Barclays
PLC
Churchill
Place 1
Canary
Warf, E14 5 HP
London,
United Kingdom
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Attention:
Mr John Varley, Group Chief Executive
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(i)
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ABN
AMRO Holding N.V., a public limited liability company, duly
incorporated and validly existing under the laws of The Netherlands,
having its registered office at Gustav Mahlerlaan 10, 1082 PP Amsterdam,
The Netherlands ("ABN AMRO"); and
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(ii)
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Barclays
PLC, a public limited liability company, duly incorporated
and
validly existing under the laws of England, having its registered
office
at 1 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, E14 5HP, London, United Kingdom
(“Barclays ”);
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1.
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Placement
of Press Release / Filing of 14D-9
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1.1
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Before
opening of trading on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam and the London
Stock
Exchange on 30 July 2007, the press release attached hereto as
Annex A (the “ABN AMRO Press Release”)
which has been notified to the Netherlands Authority for the Financial
Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten) (the
"AFM") and of which the AFM has confirmed it has no
further comments, will be issued by ABN AMRO.
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1.2
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In
the course of 30 July 2007, ABN AMRO shall file a Schedule 14D-9
with the
SEC in accordance with the draft thereof attached hereto as Annex
B.
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1.3
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Before
opening of trading on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam and the London
Stock
Exchange on 30 July 2007, the press release attached hereto as
Annex C (the “Barclays
Press Release”) which has been notified
to the AFM and of which the AFM has confirmed it has no further comments,
will be issued by Barclays.
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2.
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Amendment
of the Merger Protocol
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2.1
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Certain
provisions of the Merger Protocol will be amended as set out herein
below:
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2.1.1
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Recital (K) of the Merger Protocol shall be amended to read as follows: | ||
"(K) ABN AMRO's management board ("Management Board") and ABN AMRO's supervisory board ("Supervisory Board", and together with the Management Board, the "ABN AMRO Boards"), decided on 22 April 2007 to enter into this Merger Protocol and to unanimously recommend the initial Offer to ABN AMRO's shareholders. On 27 July 2007 ABN AMRO Boards, after having considered the advice of outside legal counsel and financial advisors, acting in good faith and observing their fiduciary duties, concluded not to continue to recommend the Offer for acceptance to the shareholders of ABN AMRO from a financial point of view, but to continue to support the Offer. The board of directors of Barclays (the "Barclays Board") has decided to enter into this Merger Protocol and to unanimously recommend the Merger to Barclays shareholders; | |||
2.1.2
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Recitals (L) and (M) of the Merger Protocol and the references thereto in Clause 1.14 of the Merger Protocol shall be deleted. | ||
2.1.3
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The text of paragraph (i) in Clause 1.2 shall be amended to read as follows: | ||
"(i) 2.13 Barclays Shares for each Ordinary Share (the "Ordinary Share Exchange Ratio") and an amount of EUR 13.15 in cash for each Ordinary Share (the "Ordinary Share Cash Consideration", and together with the Ordinary Share Exchange Ratio, the "Ordinary Share Consideration") and 0.5325 Barclays ADSs for each ABN AMRO ADS (the "ADS Exchange Ratio") and such amount in USD, based on the conversion of the Euro |
consideration
to which holders of ABN AMRO ADSs are entitled, net of any applicable
fees
and expenses, into USDs at the average exchange rate obtainable by
The
Bank of New York, the ADS exchange agent, calculated over the five
business days prior to the date the cash consideration is received
by the
ADS exchange agent for delivery in respect of such ABN AMRO ADSs
in cash
for each ABN AMRO ADS (the "ADS Cash Consideration", and
together with the ADS Exchange Ratio, the "ADS
Consideration") in each case tendered pursuant to the Offer
(Barclays Shares, including Barclays Shares represented by Barclays
ADSs,
to be offered pursuant to the Offer, the "Consideration
Shares");"
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2.1.4
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Clause 1.7 of the Merger Protocol shall be amended to read as follows: | ||
"1.7 The Offer Document shall, amongst others, contain (i) a full description of the envisaged transaction structure, (ii) a description of the undertakings contained in Clauses 3 and 7 and (iii) the ABN AMRO Boards Position." | |||
2.1.5
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Clauses 4.1 and 4.2 of the Merger Protocol shall be amended to read as follows: | ||
"4.
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ABN
AMRO Boards Position / Recommendation of Competing
Offer
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4.1
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ABN
AMRO confirms that the ABN AMRO Boards have unanimously resolved
to
approve the entering into of this Merger Protocol.
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4.2
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Subject
to Clause 12.2 and the need to observe their fiduciary duties, and
act
accordingly as contemplated in Clause 14, none of the members of
the ABN
AMRO Boards (a) shall make any contradictory Public Statement as
to their
position with respect to the Offer that would constitute a significant
change in the nature of the ABN AMRO Boards Position as an expression
of
support of the strategic benefits of the combination with Barclays
(a
"Contradictory Public Statement"), or (b) shall make any
Public Statement recommending any Alternative Proposal relating to
ABN
AMRO, as defined in Clause 11.2, unless (i) ABN AMRO has consulted
with
Barclays about such statement prior to it being made public, or (ii)
ABN
AMRO or Barclays has terminated this Merger Protocol in accordance
with
Clause 13, Clause 14 or Clause 19. The sole remedy for breach of
this
Clause 4.2 is set forth in Clause 19.4 and 19.6."
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2.1.6
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Clause 4.5 of the Merger Protocol shall be amended to read as follows: | ||
"4.5
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The
Parties agree that the Offer Document, the Prospectus, the Class
1
Circular, the Registration Statement, Schedule TO and Schedule 14D-9
will
include the ABN AMRO Boards Position and will state that the Barclays
Board unanimously recommend the Offer, subject to such recommendation
not
having been withdrawn in accordance with the terms of this Merger
Protocol."
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2.1.7
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Clauses 7.7 and 7.9 of the Merger Protocol shall be deleted. | ||
2.1.8
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Clause 12.2 of the Merger Protocol shall be amended to read as follows: | ||
"12.2
In
the event that the ABN AMRO Boards determine that they intend to
recommend
the Competing Offer:
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12.2.1
ABN
AMRO shall promptly inform Barclays in writing (such information
in
writing hereinafter the "Notice") thereof, and shall
confirm in the Notice that the Boards intend, acting in good faith
and
observing their fiduciary duties under applicable law and in the
absence
of a Revised Offer as described in 12.2.2 below, to recommend the
Competing Offer for ABN AMRO, which Notice shall have attached the
most
current written version of such Competing Offer;
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12.2.2
Barclays
shall have 5 (five) Business Days following the date on which it
has
received the Notice to communicate to the ABN AMRO Boards a revision
of
the Offer ("Revised Offer");
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12.2.3
Provided
that (i) ABN AMRO acts and has at all times acted in accordance with
Clauses 11, 12.2.1 and 12.2.2 and (ii) either (a) Barclays fails
to
communicate a Revised Offer within 5 (five) Business Days after having
received the Notice or (b) the ABN AMRO Boards reaffirm to Barclays
in
writing at the end of such period, after taking into account any
Revised
Offer, acting in good faith and observing their fiduciary duties
under
applicable law, that the ABN AMRO Boards intend to recommend the
Competing
Offer, each of ABN AMRO and Barclays shall be entitled to terminate
this
Merger Protocol with immediate effect, without prejudice to Clause
19, and
the ABN AMRO Boards may recommend the Competing Offer;
and
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12.2.4
If
Barclays has communicated a Revised Offer to the ABN AMRO Boards
in
accordance with Clause 12.2.2 and the ABN AMRO Boards
decide not to recommend the Competing Offer, ABN AMRO shall
notify the third party proposing the Competing Offer that it does
not
intend to recommend such Competing Offer and publicly announce the
terms
of the Revised Offer which shall be publicly recommended by the ABN
AMRO
Boards. ABN AMRO and Barclays shall not be permitted in such circumstances
to terminate this Merger Protocol and ABN AMRO and Barclays and each
of
the members of the ABN AMRO Boards and the Barclays Board shall continue
to be bound by their respective rights and obligations of this Merger
Protocol, including in relation to any other Competing
Offer."
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2.1.9
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Clause 19.4 of the Merger Protocol shall be amended to read as follows: | ||
"19.4 Barclays may terminate this Merger Protocol with immediate effect if any member of the ABN AMRO Boards makes any Contradictory Public Statement or makes any Public Statement recommending any Alternative |
Proposal in relation to ABN AMRO, unless the ABN AMRO Boards shall have reaffirmed by way of a public announcement the ABN AMRO Boards Position and that the ABN AMRO Boards do not recommend any Alternative Proposal as soon as possible, but in any event within 24 (twenty four) hours after ABN AMRO or Barclays has become aware of any such Public Statement referred to above." | ||
2.1.10
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The
following text shall be added beneath the text of the Offer Condition
set
out under 1.8 in Schedule 2 (Offer
Conditions):
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"and
(a) all such Authorisations remain in full force and effect, (b)
no such
Authorisations are subject to any material term or material condition
which has not been fulfilled or satisfied."
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2.1.11
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The
definition of "ABN AMRO Boards Recommendation" in Schedule
4 shall be amended to read as follows:
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"ABN
AMRO Boards Position means the opinion (gemotiveerde
standpuntbepaling) of the Management Board and Supervisory Board in
respect of the Offer as announced on 30 July 2007 by way of the ABN
AMRO
Press Release attached as Annex A as adjusted from time
to time by ABN AMRO without such adjustments individually or jointly
constituting a Contradictory Public Statement."
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2.1.12
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Any
reference in the Merger Protocol to "ABN AMRO Boards Recommendation"
or
recommendation of the Offer by the ABN AMRO Boards shall be deemed
to be a
reference to "ABN AMRO Boards Position" to the extent consistent
with the
terms of this Second Amendment Letter, and without prejudice to Clause
3.2
below.
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3.
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Pe-Offer Conditions | |
3.1
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Barclays hereby agrees to waive Pre-Offer Condition 1.1 (irrevocable undertakings). | |
3.2
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The Pre-Offer Condition set out in 1.29 under Schedule 1 shall be rolled-over as an Offer Condition and shall be added as Offer Condition set out under 1.23 in Schedule 2, and shall read as follows: | |
1.23 Before the Closing Date, the ABN AMRO Boards having confirmed in writing, and having made an appropriate press release confirming, their unanimous recommendation of the Offer for acceptance by the holders of ABN AMRO Shares and the ABN AMRO ADSs." | ||
3.3
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For purposes of Clause 6 of the Merger Protocol, the Offer Condition set out in Clause 3.2 above shall be for the sole benefit of Barclays. The first sentence of Clause 6.3 and the last sentence of Clause 6.2 are not applicable to the Offer Condition set out in Clause 3.2 above. |
4.
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Supplemental
Provisions
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4.1
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ABN
AMRO shall be entitled (i) to engage in discussions or negotiations
with
the consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland plc, Fortis S.A./N.V.
and Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A. (the
"Consortium") and (ii) subject to Clause 11.6 of the
Merger Protocol, to provide the Consortium with Confidential Information,
without ABN AMRO having to notify Barclays that the ABN AMRO Boards
have
concluded that the offer published by them on 20 July 2007 would
be
reasonably likely to constitute or develop into a Competing
Offer.
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4.2
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Clause
3.1 of the First Merger Protocol Amendment Letter is hereby replaced
with
the following:
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"The
Parties hereby agree that the ABN AMRO Boards Position shall be
included
in the Offer Document, the Prospectus, Registration Statement,
Schedule
TO, Schedule 14D-9 or related communication to be published by
Barclays."
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4.3
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This
Second Amendment Letter replaces the provisions of sections 3.2 through
3.4 of the Amendment Letter.
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4.4
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It
is recognised and accepted that each of China Development Bank and
Temasek
shall have the right to nominate a non-executive director for appointment
to the Barclays Board effective after consummation of the Offer.
Parties
recognise and accept that if such directors are appointed, this would
result in an expansion of the Barclays Board from nineteen (19) directors,
as envisaged by Clause 3.1 of the Merger Protocol, to twenty-one
(21)
directors, including sixteen (16) non-executive directors. In the
event
that the number of directors of the Barclays Board shall in the two
years
following the consummation of the Offer be reduced, the pro rata
representation of directors nominated by ABN AMRO and of directors
nominated by Barclays shall remain the same.
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4.5
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The
Parties confirm that the employee consultation and information procedures
as set out in the Pre-Offer Condition 1.14 under Schedule
1 of the Merger Protocol have been completed.
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4.6
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For
the avoidance of doubt, Barclays and ABN AMRO shall continue to cooperate
with each other in preparing the Offer Document, the Prospectus,
Registration Statement, Schedule TO, Schedule 14D-9 or related
communications and Barclays and ABN AMRO shall in accordance with
Clauses
1.5 to Clause 1.16 of the Merger Protocol continue to take responsibility
for information included in these publications that is provided by
any of
them. Any press release, the Offer Document, the Prospectus, Registration
Statement, Schedule TO, Schedule 14D-9 or related communication to
be
published by Barclays or ABN AMRO shall continue to describe the
proposed
transaction as a "merger" between ABN AMRO and
Barclays.
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4.7 |
The
Parties acknowledge that under the existing Merger Protocol, withdrawal
of
the recommendation of the Offer by the ABN AMRO Boards results in
a right
for Barclays to terminate the Merger Protocol and to receive immediate
payment of EUR 200
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million
by way of compensation for loss and damages suffered. In view of
the wish
of the Parties not to terminate the Merger Protocol and in view of
the
continued support of the ABN AMRO Boards, Barclays agrees to defer
the
collection of the above sum until any public announcement is made
by
Barclays by way of a press release that the Merger Protocol is terminated
in accordance with its terms (whether or not the Offer has been launched),
in which case ABN AMRO shall pay the above sum within 48 hours after
Barclays has made such announcement, provided that Barclays shall
not have
a right to receive payment of this sum: (a) in case the Offer has
been
declared unconditional; or (b) in case ABN AMRO announces following
the
date of this Second Amendment Letter that the ABN AMRO Boards renew
the
recommendation of the Offer and, during the currency of that
recommendation, Barclays subsequently announces that the Merger Protocol
is terminated in accordance with its terms without the Offer having
been
declared unconditional (whether or not the Offer has been launched).
Clause 20.9 of the Merger Protocol applies to any payment of the
above sum
of EUR 200 million. Barclays shall be entitled to assign any and
all
rights under this Clause to Barclays Bank PLC. This Clause 4.7 is
without
prejudice to Barclays' other rights under Clause 19.6 of the Merger
Protocol, provided that the sum of EUR 200 million as referred to
in
Clause 19.6 of the Merger Protocol shall be payable only once. Likewise
the sum of EUR 200 million as referred to in Clause 19.7 shall be
payable
only once.
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4.8
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The
entering into of this Second Amendment Letter shall, other than as
explicitly agreed in this Second Amendment Letter, not affect any
accrued
rights and obligations under the Merger Protocol prior to the entering
into of this Second Amendment Letter
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5.
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Governing
law and disputes
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This
Second Amendment Letter is governed by, and shall be construed in
accordance with, the laws of The Netherlands. The provisions of Clause
22
(Governing Law And Disputes) of the Merger Protocol shall apply to
this
letter as if incorporated herein.
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Signed
for and on behalf of
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BARCLAYS
PLC
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/s/
John Varley
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By:
John Varley
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Title:
Chief Executive Officer
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Place:
London
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Signed
for and on behalf of
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ABN
AMRO HOLDING N.V.
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/s/
Rijkman Groenink
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/s
Huibert Boumeester
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By:
Rijkman Groenink
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By:
Huibert Boumeester
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Title:
Chairman of the Managing Board
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Title:
Chief Financial Officer
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Place:
Amsterdam
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Place:
Amsterdam
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1.
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Interest
of
shareholders and other stakeholders
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·
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Shareholders:
the current value of the Offers, the mix of consideration, the
degree of
sensitivity, as appropriate, of the value of the Offers to the
offerors’
share prices, proposed synergies and ABN AMRO’s strategic
vision;
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·
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Employees:
career opportunities, commitments, any proposed gross and net redundancies
and the formal advice and opinions of, as well as views expressed
by,
employee representative bodies;
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·
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Customers:
service quality and continuity with regard to product offerings
and
business model;
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·
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Creditors:
financial strength and long-term ratings of the ongoing
businesses.
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2.
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Risks
associated with each proposed
transaction:
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·
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Execution
risks, including the likelihood and timing of regulatory and
shareholder approvals, the wording of “Material Adverse Change” clauses
and other pre-offer and offer conditions or fiduciary outs of each
Offer;
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·
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Post
–acquisition risks: where relevant, break-up and integration risks,
capital adequacy and funding, legal and compliance risks and business
integrity risks;
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3.
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Corporate
Governance:
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·
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Where
relevant, Headquarter location, Board structure and representation,
likely
distribution of senior and middle management
positions.
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1.
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Whereas
sources of integration risks are broadly similar to those identified
for
the Barclays Offer, the ABN AMRO Boards have significant unresolved
questions about the proposed break-up of ABN AMRO and the proposed
methodology of the Consortium to implement such a break-up (as
also
explained to the Consortium on 5 May and included in our press
release
dated 14 May 2007);
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2.
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Whereas
Santander shareholders have already approved the proposed transaction,
approvals of the shareholders of Fortis and RBS are still outstanding
and
expected at the earliest on, respectively, 6 August and 10
August. The outcome of those votes remains uncertain at this
stage;
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3.
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The
approval
of the proposed transaction by the Ministry of Finance and the
views of
the Dutch Central Bank in this respect remain uncertain, including
as to
timing and associated conditions of any such approval, particularly
in
view of the proposed break-up;
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4.
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The
broadly
defined “Material Adverse Change” clause as it is currently worded in the
Consortium Offer is more onerous and uncertain than the proposed
equivalent Barclays clause.
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