the required registration with and verification of the NSEC as promptly as reasonably practicable following the date on which the Parent Extraordinary General Meeting contemplated by Section 10.02(b) is held, and to cause the definitive Prospectus to be made available to the holders of Parent Ordinary Shares in accordance with Applicable Law as promptly as reasonably practicable following the date on which the Parent Extraordinary General Meeting contemplated by Section 10.02(b) is held.

(c) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the parties shall cooperate with each other and use their respective reasonable best efforts to promptly prepare and file all necessary documentation, to effect all applications, notices, petitions and filings, to obtain as promptly as practicable the Parent Requisite Regulatory Approvals and the Company Requisite Regulatory Approvals and all other permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all third parties and Governmental Authorities that are necessary or advisable to consummate the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and to comply with the terms and conditions of all such permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all such third parties, Regulatory Agencies or Governmental Authorities. The Company and Parent shall have the right to review in advance, and, to the extent practicable, each will consult the other on, in each case subject to Applicable Laws relating to the confidentiality of information, all the information relating to the Company on one hand, or Parent, on the other, as the case may be, and any of their respective Subsidiaries, which appear in any filing made with, or written materials submitted to, any third party or any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transaction and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In exercising the foregoing right, each of the parties shall act reasonably and as promptly as practicable. The parties shall consult with each other with respect to the obtaining of all permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all third parties and Governmental Authorities necessary or advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each party will keep the other apprised of the status of matters relating to completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be deemed to require Parent or the Company to take any action, or commit to take any action, or agree to any condition or restriction, in connection with obtaining the foregoing permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of Governmental Authorities, that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect (measured on a scale relative to the Company) on any of Parent, the Company or the Surviving Corporation (a “Materially Burdensome Regulatory Condition”). In addition, the Company and Parent agree to cooperate and use their reasonable best efforts to assist each other in preparing and filing such petitions and filings, and in obtaining such permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of third parties and Governmental Authorities, that may be necessary or advisable to effect any mergers and/or consolidations of Subsidiaries of the Company and Parent following consummation of the Transaction.

(d) If at any time prior to the Exchange Effective Time any information relating to the Company or Parent, or any of their respective Affiliates, officers or directors, should be discovered by the Company or Parent which should be set forth in an amendment or supplement to any of the Proxy Statement, Schedule 13E-3 or the F-4, so that any of such documents would not include any misstatement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the party which discovers such information shall promptly notify the other party hereto and, to the extent required by law, rules or regulations, an appropriate amendment or supplement describing such information shall be promptly filed with the SEC and disseminated to the Company shareholders.

(e) Each of Parent and the Company shall promptly advise the other upon receiving any communication from any Regulatory Agency or Governmental Authority consent or approval of which is required for consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement that causes such party to believe (i) that there is a reasonable likelihood that any Parent Requisite Regulatory Approval or any Company Requisite Regulatory Approval, respectively, will not be obtained, (ii) that the receipt of any such approval may be materially delayed, or (iii) that any such regulatory approval may be subject to a Materially Burdensome Regulatory Condition.

(f) The Company shall cooperate with such reasonable requests as may be made by Parent with respect to any post-Closing reorganization of Parent’s and the Company’s Subsidiaries, including filing prior to the Closing such applications with Regulatory Agencies or Governmental Authorities as may be necessary or desirable in connection with any such reorganization.

(g) Prior to the Exchange Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Parent Ordinary Shares and Parent ADSs that will be issued in the Share Exchange to be approved for listing on the NYSE, such listing to be subject to (and only become effective on) official notice of issuance.

Section 10.02. Stockholder Meetings. (a) The Company shall call a meeting of its shareholders to be held as soon as reasonably practicable for the purpose of obtaining the Company Shareholder Approval required in connection with this Reincorporation Merger, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such meeting to occur as soon as reasonably practicable. Subject to the provisions of Section 8.03(b), the Company Board shall maintain the Company Board Recommendation until such meeting of shareholders. The Company Board shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain from the shareholders of the Company the Company Shareholder Approval. The Company agrees that, notwithstanding any Adverse Recommendation Change or otherwise, it shall submit this Agreement to its shareholders at a shareholder meeting in accordance with the first sentence of this paragraph. Parent and the Company agree that the first record date established by the Company Board for such shareholder meeting shall be established with the approval and consent of at least one director serving on the Company Board at the designation of Parent (the “Record Date”). The Company agrees that any change to the Record Date that would establish a new record date that is prior to 90 days following the Record Date will also require the approval and consent of at least one director serving on the Company Board at the designation of Parent.

(b) Following receipt of the necessary report of the auditor designated by the Commercial Registry relating to the abolishment of the preemptive rights of holders of Parent Ordinary Shares, Parent shall call and hold a meeting of the holders of Parent Ordinary Shares to be held for the purpose of obtaining the Parent Shareholder Approval. Parent shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain from the holders of Parent Ordinary Shares the Parent Shareholder Approval.

Section 10.03. Public Announcements. Parent and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Company and its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, shall consult with each other before issuing any press release or making any other public statement, or scheduling any press conference or conference call with investors or analysts with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby and, except as may be required by Applicable Law or any listing agreement with or rule of any national securities exchange, shall not issue any such press release or make any such other public statement or schedule any such press conference or conference call before such consultation.

Section 10.04. Further Assurances. At and after the Exchange Effective Time, the officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Company or Company Virginia Sub, any deeds, bills of sale, assignments or assurances and to take and do, in the name and on behalf of the Company or Company Virginia Sub, any other actions and things to vest, perfect or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving Corporation any and all right, title and interest in, to and under any of the rights, properties or assets of the Company acquired or to be acquired by the Surviving Corporation as a result of, or in connection with, the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange.

Section 10.05. Notices of Certain Events. Each of the Company and Parent shall promptly notify the other of:

(a) any notice or other communication from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(b) any notice or other communication from any Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and

(c) any actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings commenced or, to its Knowledge, threatened against, relating to or involving or otherwise affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Parent or any of its Subsidiaries that relate to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

provided that the delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 10.05 shall not limit or otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving that notice.

Section 10.06. Takeover Statutes. If any Takeover Statute or Defensive Measure shall become applicable to the transactions contemplated hereby, each of the Company, Parent and Company Virginia Sub and the respective members of their boards of directors shall, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, grant such approvals and take such actions as are necessary so that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Voting Agreement may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms contemplated herein and otherwise act to eliminate or minimize the effects of such Takeover Statute on the transactions contemplated hereby. Any Adverse Recommendation Change shall not change the approval of the Company Board for purposes eliminating the application of any Takeover Statue or Defensive Measure to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

Section 10.07. Exemption From Liability Under Section 16(b). Prior to the Exchange Effective Time, Parent and the Company shall each take all such steps as may be necessary or appropriate to cause any disposition of shares of Company Common Stock or conversion of any derivative securities in respect of such shares of Company Common Stock in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the 1934 Act.

Section 10.08. Incentive Bonus Program. Promptly following the date hereof, Parent and the Company agree to hold discussions in good faith with a view to agreeing upon the terms of a retention bonus program covering selected employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries. To the extent agreed, such retention bonus program shall be adopted and communicated to employees as promptly as practicable following the date hereof, and shall have terms and conditions (including payment dates and amounts) that are substantially consistent with market practice and that shall be mutually agreed by Parent and the Company.

ARTICLE 11
Conditions to the Reincorporation Merger and the Share Exchange

Section 11.01. Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party. The respective obligations of the parties to consummate the Transaction are subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions:

(a) Each of the Company Shareholder Approval and the Parent Shareholder Approval shall have been obtained;

(b) No Applicable Law shall prohibit the consummation of the Reincorporation Merger or the Share Exchange;

(d) The F-4 shall have become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the F-4 shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the SEC;

(e) The Prospectus shall have been verified by, and registered with, the NSEC;

(f) The necessary auditors’ report and the report of the expert designated by the Commercial Registry relating to the fair value of the assets acquired by Parent in the Share Exchange shall have been issued;

(g) The Capital Increase shall be granted before a Spanish public notary; and

(h) The Parent ADSs to be issued upon consummation of the Transaction shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.

Section 11.02. Conditions to Obligations of Parent. The obligation of Parent to effect the Transaction is also subject to the satisfaction, or waiver by Parent, at or prior to the Exchange Effective Time, of the following conditions:

(a) (i) (A) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in any of Sections 6.01, 6.02, 6.03, 6.04, 6.05 or 6.26 shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the Exchange Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than such representation and warranty that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true and correct in all material respects only as of such time), disregarding all Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein, and (B) the other representations and warranties of the Company contained in the Agreement (disregarding all materiality and Company Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) shall be true and correct at and as of the Exchange Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true and correct only as of such time), except, in the case of clause (B) only, for such matters as have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect; (ii) the Company shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it at or prior to the Exchange Effective Time; and (iii) Parent shall have received a certificate signed by an executive officer of the Company to the foregoing effect;

(b) (A) Neither the Company nor the Bank shall have become insolvent, or made an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or failed generally to pay its debts as they become due, or become the subject of the appointment of, or taking possession by, any conservator, custodian, trustee, receiver or liquidator of any or of all or a substantial part of its properties, businesses or assets and (B) no order shall have been issued or plan made or effected by any Governmental Authority that would result in the issuance of any capital stock, voting securities or Company Securities to a Governmental Authority or would otherwise interfere with the ability of Parent to, directly or indirectly, control one hundred percent of the voting power of the Company and its Subsidiaries and one hundred percent of the Company Virginia Sub Common Stock following the Exchange Effective Time;

(c) Since the date of the Agreement, there shall not have occurred any effect, change, circumstances, conditions or developments that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect; and

(d) Without duplication of any conditions set forth in Section 11.01, all regulatory approvals set forth in Section 7.04 required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Transaction, shall have been obtained and shall remain in full force and effect and all statutory waiting periods in respect thereof shall have expired (all such approvals and the expiration of all such waiting periods being referred as the “Parent Requisite Regulatory Approvals”), and no such regulatory approval shall have resulted in the imposition of any Materially Burdensome Regulatory Condition.

Section 11.03. Condition to Obligations of the Company. The obligation of the Company to effect the Transaction is also subject to the satisfaction, or waiver by the Company, at or prior to the Exchange Effective Time, of the following conditions:

(a) (i) (A) The representations and warranties of Parent contained in any of Sections 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 and 7.05 of the Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as of the Exchange Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than such representation and warranty that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true and correct in all material respects only as of such time) and (B) the other representations and warranties of Parent contained in the Agreement (disregarding all materiality and Parent Material Adverse Effect qualifications contained therein) shall be true and correct at and as of the Exchange Effective Time as if made at and as of such time (other than representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true and correct only as of such time), except, in the case of clause (B) only, for such matters as have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect; (ii) the Company shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations hereunder required to be performed by it at or prior to the Exchange Effective Time; and (iii) the Company shall have received a certificate signed by an executive officer of Parent to the foregoing effect; and

(b) Without duplication of any conditions set forth in Section 11.01, all regulatory approvals set forth in Section 6.03 required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Transaction, shall have been obtained and shall remain in full force and effect and all statutory waiting periods in respect thereof shall have expired (all such approvals and the expiration of all such waiting periods being referred as the “Company Requisite Regulatory Approvals”).

ARTICLE 12
Termination

Section 12.01. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time, whether before or after approval of the matters presented in connection with the Transaction by the stockholders of the Company or Parent:

(a) by mutual written agreement of the Company and Parent;

(b) by either the Company or Parent if:

(i) the Closing Date shall not have occurred on or before June 30, 2009 (the “End Date”); provided that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12.01(b)(i) shall not be available to any party whose breach of any provision of this Agreement results in the failure of the Reincorporation Merger to be consummated on or before such time;

(ii) there shall be any Applicable Law that (A) makes the consummation of the Reincorporation Merger and/or the Share Exchange illegal or otherwise prohibited or (B) enjoins the Company, Parent or Company Virginia Sub from consummating the Reincorporation Merger and/or the Share Exchange and such injunction shall have become final and nonappealable;

(iii) if the Company Shareholder Approval is not obtained at the annual or special meeting of Company shareholders called for the purpose of obtaining such Company Shareholder Approval or at any adjournment or postponement thereof; or

(iv) if the Parent Shareholder Approval is not obtained at the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting of Parent called for the purpose of obtaining such Parent Shareholder Approval or at any adjournment or postponement thereof;

(i) (A) an Adverse Recommendation Change shall have occurred or the Company Board have approved, or determined to recommend to the Company shareholders that they approve, an Acquisition Proposal other than the Reincorporation Merger or the Share Exchange, (B) the Company Board shall have failed to publicly confirm the Company Board Recommendation within five Business Days of a written request by Parent that it do so, or (C) the Board shall have failed to include and maintain until the Closing the Company Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement;

(ii) there shall have been a breach of Section 8.03; or

(iii) the Company shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement, which breach or failure to perform (A) would give rise to the failure of any of the conditions set forth in Sections 11.01 or 11.02 and (B) is either incurable or, if curable, is not cured by the Company by the earlier of (x) 30 days following receipt by the Company of written notice of such breach or failure and (y) the End Date; provided that, at the time of the delivery of such written notice, Parent shall not be in material breach of its obligations under this Agreement.

(d) by the Company if, prior to the Reincorporation Effective Time, Parent shall have breached or failed to perform any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement, which breach or failure to perform (A) would give rise to the failure of any of the conditions set forth in Sections 11.01 or 11.03 and (B) is either incurable or, if curable, is not cured by Parent by the earlier of (x) 30 days following receipt by Parent of written notice of such breach or failure and (y) the End Date; provided that, at the time of the delivery of such written notice, the Company shall not be in material breach of its obligations under this Agreement.

The party desiring to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12.01 (other than pursuant to Section 12.01(a)) shall give notice of such termination to the other party.

Section 12.02. Effect of Termination. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 12.01, this Agreement shall become void and of no effect without liability of any party (or any stockholder, director, officer, employee, agent, consultant or representative of such party) to the other party hereto, except that Section 12.01, Section 12.02 and Article 13 shall survive termination of this Agreement and remain in full force and effect; provided that, if such termination shall result from the intentional (a) failure of either party to fulfill a condition to the performance of the obligations of the other party or (b) failure of either party to perform a covenant hereof, such party shall be fully liable for any and all liabilities and damages incurred or suffered by the other party as a result of such failure.

ARTICLE 13
Miscellaneous

Section 13.01. Notices. All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile transmission) and shall be given,

if to Parent, to:

Banco Santander, S.A.
Ciudad Grupo Santander
▇▇▇▇. ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇/▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, General Secretary
Facsimile No.: ▇▇-▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

with a copy to:

▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

if to the Company or Company Virginia Sub, to:

Sovereign Bancorp, Inc.
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: CEO
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

with a copy to:

Milbank, Tweed, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, LLP
▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No. (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇

or to such other address or facsimile number as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice under this Section 13.01 to the other parties hereto. All such notices, requests and other communications shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5 p.m. on a Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or communication shall be deemed not to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.

Section 13.02. Survival. The representations, warranties and agreements contained herein and in any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant hereto shall not survive the Exchange Effective Time, except the agreements set forth in Section 9.01.

Section 13.03. Amendments and Waivers. (a) Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived prior to the Exchange Effective Time if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed, in the case of an amendment, by each party to this Agreement or, in the case of a waiver, by each party against whom the waiver is to be effective; provided that after the Company Shareholder Approval, there shall be made no amendment that by law requires further approval by shareholders of the Company without the further approval of such shareholders.

(b) No failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by Applicable Law.

Section 13.04. Expenses. (a) General. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 13.04, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such cost or expense.

(b) Termination Fee.

(i) If (A) this Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 12.01(c)(i) or Section 12.01(c)(iii), (B) prior to such termination, an Acquisition Proposal shall have been publicly announced or otherwise communicated to the Company Board or the Company’s shareholders (provided for the purposes of this clause, each reference to “25%” in the definition of “Acquisition Proposal” shall be deemed to be a reference to “50%”), and (C) within twelve months of the date of such termination, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries enters into a definitive agreement with respect to, or consummates, an Acquisition Proposal, or

(ii) if this Agreement is terminated by Parent pursuant to Section 12.01(c)(ii); provided that the breach giving rise to such termination shall have been intentional,

then, in each case listed in clauses (i) and (ii) above, the Company shall pay to Parent in immediately available funds $95 million minus all amounts reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 13.04(c) (the “Termination Fee”), within one Business Day after such termination.

(c) Reimbursement. Upon any termination by Parent of this Agreement pursuant to Sections 12.01(c)(i), (c)(ii) or (c)(iii) the Company shall reimburse Parent no later than two Business Days after submission of reasonable documentation thereof, for 100% of their reasonable out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) actually incurred by any of them in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including, for the sake of clarity, those incurred in connection with the negotiation and consideration thereof and the due diligence investigation of the Company and its Subsidiaries).

(d) Other Costs and Expenses. The Company acknowledges that the agreements contained in this Section 13.04 are an integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and that, without these agreements, Parent would not enter into this Agreement. Accordingly, if the Company fails promptly to pay any amount due to Parent pursuant to this Section 13.04, it shall also pay any costs and expenses incurred by Parent in connection with a legal action to enforce this Agreement that results in a judgment against the Company for such amount, together with interest on the amount of any unpaid fee and/or expense at the publicly announced prime rate of Citibank, N.A. from the date that fee was required to be paid to, but excluding, the payment date.

(e) Exclusive Remedy. Any payment by any party under this Section 13.04 shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the other such party and its Subsidiaries for monetary damages against the other such party and any of its Subsidiaries and their respective Representatives with respect to the termination or breach giving rise to that payment. For the avoidance of doubt, any payment to be made by any party under this Section 13.04 shall be payable only once to such other party with respect to this Section 13.04 and not in duplication even though such payment may be payable under one or more provisions hereof.

Section 13.05. Investment Agreement. (a) The Investment Agreement shall continue in full force and effect except that for the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the date of the termination of this Agreement, the following provisions shall not be operative: Sections 8.01, 8.02, 8.03, 8.04, 8.05, 8.06, 8.07, 8.08, 8.09, 8.10, 8.13, 9.01, 9.02, 9.03, 9.04, 12.01, 12.02, 13.04, 13.10, 13.14, and 13.15. In addition, to the extent any provision of the Investment Agreement conflicts or is inconsistent with any provision of this Agreement, this Agreement shall control. All such sections referred to in the first sentence shall become operative again according to their terms immediately upon the termination of this Agreement for any reason and the Investment Agreement in its entirety shall continue in full force and effect upon and after any termination of this Agreement for any reason provided that until the termination of the Agreement Period (as defined in the Voting Agreement) Parent shall have no obligation under Section 814(a) of the Investment Agreement.

(b) The Investment Agreement in its entirety shall terminate only upon the Exchange Effective Time, and such termination shall be without liability of either party thereto (or any shareholder, director, officer, employee, agent, consultant, or representative of such party) to the other party thereto, and Parent and the Company shall have no obligations thereunder (including, without limitation, under Article 9 thereof), except with respect to breaches thereof preceding the Exchange Effective Time, taking into account the immediately preceding sentence.

Section 13.06. Disclosure Schedule References. The parties hereto agree that any reference in a particular Section of either the Company Disclosure Schedule or the Parent Disclosure Schedule shall only be deemed to be an exception to (or, as applicable, a disclosure for purposes of) (i) the representations and warranties (or covenants, as applicable) of the relevant party that are contained in the corresponding Section of this Agreement and (ii) any other representations and warranties of such party that is contained in this Agreement, but only if the relevance of that reference as an exception to (or a disclosure for purposes of) such representations and warranties would be readily apparent to a reasonable person who has read that reference and such representations and warranties, without any independent knowledge on the part of the reader regarding the matter(s) so disclosed.

Section 13.07. Binding Effect; Benefit; Assignment. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Except as provided in Section 9.01 only, no provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities hereunder upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

(b) No party may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of each other party hereto, except that Parent may transfer or assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement, in whole or from time to time in part, to one or more of its Affiliates at any time; provided that such transfer or assignment shall not relieve Parent of its obligations under this Agreement or prejudice the rights of stockholders to receive payment for Shares exchanged for pursuant to the Share Exchange.

Section 13.08. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to the conflicts of law rules of such state.

Section 13.09. Jurisdiction. The parties hereto agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be brought in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or any New York State court sitting in New York City, so long as one of such courts shall have subject matter jurisdiction over such suit, action or proceeding, and that any cause of action arising out of this Agreement shall be deemed to have arisen from a transaction of business in the State of New York, and each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 13.01 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

Section 13.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 13.11. Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This Agreement shall become effective when each party hereto shall have received a counterpart hereof signed by all of the other parties hereto. Until and unless each party has received a counterpart hereof signed by the other party hereto, this Agreement shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

Section 13.12. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both oral and written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.

Section 13.13. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such a determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

Section 13.14. Specific Performance. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof in any federal court located in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or any New York State court sitting in New York City, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the date set forth on the cover page of this Agreement.


	SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

	BANCO SANTANDER, S.A.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

TRANSACTION AGREEMENT dated as of October 13, 2008 between SOVEREIGN BANCORP, INC., and BANCO SANTANDER, S.A.

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