EXHIBIT 10
PARTICIPATION UNITS
This Grant Document sets forth the terms and conditions of your grant of Participation Units (Participation Units) under the Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (ML&Co.) Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan (the Plan) granted under the Managing Partners Incentive Program (MPP) and convertible into Restricted Shares under the Plan.
1. THE PLAN
This grant is made under the Plan, the terms of which are incorporated into this Grant Document. Capitalized terms used in this Grant Document that are not defined, shall have the meanings as used or defined in the Plan, which is included in the Prospectus sent to you with this grant. Merrill Lynch, as used in this Grant Document, shall mean ML&Co., its subsidiaries and affiliates. References in this Grant Document to any specific Plan provision shall not be construed as limiting that provision or the applicability of any other Plan provision.
2. GRANT CONDITIONS
By accepting this grant, you acknowledge that you understand that the grant is subject to all of the terms and conditions contained in the Plan and in this Grant Document and that you consent to all grant terms and conditions, including without limitation, the covenants set forth in paragraph 4 of this Grant Document.
PARTICIPATION UNITS
(a) | General. Participation Units represent a conditional right to shares of ML & Co.
Common Stock, dependent upon the attainment of certain goals for the Corporations ROE
(defined below), as determined on the Conversion Dates (defined below). |
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(b) | Voting-Dividends. Your Participation Units do not have voting rights. Prior to the
Conversion Dates for the relevant Participation Units, a holder of a Participation Unit
will be paid cash amounts equal to dividends paid on a share of ML&Co. Common Stock, which
shall cease when the Participation Units are no longer outstanding. |
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(c) | Conversion of Participation Units into Restricted Shares*.
One-third of the Participation Units shall convert into Restricted Shares (described under
RESTRICTED SHARES below) on each of January 31, 2007, January 31, 2008 and January 31
2009 (each a Conversion Date), based on ROE determined for the most recently completed
fiscal year. Participation Units converted on the Conversion Date will cease to be
outstanding immediately following conversion. |
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(d) | Conversion Ratio. The ratio for conversion of Participation Units to Restricted
Shares shall be as set forth in a schedule to this Grant Document as may be adjusted from
time to time as necessary to reflect any normalization of ROE confirmed by the Management
Development and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (MDCC) |
* | For grants made to executives in certain
countries, the Participation Units will be convertible into Restricted Units. |
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(e) | Determination of ROE. In each of January 2007, January 2008 and January 2009, the
MDCC shall review and confirm ROE, as defined below, for the immediately proceeding fiscal
year. |
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ROE with respect to any fiscal year shall mean the Return on Equity as reported by
the Corporation in its earnings press release in January with respect to the relevant
fiscal year subject to adjustments, if any, deemed appropriate in order to normalize ROE
to emphasize operating results. The MDCCs review and confirmation of the ROE and the
Conversion Ratio for a particular performance period shall be final and binding on
Participants. |
(f) | Issuance of Restricted Shares. Upon confirmation by the MDCC, the Company shall
issue the appropriate number of Restricted Shares in accordance with the Conversion Ratio
on January 31 of the relevant year and the corresponding Participation Units shall cease
to be outstanding, immediately following conversion. |
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(g) | Conversion of Participation Units in Connection with a Change-in-Control. In the
event of a Change-in-Control of the Corporation as defined in LTICP, then immediately
prior to the consummation of the Change-in-Control, one third of the Participation Units
(relating to the year in which the transaction occurs) shall be converted into Restricted
Shares (or Restricted Units) at a ratio of 2.5:1 and the remaining outstanding
Participation Units (relating to subsequent years) shall be converted at a ratio of 1:1.
The vesting and payment of the converted Restricted Shares shall occur in accordance with
paragraph 5 hereof. |
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(h) | Termination of Your Rights to Participation Units under Certain
Circumstances. Except as provided in paragraph 3 hereof, if, prior to the Conversion
Date for the relevant Participation Units, (1) your employment terminates for any reason
other than death, Career Retirement (as defined in paragraph 3) or Disability (as defined
in paragraph 3) or as a result of a Reduction in Force (as described in paragraph 4), (2)
you violate any of the covenants outlined in paragraph 4 of this Grant Document (the
Covenants), or (3) following termination for Career Retirement, you fail to deliver the
Annual Certification described below, your right to outstanding Participation Units shall
terminate and they will be cancelled. |
RESTRICTED SHARES
(a) | General. A Restricted Share is a share of ML&Co. Common Stock that is
beneficially owned by you but held by ML&Co. on your behalf until the end of the Vesting
Period described below. Your Restricted Shares have voting rights and pay quarterly
dividends, when regular dividends are paid on ML & Co. Common Stock. |
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(b) | Vesting Period. Except as described in paragraph 3, of this Grant Document,
your rights to Restricted Shares shall terminate and the Restricted Shares will be
cancelled if you terminate employment or otherwise violate any of the terms and conditions
of your grant during the Vesting Period ending on January 31, 2010 (Vesting Date).
Restricted Shares may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise encumbered
during the Vesting Period. Following the end of the Vesting Period, Restricted Shares
will be delivered to you, subject to |
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the Companys right to reduce the number of shares to be delivered by an amount of shares
necessary to satisfy Merrill Lynchs applicable tax withholding requirements. |
(c) | Termination of Your Rights to Restricted Shares under Certain Circumstances.
Except as provided in paragraph 3 hereof, if (1) your employment terminates for any reason
other than death, Career Retirement (as defined in paragraph 3) or Disability (as defined
in paragraph 3) or as a result of a reduction in force, (2)
you violate any of the covenants outlined in paragraph 4 of this Grant Document (the
Covenants), (3) following termination for Career Retirement, you fail to deliver the
Annual Certification described in sub-paragraph (b) under Effect of Termination of
Employment on Restricted Shares in paragraph 3, your right to unvested Restricted Shares
shall terminate, Restricted Shares will be cancelled and will not be delivered to you. |
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(d) | Delivery Merrill Lynch Account Designation. |
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(i) | Once your Restricted Shares have vested in accordance with the terms of this Grant
Document, you will be entitled to have those shares delivered, as soon as practicable, to
a Merrill Lynch account. |
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(ii) | As a participant in the Plan, you must designate a Merrill Lynch account into which
shares of ML&Co. Common Stock will be deposited when they are released to you. This
account cannot be a Trust Account, Individual Retirement Account or other tax-deferred
account. You may use a joint account if you are the primary owner of the account.
Account designations can be made on the Payroll Self Service Web Site at
http://hr.worldnet.ml.com/edf2. (From the HR Intranet homepage, click on Payroll
Self Service.) If you do not designate an account, Merrill Lynch will mail certificates
representing shares released to you. |
3. EFFECT OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.
Prior to Conversion of Participation Units. |
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In general, if, prior to the conversion of your Participation Unit for your grant, your
employment terminates or you fail to comply with the covenants contained in paragraph 4 of this
Grant Document, your rights to your Participation Units will cease and they will be cancelled.
In the case of termination of employment, if your termination occurs in connection with the
limited circumstances outlined below a portion of your grant will convert to Restricted Shares
(as described below) and continue to vest notwithstanding termination, provided that you
continue to satisfy the conditions described below. If you fail to comply with these conditions,
your rights to your Restricted Shares will cease and they will be cancelled. |
(a) | Death. One-third of the Participation Units (relating to the year in which
Death occurs) will be converted into Restricted Shares at a 1:1 Conversion Ratio and the
resulting Restricted Shares will vest immediately and shares will be delivered to a
designated beneficiary or estate as soon as possible. Any unconverted Participation
Units will be cancelled. |
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(b) | Disability, Career Retirement; Reduction in Force. If (1) employment is
terminated as a result of Disability, (2) upon termination, you qualify for Career
Retirement (as defined |
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below) or (3) you are terminated due to a Reduction in Force then a portion of the
Participation Units representing your annual contribution for the year in which the
termination occurs will be converted at a Conversion Ratio of 1:1, effective upon
termination provided that, (1) you do not compete with the business of, or recruit
employees from, Merrill Lynch, (2) you do not violate the covenants contained in paragraph
4; and (3) you sign and return an Agreement and Release in the form prescribed by Merrill
Lynch and comply thereafter with the terms of the Agreement and Release. All unconverted
Participation Units will be cancelled effective upon termination of employment. |
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(c) | Termination of Employment for Other Reasons. In the event employment is
terminated for any other reason, rights to Participation Units that have not converted
shall terminate and they will be cancelled effective upon termination of employment. |
Effect of Termination of Employment on Restricted Shares |
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In general, if, prior to the end of the Vesting Period for your grant, your employment
terminates or you fail to comply with the covenants contained in paragraph 4 of this Grant
Document, your rights to your unvested Restricted Shares will cease and they will be cancelled.
In the case of termination of employment, if your termination occurs in connection with the
limited circumstances outlined below your grant will continue to vest notwithstanding
termination, provided that you continue to satisfy the conditions described below. If you fail
to comply with these conditions, your rights to your Restricted Shares will cease and they will
be cancelled: |
(a) | Death. If your death occurs prior to the Vesting Date for your Restricted
Shares, any unvested Restricted Shares will vest immediately and shares (net of any
withholding requirements) will be delivered to your designated beneficiary or estate as
soon as possible. |
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(b) | Disability or Career Retirement. If your employment is terminated as a result
of Disability or if you qualify for Career Retirement (as defined below), your Restricted
Shares will continue to vest notwithstanding your termination provided that, (1) you do
not compete with, or recruit employees from, Merrill Lynch and provide Merrill Lynch with
a certification upon your termination and at least annually thereafter (the Annual
Certification) that you are not engaged in or employed by a business which is in
competition with Merrill Lynch and have not solicited or recruited employees from Merrill
Lynch and (2) you do not violate the covenants contained in paragraph 4. If you compete
with the business of or recruit employees from Merrill Lynch, fail to return the Annual
Certification to Merrill Lynch or violate the covenants contained in paragraph 4 during
the Vesting Period for your Restricted Shares, your rights to your unvested Restricted
Shares will terminate and the Restricted Shares will be cancelled. |
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(c) | Termination of Employment Due to Reduction in Force. If your employment is
terminated in connection with a reduction in force, your Restricted Shares will continue
to vest notwithstanding your termination; provided that, (i) you sign and return an
Agreement and Release in the form prescribed by Merrill Lynch and (ii) you comply
thereafter with its terms and with the covenants contained in this Grant Document. |
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(d) | Termination of Employment for Other Reasons: In the event your employment is
terminated for any other reason than those specified in subparagraphs (a), (b) or (c)
under the |
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heading Effect of
Termination on Your Restricted Shares, your rights to your unvested
Restricted Shares shall terminate and the Restricted Shares will be cancelled. |
Definitions:
To be eligible for Career Retirement treatment, you must fulfill the following requirements: |
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· No determination shall have been made that there was Cause (as defined below) to disqualify you from Career Retirement treatment; and
· You must have completed at least 5 years of service with Merrill Lynch; and
· You (1) must be at least 45 years of age or (2) your age and service combined and computed as full years and completed months must total at least 60; or
· At the request of Merrill Lynch, you become an employee (upon termination with Merrill Lynch) of a non-consolidated joint venture of Merrill Lynch, a spin-off or a new joint venture company in which Merrill Lynch has made a substantial investment and that is expressly approved for Career Retirement treatment by the Head of Human Resources.
· You will not be eligible for Career Retirement if: (1) following your termination, you engage in any business that is in competition with the business of Merrill Lynch, (2) prior to or following your termination you solicit or recruit any Merrill Lynch employees, (3) you fail to complete and return the Annual Certification, that you are in compliance with conditions 1 and 2 or (4) prior to or following your termination, you violate any of the covenants contained in paragraph 4 hereof.
Disability shall mean a physical or mental condition that, in the opinion of the Head of Rewards and Recognition Planning of Merrill Lynch (or his or her functional successor), renders you incapable of engaging in any employment or occupation for which you are suited by reason of education or training.
Cause shall mean a determination by a committee appointed by the Head of Rewards and Recognition Planning of Merrill Lynch (or his or her functional successor), that in its sole, absolute, and un-reviewable discretion: (i) at the time of the termination of your employment, you had committed: a) any violation of Merrill Lynchs rules, regulations, policies, practices and/or procedures; b) any violation of the laws, rules or regulations of any governmental entity or regulatory or self-regulatory organization, applicable to Merrill Lynch; or c) criminal, illegal, dishonest, immoral, or unethical conduct reasonably related to your employment; and (ii) as a result of such conduct, it is appropriate to disqualify you from Career Retirement treatment with respect to the Participation Units or Restricted Shares covered by this Grant Document.
4. CONDITIONS.
(a) | Notice Period. You agree that for the remainder of your employment, you
shall provide ML&Co. with at least six months advance written notice (the Notice
Period) prior to the termination of your employment. During this Notice Period, you
shall remain employed by |
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Merrill Lynch (and receive base salary and certain benefits, but will not receive any
payments or distributions or accrue any rights to a bonus or any payments or
distributions under the Variable Incentive Compensation Program, pro-rata or otherwise)
and shall not commence employment with any other employer. You further agree that during
the Notice Period, you shall not directly or indirectly induce or solicit any client of
Merrill Lynch to terminate or modify its relationship with Merrill Lynch. |
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(b) | Employment by a Competitor. You agree that, during the period beginning on
the date of the termination of your employment and ending on the Vesting Date for
Restricted Shares issued upon conversion of the Participation Units, you will not, without
prior written consent from ML&Co., engage in any employment, accept or maintain any
directorship or other position, own an interest in, or, as principal, agent, employee,
consultant or otherwise, provide any services to anyone, whether or not for compensation,
in any business that is engaged in competition with the business of the ML&Co. or its
affiliates (a Competitive Business). |
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(c) | Non-Solicitation. You agree that you will not directly or indirectly solicit
for employment any person who is or was an employee of ML&Co. or any of its affiliates at
any time during the six-month period immediately preceding the date of such solicitation. |
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(d) | No Hire. You agree that during a period of six months following your
termination, you will not hire or otherwise engage, directly or indirectly (including,
without limitation, through an entity with which the you are associated), as an employee
or independent contractor, any person who is or was an employee of the ML&Co. or any of
its affiliates and who, as of the date of your termination of employment, had the title
First Vice President or Managing Director or higher and reported directly to the Executive
or to the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company (Executive, CEO or
President Direct Reports) or any person with the title First Vice President or Managing
Director or higher who, at the time of your termination, reported directly to the
Executive, CEO or President Direct Reports, provided, however, that this paragraph 4(iv)
shall not apply to you, if at the time of your termination you are not a direct report to
the CEO, or, the President, if any, of ML&Co. and provided further that the hiring of any
person whose employment was involuntarily terminated by ML&Co. or any of its affiliates
shall not be a violation of this covenant. |
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(e) | Non-Disparagement. You agree that you will not disparage, portray in a
negative light, or make any statement which would be harmful to, or lead to unfavorable
publicity for, ML&Co. or any of its affiliates, or any of its or their current or former
directors, officers or employees, including without limitation, in any and all interviews,
oral statements, written materials, electronically displayed materials and materials or
information displayed on internet- or intranet-related sites; provided however, that this
Grant Document will not apply to the extent you are making truthful statements required by
law or by order of a court or other legal body having jurisdiction or when responding to
any inquiry from any governmental agency or regulatory or self-regulatory organization. |
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(f) | Confidential Information. You agree that following any termination of
employment, you will not without prior written consent or as otherwise required by law,
disclose or publish (directly or indirectly) any Confidential Information (as defined
below) to any person or copy, transmit or remove or attempt to use, copy, transmit or
remove any Confidential Information |
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for any purpose. Confidential Information means any information concerning ML&Co. or any
of its affiliates business or affairs which is not generally known to the public and
includes, but is not limited to, any file, document, book, account, list, process, patent,
specification, drawing, design, computer program or file, computer disk, method of
operation, recommendation, report, plan, survey, data, manual, strategy, financial data,
client information or data, or contract which comes to your knowledge in the course of
your employment or which is generated by you in the course of performing the obligations
related to your employment whether alone or with others. |
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(g) | Confidentiality. You also agree that in the event your employment is
terminated you will not disclose the circumstances of your termination to any other party,
except that you may make such disclosure: on a confidential basis to your tax, financial
or legal advisors, your immediate family members, or any prospective employer or business
partner, provided that, in each case, such third party agrees to keep such circumstances
confidential. |
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(h) | Cooperation. You agree to (i) provide truthful and reasonable cooperation,
including but not limited to your appearance at interviews and depositions, in all legal
matters, including but not limited to regulatory and litigation proceedings relating to
your employment or area of responsibility at Merrill Lynch or its affiliates, whether or
not such matters have already been commenced and through the conclusion of such matters or
proceedings, and (ii) to provide Merrill Lynchs counsel all documents in yours possession
or control relating to such regulatory or litigation matters. |
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(i) | Injunctive Relief. Without limiting any remedies available, you acknowledge
and agree that a breach of the covenants contained in subparagraphs (a) (d), (f) and
(g) of this paragraph 4 will result in material and irreparable injury to Merrill Lynch
and its affiliates for which there is no adequate remedy at law and that it will not be
possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely. Therefore, you agree that, in the
event of such a breach or threat thereof, Merrill Lynch shall be entitled to seek a
temporary restraining order and a preliminary and permanent injunction, without bond or
other security, restraining him or her from engaging in activities prohibited by
subparagraphs (a) (d), (f) and (g) of this paragraph 4 or such other relief as may be
required specifically to enforce any of the covenants in subparagraphs (a) (d), (f) and
(g) of this paragraph 4, provided however, that Merrill Lynch shall be entitled to seek
injunctive relief for violations of subparagraph (c) of this paragraph 4 only during the
period beginning on the date of your termination of employment and ending on the first
anniversary of that date. |
5. EFFECT OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL OF ML&CO.
If a Change of Control of ML&Co. (as defined in the Plan) occurs following the conversion of
Participation Units and your employment subsequently terminates without Cause (as defined in
the Plan), or for Good Reason (as defined in the Plan), you will be paid the Fair Market Value
of all of your Restricted Shares in cash. |
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