Document:

EX-4.3

 Exhibit 4.3 

 
  

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT 
 by
and between 
 CADENCE BANCORPORATION 

and 
 CADENCE BANCORP, LLC 

 
  

Dated as of [●], 2017 
  

 
  

 

 REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT 

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of [•], 2017, is by and among Cadence Bancorporation, a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Cadence Bancorp, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (together with any other Person from time to time deemed a Stockholder hereunder pursuant to Section 3.3(b), the
“Stockholder”). 
 WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to provide for, among other things, certain registration rights with
respect to the Registrable Shares (as hereinafter defined). 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set
forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: 

ARTICLE I 
 DEFINITIONS 

1.1 Defined Terms. 
 As
used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them below: 
 “Affiliate” has
the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act. 
 “Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the
preamble of this Agreement. 
 “Blackout Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7. 

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

“Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions are authorized or required
by law to remain closed in the City of New York, New York or Houston, Texas. 
 “Closing Date” means [•], 2017.

 “Common Stock” means shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company. 

“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any similar agency then having jurisdiction to enforce the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act. 
 “Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement. 

“Company Indemnitee” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8. 

 “Customary Cooperation” means, in connection with any underwritten Public
Offering, in addition to the cooperation otherwise required by this Agreement, (a) members of senior management of the Company (including the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer) shall fully cooperate with the underwriter(s)
in connection therewith, and make themselves available to participate in all of the marketing processes of the underwritten Public Offering as recommended by the underwriter(s), including “road show” presentations, and (b) the Company
shall prepare preliminary and final prospectuses for use in connection with such offering containing such additional information as reasonably requested by the underwriter(s) or the Selling Shareholder (in addition to the information required by
law, rule or regulation). 
 “EDGAR” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(c). 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or
any successor statute. 
 “Expenses” means any and all fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with
this Agreement, including: (i) all Commission, securities exchange, FINRA or other registration, listing, inclusion and filing fees; (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with international, federal or state
securities or blue sky laws (including any registration, listing and filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the Registrable Shares and the preparation of a blue sky memorandum
and compliance with the rules of FINRA); (iii) all expenses of preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, duplicating, printing, delivering and distributing any public filings, any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting
agreements, securities sales agreements, certificates and any other documents relating to the performance under and compliance with this Agreement; (iv) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or inclusion of any of the
Registrable Shares on any securities exchange; (v) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company (including the expenses of any special audit and “cold
comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of this Agreement); (vi) the fees and disbursements of a single counsel for the Selling Stockholders; and (vii) any fees and disbursements customarily paid in issues and
sales of securities (including the fees and expenses of any experts retained by the Company in connection with any public filing); provided, however, that Expenses shall exclude brokers’ or underwriters’ discounts and commissions, if any,
relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Shares by the Stockholder. 
 “FINRA” means the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority, Inc. 
 “Governmental Authority” means (a) the government of any nation, state, city, locality or
other political subdivision thereof and (b) any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government. 

“IPO” means the initial public offering of the Common Stock completed pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement. 

  
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 “Loss” and “Losses” have the meanings set forth in
Section 2.8. 
 “Majority-Owned Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 “Maximum Number” has the meaning set out in Section 2.1(f). 

“Offering Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8. 

“Other Holder” has the meaning set out in Section 2.2. 

“Person” means any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, voluntary association, joint venture, trust,
unincorporated organization, Governmental Authority or any other entity whether acting in an individual, fiduciary or other capacity. 

“Piggyback Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2. 

“Piggyback Requesting Stockholder” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2. 

“Public Offering” means a public offering and sale of Common Stock pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under
the Securities Act; provided, that a Public Offering shall not include an offering made in connection with a business acquisition or combination pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-4, or any successor or similar form, or an
employee benefit plan pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8, or any successor or similar form. 
 “Registrable
Shares” means, with respect to the Stockholder, any of the Common Stock and any Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Class B common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company, and any other securities issued or issuable with respect to any
such Common Stock by way of a share dividend or bonus shares or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or reorganization or resulting from a share split, (a) owned by such Stockholder as of the date
hereof or (b) acquired by such Stockholder or any of its Affiliates after the date hereof if such Common Stock (or other securities) were acquired by a Stockholder (or an Affiliate of such Stockholder) that was an Affiliate of the Company on
the date of such acquisition; provided, however, that any Registrable Share will cease to be a Registrable Share when (i) a registration statement covering such Registrable Share has been declared effective by the SEC and such
Registrable Share has been disposed of pursuant to such effective registration statement, (ii) it is sold under circumstances in which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or any similar provisions then in force) under the Securities
Act are met, (iii) it is eligible for sale under Rule 144(b)(1) and the Stockholder holding such Registrable Shares and any person with which such Stockholder is required to aggregate its sales pursuant to Rule 144(e) hold less than ten percent
(10%) of the outstanding shares of the Company or (iv) it shall have been otherwise transferred without the rights and obligations hereunder having been assigned in connection with such transfer pursuant to Section 3.3(b);
provided, further, that any security that is issued, distributed or otherwise acquired in respect of a security that has ceased to be Registrable Share is not a Registrable Share. 

  
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 “Registrable Shares Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.4.

 “Registration Demand” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a). 

“Registration Demanding Stockholder” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a). 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or any
successor statute. 
 “Selling Stockholders” means the holders of Registrable Shares requested to be registered pursuant
hereto. 
 “Shelf Demand” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g). 

“Shelf Demanding Stockholder” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g). 

“Shelf Participating Stockholder” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g). 

“Shelf Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g). 

“Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g). 

“Stockholder” has the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement. 

“Stockholder Indemnitee” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8. 

“Stockholder Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4. 

“Takedown Prospectus Supplement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g). 

“Takedown Request” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(g). 

“Underwriting Agreement” means the certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of [•], 2017, by and between the Company and
Goldman, Sachs & Co. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, entered into in connection with the IPO. 

“Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act. 

1.2 Other Definitional Provisions; Interpretation. 

In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires: 

(a) the words “hereof”, “herein”, and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall
refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; 

  
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 (b) headings are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of this Agreement;

 (c) words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; 

(d) a reference to an Article, party, Schedule or Section is a reference to that Article or Section of, or that party or
Schedule to, this Agreement; 
 (e) a reference to a document includes an amendment or supplement to, or replacement or novation of,
that document but disregarding any amendment, supplement, replacement or novation made in breach of this Agreement; 
 (f) whenever the
words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they are deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and 

(g) a reference to a party to any document includes that party’s successors and permitted assigns. 

ARTICLE II 
 REGISTRATION
RIGHTS 
 2.1 Securities Act Registration on Demand. 

(a) Demand. At any time and from time to time following the IPO (provided that neither the Company nor any Stockholder shall be
required to take any action hereunder, including the filing of a registration statement, during the period when such action would cause the Company or any Stockholder to violate the Underwriting Agreement or any lock-up agreement delivered pursuant
to the Underwriting Agreement), any Stockholder may make a written request (the party making such a request, the “Registration Demanding Stockholder”) to the Company for the registration with the Commission under the Securities Act
of all or part of such Stockholder’s Registrable Shares (a “Registration Demand”), which request shall specify the number and type of security of Registrable Shares to be disposed of by such Stockholder, their aggregate amount
and the intended method or methods of distribution therefor. Upon the receipt of a Registration Demand, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, subject to the requirements of the Underwriting Agreement, to file a registration
statement under the Securities Act at the earliest practicable date, but in any event not later than sixty (60) days after the Registration Demand is made, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to have such registration statement
thereafter become effective with the Commission at the earliest practicable date; provided that, 
 (i) the Company
shall not be required to effect more than three (3) Registration Demands for underwritten Public Offerings pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) during any twelve (12) month period; 

  
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 (ii) the Company shall not be required to effect any registration for an
underwritten Public Offering by a Registration Demanding Stockholder pursuant to this Section 2.1 until a period of ninety (90) days shall have elapsed from the effective date of a registration statement filed in response to a Registration
Demand pursuant to this Section 2.1(a), a Takedown Prospectus Supplement under Section 2.1(g) or a registration statement for an underwritten Public Offering of which notice has been given to the Stockholders pursuant to Section 2.2;

 (iii) if the Registrable Shares held by the Stockholder were to be included in any such registration pursuant to this
Section 2.1(a), such Stockholder may withdraw such request by written notice to the Company; provided that if, following such withdrawal, the remaining Registrable Shares, if any, that have not been withdrawn are reasonably expected to
represent at least that percentage of the Common Stock then outstanding set forth in clause (iv) below, the Company shall not be required to effect such registration; 

(iv) except in the case of a demand for registration under this Section 2.1(a) by Cadence Bancorp, LLC in connection with
an exchange offer in which Registrable Shares are to be registered on Form S-1 or Form S-4, the Company shall not be required to effect any registration to be effected pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) unless the Registrable Shares proposed to be
sold in such registration are reasonably expected to represent at least five percent (5%) of the Common Stock then outstanding; and 

(v) except in the case of a demand for registration under this Section 2.1(a) by Cadence Bancorp, LLC in connection with
an exchange offer in which Registrable Shares are to be registered on Form S-1 or Form S-4, if at the time a demand for registration is made under this Section 2.1(a) there is a Registration Statement on file pursuant to which the Registration
Demanding Stockholder shall be entitled to dispose of all its Registrable Shares (including any Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3), then the Company’s obligation to file a registration statement under this Section 2.1 shall be
deemed satisfied. 
 (b) Registration of Other Securities. Whenever the Company shall effect a registration pursuant to
Section 2.1 hereof, no securities other than (i) Registrable Shares and (ii) subject to Section 2.1(f) hereof, Common Stock to be sold by the Company for its own account, shall be included among the securities covered by such
registration unless the Selling Stockholders holding not less than a majority of the Registrable Shares to be covered by such registration shall have consented in writing to the inclusion of such other securities. 

(c) Registration Statement Form. Registrations under Section 2.1 hereof shall be on Form S-1 or, if permitted by law,
Form S-3, or, to the extent applicable to a transaction contemplated in connection with a registration requested by Cadence Bancorp, LLC, Form S-4 (or, in any case, any successor or similar form thereto) and shall permit the disposition of the
Registrable Shares pursuant to an underwritten Public Offering or, in the case of a registration requested by Cadence Bancorp, LLC on Form S-1 or Form S-4, an exchange offer or similar transaction, unless the Registration Demanding Stockholder(s)
determine otherwise, in which case pursuant to the method of disposition determined by such Registration Demanding Stockholder(s). 

  
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 (d) Effective Registration Statement. A registration requested pursuant to
Section 2.1(a) or Section 2.1(g) shall not be deemed to have been effected: 
 (i) unless a registration statement
with respect thereto has become, and remains, effective in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act and the laws of any state or other jurisdiction applicable to the disposition of Registrable Shares covered by such registration
statement until such time as all of such Registrable Shares have been disposed of in accordance with such registration statement or there shall cease to be any Registrable Shares covered by such registration statement; provided,
however, that such period shall not exceed one-hundred eighty (180) days; 
 (ii) if, after it has become
effective, such registration is subject to any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the Commission or other Governmental Authority for any reason other than a violation of applicable law solely by any Selling Stockholder and has
not thereafter become effective, or in the case of a Form S-3, the Company ceases to be eligible to use such form; or 

(iii) if, in the case of an underwritten Public Offering, the conditions to closing specified in an underwriting agreement to
which the Company is a party are not satisfied or waived, other than by reason of any breach or failure by, or caused by, any Selling Stockholder. 

(e) Selection of Underwriters. The Registration Demanding Stockholder shall have the right to select the underwriter(s) to administer
the offering, provided that such underwriter(s) shall be nationally recognized investment banking firms reasonably acceptable to the Company. If the offering is underwritten, the Registration Demanding Stockholder (together with the Company)
will enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters for such underwriting. 
 (f) Priority
in Requested Registration. If a registration under this Section 2.1 involves an underwritten Public Offering, and the managing underwriter of such underwritten Public Offering shall advise the Company in good faith and in writing (with a
copy to the Registration Demanding Stockholders) that the number of Registrable Shares sought to be registered by the Stockholders is reasonably expected to adversely affect the price or success of the offering, the Company may elect to include in
such registration statement such number of shares of Common Stock as the Company is advised can be sold in such offering without such an effect (the “Maximum Number”) as follows and in the following order of priority:
(i) first, all of the Registrable Shares being sold for the account of Cadence Bancorp, LLC, (ii) second, all of the Registrable Shares being sold for the accounts of any other Registration Demanding Stockholder and any other Piggyback
Requesting Stockholder, pro rata among such other Stockholders based on the number of Registrable Shares requested to be included in such registration by such other Stockholders, and (iii) third, to the extent that the number of
Registrable Shares to be included in the registration pursuant to clause (ii) is less than the Maximum Number, such number of Common Stock, if any, as the Company proposes to sell for its own account and as any Other Holder proposes to sell,
pro rata among the Company and such Other Holders based on the number of Registrable Shares proposed to be included by the Company and requested to be included by such Other Holder. 

  
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 (g) Shelf Registration. 

(i) From and after such time as the Company first becomes eligible to register securities on a Form S-3, or any successor or
similar form, any Stockholder may make a written request (a “Shelf Demand”) that the Company file a shelf registration statement (a “Shelf Registration Statement”) pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the
Securities Act (a “Shelf Registration”) and undertake any related qualification or compliance, with respect to all or part of the Registrable Shares owned by such Stockholder (a “Shelf Demanding Stockholder”). The
Company shall (i) promptly, and in any event within ten (10) days of its receipt of a Shelf Demand, give written notice of the proposed registration, and any related qualification or compliance, to all other holders of Registrable Shares
to the extent that the addresses of those Stockholders are known to the Company (the “Shelf Notice”), and (ii) as soon as practicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to file such Shelf Registration Statement under the
Securities Act at the earliest practicable date, but in any event not later than forty (40) days after receipt of the Shelf Demand, and use its commercially reasonable efforts to have such Shelf Registration Statement thereafter become
effective with the Commission at the earliest practicable date and to effect, at the earliest practicable date, such registration under the Securities Act of (x) the Registrable Shares that the Company has been so requested to register by the
Shelf Demanding Stockholder and (y) all other Registrable Shares that the Company has been so requested to register by written request of any Stockholder (a “Shelf Participating Stockholder”) given to the Company within ten
(10) days after such Stockholder’s receipt of the Shelf Notice. Each Shelf Demanding Stockholder and Shelf Participating Stockholder shall be permitted to request that the Company register an undetermined amount of Registrable Shares if
the Company is, or will be at the time of filing, a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer entitled to file an automatically effective Shelf Registration Statement. The Company agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration
Statement continuously effective, including by renewing or re-filing upon expiration, for the period beginning on the date on which the Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act until the earlier to occur of
(A) the day after the date on which all of the Registrable Shares covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement or another registration statement and (B) the first date on which
there shall cease to be any Registrable Shares covered by such Shelf Registration Statement. The Company further agrees, if necessary, to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, if required by the rules and regulations of the
Commission or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder for Shelf Registration, and the Company agrees to furnish to the
Stockholders whose Registrable Shares are included in such Shelf Registration Statement copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being issued or filed with the Commission. No registration requested by any Stockholder pursuant to
this Section 2.1(g) shall be deemed a Registration Demand. Any Stockholder (other than Cadence Bancorp, LLC) that receives a Shelf Notice shall not make a Shelf Demand within three-hundred sixty (360) days of receipt of such Shelf Notice.
If at the time a request for a Shelf Registration is made under this Section 2.1(g), there is a Form S-3 on file pursuant to which the requesting Stockholder shall be entitled to dispose of all its Registrable Shares that it has requested to
register, then the 

  
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Company’s obligation to file a registration statement under this Section 2.1(g) shall be deemed satisfied. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, at any time that a Shelf
Registration Statement registering Registrable Shares of a Stockholder shall be effective, such Stockholder shall be permitted to effect an unlimited number of non-underwritten offerings or shelf-take-downs of Registrable Shares off the Shelf
Registration Statement (which may be underwritten Public Offerings), including any underwritten “block trades” without notice to or inclusion of any other Stockholder’s Registrable Shares. 

(ii) At any time after the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall, as promptly as reasonably
practicable following the written request of a Shelf Demanding Stockholder or Shelf Participating Stockholder for a resale of Registrable Shares (a “Takedown Request”), file a prospectus supplement (a “Takedown Prospectus
Supplement”) to such Shelf Registration Statement with respect to resales of the Registrable Shares pursuant to the Stockholder’s intended method of distribution thereof; provided, however, that if the Shelf Registration
Statement is not an automatically effective Shelf Registration Statement that registered an undetermined number of Registrable Shares, only the Shelf Demanding Stockholder or a Shelf Participating Stockholder shall be entitled to submit a Takedown
Request. Each Takedown Request shall specify the Registrable Shares to be registered, their aggregate amount and the intended method or methods of distribution thereof. The Stockholders agree to provide the Company with such information in
connection with a Takedown Request as may be reasonably requested by the Company to ensure that the Takedown Prospectus Supplement complies with the requirements of the Securities Act. 

(h) Affiliates. To the extent that a Registration Demand or a Shelf Demand relates to Registrable Shares held by an Affiliate of a
Stockholder, (i) such Affiliate shall comply with all obligations of such Stockholder under this Agreement as if it were a party hereto and (ii) such Stockholder shall be liable for any breach of this Agreement by such Affiliate. 

2.2 Piggyback Registration. 

(a) Piggyback Registration Rights. Other than in connection with a registration on Form S-8 or S-4, or any successor or similar form,
relating to Common Stock issuable upon exercise of employee stock options or in connection with any employee benefit or similar plan of the Company or in connection with a direct or indirect or indirect acquisition by the Company of another Person
or an exchange offer or similar transaction, if at any time the Company, including if the Company qualifies as a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer, proposes to file (i) a prospectus supplement to an effective Shelf Registration Statement (other than
pursuant to a Takedown Request), or (ii) a registration statement other than a Shelf Registration Statement for a delayed or continuous offering pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, in either case, for the sale of Common Stock for its
own account, to an underwriter on a firm commitment basis for reoffering to the public or in a “bought deal” or “registered direct offering” with one or more investment banks (collectively, a “Piggyback Underwritten
Offering”), then as soon as practicable but not less than fourteen (14) days prior to the filing of (A) any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to such Piggyback Underwritten Offering

  
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pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, (B) any prospectus supplement relating to such Piggyback Underwritten Offering pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (if no
preliminary prospectus supplement is used) or (C) such Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, the Company shall give notice of such proposed Piggyback Underwritten Offering to the Stockholders and such notice (a “Piggyback
Notice”) shall offer the Stockholders the opportunity to include in such Piggyback Underwritten Offering such number of Registrable Shares as each such Stockholder may request in writing. Each such Stockholder shall then have ten
(10) days after receiving such notice to request in writing to the Company inclusion of Registrable Shares in the Piggyback Underwritten Offering (a “Piggyback Request”), except that such Stockholder shall have two
(2) Business Days after such Stockholder receives such Piggyback Notice to request inclusion of Registrable Shares in the Piggyback Underwritten Offering in the case of a “bought deal”, “registered direct offering” or
“overnight transaction” where no preliminary prospectus is used. Upon receipt of any such request for inclusion from a Stockholder (a “Piggyback Requesting Stockholder”) received within the specified time period, the
Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration in any registration statement of any of the Stockholders’ Registrable Shares requested to be included on the terms set forth in this Agreement. Notwithstanding
anything in this Section 2.2 to the contrary, if at the time a demand for registration is made under this Section 2.2 there is a Registration Statement on file pursuant to which the Piggyback Requesting Stockholder shall be entitled to
dispose of all its Registrable Shares (including any Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3), then the Company’s obligations with respect to such Stockholder under this Section 2.2 shall be deemed satisfied. 

  
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 (b) If the Company does not qualify as a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer, (i) the Company shall
give each Stockholder fourteen (14) days’ notice prior to filing a Shelf Registration Statement (other than in connection with a Shelf Demand) and, upon the written request of the Stockholder, received by the Company within ten
(10) days of such notice to such Stockholder, the Company shall include in such Shelf Registration Statement a number of Registrable Shares equal to the aggregate number of Registrable Shares requested to be included without naming any
requesting Stockholder as a selling Stockholder and including only a generic description of the holder of such securities (the “Undesignated Registrable Shares”), (ii) the Company shall not be required to give notice to the
Stockholder in connection with a filing pursuant to Section 2.2(a) unless such Stockholder provided such notice to the Company pursuant to this Section 2.2(b) and included Undesignated Registrable Shares in the Shelf Registration Statement
related to such filing, and (iii) at the written request of the Stockholder given to the Company more than seven (7) days before the date specified in writing by the Company as the Company’s good faith estimate of a launch of a
Piggyback Underwritten Offering (or such shorter period to which the Company in its sole discretion consents), the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the registration of any of the Stockholder’s Undesignated Registrable
Shares so requested to be included and shall file a post-effective amendment or, if available, a prospectus supplement to a Shelf Registration Statement to include such Undesignated Registrable Shares as the Stockholder may request, provided that
(a) the Company is actively employing its reasonable best efforts to effect such Piggyback Underwritten Offering; and (b) the Company shall not be required to effect a post-effective amendment more than two (2) times in any twelve
(12) month period. 
 (c) Piggyback Offering Procedures. In connection with any registration or offering pursuant to this
Section 2.2: 
 (i) prior to the pricing of a Piggyback Underwritten Offering, the managing underwriter shall notify the
Company and the Piggyback Requesting Stockholders of the price range within which the Common Stock are proposed to be sold, if applicable; 

(ii) if at any time after giving written notice of its intention to register any Common Stock for its own account and prior to
the effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such registration, the Company shall determine for any reason not to register or to delay registration of such securities, the Company may, at its election, give written
notice of such determination to each Piggyback Requesting Stockholder and (x) in the case of a determination not to register, shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Shares to which the relevant Piggyback Requests relate
in connection with such registration (but not from any obligation of the Company to pay the Expenses in connection therewith), without prejudice, however, to the rights of the Stockholder to include such Registrable Shares in any future registration
(or registrations) pursuant to this Section 2.2 or to cause such registration to be effected as a registration under Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(g) hereof, as the case may be, and (y) in the case of a determination to delay registering,
shall be permitted to delay registering any Registrable Shares to which the relevant Piggyback Requests relate, for the same period as the delay in registering such other Common Stock; and 

  
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 (iii) if such registration involves a Piggyback Underwritten Offering,
(x) and such Piggyback Underwritten Offering was initiated by the Company for its own account, each Piggyback Requesting Stockholder shall sell its Registrable Shares on the same terms and conditions as those that apply to the Company, and
(y) the underwriter(s) of each such Piggyback Underwritten Offering shall be a nationally recognized investment banking firm(s) selected by the Company. 

(d) No Limitation on Other Registration Rights. No registration effected under this Section 2.2 shall relieve the Company of its
obligation to effect any registration upon request under Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(g) hereof and, without limiting the last sentence of Section 2.2(a), no registration effected pursuant to this Section 2.2 shall be deemed to have been
effected pursuant to Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(g) hereof. 
 (e) Priority in Piggyback Offerings. 

(i) In connection with a Piggyback Underwritten Offering, if the managing underwriter of such Piggyback Underwritten Offering
shall advise the Company in good faith and in writing (with a copy to the Piggyback Requesting Stockholders) that the inclusion of some or all of the Common Stock sought to be registered by the Company, a Piggyback Requesting Stockholder, and any
other holder of Common Stock (other than a Stockholder) with piggyback registration rights similar to those provided under this agreement (an “Other Holder”) exercising such piggyback registration rights is reasonably expected to
adversely affect the price or success of the offering, the Company may elect to include in such registration statement the Maximum Number of Common Stock in the following order of priority: (i) first, Common Stock that the Company proposes to
issue and sell for its own account, (ii) second, to the extent that the number of Common Stock to be included in the registration pursuant to clause (i) is less than the Maximum Number, the Registrable Shares requested to be included in
such registration by Cadence Bancorp, LLC, (ii) third, to the extent that the number of Common Stock to be included in the registration pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) is less than the Maximum Number, the Registrable Shares requested
to be included in such registration by other Piggyback Requesting Stockholders, pro rata among the other Piggyback Requesting Stockholders based on the number of Registrable Shares requested to be included in such registration, and
(iii) fourth, to the extent that the number of Common Stock to be included in the registration pursuant to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) is less than the Maximum Number, the other Registrable Shares requested to be included in such
registration by Other Holders. 
 (ii) If the Company proposes to register any of its Common Stock under the Securities Act
pursuant to the registration rights of any Other Holder, the Stockholder makes a Piggyback Request pursuant to this Section 2.2 and such Common Stock are to be distributed by or through one or more underwriters, and if the managing underwriter
of such underwritten Public Offering shall advise the Company in good faith and in writing (with a copy to the Piggyback Requesting Stockholders) that the inclusion of some or all of the Common Stock sought to be registered by the Company, the
Stockholder, or any Other Holder would adversely affect the price or success of the offering, the Company shall include in such registration statement the Maximum Number 

  
 12 

 
of Common Stock in the following order of priority: (i) first, such number of Common Stock as the Other Holders and the Piggyback Requesting Stockholders propose to be included in such
registration, pro rata among the Other Holders and Piggyback Requesting Stockholders based on the number of Common Stock requested to be included in such registration, and (ii) second, to the extent that the number of Common Stock
to be included in the registration pursuant to clause (i) is less than the Maximum Number, Common Stock that the Company proposes to issue and sell for its own account. 

(f) Piggyback Rights; Withdrawal. Any Piggyback Requesting Stockholder shall have the right, exercisable in its sole discretion,
irrevocably to withdraw its Piggyback Request or any portion of its Registrable Shares included therein by delivery of written notice of such withdrawal to the Company within: 

(i) Two (2) days of its being advised of the proposed price range pursuant to Section 2.2(c)(i) hereof, without
prejudice to the rights of such Piggyback Requesting Stockholder to include Registrable Shares in any future registration pursuant to this Section 2.2 or to cause such registration to be effected as a registration under Sections 2.1(a) or
2.1(g) hereof, as the case may be; 
 (ii) Five (5) days after receipt of a copy of a notice from the managing
underwriter pursuant to Section 2.2(e). 
 (g) Affiliates. To the extent that a Registration Demand or a Shelf Demand relates to
Registrable Shares held by an Affiliate of the Stockholder, (i) such Affiliate shall comply with all obligations of such Stockholder under this Agreement as if it were a party hereto and (ii) such Stockholder shall be liable for any breach
of this Agreement by such Affiliate. 
 2.3 Expenses. 

Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company shall pay all Expenses in connection with any registration initiated pursuant to
Sections 2.1(a), 2.1(g) or 2.2 hereof, whether or not such registration shall become effective and whether or not all or any portion of the Registrable Shares originally requested to be included in such registration are ultimately included in
such registration. 
 2.4 Registration Procedures. 

If and whenever the Company is required to effect any registration under the Securities Act as provided in Sections 2.1(a), 2.1(g) or 2.2
hereof, the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible: 
 (a) prepare and file with the Commission within the time periods set forth herein
the requisite registration statement to effect such registration, which registration statement shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by such form
to be filed therewith, and thereafter use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become as soon as reasonably possible and remain effective; provided, however, that the Company may discontinue any
registration of its securities that are not Registrable Shares (and, under the circumstances specified in Sections 2.2(a)(ii) or 2.7 hereof, its securities that are Registrable Shares) at any time prior to the effective date of the registration
statement relating thereto; 

  
 13 

 (b) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to such registration
statement and the prospectus, including any free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Shares covered by such registration statement until such time as all of such Registrable Shares have been disposed of in accordance with the method of disposition set forth in such
registration statement; provided, however, that with respect to each free writing prospectus or other materials to be delivered to purchasers at the time of sale of the Registrable Shares, the Company shall (i) ensure that no Registrable Shares
be sold “by means of” (as defined in Rule 159A(b) under the Securities Act) such free writing prospectus or other materials without the prior written consent of the sellers of the Registrable Shares covered by such registration statement,
which free writing prospectus or other materials shall be subject to the review of counsel to such sellers, and (ii) make all required filings of all free writing prospectuses or other materials with the Commission as are required; 

(c) furnish, without charge, to each seller of Registrable Shares covered by such registration statement and each underwriter, if any, copies
of such drafts and final conformed versions of such registration statement and of each such amendment and supplement thereto as may be reasonably requested (in each case including all exhibits and any documents incorporated by reference, except to
the extent such exhibits and documents are currently available via the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”)), such number of copies of such drafts and final versions of the prospectus
contained in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any summary prospectus) and any other prospectus filed under Rule 424 under the Securities Act, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such
other documents, as any Selling Stockholder or any underwriter may reasonably request in writing; 
 (d) use its commercially reasonable
efforts (i) to register or qualify all Registrable Shares and other securities, if any, covered by such registration statement under such other securities or blue sky laws of such states or other jurisdictions of the United States of America as
the sellers of Registrable Shares covered by such registration statement shall reasonably request in writing, (ii) to keep such registration or qualification in effect for so long as such registration statement remains in effect and
(iii) to take any other action that may be necessary or reasonably advisable to enable such sellers to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Shares to be sold by such sellers, except that the Company shall not for
any such purpose be required to qualify generally to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it would not but for the requirements of this subsection (d) be obligated to be so qualified, to subject itself to taxation in
such jurisdiction or to consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction; 
 (e) use its commercially reasonable efforts to
cause all Registrable Shares and other securities, if any, covered by such registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other Governmental Authorities as may be necessary in the opinion of counsel to the Company and counsel to
the seller or sellers of Registrable Shares to enable the seller or sellers thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Shares; 

  
 14 

 (f) use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and furnish to each Selling Stockholder,
and each underwriter, if any, a signed (i) opinion of counsel for the Company and addressed to the underwriters, reasonably satisfactory (based on the customary form and substance of opinions of such counsel customarily given in such an
offering) in form and substance to the managing underwriters, and (ii) comfort letter, dated the effective date of such registration statement and dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement and, in each case, addressed to
the underwriters and signed by the independent registered public accounting firm that certified the Company’s financial statements included or incorporated by reference in such registration statement, reasonably satisfactory (based on the
customary form and substance of comfort letters of such independent registered public accounting firm customarily given in such an offering) in form and substance to the managing underwriter(s), in each case of clauses (i) and (ii), covering
substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of the independent registered public accounting firm’s comfort letter, with respect to events subsequent to the
date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in the independent registered public accounting firm’s comfort letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten Public Offerings of
securities; 
 (g) use its commercially reasonable efforts to deliver promptly to participating Stockholders and the managing underwriters,
if any, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or its auditors, and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement (except to the extent
such correspondence is currently available via EDGAR) and permit those Stockholders to do such investigation with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as they deem reasonably necessary for the purpose of
conducting due diligence with respect to the Company; provided that any such investigation shall not interfere unreasonably with the Company’s business; 

(h) notify each Selling Stockholder, managing underwriter(s) and other holders of securities covered by such registration statement, if any,
at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, upon discovery that, or upon the happening of any event as a result of which, the prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in
effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, and,
at the written request of any such seller of Registrable Shares, promptly prepare and furnish to it a reasonable number of copies of a supplement to or an amendment of such prospectus as may be necessary so that, as thereafter delivered to the
purchasers of such securities, such prospectus, as supplemented or amended, shall not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; 

  
 15 

 (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the
effectiveness of a registration statement relating to the Registrable Shares at the earliest possible moment; 
 (j) otherwise comply with
all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months, but not more than eighteen
(18) months, beginning with the first full calendar month after the effective date of such registration statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 promulgated
thereunder; 
 (k) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Shares covered by a registration statement to be listed
on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Market or a similar national securities exchange; 
 (l) provide a transfer agent and
registrar for the Registrable Shares covered by a registration statement no later than the effective date thereof; 
 (m) enter into such
customary agreements (including an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take such other actions as the Selling Stockholder or Selling Stockholders, as the case may be, owning at least a majority of the Registrable Shares covered by such
registration statement shall reasonably request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Shares, including customary indemnification and contribution to the effect and to the extent provided in Section 2.8 hereof;

 (n) make available for inspection by representatives of the Selling Stockholder and the representative of any underwriters participating
in any disposition pursuant to a registration statement and any special counsel or accountants retained by such Selling Stockholder or underwriters, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and
cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representatives, the representative of the underwriters, counsel thereto or accountants in connection with a
registration statement; provided, however, that such records, documents or information that the Company determines, in good faith, to be confidential and notifies such representatives, representative of the underwriters, counsel thereto or
accountants are confidential shall not be disclosed by such representatives, representative of the underwriters, counsel thereto or accountants unless (i) the disclosure of such records, documents or information is necessary to avoid or correct
a misstatement or omission in a registration statement, (ii) the release of such records, documents or information is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction, or (iii) such records, documents or
information have been generally made available to the public; provided, further, however, that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall not provide any material non-public information to the Stockholder without
such Stockholder’s prior consent; 

  
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 (o) if requested by the managing underwriter(s) or the Stockholder or Selling Stockholders, as
the case may be, owning at least a majority of the Registrable Shares being sold in connection with an underwritten Public Offering, promptly incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information as the managing
underwriter(s) and the any such Stockholders of a majority of the Registrable Shares being sold reasonably request to be included therein relating to the plan of distribution with respect to such Registrable Shares, including information with
respect to the number of Registrable Shares being sold to such underwriters, the purchase price being paid therefore by such underwriters and with respect to any other terms of the underwritten Public Offering of the Registrable Shares to be sold in
such offering; and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as possible after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment; 

(p) prepare and file in a timely manner all documents and reports required by the Exchange Act and, to the extent the Company’s
obligation to file such reports pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act expires prior to the expiration of the effectiveness period of the registration statement, the Company shall register the Registrable Shares under the Exchange Act
and shall maintain such registration through the effectiveness period; 
 (q) provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Shares, not later
than the effective date of the registration statement; 
 (r) provide and cause to be maintained a registrar and transfer agent for all
Registrable Shares covered by any registration statement from and after a date not later than the effective date of such registration statement; 

(s) enable such Registrable Shares to be in such share amounts and registered in such names as the managing
 underwriter(s) or, if none,
the Selling Stockholders holding a majority of the Registrable Shares being sold, may request at least three (3) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Shares to the underwriters; and 

(t) if the registration shall be for an underwritten Public Offering, cause management of the Company to provide Customary Cooperation, if so
requested by the Selling Stockholder or Selling Stockholders, as the case may be, owning at least a majority of the Registrable Shares being sold. 

As a condition to the obligations of the Company to complete any registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the Registrable
Shares of a Stockholder, such Stockholder must furnish to the Company in writing such information (the “Stockholder Information”) regarding itself, the Registrable Shares held by it and the intended methods of disposition of the
Registrable Shares held by it as is necessary to effect the registration of such Stockholder’s Registrable Shares and is requested in writing by the Company. The Stockholder shall promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracy or change in
information previously furnished by the Stockholder to the Company or of the occurrence of any event, in either case as a result of which any prospectus relating to the Registrable Shares contains or would contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and promptly furnish to the Company any additional
information required to correct and update any previously furnished information or required so that such prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. 

  
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 Each Stockholder agrees that as of the date that a final prospectus is made available to it for
distribution to prospective purchasers of Registrable Shares, it shall cease to distribute copies of any preliminary prospectus prepared in connection with the offer and sale of such Registrable Shares. Each Stockholder further agrees that, upon
receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in subsection (h) of this Section 2.4, such Stockholder shall forthwith discontinue such Stockholder’s disposition of Registrable Shares
pursuant to the registration statement relating to such Registrable Shares until such Stockholder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by subsection (h) of this Section 2.4 and, if so directed
by the Company, shall deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such Stockholder’s possession of the prospectus relating to such Registrable Shares current at the time of
receipt of such notice. If any event of the kind described in subsection (h) of this Section 2.4 occurs and such event is the fault solely of the Stockholder(s) due to the inaccuracy of the Stockholder Information provided by such
Stockholder(s) for inclusion in the registration statement, such Stockholder(s) shall pay all Expenses attributable to the preparation, filing and delivery of any supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by subsection (h) of this
Section 2.4. 
 2.5 Underwritten Offerings. 

(a) Underwritten Offerings. If requested by the underwriters in connection with a request for a registration under Sections 2.1 or
2.2 hereof that is an underwritten Public Offering, the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall enter into an underwriting agreement with such underwriters for such offering, such agreement to be reasonably satisfactory in substance and form to
the Company and the Selling Stockholders owning at least a majority of the Registrable Shares that are included in such registration and to contain such representations and warranties by the Company and the Selling Stockholders and such other terms
as are customary in agreements of that type. 
 (b) Stockholders to be Parties to Underwriting Agreement. The holders of Registrable
Shares to be distributed by underwriters in an underwritten Public Offering under this Section 2.5 shall be parties to the underwriting agreement between the Company and such underwriters. No such Stockholder shall be required to make any
representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters other than representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Stockholder, such Stockholder’s Registrable Shares and such Stockholder’s intended
method of distribution. 
 2.6 Preparation: Reasonable Investigation. 

(a) Registration Statements. In connection with the preparation and filing of each registration statement under the Securities Act
pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall (i) give representatives (designated to the Company in writing) of each Selling Stockholder, the underwriters, if any, and one firm of counsel, one firm of accountants and one firm of other agents
retained on behalf of all underwriters and one firm of counsel, one firm of accountants 

  
 18 

 
and one firm of other agents retained on behalf of the Selling Stockholders (as a group), the reasonable opportunity to participate in the preparation of such registration statement, each
prospectus included therein or filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereof or supplement thereto, (ii) upon reasonable advance notice to the Company, give each of them such reasonable access to all financial and other records,
corporate documents and properties of the Company and its Majority-Owned Subsidiaries, as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of such Stockholders’ and such underwriters’ counsel, to conduct a reasonable due diligence
investigation for purposes of the Securities Act, and (iii) upon reasonable advance notice to the Company, give each of them the opportunity to receive relevant information regarding the business of the Company from its officers, directors,
employees and the independent public accounting firm that certified its financial statements as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of such Stockholders’ and such underwriters’ counsel, to conduct a reasonable due diligence
investigation for purposes of the Securities Act. 
 (b) Confidentiality. Each Stockholder shall maintain the confidentiality of any
confidential information received from or otherwise made available by the Company to such Stockholder. Information that (i) is or becomes available to a Stockholder from a public source other than as a result of a disclosure by such Stockholder
or any of its Affiliates, (ii) is disclosed to a Stockholder by a third-party source who the Stockholder reasonably believes is not bound by an obligation of confidentiality to the Company, (iii) is or becomes required to be disclosed by a
Stockholder by law, including by court order, or to a prospective transferee of Common Stock, or (iv) is independently developed by a Stockholder, shall not be deemed to be “confidential information” for purposes of this Agreement.

 2.7 Postponements. The Company shall not be obligated to file any registration statement, or file any amendment or supplement to
any registration statement, and may suspend any Selling Stockholder’s rights to make sales pursuant to any effective registration statement for reasonable periods not in excess of ninety (90) days, but in no event more than twice in any
twelve (12) month period (a “Blackout Period”), if the Company, in the good faith judgment of the Board, reasonably believes that the filing thereof at the time requested, or the offering of securities pursuant thereto, would
materially adversely affect a pending or proposed Public Offering of the Company’s securities, a material financing, or a material acquisition, merger, recapitalization, consolidation, reorganization or similar transaction, or negotiations,
discussions or pending proposals with respect thereto, or otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company; provided that in the event the Company proposes to register Common Stock, whether or not for sale for its own account, during a
Blackout Period, the Stockholders shall have the right to make Piggyback Requests with respect to such registration pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof. The filing of a registration statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, by the Company
cannot be deferred, and a Selling Stockholder’s rights to make sales pursuant to an effective registration statement cannot be suspended, pursuant to the provisions of the preceding sentence for more than ten (10) days after the
abandonment or consummation of any of the foregoing proposals or transactions or for more than sixty (60) days after the date of the Board’s determination referenced in the preceding sentence. If the Company suspends the Selling
Stockholders’ rights to make sales pursuant hereto, the applicable registration period shall be extended by the number of days of such suspension. 

  
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 2.8 Indemnification by the Company. 

(a) In connection with any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 2.1 or 2.2 hereof, to the fullest extent
permitted by law the Company shall, and hereby agrees to, indemnify and hold harmless, each Stockholder and seller of any Registrable Shares and its Affiliates, including such Affiliate’s directors, officers, employees, agents, partners,
stockholders, and each other Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the Exchange Act) such Affiliate, covered by such registration statement and each other Person who participates as an underwriter in the offering or sale of such
securities and each other Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the Exchange Act) such Stockholder or seller or any such underwriter, and their respective stockholders, members, directors, officers, employees, partners, agents and
Affiliates (each, a “Company Indemnitee”), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof and whether or not such indemnified party is a party
thereto), joint or several, and expenses, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of legal counsel and reasonable costs of investigation, to which such Company Indemnitee may become subject under the Securities Act or
otherwise as a result of the performance of the acts described in this agreement (collectively, a “Loss” or “Losses”), insofar as such Losses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement under which such securities were registered or otherwise offered or sold under the Securities Act or otherwise, any preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or summary prospectus
related thereto, or any amendment or supplement thereto, and free writing prospectus or other offering materials (collectively, “Offering Documents”), or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances in which they were made not misleading, or any violation by the Company of any federal or state law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company and
relating to action required of, or inaction by, the Company in connection with any such registration; provided that, the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Loss arises out of or is based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Offering Documents in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in a writing duly executed by such Company Indemnitee specifically
stating that it is for use therein; and provided, further, that the Company shall not be liable to any Person who participates as an underwriter in the offering or sale of Registrable Shares or any other person, if any, who controls
(within the meaning of the Exchange Act) such underwriter, in any such case to the extent that any such Loss arises out of such Person’s failure to send or give a copy of the final prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference
therein), as the same may be then supplemented or amended, to the Person asserting an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of Registrable Shares to such
Person if such statement or omission was corrected in such final prospectus. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Company Indemnitee and shall survive the transfer of such
securities by such Company Indemnitee. 
 (b) Indemnification by the Offerors and Sellers. In connection with any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 2.1 or 2.2 hereof in which a Stockholder has registered for sale Registrable Shares, each such Stockholder or seller of Registrable Shares shall, and hereby agrees to, indemnify and hold
harmless to the fullest extent 

  
 20 

 
permitted by law the Company and each of its directors, officers, employees, agents, partners, stockholders, Affiliates and each other Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the
Exchange Act) the Company and each other seller and such seller’s employees, directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, agents and Affiliates (each, a “Stockholder Indemnitee” for purposes of this Section 2.8),
against all Losses insofar as such Losses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Offering Documents (or any document incorporated by reference therein) or any omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in the light of circumstances in which they were made not misleading, if such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in a writing duly executed by such Stockholder or seller of Registrable Shares specifically stating that it is for use therein;
provided, however, that the liability of such indemnifying party under this Section shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds (after giving effect to underwriting discounts and commissions) received by such indemnifying
party in the sale of Registrable Shares giving rise to such liability. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Stockholder Indemnitee and shall survive the transfer of such
securities by such indemnifying party. 
 (c) Notices of Losses, etc. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of written
notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding involving a Loss referred to in the preceding subsections of this Section 2.8, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party, give
written notice to the latter of the commencement of such action; provided, however, that the failure of any indemnified party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under the
preceding subsections of this Section 2.8 except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially and actually prejudiced by such failure to give notice. In case any such action is brought against an indemnified party, the
indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and, unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist in respect of such Loss, to assume and control
the defense thereof, in each case at its own expense, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to the extent that it may wish, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after its assumption of the
defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the latter in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation, unless in
such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties arises in respect of such claim after the assumption of the defense thereof or the indemnifying party fails promptly to
assume, or in the event of a conflict of interest cannot assume, the defense of such claim or fails to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, in which case the indemnified party shall also have the right to employ counsel
and to assume the defense of such claim. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement of any such action or proceeding effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party,
consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which does not include as an unconditional term thereof, which is reasonably acceptable to the indemnified party, the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a
release from all liability in respect of such Loss or which requires action on the part of such indemnified party or otherwise subjects the indemnified party to any obligation or restriction to which it would not otherwise be subject. 

  
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 (d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 2.8 shall
for any reason be unavailable to an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 2.8 in respect of any Loss, then, in lieu of the amount paid or payable under subsection (a) or (b) of this
Section 2.8, the indemnified party and the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 2.8 shall contribute to the aggregate Losses (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection
with investigating the same) (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company and the prospective sellers of Registrable Shares covered by the registration statement which resulted in such Loss or action in
respect thereof, with respect to the statements, omissions or action which resulted in such Loss or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above
is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect not only such relative faults, but also the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and such prospective sellers, on the other hand, from
their sale of Registrable Shares; provided that, for purposes of this clause (ii), the relative benefits received by the prospective sellers shall be deemed not to exceed the amount of proceeds received by such sellers. No Person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations, if any, of the selling holders of
Registrable Shares to contribute as provided in this subsection (d) are several in proportion to the relative value of their respective Registrable Shares covered by such registration statement and not joint. In addition, no Person shall be
obligated to contribute hereunder any amounts in payment for any settlement of any action or Loss effected without such Person’s consent. 

(e) Other Indemnification. The Company shall, in connection with any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to
Sections 2.1 or 2.2, and each Stockholder that has registered for sale Registrable Shares shall, with respect to any required registration or other qualification of securities under any federal or state law or regulation of any Governmental
Authority other than the Securities Act, indemnify Stockholder Indemnitees and Company Indemnitees, respectively, against Losses, or, to the extent that indemnification shall be unavailable to a Stockholder Indemnitee or Company Indemnitee,
contribute to the aggregate Losses of such Stockholder Indemnitee or Company Indemnitee, as applicable, in a manner similar to that specified in the preceding subsections of this Section 2.8 (with appropriate modifications). 

2.9 Adjustments Affecting Registrable Shares. 

Without the written consent of Cadence Bancorp, LLC, the Company shall not effect or permit to occur any combination, subdivision or
reclassification of Registrable Shares that would materially adversely affect the ability of the Stockholders to include such Registrable Shares in any registration of its securities under the Securities Act contemplated by this Agreement or the
marketability of such Registrable Shares under any such registration or other offering. 

  
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 2.10 Rule 144 and Rule 144A. 

The Company shall take all actions reasonably necessary to enable Stockholders to sell Registrable Shares without registration under the
Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by (a) Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, (b) Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended
from time to time, or (c) any similar rules or regulations hereafter adopted by the Commission, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, filing on a timely basis all reports required to be filed under the Exchange Act. Upon
the written request of any Stockholder, the Company shall deliver to such Stockholder a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Upon the written request of any Stockholder, the Company shall promptly use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause the removal of any restrictive legends borne by such Registrable Shares, if permitted by law, in order to facilitate the sale by the Stockholder under Rule 144, Rule 144A or Regulation S. 

2.11 No Inconsistent Arrangements. 

The Company represents and warrants that it has not granted and is not a party to any proxy, voting trust or other agreement that is
inconsistent with or conflicts with this Agreement. The Company shall not hereafter enter into any agreement with respect to its securities (including its Common Stock) that is inconsistent with or conflicts with the rights granted under this
Agreement. 
 2.12 Termination of Registration Rights. 

The Company’s obligations under Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof to register Common Stock for sale under the Securities Act with respect
to any Stockholder shall terminate on the first date on which no Registrable Shares are held by such Stockholder. 
 ARTICLE III 

MISCELLANEOUS 
 3.1 Amendments;
Entire Agreement. 
 Any amendment or waiver of, or any consent given under, any provision of this Agreement shall be in writing and, in
the case of an amendment, signed by holders of a majority of the Registrable Shares. This Agreement supersedes all prior discussions, memoranda of understanding, agreements and arrangements (whether written or oral, including all correspondence), if
any, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and this Agreement contains the sole and entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. 

  
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 3.2 Severability. 

If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part under any applicable law from time to
time: (a) such provision will be fully severable from this Agreement; (b) such provision shall apply with whatever deletion or modification is necessary so that such provision is legal, valid and enforceable, giving effect to the intention
of the parties hereto under this Agreement; and (c) the remaining provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect and will not be affected by the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provision or by its severance herefrom. 

3.3 Successors and Assigns; Transferee Registration Rights. 

(a) Except as otherwise expressly limited herein, the provisions hereof shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors,
assigns, heirs, executors, and administrators of the parties hereto. Except as otherwise provided herein, none of the rights, privileges or obligations set forth in or arising under this Agreement may be assigned or transferred without the prior
written consent of each party to this Agreement. 
 (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any transferee (i) who
acquires Registrable Shares constituting at least five percent (5%) of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock as of the date of such acquisition pursuant to a transaction that is not registered under the Securities Act or (ii) who
acquires or receives Registrable Shares in connection with (x) any liquidation and dissolution of Cadence Bancorp, LLC, (y) any merger of Cadence Bancorp, LLC and the Company or (z) any distribution or other transfer by Cadence
Bancorp, LLC to any one or more of its equityholders of any Registrable Shares (each such transferee referred to in clauses (i) or (ii), a “Registrable Shares Transferee”) shall be entitled to enjoy the same registration and
other rights pursuant to this Agreement as does Cadence Bancorp, LLC and shall be deemed a “Stockholder” hereunder. Any Registrable Shares Transferee shall enjoy such right pursuant to this Section 3.3(b) if and to the extent the
Company shall have received (x) written notice from the Stockholder selling Registrable Shares to the Registrable Shares Transferee stating the name and address of such Registrable Shares Transferee and identifying the amount and type of
Registrable Shares with respect to which such rights under this Agreement apply and (y) a written agreement from the Registrable Shares Transferee to be bound by all of the relevant terms of this Agreement. After such transfer of registrable
Shares to a Registrable Shares Transferee, the Stockholder concerned shall retain its rights under this Agreement with respect to all other Registrable Shares owned by the Stockholder or its Affiliates. 

3.4 No Third-Party Beneficiaries 

Except as otherwise explicitly provided herein, this Agreement is not intended to confer upon any Person other than the parties hereto any
rights or remedies hereunder. 
 3.5 Notices. 

(a) Any notice, request or other communication to be given or made under this Agreement shall be in writing. Any such communication shall be
delivered by hand, airmail, email, established courier service or facsimile to the party to which it is required or permitted to be given or made at such party’s address set forth on Schedule A or at such other address as such party may
from time to time designate by written notice to the other parties hereto, and shall be effective upon the earlier of (i) actual receipt and (ii) deemed receipt under Section 3.5(b) below. 

  
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 (b) Unless there is reasonable evidence that it was received at a different time, notice pursuant
to this Section 3.5 is deemed given if: (i) delivered by hand, when left at the address referred to in Section 3.5(a); (ii) sent by airmail or established courier services within a country, three (3) Business Days after
posting it; (iii) sent by airmail or established courier service between two countries, six (6) Business Days after posting it; (iv) sent by facsimile, when confirmation of its transmission has been recorded by the sender’s
facsimile machine, and (v) sent by email, when confirmation of its transmission has been recorded by the sender. 
 3.6
Counterparts. 
 This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect
as if the signatures were upon the same instrument, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered (by telecopy, electronic delivery or otherwise) to the other parties. Signatures to
this Agreement transmitted by facsimile transmission or by electronic mail in “portable document format” (“.pdf”) form will have the same effect as physical delivery of the paper document bearing the original signatures. 

3.7 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. 

(a) This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect
to the principles of conflict of laws that would require the application of the law of any other jurisdiction. By its execution and delivery of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees for itself that
any legal action, suit or proceeding against it with respect to any matter under or arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment rendered in any such action, suit or proceeding, may be brought
in either a state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the State and County of Delaware. By execution and delivery of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably accepts and submits itself to the nonexclusive jurisdiction
of each such court, generally and unconditionally, with respect to any such action, suit or proceeding. EACH PARTY HERETO UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION, PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS
AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. 
 (b) Each party acknowledges that it would be impossible to determine the amount of
damages that would result from any breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement and that, in view of the uniqueness of the subject matter of this Agreement, the remedy at law for any breach, or threatened breach, of any of such provisions would
be inadequate and, accordingly, agrees that each other party, in addition to any other rights or remedies which it may have, shall be entitled to specific performance of this Agreement and any of the terms of this Agreement and such other equitable
and injunctive relief available to the parties from any court of competent jurisdiction to compel specific performance of, or restrain any party from violating, any of such provisions. In connection with any action or proceeding for equitable and
injunctive relief permitted hereunder, each party hereby waives any claim or defense that a remedy at law alone is adequate and, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, agrees to have each provision of this Agreement specifically enforced
against it, without the necessity of posting bond or other security against it, and consents to the entry of equitable and injunctive relief against it enjoining or restraining any breach or threatened breach of any provision of this Agreement. 

[The remainder of this page has intentionally been left blank] 

  
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 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above
written. 
  

			
	 COMPANY:
  

CADENCE BANCORPORATION

		
	By:	 	 
		 	Name:
		 	Title:

  

			
	 STOCKHOLDER:
  

CADENCE BANCORP LLC

		
	By:	 	 
		 	Name:
		 	Title:

 SCHEDULE A 

NOTICES 
 If to the Company: 

[    ] 
 If to the Cadence Bancorp LLC: 

[    ]EX-10.1

 Exhibit 10.1 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT 

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of February 1, 2015, by and among Cadence
Bancorporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Cadence Bank, N.A., a national banking association organized under the laws of the United States (the “Bank” and, together with the Company,
“Cadence”), and Paul B. Murphy, Jr. (the “Executive”). 
 WHEREAS, Cadence wishes to employ the Executive
in an executive capacity on the terms and conditions and for the consideration hereinafter set forth, and the Executive wishes to be employed by Cadence on such terms and conditions and for such consideration. 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, it is
hereby covenanted and agreed by the Executive and Cadence as follows: 
 1.    Effective Date. This Agreement
shall be effective as of February 1, 2015 (the “Effective Date”). 
 2.    Employment
Period. Unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement, the term of this Agreement will commence on the Effective Date and end on the first anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Employment Period”);
provided, however, that commencing on the first anniversary of the Effective Date, and on each subsequent anniversary of such date (such first anniversary and each annual anniversary thereafter, a “Renewal Date”), the
Employment Period shall be automatically extended so as to terminate on the first anniversary of the applicable Renewal Date, unless at least 90 days prior to such Renewal Date, Cadence shall give notice to the Executive that the Employment
Period shall not be so extended following such Renewal Date (a “Notice of Nonrenewal”), in which case the Employment Period shall terminate on the first anniversary of such Renewal Date. 

3.    Position and Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall (a) serve as Chief Executive
Officer of the Company and Chairman of Board of Directors of the Bank (the “Bank Board”), with such authority, power, duties, and responsibilities as are commensurate with such positions and as are customarily exercised by a person
holding such position in a company of the size and nature of the Company, (b) report directly to the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”), (c) serve as a member of the Company Board and Bank Board, and
(d) perform the Executive’s duties at Cadence’s primary office location in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area, subject to the Executive’s performance of duties at and travel to such other offices of the Company and its
subsidiaries and controlled affiliates (the “Affiliated Entities”) and/or other locations as shall be necessary to fulfill the Executive’s duties. 

4.    Compensation. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, while the Executive is employed by Cadence during the
Employment Period, Cadence shall compensate the Executive for the Executive’s services as follows: 
 (a)    Base
Salary. The Executive shall receive an annual base salary (“Annual Base Salary”) of no less than $625,000. The Executive’s Annual Base Salary shall be reviewed 

 
annually by the Compensation Committee of the Company Board (the “Compensation Committee”) pursuant to its normal performance review policies for senior executives and may be
increased but not decreased in the sole and absolute discretion of the Compensation Committee or the Company Board. The term Annual Base Salary as utilized in this Agreement shall refer to Annual Base Salary as in effect from time to time. Such
Annual Base Salary shall be payable in accordance with Cadence’s payroll policies. 
 (b)    Annual Incentive
Payment. With respect to each fiscal year or portion of a fiscal year of Cadence ending during the Employment Period, the Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual incentive payment (the “Incentive Payment”), with the
actual amount of any such Incentive Payment to be determined by the Compensation Committee. The Executive’s target Incentive Payment opportunity for each fiscal year ending during the Employment Period shall be 100% of the Annual Base Salary
(the “Target Incentive Payment”), and the maximum Incentive Payment opportunity for each fiscal year ending during the Employment Period shall be 150% of the Annual Base Salary. Each Incentive Payment shall be based upon the
attainment of performance metrics determined by the Compensation Committee after consultation with the Executive, which metrics shall be communicated to the Executive in writing as soon as reasonably practicable following their establishment. Any
earned Incentive Payment in respect of a fiscal year shall be paid to the Executive no later than the 15th calendar day of the third month following the close of such fiscal year, unless Cadence or the Executive shall elect to defer the receipt of
such Incentive Payment pursuant to an arrangement that meets the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). 

(c)    Equity Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be eligible to participate in any
equity and/or other long-term compensation programs established by Cadence from time to time for senior executive officers at the discretion of the Compensation Committee. 

(d)    Employee Benefits, Fringe Benefits, and Perquisites. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be
provided with employee benefits (including vacation), fringe benefits, and perquisites in accordance with Cadence’s established policies. 

(e)    Expense Reimbursement. Subject to the requirements of Section 9(a)(ii) of this Agreement (relating to in-kind benefits and reimbursements), during the Employment Period, Cadence shall reimburse the Executive for all reasonable and substantiated expenses incurred by the Executive in the performance of the
Executive’s duties in accordance with Cadence’s policies applicable to senior executives. 

(f)    Indemnification/Insurance. The Company and the Bank shall defend, indemnify, and hold the Executive harmless
to the full extent permitted by the general laws of the State of Delaware and the Company’s and the Bank’s organizational documents, and shall promptly advance all expenses, including attorneys’ fees, under procedures provided by, and
to the full extent permitted by, such laws and the Company’s and the Bank’s organizational documents. The Executive shall have the right to choose his own counsel in any such matter. The Company also shall procure and maintain directors
and officers liability insurance, which shall apply during all periods of the Executive’s employment and service as a member of the Company Board and the Bank Board and thereafter during the period in which the Executive may be subject to
liability for acts and omissions to act in connection with such employment and service. 

  
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 5.    Termination of Employment. The Executive’s employment may
be terminated under the following circumstances: 
 (a)    Death or Disability. The Executive’s employment
shall terminate automatically upon the Executive’s death during the Employment Period. If Cadence determines in good faith that the Disability of the Executive has occurred during the Employment Period (pursuant to the definition of Disability
set forth below), it may provide the Executive with written notice in accordance with Section 13(g) of this Agreement of its intention to terminate the Executive’s employment. In such event, the Executive’s employment with Cadence
shall terminate effective on the 30th calendar day after receipt of such notice by the Executive (the “Disability Effective Date”); provided that, within the 30 calendar days after such receipt, the Executive shall not
have returned to full-time performance of the Executive’s duties. For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” shall mean the inability of the Executive to perform the Executive’s duties with Cadence on a full-time basis
as a result of the Executive’s incapacity due to mental or physical illness, which incapacity prevents the Executive from substantially performing the Executive’s duties to Cadence for a period of 120 consecutive calendar days or 150 out
of 180 consecutive calendar days, as determined by a physician selected by Cadence or its insurers and reasonably acceptable to the Executive or the Executive’s legal representative. 

(b)    By Cadence with or without Cause. Cadence may terminate the Executive’s employment during the Employment
Period either with or without Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean the Executive’s: 

(i)    intentional misconduct; 

(ii)    fraud, embezzlement, or intentional theft from Cadence; 

(iii)    intentional, material, and wrongful damage to Cadence’s property; 

(iv)    intentional wrongful disclosure of material confidential information, trade secrets, or
confidential business processes of Cadence; 
 (v)    act leading to a conviction of (A) a felony or
(B) a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; 
 (vi)    willful engagement in illegal conduct or
gross misconduct, either of which is demonstrably and not insubstantially injurious to Cadence; or 

(vii)    continued refusal to follow lawful directions of the Company Board or the Bank Board (other than
any such refusal resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness) after a written demand to follow such directions is delivered to the Executive by the Company Board or the Bank Board that specifically identifies the manner in which the
Company Board or the Bank Board believes the Executive has refused to follow such directions. 

  
 -3- 

 For purposes of this provision, no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered
“intentional” or “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive’s action or omission was in the best interests of Cadence. Any act or failure
to act based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Company Board or the Bank Board or upon the advice of counsel for Cadence shall be conclusively presumed to be done or omitted to be done by the Executive in good faith
and in the best interests of Cadence. 
 (c)    By the Executive with or without Good Reason. The Executive’s
employment may be terminated by the Executive during the Employment Period either with or without Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean, in the absence of the written consent of the Executive: 

(i)    a material and adverse change in the Executive’s position or a failure of Cadence to provide
the Executive with the authorities, responsibilities, and reporting relationships consistent with the Executive’s position set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement; 

(ii)    a material failure of Cadence to provide any compensation and benefits when due pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement; 
 (iii)    a purported termination of the Executive by Cadence other than as
provided under the terms and conditions of this Agreement; 
 (iv)    a relocation of Cadence’s
offices at which the Executive is principally employed to a location more than 50 miles from such location; provided, however, that any business travel required of the Executive in connection with the performance of the
Executive’s duties to Cadence shall not constitute a relocation of Cadence’s offices at which the Executive is principally employed; 

(v)    a failure of Cadence to require a successor to assume this Agreement; or 

(vi)    Cadence providing a Notice of Nonrenewal to the Executive pursuant to Section 2. 

In order to invoke a termination with Good Reason, the Executive shall provide written notice to Cadence of the existence of one or more of the events,
conditions, or circumstances described in clauses (i) through (v) within 30 calendar days following the Executive’s knowledge of the initial existence of such events, conditions, or circumstances, specifying in reasonable detail
the events, conditions, or circumstances constituting Good Reason, and Cadence shall have 30 calendar days following receipt of such written notice (the “Cure Period”) during which it may remedy the condition if such condition
is reasonably subject to cure. In the event that Cadence fails to remedy the events, conditions, or circumstances constituting Good Reason during the applicable Cure Period, the Executive’s “separation from service” (within the
meaning of Section 409A of the Code) must occur, if at all, within 30 calendar days following the end of such Cure Period in order for such termination as a result of such events, conditions, or circumstances to constitute a termination
with Good Reason within the meaning of this Agreement. 

  
 -4- 

 (d)    Notice of Termination. Any termination by Cadence with or
without Cause or by the Executive with or without Good Reason shall be communicated by a Notice of Termination to the other party hereto given in accordance with Section 13(g) of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice
of Termination” means a written notice that: (i) indicates the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon; (ii) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision so indicated; and (iii) if the Date of Termination (as defined below) is other than the date of receipt of such notice, specifies the termination date (which
date shall be 30 calendar days after the giving of such notice or 30 calendar days after the end of the Cure Period, if applicable, in the case of a termination by the Executive without or with Good Reason, respectively). The failure by
the Executive or Cadence to set forth in the Notice of Termination any fact or circumstance that contributes to a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the Executive or Cadence, respectively, hereunder or preclude the
Executive or Cadence, respectively, from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing the Executive’s or Cadence’s rights hereunder. 

(e)    Date of Termination. “Date of Termination” means: (i) if the Executive’s
employment is terminated by Cadence other than for Cause or Disability, the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination or any later date specified therein within 30 calendar days of such notice, as the case may be; (ii) if the
Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason, a date that is no later than 30 calendar days after the Cure Period, if applicable; (iii) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive without
Good Reason, the earlier of the date that is 30 calendar days following such notice or a date chosen by Cadence following its receipt of such notice to Cadence; (iv) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by Cadence for Cause,
the date on which Cadence, after providing the Executive’s Cure Period, if applicable, notifies the Executive of such termination; or (v) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of death or Disability, the date of death
of the Executive or the Disability Effective Date, as the case may be. 
 6.    Obligations of Cadence upon
Termination. 
 (a)    Good Reason; Other Than for Cause, Death, or Disability. If, during the Employment
Period, Cadence terminates the Executive’s employment without Cause and other than by reason of the Executive’s death or Disability, or the Executive resigns the Executive’s employment with Good Reason, Cadence shall, except as
otherwise required by law or provided below, pay or provide to the Executive the following: 

(i)    (A) as soon as reasonably practicable following the Date of Termination, a lump sum cash
payment consisting of any accrued Annual Base Salary and unused vacation accrued through the Date of Termination, to the extent such Annual Base Salary and vacation has not already been paid to the Executive (the “Accrued
Obligations”); (B) as soon as reasonably practicable following the Date of Termination, a lump sum cash payment consisting of any annual Incentive Payment earned by the Executive and awarded by the Company Board or the Bank Board for a
completed fiscal year but not then paid to the Executive, provided that (other than any portion of such annual Incentive Payment that was previously deferred, which portion shall instead be paid in accordance with the applicable deferral
arrangement and any election thereunder) 

  
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such payment shall be made no later than the 15th calendar day of the third month following the close of the fiscal year with respect to which such Incentive Payment is earned; and (C) in
the form of a cash payment payable in 24 equal monthly installments beginning on the date specified in Section 6(f) of this Agreement, the product of (I) two multiplied by (II) the sum of (x) the Annual Base Salary as
in effect immediately prior to the Date of Termination (disregarding any reduction, if any, constituting Good Reason) plus (y) the Target Incentive Payment for the year in which the Date of Termination occurs; 

(ii)    to the extent not theretofore paid or provided, Cadence shall, as soon as reasonably practicable
following the Date of Termination, pay or provide to the Executive any other amounts or benefits required to be paid or provided or which the Executive is eligible to receive under any plan, program, policy, practice, contract, or agreement of
Cadence and the Affiliated Entities through the Date of Termination, and shall pay such unreimbursed expenses incurred through the Date of Termination as are subject to reimbursement pursuant to Section 4(e) of this Agreement (such other
amounts and benefits shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Other Benefits and Expenses”); 

(iii)    for a 24-month period following the Date of Termination, a
payment each month equal to the monthly cost of continued coverage for the Executive and, where applicable, the Executive’s spouse and dependents, under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”) paid
by the Executive under the Company’s group health plan pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code, less the amount that the Executive would be required to contribute for such health coverage if the Executive were an active employee of the
Company; provided that the Executive is eligible for and timely elects COBRA continuation coverage; and 

(iv)    for a 24-month period following the Date of Termination,
Cadence shall purchase a term life insurance policy that provides the Executive with substantially the same life insurance benefit that the Executive would have received had the Executive remained employed by the Company during such 24-month period; provided that such policy can be purchased at standard rates. 

(b)    Death or Disability. If the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of the Executive’s
death or Disability during the Employment Period, this Agreement shall terminate without further obligations to the Executive, other than the obligation to pay or provide: 

(i)    a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the sum of the Accrued Obligations and the Other
Benefits and Expenses to the Executive or the Executive’s estate or beneficiary, as the case may be, as soon as reasonably practicable following the Date of Termination; 

(ii)    a prorated Target Incentive Payment for the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs
based upon the period of time during the fiscal year during which the Executive was employed by Cadence pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (other than any portion of such annual Incentive Payment that was

  
 -6- 

 
previously deferred, which portion shall instead be paid in accordance with the applicable deferral arrangement and any election thereunder) such payment shall be made no later than the
15th calendar day of the third month following the close of the fiscal year with respect to which such Incentive Payment is earned; 

(iii)    in the case of the Executive’s Disability, for a
12-month period following the Date of Termination, a payment each month equal to the monthly cost of continued coverage for the Executive and, where applicable, the Executive’s spouse and dependents,
under COBRA paid by the Executive under the Company’s group health plan pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code, less the amount that the Executive would be required to contribute for such health coverage if the Executive were an active
employee of the Company; provided that the Executive is eligible for and timely elects COBRA continuation coverage; and 

(iv)    in the case of the Executive’s Disability, for a
12-month period following the Date of Termination, Cadence shall purchase a term life insurance policy that provides the Executive with substantially the same life insurance benefit that the Executive would
have received had the Executive remained employed by the Company during such 12-month period; provided that such policy can be purchased at standard rates. 

The term “Other Benefits and Expenses” as utilized in this Section 6(b) shall also include death or disability benefits under
Company provided plans as in effect on the date of the Executive’s death with respect to senior executives of Cadence and their beneficiaries generally. 

(c)    Cause; Without Good Reason; Nonrenewal. If the Executive’s employment shall be terminated by Cadence
with Cause or by the Executive without Good Reason during the Employment Period, or if the Employment Period expires as a result of the delivery of a Notice of Nonrenewal by Cadence, this Agreement shall terminate without further obligations to the
Executive, other than, if such termination occurs during the Employment Period, the obligation to pay or provide (i) the Accrued Obligations (paid as set forth in Section 6(a) of this Agreement) and (ii) the timely payment or
provision of the Other Benefits and Expenses (paid as set forth in Section 6(a) of this Agreement). 

(d)    Effect of Termination on Equity Compensation. Upon a termination of the Executive’s employment with the
Company for any reason, any payments, benefits, or other rights of the Executive pursuant to applicable equity or other long-term incentive programs of Cadence shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the applicable program documents. 

(e)    Effect of Termination on Other Positions. If, on the Date of Termination, the Executive is a member of the
Company Board, the Bank Board, or the board of directors of any of Cadence’s subsidiaries or holds any other position with Cadence or its subsidiaries, the Executive shall be deemed to have resigned from all such positions as of the date of the
Executive’s termination of employment with Cadence. The Executive agrees to execute such documents and take such other actions as Cadence may request to reflect such resignation. 

  
 -7- 

 (f)    Amounts Subject to Release of Claims and Compliance with
Restrictive Covenants. The payments and benefits provided under this Section 6 (other than the Accrued Obligations and the Other Benefits and Expenses) are subject to the Executive’s: (i) execution, delivery to Cadence, and non-revocation within 60 calendar days of the Date of Termination of a release of claims in favor of Cadence, its Affiliated Entities, and any officers, directors, and members of Cadence and/or its Affiliated
Entities substantially in the form used by Cadence in connection with executive employment terminations (and not imposing any post-employment restrictive covenant other than to reaffirm any such restrictive covenant applicable under this Agreement)
(the “General Release”); and (ii) compliance with the provisions of Sections 11(b), 11(c), 11(d), and 11(e) of this Agreement during the Employment Period and after the Date of Termination. In the event the Executive
breaches the terms of Section 11(b), 11(c), 11(d), or 11(e) of this Agreement, all payments and benefits provided under this Section 6 (other than the Accrued Obligations and the Other Benefits and Expenses) shall, to the extent paid, be
subject to a right of reclamation by Cadence or, to the extent unpaid, forfeiture by the Executive. The Executive shall deliver a properly executed copy of the General Release within the particular time period specified therein, and the payments and
benefits provided under this Section 6 (other than the Accrued Obligations and the Other Benefits and Expenses) shall begin on the 60th calendar day following the Date of Termination or such later date as is provided under this Agreement,
provided that the Executive has executed and submitted such General Release and the statutory period during which the Executive is entitled to revoke such release of claims has expired on or before such 60th calendar day. 

(g)    Full Settlement. The payments and benefits provided under this Section 6 of this Agreement (including,
without limitation, the Other Benefits and Expenses) shall be in full satisfaction of Cadence’s obligations to the Executive upon the Executive’s termination of employment, notwithstanding the remaining length of the Employment Period, and
in no event shall the Executive be entitled to severance benefits (or other damages in respect of a termination of employment or claim for breach of this Agreement) beyond those specified in this Section 6. 

7.    Payments upon a Change in Control. Upon a Change in Control (as defined in the Company’s
2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan), Cadence shall pay to the Executive a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to the product of (a) three multiplied by (b) the sum of (i) the Executive’s Annual Base Salary plus
(ii) the Target Incentive Payment for the year in which the Change in Control occurs. The payment described in this Section 7 shall be in lieu of any severance to which the Executive may otherwise become entitled in accordance with
Section 6(a)(i)(C) of this Agreement. 
 8.    No Mitigation; No Offset. Cadence’s obligation to make
the payments provided for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder shall not be affected by any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense, or other claim, right, or action that
Cadence may have against the Executive or others. In no event shall the Executive be obligated to seek other employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to the Executive under any of the provisions of this
Agreement, and such amounts shall not be reduced regardless of whether the Executive obtains other employment. 

9.    Section 409A; FDIC; Forfeiture. 

  
 -8- 

 (a)    Section 409A. 

(i)    General. It is intended that this Agreement shall comply with the provisions of
Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations relating thereto, or an exemption to Section 409A of the Code. Any payments that qualify for the “short-term deferral” exception or another exception under Section 409A
of the Code shall be paid under the applicable exception. For purposes of the limitations on nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, each payment of compensation under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate
payment of compensation for purposes of applying the Section 409A of the Code deferral election rules and the exclusion under Section 409A of the Code for certain short-term deferral amounts. All payments to be made upon a termination of
employment under this Agreement may only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A of the Code. In no event may the Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment under this Agreement.
Within the time period permitted by the applicable Treasury Regulations (or such later time as may be permitted under Section 409A of the Code or any Internal Revenue Service or Department of Treasury rules or other guidance issued thereunder),
Cadence may, in consultation with the Executive, modify the Agreement in order to cause the provisions of the Agreement to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, so as to avoid the imposition of taxes and penalties on the
Executive pursuant to Section 409A of the Code (to the extent economically more advantageous to the Executive than the imposition of any taxes and penalties). 

(ii)    In-Kind Benefits and Reimbursements. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all (A) reimbursements and (B) in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of
Section 409A of the Code, including, where applicable, the requirement that (w) any reimbursement is for expenses incurred during the Executive’s lifetime (or during a shorter period of time specified in this Agreement); (x) the
amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in kind benefits provided, during a calendar year may not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in kind benefits to be provided, in any other calendar year; (y) the reimbursement of
an eligible expense will be made no later than the last day of the calendar year following the year in which the expense is incurred; and (z) the right to reimbursement or in kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another
benefit. 
 (iii)    Delay of Payments. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to
the contrary, if the Executive is considered a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code (as determined in accordance with the methodology established by Cadence as in effect on the date of termination), any
payment that constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code that is otherwise due to the Executive under this Agreement during the six-month period following
the Executive’s separation from service (as determined in accordance with Section 409A of the Code) on account of the Executive’s separation from service shall be accumulated and paid to the Executive on the first business day of the
seventh month following the Executive’s separation from service (the “Delayed Payment Date”). The Executive shall be entitled to interest on any delayed 

  
 -9- 

 
cash payments from the date of termination to the Delayed Payment Date at a rate equal to the applicable federal short-term rate in effect under Section 1274(d) of the Code for the month in
which the Executive’s separation from service occurs. If the Executive dies during the postponement period, the amounts and entitlements delayed on account of Section 409A of the Code shall be paid to the personal representative of the
Executive’s estate on the first to occur of the Delayed Payment Date or 30 calendar days after the date of the Executive’s death. 

(b)    FDIC. Cadence and the Executive mutually acknowledge that the terms of this Agreement shall be subject to and
limited by any requirements or limitations that may apply under any applicable law, including any rules or regulations promulgated by the FDIC (“FDIC Guidance”). Accordingly, the Executive hereby (A) acknowledges and
understands that any compensation payable to him under any benefit plan of Cadence or the Affiliated Entities, including without limitation under this Agreement, may be subject to and limited by such FDIC Guidance, (B) consents to any future
modifications and limitations with respect to and under such benefit plans to the extent necessary to ensure compliance with FDIC Guidance, (C) agrees that any plan, program, policy, agreement, or arrangement of Cadence and the Affiliated
Entities and this Agreement shall be treated as a benefit plan for purposes of such limitations, (D) voluntarily waives any claim against Cadence for any changes to the Executive’s compensation or benefits that are required to comply with
the FDIC Guidance as in effect from time to time, (E) agrees that such waiver and consent shall constitute a part of and be integrated with this Agreement, (F) agrees to execute, acknowledge, and deliver such documents or instruments and
take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to effectuate the foregoing, and (G) agrees that in no event shall the Executive have the right to claim a breach of this Agreement or the terms of any benefit plan, if such claim is due to
or arises from Cadence’s compliance or alleged failure to comply with applicable law, including, without limitation, FDIC Guidance. 

(c)    Forfeiture. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement and in addition to and not in
contravention of the clawback provision applicable to the Executive under applicable law: 
 (i)    If,
as a result of the Executive’s misconduct, Cadence is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance of Cadence with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws, the Executive shall
reimburse Cadence for (A) all amounts received under any incentive compensation plans from Cadence that are in excess of the amounts the Executive would have been entitled to had the initial such financial document been issued or filed
consistent with such accounting restatement, and (B) any gains realized from the sale of securities of Cadence during the 12-month period following the first public issuance or filing with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (whichever first occurs) of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement, unless the application of this provision has been exempted by the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 

(ii)    If the Executive is found guilty of misconduct by any judicial or administrative authority in
connection with any (A) formal investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission or (B) other federal or state regulatory investigation, the Compensation Committee may require the repayment of any gain realized in respect of an award
under any equity compensation plan without regard to the timing of the determination of misconduct in relation to the timing of the exercise of the award. 

  
 -10- 

 10.    Limitation on Payments under Certain Circumstances. 

(a)    Limitation on Payments. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that the
Accounting Firm (as defined below) shall determine that receipt of all Payments (as defined below) would subject Executive to tax under Section 4999 of the Code, the Accounting Firm shall determine whether some amount of Agreement Payments (as
defined below) meets the definition of Reduced Amount (as defined below). If the Accounting Firm determines that there is a Reduced Amount, then the aggregate Agreement Payments shall be reduced to such Reduced Amount. 

(b)    Determination of Reduced Amount. If the Accounting Firm determines that the aggregate Agreement Payments
should be reduced to the Reduced Amount, Cadence shall promptly give the Executive notice to that effect and a copy of the detailed calculation thereof, and the Executive may then elect, in the Executive’s sole discretion, which and how much of
the Agreement Payments shall be eliminated or reduced (as long as after such election the Parachute Value (as defined below) of the aggregate Agreement Payments equals the Reduced Amount); provided that Cadence shall reduce the Agreement
Payments in the following order: (i) by reducing benefits payable pursuant to Section 6(a)(i)(C) or Section 7, as applicable, of this Agreement, then (ii) by reducing amounts payable pursuant to Section 6(a)(iii) of this
Agreement, and then (iii) by reducing amounts payable pursuant to Section 6(a)(ii) of this Agreement. All determinations made by the Accounting Firm under this Section 10 shall be binding upon Cadence and the Executive and shall be
made no later than five days prior to the occurrence of the applicable change in control. In connection with making determinations under this Section 10, the Accounting Firm shall take into account the value of any reasonable compensation for
services to be rendered by the Executive before or after the applicable change in control, including any noncompetition provisions that may apply to the Executive, and Cadence shall cooperate in the valuation of any such services, including any
noncompetition provisions. 
 (c)    Overpayments; Underpayments. As a result of the uncertainty in the
application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that amounts will have been paid or distributed by Cadence to or for the benefit of the Executive pursuant to this
Agreement that should not have been so paid or distributed (each, an “Overpayment”) or that additional amounts that will have not been paid or distributed by Cadence to or for the benefit of the Executive pursuant to this Agreement
could have been so paid or distributed (each, an “Underpayment”), in each case, consistent with the calculation of the Reduced Amount hereunder. In the event that the Accounting Firm, based upon the assertion of a deficiency by the
Internal Revenue Service against either Cadence or the Executive that the Accounting Firm believes has a high probability of success determines that an Overpayment has been made, any such Overpayment paid or distributed by Cadence to or for the
benefit of the Executive shall be repaid by the Executive to Cadence together with interest at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2) of the Code; provided, however, that no such repayment shall be required if and
to the extent such deemed repayment would not either 

  
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reduce the amount on which the Executive is subject to tax under Sections 1 and 4999 of the Code or generate a refund of such taxes. In the event that the Accounting Firm, based upon
controlling precedent or substantial authority, determines that an Underpayment has occurred, any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by Cadence to or for the benefit of the Executive together with interest at the applicable federal rate
provided for in Section 7872(f)(2) of the Code. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm in implementing the provisions of this Section 10 shall be borne by Cadence. 

(d)    Certain Definitions. The following terms shall have the following meanings for purposes of this Section 10:

 (i)    “Accounting Firm” shall mean Cadence’s independent auditor as of
immediately prior to the applicable change in control; 
 (ii)    “Agreement Payment”
shall mean a Payment paid or payable pursuant to this Agreement (disregarding this Section 10); 

(iii)    “Net After-Tax Receipt” shall mean the
Parachute Value of a Payment, net of all taxes imposed on the Executive with respect thereto under Sections 1 and 4999 of the Code and under applicable state and local laws, determined by applying the highest marginal rate under Section 1
of the Code and under state and local laws that applied to the Executive’s taxable income for the immediately preceding taxable year, or such other rate(s) as the Executive shall certify, in the Executive’s sole discretion, as likely to
apply to the Executive in the relevant tax year(s); 
 (iv)    “Parachute Value” of a
Payment shall mean the present value as of the date of the change of control for purposes of Section 280G of the Code of the portion of such Payment that constitutes a “parachute payment” under Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code, as
determined by the Accounting Firm for purposes of determining whether and to what extent the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code will apply to such Payment; 

(v)    A “Payment” shall mean any payment or distribution in the nature of compensation
(within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) to or for the benefit of the Executive, whether paid or payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise; and 

(vi)    “Reduced Amount” shall mean the amount of Agreement Payments that (A) has a
Parachute Value that is less than the Parachute Value of all Agreement Payments and (B) results in aggregate Net After-Tax Receipts for all Payments that are greater than the Net After-Tax Receipts for all Payments that would result if the aggregate Parachute Value of Agreement Payments were any other amount that is less than the Parachute Value of all Agreement Payments. 

11.    Restrictive Covenants. 

(a)    Return of Company Property. Upon the Executive’s termination of employment for any reason, the Executive
shall promptly return to Cadence any keys, credit cards, passes, confidential documents or material, or other property belonging to Cadence, and 

  
 -12- 

 
the Executive shall also return all writings, files, records, correspondence, notebooks, notes, electronic contact lists, and other documents and things (including any copies thereof) containing
confidential information or relating to the business or proposed business of Cadence or the Affiliated Entities or containing any trade secrets relating to Cadence or the Affiliated Entities, except any personal diaries, calendars, rolodexes, or
personal notes or correspondence. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “trade secrets” shall have the meaning ascribed to it under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act. The Executive agrees to represent in writing to Cadence upon
termination of employment that he has complied with the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(a). 

(b)    Mutual Nondisparagement. The Executive, the Company, and the Bank each agree that, following the
Executive’s termination of employment for any reason, none of the Executive, the Company, or the Bank shall, directly or indirectly, make any public statements that materially disparages (i) Cadence or the Affiliated Entities or any of
their respective directors, officers, or employees, in the case of the Executive, or (ii) the Executive, in the case of the Company or the Bank. Neither the Company nor the Bank shall be liable for any breach of its obligations under this
Section 11(b) if informs its directors and executive officers, as such term is defined in Rule 3b-7 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, of the content of its covenant
under this Section 11(b) and takes reasonable measures to ensure that such individuals honor the Company’s or the Bank’s, as applicable, agreement under this Section 11(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this
Section 11(b) shall prohibit the Executive from making truthful statements when required by order of a court or other governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction or to enforce any legal right including, without limitation, the terms of
this Agreement. 
 (c)    Confidential Information. The Executive agrees that, during the Executive’s
employment with Cadence and at all times thereafter, the Executive shall hold for the benefit of Cadence all secret or confidential information, knowledge, or data relating to Cadence or any of the Affiliated Entities, and their respective
businesses, which shall have been obtained by the Executive during the Executive’s employment by Cadence or during the Executive’s consultation with Cadence after the Executive’s termination of employment, and which shall not be or
become public knowledge (other than by acts by the Executive or representatives of the Executive in violation of this Agreement). Except in the good-faith performance of the Executive’s duties for Cadence, the Executive shall not, without the
prior written consent of Cadence or as may otherwise be required by law or legal process, communicate or divulge any such information, knowledge, or data to anyone other than Cadence and those designated by it. 

(d)    Nonsolicitation. The Executive agrees that, while the Executive is employed by Cadence and during the 12-month period following the Executive’s termination of employment with Cadence for any reason, the Executive shall not directly or indirectly, (i) solicit any individual who is, on the Date of
Termination (or was, during the six month period prior to the Date of Termination), employed by Cadence or the Affiliated Entities to terminate or refrain from renewing or extending such employment or to become employed by or become a consultant to
any other individual or entity other than Cadence or the Affiliated Entities, (ii) initiate discussion with any such employee or former employee for any such purpose or authorize or knowingly cooperate with the taking of any such actions by any
other individual or entity on 

  
 -13- 

 
behalf of the Executive’s employer, or (iii) induce or attempt to induce any current customer, investor, supplier, licensee, or other business relation of Cadence or any of the
Affiliated Entities to cease doing business with Cadence or such Affiliated Entity, or in any way interfere with the relationship between any such customer, investor, supplier, licensee, or business relation, on the one hand, and Cadence or any
Affiliated Entity, on the other hand. 
 (e)    Noncompetition. The Executive acknowledges and recognizes that:
(i) the nature of Cadence’s business is highly competitive and Cadence will be actively engaged in such business throughout the United States; (ii) the services to be performed for Cadence by the Executive are extraordinary and
unique; and (iii) the Executive’s compensation and benefits hereunder reflect the extraordinary and unique value to Cadence of the Executive’s services. Accordingly, as a material inducement to Cadence to enter into this Agreement and
to pay the Executive the compensation and benefits hereunder, the Executive agrees that, while the Executive is employed by Cadence and during the 12-month period following the Executive’s termination of
employment with Cadence for any reason (other than a termination by Cadence with Cause or a resignation by the Executive without Good Reason), the Executive shall not engage in Competition (as defined below). The Executive shall be deemed to be
engaging in “Competition” if the Executive, directly or indirectly, anywhere in the continental United States where Cadence or any of the Affiliated Entities engages in commercial banking business or any other financial services
immediately prior to the Date of Termination, owns, manages, operates, controls, or participates in the ownership, management, operation, or control of or is connected as an officer, employee, partner, director, consultant, or otherwise with, or has
any financial interest in, any business (whether through a corporation or other entity) engaged in the commercial banking business or in any other financial services business that is competitive with any portion of the business conducted by Cadence
or any of the Affiliated Entities. This Section 11(e) shall cease to apply upon an expiration of the Employment Period as a result of the delivery of a Notice of Nonrenewal by Cadence. 

(f)    Equitable Remedies. The Executive acknowledges that Cadence would be irreparably injured by a violation of
Section 11(b), 11(c), 11(d), or 11(e) of this Agreement, and the Executive agrees that Cadence, in addition to any other remedies available to it for such breach or threatened breach, on meeting the standards required by law, shall be entitled
to a preliminary injunction, temporary restraining order, or other equivalent relief, restraining the Executive from any actual or threatened breach of Section 11(b), 11(c), 11(d), or 11(e) of this Agreement. If a bond is required to be posted
in order for Cadence to secure an injunction or other equitable remedy, the parties agree that said bond need not be more than a nominal sum. 

(g)    Severability; Blue Pencil. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Executive has had the opportunity
to seek advice of counsel in connection with the Agreement and the restrictive covenants contained herein are reasonable in geographical scope, temporal duration, and in all other respects. If it is determined that any provision of this
Section 11 is invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of the provisions of this Section 11 shall not thereby be affected and shall be given full effect, without regard to the invalid portions. If any court or other decision-maker of
competent jurisdiction determines that any of the covenants in this Section 11 is unenforceable because of the duration or geographic scope of such provision, then after such determination becomes final and unappealable, the duration or scope
of such provision, as the case may be, shall be reduced so that such provision becomes enforceable, and in its reduced form, such provision shall be enforced. 

  
 -14- 

 12.    Successors. 

(a)    This Agreement is personal to the Executive and without the prior written consent of Cadence shall not be assignable
by the Executive. This Agreement and any rights and benefits hereunder shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s legal representatives, heirs, or legatees. This Agreement and any rights and benefits hereunder shall
inure to the benefit of and be binding upon Cadence and its successors and assigns. 
 (b)    Cadence will require any
successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of Cadence to assume expressly and agree to satisfy all of the obligations under this Agreement in the
same manner and to the same extent that Cadence would be required to satisfy such obligations if no such succession had taken place. As used in this Agreement, “Cadence” shall mean Cadence as hereinbefore defined and any successor
to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law or otherwise. 

13.    Miscellaneous. 

(a)    Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified other than by a written agreement executed by the
parties hereto or their respective successors and legal representatives. 
 (b)    Withholding. Cadence may
withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state, local, or foreign taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation. 

(c)    Applicable Law. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the internal laws of
the State of Texas, without regard to the conflict of law provisions of any state. 
 (d)    Dispute Resolution.
Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the breach of this Agreement that is not resolved by the Executive and Cadence shall be submitted to arbitration in Texas in accordance with Texas law and the procedures of the
American Arbitration Association. The determination of the arbitrator shall be conclusive and binding on Cadence and the Executive and judgment may be entered on the arbitrator’s awards in any court having competent jurisdiction. In the event
any controversy or claim under this Agreement arises, to the full extent permitted by law, Cadence shall pay all reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees and other reasonable and documented litigation/arbitration costs and expenses incurred by
the Executive in connection with such claim or controversy; provided that the Executive prevails on at least one material issue in such proceeding; and provided, further, that in no event shall Cadence be obligated to pay
more than $100,000 in the aggregate for all such fees, costs, and expenses. 
 (e)    Severability. The invalidity
or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, and this Agreement will be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted (but
only to the extent that such provision cannot be appropriately reformed or modified). 

  
 -15- 

 (f)    Waiver of Breach. No waiver by any party hereto of a breach of
any provision of this Agreement by any other party, or of compliance with any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party, shall operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach by such other party of any
similar or dissimilar provisions and conditions at the same or any prior or subsequent time. The failure of any party hereto to take any action by reason of such breach shall not deprive such party of the right to take action at any time while such
breach continues. 
 (g)    Notices. Notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be
in writing and shall be delivered personally or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or prepaid overnight courier to the parties at the addresses set forth below (or such other addresses as shall be
specified by the parties by like notice): 
 to Cadence: 

Cadence Bancorporation 
 2800 Post
Oak Boulevard, Suite 3800 
 Houston, Texas 77056 

Attention: Director of Human Resources 

or to the Executive: 
 At the
address last on the records of Cadence. 
 Such notices, demands, claims, and other communications shall be deemed given in the case of delivery by overnight
service with guaranteed next day delivery, the next day or the day designated for delivery or, in the case of certified or registered U.S. mail, five days after deposit in the U.S. mail; provided, however, that in no event shall
any such communications be deemed to be given later than the date they are actually received. 

(h)    Survivorship. Upon the expiration or other termination of this Agreement, the respective rights and
obligations of the parties hereto shall survive such expiration or other termination to the extent necessary to carry out the intentions of the parties under this Agreement. 

(i)    Entire Agreement. From and after the Effective Date, this Agreement shall supersede any other agreement or
understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. The obligations under this Agreement are enforceable solely against Cadence and its Affiliated Entities, and in no event shall this Agreement be enforceable against any
shareholder of, or investor in, Cadence. 

  
 -16- 

 (j)    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together constitute one and the same agreement. 

(k)    Representations by the Executive. The Executive hereby warrants that the Executive has the full authority to
execute and enter into this Agreement and that the Executive’s execution of this Agreement and commencement of employment with Cadence shall not contravene any obligations the Executive may have to any prior employer. The Executive represents
and warrants that the Executive has disclosed to Cadence all provisions in any agreements with the Executive’s current employer that purport to restrict the Executive’s activities following employment with such employer and that the
Executive is subject to no agreement or restriction that would limit the Executive’s ability to execute and deliver this Agreement or serve in the capacities and fully perform the services contemplated herein. 

[Signature Page Follows] 

  
 -17- 

 IN WITNESS THEREOF, the Executive has hereunto set his hand, and each of the Company and the Bank
has caused these presents to be executed in its name and on its behalf, all as of the day and year first above written. 
  

			
	CADENCE BANCORPORATION
		
	By:	 	/s/ Phillip D. Sprayberry
		 	Name: Phillip D. Sprayberry
		 	Title: EVP, Director of Human Resources
	
	CADENCE BANK, N.A.
		
	By:	 	/s/ Phillip D. Sprayberry
		 	Name: Phillip D. Sprayberry
		 	Title: EVP, Director of Human Resources
	
	EXECUTIVE
	
	/s/ Paul B. Murphy, Jr.
	Paul B. Murphy, Jr.

 [Signature Page to Murphy Employment Agreement]

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