Document:

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                                                                     Exhibit 4.1

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                                       AXA

                                       AND

                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK

                                  As Depositary

                                       AND

                     OWNERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS

                                Deposit Agreement

                            Dated as of June 24, 1996

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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

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                                                                                                                PAGE

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PARTIES...........................................................................................................1

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY...........................................................................................1

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                                   ARTICLE 1.

                                   DEFINITIONS

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SECTION 1.01.  American Depositary Shares.........................................................................1
SECTION 1.02.  Commission.........................................................................................1
SECTION 1.03.  Company............................................................................................2
SECTION 1.04.  Custodian..........................................................................................2
SECTION 1.05.  Deliver; Delivery; Registered Form; Bearer Form....................................................2
SECTION 1.06.  Deposit Agreement..................................................................................2
SECTION 1.07.  Depositary; Corporate Trust Office.................................................................2
SECTION 1.08.  Deposited Securities...............................................................................2
SECTION 1.09.  Dollars............................................................................................3
SECTION 1.10.  Eligible Owner.....................................................................................3
SECTION 1.11.  Francs.............................................................................................3
SECTION 1.12.  Owner..............................................................................................3
SECTION 1.13.  Receipt............................................................................................3
SECTION 1.14.  Registrar..........................................................................................3
SECTION 1.15.  Restricted Securities..............................................................................3
SECTION 1.16.  Securities Act of 1933.............................................................................4
SECTION 1.17.  Shares.............................................................................................4

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                                   ARTICLE 2.

                 FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, EXECUTION
                AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS

<S>                                                                                                              <C>
SECTION 2.01.  Form and Transferability of Receipts...............................................................4
SECTION 2.02.  Deposit of Shares..................................................................................5
SECTION 2.03.  Execution and Delivery of Receipts.................................................................6
SECTION 2.04.     Transfer of Receipts; Combination and Split-up of
                          Receipts................................................................................7
SECTION 2.05.  Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Shares.....................................................7
SECTION 2.06.     Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer and
                          Surrender of Receipts...................................................................8
SECTION 2.07.  Lost Receipt, Etc..................................................................................9
SECTION 2.08.     Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered
                          Receipts...............................................................................10
SECTION 2.09.  Pre-Release of Receipts...........................................................................10
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                                   ARTICLE 3.

                    CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS OF RECEIPTS

<S>            <C>                                                                                               <C>
SECTION 3.01.  Providing Proofs, Certificates and Other
                          Information............................................................................11
SECTION 3.02.  Liability of Owner for Taxes......................................................................11
SECTION 3.03.  Warranties on Deposit of Shares...................................................................12
SECTION 3.04.  Compliance with Law...............................................................................12
SECTION 3.05.  Disclosure of Beneficial Ownership of Receipts....................................................12

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                                   ARTICLE 4.

                            THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES
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SECTION 4.01.  Cash Distributions................................................................................13
SECTION 4.02.  Distributions Other Than Cash, Shares or Rights...................................................13
SECTION 4.03.  Distributions in Shares...........................................................................14
SECTION 4.04.  Rights............................................................................................14
SECTION 4.05.  Conversion of Foreign Currency....................................................................16
SECTION 4.06.  Fixing of Record Date.............................................................................17
SECTION 4.07.  Voting of Shares..................................................................................18
SECTION 4.08.  Changes Affecting Deposited Securities............................................................20
SECTION 4.09.  Reports...........................................................................................21
SECTION 4.10.  Lists of Owners...................................................................................21
SECTION 4.11.  Withholding.......................................................................................21
SECTION 4.12.  Dividends in Cash or Shares.......................................................................22

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                                   ARTICLE 5.

                  THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIAN AND THE COMPANY

<S>            <C>                                                                                               <C>
SECTION 5.01.  Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the
                       Depositary................................................................................23
SECTION 5.02.  Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary  or
                       the Company...............................................................................24
SECTION 5.03.  Obligations of the Depositary, the Custodian and     the
                       Company...................................................................................25
SECTION 5.04.  Resignation and Removal of the Depositary;
                       Appointment of Successor Depositary.......................................................26
SECTION 5.05.  The Custodian.....................................................................................26
SECTION 5.06.  Notices and Reports...............................................................................27
SECTION 5.07.  Issuance or Deposit of Additional Shares, Etc.....................................................28
SECTION 5.08.  Indemnification...................................................................................29
SECTION 5.09.  Charges of Depositary.............................................................................31
SECTION 5.10.  Retention of Depositary Documents.................................................................32
SECTION 5.11.  Exclusivity.......................................................................................32
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                                   ARTICLE 6.

                            AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

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SECTION 6.01.  Amendment.........................................................................................32
SECTION 6.02.  Termination.......................................................................................32

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                                   ARTICLE 7.

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

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SECTION 7.01.  Counterparts......................................................................................34
SECTION 7.02.  No Third Party Beneficiaries......................................................................34
SECTION 7.03.  Severability......................................................................................34
SECTION 7.04.  Owners and Holders as Parties; Binding Effect.....................................................34
SECTION 7.05.  Notices...........................................................................................34
SECTION 7.06.  Governing Law.....................................................................................35
SECTION 7.07.  Compliance With U.S. Securities Law...............................................................35

TESTIMONIUM......................................................................................................36

SIGNATURES.......................................................................................................36

EXHIBIT A
         Form of Receipt
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                                DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

        DEPOSIT AGREEMENT dated as of June 24, 1996, among AXA, a SOCIETE
ANONYME organized under the laws of The Republic of France (herein called the
"Company"), THE BANK OF NEW YORK, a New York banking corporation (herein called
the "Depositary"), and all owners from time to time of American Depositary
Receipts issued hereunder.

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

              WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the deposit of Shares
(as hereinafter defined) from time to time with the Depositary or with the
Custodian (as hereinafter defined), as agent of the Depositary for the purposes
of this Deposit Agreement, for the creation of American Depositary Shares
representing the Shares so deposited and for the execution and delivery of
American Depositary Receipts evidencing the American Depositary Shares;

              NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, it is agreed by
and among the parties hereto as follows:

                                   ARTICLE 1.

                                  DEFINITIONS.

              The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise
clearly indicated, apply to the respective terms used in this Deposit Agreement:

              SECTION 1.01. AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES. The term "American
Depositary Shares" shall mean the securities created hereby representing
interests in the Deposited Securities evidenced by the Receipts issued
hereunder. Each American Depositary Share shall represent one-half (1/2) of one
Share, until there shall occur a distribution upon Deposited Securities covered
by Section 4.03 or a change or other event with respect to Deposited Securities
covered by Section 4.08 with respect to which additional Receipts are not
executed and delivered, and thereafter each American Depositary Share shall
represent the type and amount of Deposited Securities specified in such
Sections.

              SECTION 1.02.  COMMISSION.  The term "Commission" shall mean
the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America
or any successor governmental agency in the United States of America.

              SECTION 1.03.  COMPANY.  The term "Company" shall mean AXA, a
SOCIETE ANONYME organized under the laws of The Republic of France, and
its successors.

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              SECTION 1.04. CUSTODIAN. The term "Custodian" shall mean the
principal Paris office of AXA Banque which at the date hereof is located at 5-7
rue de Milan, 75009 Paris, France as agent of the Depositary for the purposes of
this Deposit Agreement, and any other firm or corporation which may hereafter be
appointed by the Depositary pursuant to the terms of Section 5.05 as agent of
the Depositary for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement or as substitute or
additional custodian or custodians hereunder, as the context shall require, and
the term "Custodians" shall mean all of them, collectively.

              SECTION 1.05. DELIVER; DELIVERY; REGISTERED FORM; BEARER FORM. The
terms "deliver" and "delivery," when used with respect to Shares, shall refer to
a book-entry transfer to an account designated by the transferee maintained with
an institution authorized under applicable law to effect transfers of
securities, and not to the physical transfer or delivery of certificates
evidencing Shares. If such account is maintained with the Company or its agent
for the registration and transfer of Shares, the Shares recorded therein are
referred to as Shares in "registered form." If such account is maintained with
an authorized intermediary (which itself maintains an account with Sicovam SA or
any successor thereto), the Shares recorded in such account with such
intermediary are referred to as Shares in "bearer form."

              SECTION 1.06.  DEPOSIT AGREEMENT.  The term "Deposit Agreement"
shall mean this agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time
in accordance with the provisions hereof.

              SECTION 1.07. DEPOSITARY; CORPORATE TRUST OFFICE. The term
"Depositary" shall mean The Bank of New York, a New York banking corporation,
and any successor as depositary hereunder. The term "Corporate Trust Office",
when used with respect to the Depositary, shall mean the office of the
Depositary which, at the date of this Deposit Agreement, is located at 101
Barclay Street, New York, New York, 10286.

              SECTION 1.08. DEPOSITED SECURITIES. The term "Deposited
Securities" as of any time shall mean the Shares at such time deposited or
deemed to be deposited under this Deposit Agreement and any and all other
securities, property and cash received by the Depositary or the Custodian in
respect thereof and at such time held hereunder, subject as to cash to the
provisions of Section 4.05.

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              SECTION 1.09. DOLLARS. The term "Dollar" or "Dollars" shall mean
United States dollars or such other currency as is for the time being legal
tender in the United States of America.

              SECTION 1.10.  ELIGIBLE OWNER.  The term "Eligible Owner" as of
any time shall mean an Owner who, as of such time, is holding a Receipt as
beneficial owner thereof and not for the benefit of, on behalf of, or for the
account of, any other person.

              SECTION 1.11.  FRANCS.  The term "franc" or "francs" shall mean
French francs or such other currency as is for the time being legal
tender in The Republic of France.

              SECTION 1.12.  OWNER.  The term "Owner" shall mean the person
or persons in whose name or names a Receipt is registered on the books
of the Depositary maintained for such purpose.

              SECTION 1.13.  RECEIPT.  The term "Receipt" shall mean each
American Depositary Receipt issued hereunder evidencing American
Depositary Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit A annexed
hereto, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions as
hereinafter provided in this Deposit Agreement.

              SECTION 1.14. REGISTRAR. The term "Registrar" shall mean, subject
to any applicable rules or regulations of any securities exchange upon which the
American Depositary Shares may be listed or traded, any bank or trust company
having an office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, which shall
be appointed, upon prior notice to the Company, to register Receipts and
transfers of Receipts as herein provided.

              SECTION 1.15. RESTRICTED SECURITIES. The term "Restricted
Securities" shall mean Shares (or Receipts evidencing such Shares) which are
acquired directly or indirectly from the Company or its affiliates (as defined
in Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933) in a transaction or chain of
transactions not involving any public offering (whether or not within the United
States) or which are subject to resale limitations under the Securities Act of
1933 or both, or which are held by an officer, director (or persons performing
similar functions) or other affiliate of the Company or which would require
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the public
offer and sale thereof in the United States of America, or which are subject to
other restrictions on sale or deposit under the laws of the United States of
America or The Republic of France, the STATUTS of the Company or under any
agreement.

              SECTION 1.16. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933. The term "Securities Act of
1933" shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as from time to time
amended.

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              SECTION 1.17. SHARES. The term "Shares" shall mean the Ordinary
Shares with a nominal value of 60 francs each of the Company, heretofore validly
issued and outstanding and fully paid and non-assessable or hereafter validly
issued and outstanding and fully paid and nonassessable; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
if there shall occur any change in nominal value, split-up, consolidation or
other reclassification or, upon the occurrence of any other event described in
Section 4.08, an exchange or conversion in respect of the Shares, the term
"Shares" shall thereafter mean the successor securities resulting from such
change in nominal value, split-up, consolidation or other reclassification or
such exchange or conversion. References to Shares shall include evidence of
rights to receive Shares, whether or not stated in the particular instance;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event shall Shares include evidence of rights to
receive Shares with respect to which the full purchase price has not been paid.

                                   ARTICLE 2.

                 FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, EXECUTION
                AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS.

              SECTION 2.01. FORM AND TRANSFERABILITY OF RECEIPTS. Definitive
Receipts shall be engraved or printed or lithographed and shall be executed by
the Depositary by the manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the
Depository; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such signature may be a facsimile if a
Registrar for the Receipts shall have been appointed and such Receipts are
countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the
Registrar. No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit
Agreement, or be valid or enforceable for any purpose, unless such Receipt shall
have been executed by the Depositary by the manual signature of a duly
authorized signatory of the Depositary or, if a Registrar for the Receipts shall
have been appointed and the Depositary shall have signed by facsimile signature,
countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the
Registrar. The Depositary shall maintain books on which each Receipt so executed
and delivered as hereinafter provided and the transfer of each such Receipt
shall be registered; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if a Registrar has been appointed
then such books shall be maintained by the Registrar. Receipts bearing the
facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary who was at
any time a proper signatory of the Depositary shall bind the Depositary,
notwithstanding that such signatory of the Depositary has ceased to hold such
office prior to the execution of such Receipts by the Registrar and their
delivery or did not hold such office at the date of such Receipts.

              The Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text
thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by

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the Depositary or required to comply with any applicable law or regulations or
with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which American
Depositary Shares may be listed or traded or to conform with any usage with
respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which
any particular Receipts are subject by reason of the date of issuance of the
underlying Deposited Securities or otherwise.

              Title to a Receipt (and to the American Depositary Shares
evidenced thereby), when properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments
of transfer, shall be transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the
case of a negotiable instrument under the laws of the State of New York;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the
contrary, may treat the Owner thereof as the absolute owner thereof for the
purpose of determining the person entitled to any distribution of dividends or
other distributions or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and
for all other purposes, and neither the Depositary nor the Company shall have
any obligation or be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to
any holder of a Receipt unless such holder is the Owner thereof.

              SECTION 2.02. DEPOSIT OF SHARES. Subject to the terms and
conditions of this Deposit Agreement, Shares may be deposited by delivery
thereof to the Depositary (in the case of Shares to be held hereunder in
registered form) or the Custodian in form satisfactory to the Custodian (in the
case of Shares to be held hereunder in bearer form) pursuant to appropriate
instructions for transfer in a form satisfactory to the Company or its agent or
such Custodian, as the case may be, together with all such certifications as may
be required by the Depositary or such Custodian in accordance with the
provisions of this Deposit Agreement, and, if the Depositary requires, together
with a written order directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon
the written order of, the person or persons stated in such order a Receipt or
Receipts for the number of American Depositary Shares issuable in respect of
such deposited Shares. The Company or its agent for registration and transfer of
Shares in the case of Shares in registered form, or the Custodian in the case of
Shares in bearer form, will, upon request by the Depositary, issue or cause to
be issued written confirmations as to holdings of Shares, it being agreed and
understood that such confirmations do not constitute documents of title. Copies
of the confirmations with respect to Deposited Securities shall be held by the
Depositary or by a Custodian for the account and to the order of the Depositary
or at such other place or places as the Depositary shall determine.

              If required by the Depositary, Shares presented for deposit at any
time shall also be accompanied by an agreement or assignment, or other
instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, which will

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provide for the prompt transfer to the Custodian or the Depositary, as the case
may be, with respect to such Shares of any dividend or right to subscribe
for additional Shares or to receive other property which any person in whose
name the Shares are or have been registered may thereafter receive upon or in
respect of such deposited Shares or, in lieu thereof, such agreement of
indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary.

              The Depositary will hold all deposited Shares in bearer form
unless an Owner certifies that it is an Eligible Owner and requests the
Depositary to hold the number of Shares represented by the American Depositary
Shares evidenced by its Receipts in registered form. Upon the request of any
such Owner, the Depositary will as promptly as practicable cause the number of
deposited shares represented by such Owner's American Depositary Shares to be
held in registered form. Such form of holding may, under French companies law
and the STATUTS of the Company, entitle such Owner to instruct the Depositary as
to the exercise of double voting rights, as described in Section 4.07.

              Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, as long as the Depositary
holds any Shares pursuant to this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall ensure
that at least three Shares are held in the name of the Depositary in registered
form.

              SECTION 2.03. EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF RECEIPTS. Upon receipt by
any Custodian of any deposit of Shares pursuant to Section 2.02, together with
the other documents required as specified herein, such Custodian shall notify
the Depositary of such deposit and the person or persons to whom or upon whose
written order a Receipt or Receipts are deliverable in respect thereof and the
number of American Depositary Shares to be evidenced thereby. Such notification
shall be made by mail or, at the request, risk and expense of the person making
the deposit, by air courier, cable, telex or facsimile transmission. Upon
receiving such notice from such Custodian, or upon the receipt of Shares by the
Depositary, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit
Agreement (including, but not limited to the terms and conditions contained in
Section 2.02), shall execute and deliver at its Corporate Trust Office, to or
upon the order of the person or persons named in the notice delivered to the
Depositary or requested by the person depositing such Shares with the
Depositary, a Receipt or Receipts, registered in such name or names and
evidencing any authorized number of American Depositary Shares requested by such
person or persons, but only upon payment to the Depositary of the fee of the
Depositary for the execution and delivery of such Receipt or Receipts, and of
all taxes and governmental charges and fees payable in connection with such
deposit and the transfer of the deposited shares.

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              SECTION 2.04.  TRANSFER OF RECEIPTS; COMBINATION AND SPLIT-UP
OF RECEIPTS.  The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of
this Deposit Agreement, shall register transfers on its transfer books
from time to time of any Receipt, upon surrender, by the Owner in person or by a
duly authorized attorney, of such Receipt properly endorsed or accompanied by
proper instruments of transfer, and duly stamped, as may be required by the laws
of the State of New York and of the United States of America. Thereupon, the
Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts evidencing the same aggregate
number of American Depositary Shares as were evidenced by the Receipt
surrendered and deliver the same to or upon the order of the person entitled
thereto.

              The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Deposit Agreement, shall, upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts for the
purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such Receipt or Receipts,
execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts for any authorized number of
American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same aggregate number of
American Depositary Shares as were evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts
surrendered.

              The Depositary, at its expense, may appoint one or more co-
transfer agents with the approval of the Company (which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld) for the purpose of effecting transfers, combinations and
split-ups of Receipts at designated transfer offices on behalf of the
Depositary. In carrying out its functions, a co-transfer agent may require
evidence of authority and compliance with applicable laws and other requirements
by Owners or holders of Receipts or persons entitled to Receipts and will be
entitled to protection and indemnity to the same extent as the Depositary.

              SECTION 2.05. SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS AND WITHDRAWAL OF SHARES. Upon
surrender at the Corporate Trust Office of the Depositary of a Receipt for the
purpose of withdrawal of the Deposited securities represented thereby, and upon
payment of the fee of the Depositary for the cancellation of Receipts and
subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Company's
STATUTS, and the Deposited Securities, the Owner of such Receipt shall be
entitled to delivery of the whole number of Shares and the number of any other
Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced
thereby to an account designated by such Owner and to delivery at the Corporate
Trust Office of the Depositary of a new Receipt evidencing any fractional
Deposited Securities represented thereby. Such delivery shall be made, as
hereinafter provided, without unreasonable delay.

              A Receipt surrendered for such purposes may be required by the
Depositary to be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by proper instruments
of transfer in blank, and if the Depositary

                                      -7-
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requires, the Owner thereof shall execute and deliver to the Depositary a
written order directing the Depositary to cause the Deposited Securities being
withdrawn to be delivered to an account designated by such Owner. Thereupon the
Depositary shall, in its discretion, subject to Sections 2.06, 3.01 and 3.02,
and to the other terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, effect, or
direct one (or more) of the Custodians, to effect, such delivery, except that
the Depositary may make delivery to such person or persons at the Corporate
Trust Office of the Depositary of any dividends or distributions upon such
Deposited Securities, or of any proceeds of sale of any such dividends or
distributions, which may at the time be held by the Depositary.

              At the request, risk and expense of any Owner so surrendering a
Receipt, and for the account of such Owner, the Depositary shall direct the
Custodian to forward proper documents of title (if available) for any such
Deposited Securities to the Depositary for delivery at the Corporate Trust
Office of the Depositary. Such direction shall be given by mail or, at the
request, risk and expense of such Owner, by air courier, cable, telex or
facsimile transmission.

              Neither the Depositary nor the Custodian shall deliver Shares
(other than to the Company or its agent as contemplated by Section 4.08), or
otherwise permit Shares to be withdrawn from the facility created hereby, except
upon the receipt and cancellation of Receipts.

              SECTION 2.06. LIMITATIONS ON EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND
SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS. As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery,
registration of transfer, split-up, combination or surrender of any Receipt, the
delivery of any distribution thereon, or the withdrawal of any Deposited
Securities, the Depositary or the Custodian may require payment from the
presenter of the Receipt or the depositor of the Shares of a sum sufficient to
reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charge and any stock transfer,
registration or conversion fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or
charge and fee with respect to Shares being deposited or Deposited Securities
being withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fees as herein provided, may
require the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and
genuineness of any signature and may also require compliance with such
regulations, if any, as the Depositary may establish consistent with the
provisions of this Deposit Agreement, including, without limitation, Section
7.07.

              The delivery of Receipts against deposits of Shares generally or
against deposits of particular Shares may be suspended and the transfer of
Receipts in particular instances may be refused or the registration of transfer
of outstanding Receipts generally may be suspended during any period when the
transfer books of the Depositary

                                      -8-
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are closed, or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the
Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent practicable (to
the extent it is not practicable for the Depositary to consult with the Company,
the Depositary will notify the Company as promptly as practicable after taking
such action and explain its reasons for doing so), or the Company at any time or
from time to time because of any requirement of law or of any government or
governmental or regulatory body or commission, or under any provision of this
Deposit Agreement, or for any other reason, subject to Section 7.07 of this
Deposit Agreement. The surrender of outstanding Receipts and withdrawal of
Deposited Securities may not be suspended subject only to (i) temporary delays
caused by closing the transfer books of the Depositary or the Company or the
deposit of Shares in connection with voting at a shareholders' meeting or the
payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges and
(iii) compliance with any United States or foreign laws or governmental
regulations relating to the Receipts or to the withdrawal of the Deposited
Securities. The Depositary will comply with reasonable written instructions from
the Company requesting that the Depositary not accept for deposit hereunder any
Shares identified in such instructions in order to facilitate the Company's
compliance with United States federal securities laws, any provision of the
Company's STATUTS or French law. Without limitation of the foregoing, neither
the Depositary nor the Custodian shall accept for deposit under this Deposit
Agreement any Shares (i) which, to the actual knowledge of the Depositary, are
required to be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 prior to public sale
in the United States, unless a registration statement is in effect as to such
Shares or (ii), the deposit of which would, to the actual knowledge of the
Depositary, infringe any provisions of French law .

              SECTION 2.07. LOST RECEIPT, ETC. In case any Receipt shall be
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen, the Depositary shall execute and deliver a
new Receipt of like tenor, in exchange and substitution for such mutilated
Receipt upon cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and in substitution for such
destroyed or lost or stolen Receipt, upon the Owner thereof filing with the
Depositary (a) a request for such execution and delivery before the Depositary
has notice that the Receipt has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser and (b) a
sufficient indemnity bond, and satisfying any other reasonable requirements
imposed by the Depositary.

              SECTION 2.08. CANCELLATION AND DESTRUCTION OF SURRENDERED
RECEIPTS. All Receipts surrendered to the Depositary shall be cancelled by the
Depositary. Cancelled Receipts shall not be entitled to any benefits under this
Deposit Agreement or be valid or enforceable for any purpose, and the Depositary
is authorized to destroy Receipts so canceled. The Depositary shall keep such
records of all Receipts outstanding, and of their payment, cancellation and

                                      -9-
<PAGE>

destruction, as are required under applicable Stock Transfer Association rules.

              SECTION 2.09.  PRE-RELEASE OF RECEIPTS.  Unless requested in
writing by the Company to cease doing so, the Depositary may,
notwithstanding Section 2.03, execute and deliver Receipts prior to the receipt
of Shares pursuant to Section 2.02 (a "Pre-Release"). The Depositarymay,
pursuant to Section 2.05, deliver Shares upon the receipt and cancellation of
Receipts which have been Pre-Released, whether or not such cancellation is prior
to the termination of such Pre-Release or the Depositary knows that such Receipt
has been Pre- Released. The Depositary may receive Receipts in lieu of Shares in
satisfaction of a Pre-Release. Each Pre-Release will be (a) preceded or
accompanied by a written representation from the person to whom Receipts or
Shares are to be delivered (a "Pre-Releasee"), that such Pre- Releasee, or its
customer, (i) as of the time of such transaction, owns the Shares or Receipts to
be remitted, as the case may be, (ii) assigns all beneficial right, title and
interest in such Shares or Receipts, as the case may be, to the Depositary in
its capacity as such and for the benefit of the Owners, and (iii) will not take
any action with respect to such Shares or Receipts, as the case may be, that is
inconsistent with the transfer of beneficial ownership (including, without the
consent of the Depositary, disposing of such Shares or Receipts, as the case may
be), other than in satisfaction of such Pre-Release, (b) at all times fully
collaterized with cash, U.S. government securities or such other collateral as
the Depositary determines, in good faith, will provide substantially similar
liquidity and security, (c) terminable by the Depositary on not more than five
(5) business days notice, and (d) subject to such further indemnities and credit
regulations as the Depositary deems appropriate. The number of American
Depositary Shares which are outstanding at any time as a result of Pre-Release
will not normally exceed thirty percent (30%) of the Shares deposited hereunder;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Depositary reserves the right to change or disregard
such limit from time to time as it deems appropriate. The Depositary will also
set dollar limits with respect to Pre-Release transactions to be entered into
hereunder with any particular Pre- Releasee on a case-by-case basis as the
Depositary deems appropriate. For purposes of enabling the Depositary to fulfill
its obligations to the Owners under this Deposit Agreement, the collateral
referred to in clause (b) above shall be held by the Depositary as security for
the performance of the Pre-Releasee's obligations to the Depositary in
connection with a Pre-Release transaction, including the Pre-Releasee's
obligation to deliver Shares or Receipts upon termination of a Pre- Release
transaction (and shall not, for the avoidance of doubt, constitute Deposited
Securities hereunder).

              The Depositary may retain for its own account any compensation
received by it in connection with the foregoing.

                                      -10-
<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE 3.

                   CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS OF RECEIPTS.

              SECTION 3.01. PROVIDING PROOFS, CERTIFICATES AND OTHER
INFORMATION. Any person presenting Shares for deposit or any Owner may be
required from time to time to provide such proof of (a) citizenship, residence,
exchange control approval or payment of taxes and other governmental charges and
(b) the identity of any person legally or beneficially interested in the Receipt
and the nature of such interest, such information relating to the registration
of the Shares presented for deposit on the books of the Company (or the
appointed agent of the Company for transfer and registration of Shares) or to
provide such other information, to execute such certificates and to make such
representations and warranties, as the Depositary may deem necessary or proper
or as the Company reasonably may require by written request to the Depositary or
any Custodian. The Depositary may withhold the delivery or registration of
transfer of any Receipt, the distribution of any dividend or other distribution
or sale of rights or of the proceeds thereof, or the delivery of any Deposited
Securities until such proof or other information is provided, such certificates
are executed or such representations and warranties are made pertaining to such
Receipt.

              The Depositary shall provide the Company, upon the Company's
request and in a timely manner, with copies of any information or other material
which it receives pursuant to this Section 3.01.

              SECTION 3.02. LIABILITY OF OWNER FOR TAXES. If any tax or other
governmental charge shall become payable with respect to any Receipt or any
Deposited Securities represented by any Receipt, such tax or other governmental
charge shall be payable by the Owner of such Receipt to the Depositary. The
Depositary may refuse to effect registration of transfer of all or part of such
Receipt or any withdrawal of Deposited Securities represented thereby until such
payment is made, and may withhold any dividends or other distributions or, after
attempting by reasonable means to notify such Owner, may sell for the account of
the Owner thereof any part or all of the Deposited Securities represented by
such Receipt, and may apply such dividends or other distributions or the
proceeds of any such sale to payment of such tax or other governmental charge,
the owner of such Receipt remaining liable for any deficiency.

              SECTION 3.03. WARRANTIES ON DEPOSIT OF SHARES. Every person
depositing shares under this Deposit Agreement, including every person
depositing Shares on behalf of an owner of Shares, shall be deemed thereby to
represent and warrant that such Shares are validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable and that the person making such deposit is duly authorized so to
do. Every such person, including

                                      -11-
<PAGE>

every person depositing Shares on behalf of an owner of Shares, shall also be
deemed to represent that such Shares are not Restricted Securities. Such
representations and warranties shall survive the deposit of such Shares and
issuance of Receipts in respect thereof.

              SECTION 3.04. COMPLIANCE WITH LAW. The rights of each Owner will
be subject to the STATUTS of the Company as if such Owner were a holder of
shares and to all applicable provisions of French law and the STATUTS of the
Company with regard to notification to the Company and any governmental or stock
exchange authorities of such Owner's interest in Shares. Failure by such Owner
to provide on a timely basis any such required notification of such Owner's
interest in Shares may result in the withholding of certain rights in respect of
such Owner's American Depositary Shares including, without limitation, the right
to give voting instructions in respect of the Shares represented by such
American Depositary Shares.

              SECTION 3.05. DISCLOSURE OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF RECEIPTS. The
Company and the Depositary may from time to time request Owners to provide
information as to the capacity in which they hold Receipts and regarding the
identity of any other persons then interested in such Receipts and various other
matters. The Depositary agrees to comply with reasonable written instructions
received from the Company requesting that the Depositary forward any such
requests to such owners and to forward to the Company any responses to such
requests received by the Depositary, and to use its reasonable efforts, at the
Company's request, to assist the Company in obtaining such information with
respect to the American Depositary Shares, provided that nothing herein shall be
interpreted as obligating the Depositary to provide or obtain any such
information not provided to the Depositary by such Owners.

                                   ARTICLE 4.

                            THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES.

              SECTION 4.01. CASH DISTRIBUTIONS. Whenever the Depositary or the
Custodian shall receive any cash dividend or other cash distribution on any
Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall, after any necessary conversion of
such distribution into Dollars pursuant to Section 4.05 and after fixing a
record date pursuant to Section 4.06, as promptly as practicable distribute the
amount thus received to the Owners of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to
the number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Depositary shall make appropriate adjustments in the amounts
so distributed in respect of any amounts withheld or requested to be withheld by
the Company, the Custodian or the Depositary from any such distribution on
account of (i) taxes or other governmental charges including, but not limited
to, withholding

                                      -12-
<PAGE>

taxes referred to in Section 4.11, or (ii) reasonable expenses of the Depositary
in the conversion of foreign currency into Dollars pursuant to Section 4.05 and
any other charges of the Depositary pursuant to Section 5.09. The Depositary
shall distribute only such amount, however, as can be distributed without
distributing to any Owner a fraction of one cent. Any such fractional amounts
shall be rounded to the nearest whole cent and so distributed to Owners entitled
thereto.

              SECTION 4.02. DISTRIBUTIONS OTHER THAN CASH, SHARES OR RIGHTS.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.11 and 5.09, whenever the Depositary or
the Custodian shall receive any distribution other than cash, Shares or rights
upon any Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall cause the securities or
property received by it to be distributed to the Owners, as of the record date
fixed pursuant to Section 4.06, of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to
the number of American Depositary Shares held by them as of such date in any
manner that the Depositary may reasonably deem equitable and practicable for
accomplishing such distribution; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if in the opinion of
the Depositary such distribution cannot be made proportionately among such
Owners, or if for any other reason (including but not limited to any requirement
that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes or
other governmental charges or that such securities must be registered under the
Securities Act of 1933 in order to be distributed to Owners) the Depositary
deems such distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may adopt such method
as it may deem equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such
distribution, including (after consultation with the Company) the public or
private sale of the securities or other property thus received, or any part
thereof, and the net proceeds of any such sale (net of the fees and expenses of
the Depositary as provided in Section 5.09) shall be as promptly as practicable
distributed by the Depositary to the Owners entitled thereto as in the case of a
distribution received in cash; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any unsold balance of
such securities or property shall be distributed by the Depositary to the Owners
entitled thereto, if such distribution is feasible without withholding for or on
account of any taxes or other governmental charges and without registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, in accordance with such equitable and
practicable method as the Depositary may have adopted; PROVIDED FURTHER,
HOWEVER, that no distribution to owners shall be unreasonably delayed by any
action of the Depositary or any of its agents. To the extent such securities or
other property, or the net proceeds thereof, is not effectively distributed to
Owners as provided herein, the same shall constitute Deposited Securities and
each American Depositary Share shall thereafter also represent its proportionate
interest in such securities or other property or net proceeds.

                                      -13-
<PAGE>

              SECTION 4.03. DISTRIBUTIONS IN SHARES. If any distribution upon
any Deposited Securities consists of a dividend in, or distribution without
payment of any subscription price of, Shares, including pursuant to any program
under which holders of Deposited Securities may elect to receive cash or Shares,
the Depositary may execute and deliver additional Receipts evidencing American
Depositary Shares representing the amount of Shares received as such dividend or
distribution and distribute to the Owners, as of the record date fixed pursuant
to Section 4.06, of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of
American Depositary Shares held by them as of such date, Receipts evidencing
additional American Depositary Shares, subject to the terms and conditions of
this Deposit Agreement with respect to the deposit of Shares and the issuance of
Receipts, including the withholding of any tax or other governmental charge as
provided in Section 4.11 and the payment of fees of the Depositary as provided
in Section 5.09. The Depositary may withhold any such distribution if it has not
received adequate assurances from the Company that such distribution does not
require registration under the Securities Act of 1933. In any case involving
fractional American Depositary Shares, the Depositary shall sell the amount of
Shares representing the aggregate of such fractions and distribute the net
proceeds, all in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in Section
4.01 or take such other action, with the approval of the Company, as may be
appropriate. If additional American Depositary Shares are not so distributed,
each American Depositary Share shall thenceforth also represent the additional
Shares distributed with respect to the Deposited Securities represented thereby.

              SECTION 4.04. RIGHTS. In the event that the Company shall offer or
cause to be offered to the holders of any Deposited Securities any rights to
subscribe for additional Shares or any rights of any other nature, the
Depositary (after consultation with the Company) shall have discretion as to the
procedure to be followed in making such rights available to any Owners,
including the distribution of warrants or other instruments therefor in such
form as it deems appropriate, or in disposing of such rights on behalf of any
Owners and distributing the net proceeds in Dollars to such Owners. If, by the
terms of such rights offering or for any other reason, the Depositary may not
either make such rights available to any Owners or dispose of such rights and
distribute the net proceeds to such Owners, then the Depositary shall allow the
rights to lapse. If, at the time of the offering of any rights the Depositary
determines in its discretion that it is lawful and feasible to make such rights
available to certain Owners but not to other Owners, (i) the Depositary shall
distribute to every Owner with respect to whom it determines the distribution to
be lawful and feasible, in proportion to the number of American Depositary
Shares held by such Owner, warrants or other instruments therefor in such form
as it deems appropriate and (ii) in respect of Owners to whom the

                                      -14-
<PAGE>

Depositary determines the distribution not to be lawful or feasible, the
Depositary shall use reasonable efforts to sell the rights, warrants or other
instruments in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by
such Owners and distribute the net proceeds of such sales (net of the fees of
the Depositary as provided in Section 5.09 and all taxes and governmental
charges payable in connection with such rights and subject to the terms and
conditions of this Deposit Agreement) to such Owners upon an averaged or other
fair and practicable basis without regard to any distinctions among such Owners
resulting from exchange restrictions, the date of delivery of any Receipt or
otherwise. In the event that rights and the securities to which such rights
relate are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the Depositary shall
not be responsible for any failure to determine that it may be lawful or
feasible to make such rights available to Owners in general or to any Owner in
particular.

              In circumstances in which rights would not otherwise be
distributed, if an Owner requests the distribution of warrants or other
instruments in order to exercise the rights allocable in respect of American
Depositary Shares of such Owner hereunder, the Depositary will make such rights
available to such Owner upon written notice from the Company to the Depositary
that (a) the Company has elected in its sole discretion to permit such rights to
be exercised and (b) the Owner has executed such documents as the Company has
determined in its sole discretion are reasonably required under applicable law.
Upon instruction pursuant to such warrants or other instruments to the
Depositary from such Owner to exercise such rights, upon payment by such Owner
to the Depositary for the account of such Owner of an amount equal to the
purchase price of the Shares or other securities to be received upon the
exercise of the rights, and upon payment of the fees of the Depositary as set
forth in such warrants or other instruments, the Depositary shall, on behalf of
such Owner, exercise the rights and purchase such Shares or other securities,
and the Company shall cause the Shares or other securities so purchased to be
delivered to the Depositary on behalf of such Owner. As agent for such Owner,
the Depositary will arrange for Shares so purchased to be deposited, and for
depositary shares to be delivered to such Owner in transactions exempt from, or
not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933
under a separate deposit agreement to be entered into between the Company and
the Depositary providing for the issuance of depositary receipts subject to
appropriate restrictions on deposit and withdrawal of Shares and transfers of
such depositary shares as required by United States securities laws.

              Except as otherwise provided in the preceding paragraph, the
Company and the Depositary will not offer rights to Owners unless a registration
statement is in effect with respect both to such rights and any securities to be
received upon exercise of such rights under

                                      -15-
<PAGE>

the Securities Act of 1933 or unless the offering and sale of such securities to
such Owners are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933.
Nothing in this Deposit Agreement shall create any obligation on the part of the
Company to file a registration statement in respect of any rights or securities
for any purpose.

              SECTION 4.05. CONVERSION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY. Whenever the
Depositary or the Custodian shall receive foreign currency, by way of dividends
or other distributions or as the net proceeds from the sale of securities,
property or rights, and if at the time of the receipt thereof the foreign
currency so received can in the reasonable judgment of the Depositary be
converted on a reasonable basis into Dollars and transferred to the United
States, the Depositary shall, subject to any restrictions imposed by applicable
law, regulations or permits, convert or cause to be converted, by sale or in any
other manner that it may determine, such foreign currency into Dollars, and such
Dollars shall be distributed, as promptly as practicable, net of any reasonable
and customary expenses incurred by the Depositary in connection with the
conversion of currency pursuant to this Section 4.05, to the Owners entitled
thereto as of the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.06 in accordance with
any applicable provisions of Sections 4.01, 4.02, 4.03 and 4.04. Such
distribution may be made upon an averaged or other fair and practicable basis
without regard to any distinctions among owners resulting from exchange
restrictions or otherwise. Upon the request of the Company, the Depositary shall
inform the Company of the exchange rate at which foreign currency conversion has
been carried out.

              If such conversion or distribution can be effected only with the
approval or license of any government or agency thereof, the Depositary shall
file as promptly as practicable such application for approval or license, if
any, as it may deem desirable; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such application is
made on behalf of the Company, such application shall not be filed unless
approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.

              If at any time the Depositary shall determine, following
consultation with the Company, that in its judgment any foreign currency
received by the Depositary or the Custodian is not, pursuant to applicable law
or otherwise, convertible on a reasonable basis into Dollars transferable to the
United States, or if any approval or license of any government or agency thereof
which is required for such conversion is denied or in the opinion of the
Depositary is not obtainable, or if any such approval or license is not obtained
within a reasonable period as determined by the Depositary, the Depositary may
distribute the foreign currency (or an appropriate document evidencing the right
to receive such foreign currency) received by the Depositary or the Custodian
to, or in its discretion may hold such foreign currency proceeds uninvested for
the respective accounts

                                      -16-
<PAGE>

of, the Owners entitled to receive the same, without liability for interest
thereon.

              If any such conversion of foreign currency, in whole or in part,
cannot be effected for distribution to some Owners entitled thereto, the
Depositary may in its discretion make such conversion and distribution in
Dollars to the extent permissible to the Owners entitled thereto for whom such
conversion and distribution is practicable and may distribute the balance of the
foreign currency (or an appropriate document evidencing the right to receive
such foreign currency) received by the Depositary or the Custodian to, or hold
such balance uninvested and without liability for the respective accounts of,
the Owners entitled thereto for whom such conversion and distribution is not
practicable.

              SECTION 4.06. FIXING OF RECORD DATE. Whenever any cash dividend or
other cash distribution shall become payable or any distribution other than cash
shall be made, or whenever rights shall be issued with respect to the Deposited
Securities, or whenever for any reason there occurs a change in the number or
type of Deposited Securities that are represented by each American Depositary
Share, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting of, or
solicitation of consents or proxies from, holders of Shares or other Deposited
Securities or whenever the Company or the Depositary finds it necessary or
convenient in respect of any matter, the Depositary shall fix a record date
(which, to the extent practicable, shall be the same as any corresponding record
date set by the Company with respect to Shares, and after consultation with the
Company if such date is to be different from any such record date established by
the Company in respect of the Shares) for the determination of the Owners who
shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution rights, or the net
proceeds of the sale thereof, or to give instructions for the exercise of voting
rights at any such meeting or in respect of any such solicitation or to receive
information as to any such meeting or solicitation, or for fixing the date on or
after which each American Depositary Share will represent the changed number or
type of Deposited Securities, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Deposit Agreement. If the American Depositary shares shall be listed on any
stock exchange, then any such record date shall be fixed in accordance with any
applicable rules of such stock exchange. The Depositary as promptly as
practicable shall advise the Company and, if the American Depositary Shares
shall be listed on any stock exchange, such stock exchange of any record date so
fixed by the Depositary.

              SECTION 4.07. VOTING OF SHARES. Upon receipt of notice of any
meeting of holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities, the Depositary
shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail to the Owners (i) a copy or
summary in English of the notice of such meeting sent by the Company to the
Depositary pursuant to Section 5.06, (ii)

                                      -17-
<PAGE>

a statement that the Owners as of the close of business on a record date
established by the Depositary pursuant to Section 4.06 will be entitled, subject
to any applicable provisions of French law, the STATUTS of the Company and the
Deposited Securities (which provisions, if any, including any applicable
provisions relating to double voting rights, will be summarized in pertinent
part in such statement), to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the
voting rights, if any, pertaining to the Shares or other Deposited Securities
represented by such Owner's American Depositary Shares, (iii) copies or
summaries in English of any materials or other documents provided by the Company
for the purpose of enabling such Owner to give instructions for the exercise of
such voting rights and (iv) a voting instruction card to be prepared by the
Depositary and the Company (a "Voting Instruction Card") and setting forth the
date established by the Depositary for the receipt of such Voting Instruction
Card (the "Receipt Date"). Voting instructions may be given only in respect of a
number of American Depositary Shares representing an integral number of Shares.
In addition, a precondition for exercising any voting rights with respect to any
holders of American Depositary Shares who are not Owners of the Receipts
evidencing such American Depositary Shares on the books of the Depositary is
that such holders arrange for deposit in a blocked account established for such
purpose of the relevant number of American Depositary Shares for a period to
commence on a date to be fixed by the Depositary after consultation with the
Company (which date will not be more than five days prior to the date of the
shareholders' meeting) until the completion of such meeting (the "Blocked
Period"). The Depositary will use its best efforts to implement and maintain
procedures to allow for blocking of American Depositary Shares as contemplated
by the preceding sentence.

              In accordance with French companies law and the STATUTS of the
Company, Shares that have been held in registered form in the name of the same
holder since at least the beginning of the second full calendar year preceding
the date of the shareholders, meeting in question are entitled to double voting
rights. Consequently, deposited Shares will be entitled to such double voting
rights to the sole extent that (i) since at least the beginning of the second
full calendar year preceding the date of the shareholder meeting in question the
Depositary, upon the request of the Owners, has held such Shares in registered
form; (ii) such Owners have since at least the same date continuously held
Receipts evidencing American Depositary Shares representing such number of
deposited Shares and (iii) such Owners have certified to the Depositary, as of
the date the Voting Instruction Card is executed, that they are, and at all
times since the beginning of the second full calendar year preceding the date of
the shareholder meeting in question have been, Eligible Owners. For purposes of
determining whether deposited Shares may be entitled to double voting rights,
upon a transfer or surrender of American Depositary Shares by an Owner, unless
otherwise specified by

                                      -18-
<PAGE>

such Owner, the Depositary and the Company shall presume that the most recently
acquired American Depositary shares are being transferred or surrendered by such
Owner. Accordingly, the Depositary will use reasonable efforts, as hereinafter
provided, to exercise or cause to be exercised double voting rights in
accordance with instructions received from Owners that have satisfied the
conditions set forth in clauses (i) to (iii) above, in respect of the number of
Shares which are entitled to double voting rights represented by the American
Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts held by such Owners.

              Upon receipt by the Depositary from an Owner of American
Depositary Shares of a properly completed Voting Instruction Card on or before
the Receipt Date, the Depositary will either, in its discretion, (i) use
reasonable efforts, insofar as practical and permitted under any applicable
provisions of French law and the STATUTS of the Company, to vote or cause to be
voted the Shares represented by such American Depositary Shares in accordance
with any non-discretionary instructions set forth in such Voting Instruction
Card or (ii) forward such instructions to the Custodian and the Custodian will
use reasonable efforts, insofar as practical and permitted under any applicable
provisions of French law and the STATUTS of the Company, to vote or cause to be
voted the Shares represented by such American Depositary Shares in accordance
with any nondiscretionary instructions set forth in such Voting Instruction
Card. The Depositary will only vote, or cause to be voted, or attempt to
exercise the right to vote that attaches to, Shares represented by American
Depositary Shares in respect of which a Voting Instruction Card has been
received. In the case of a Voting Instruction Card received in respect of any
holder of American Depositary Shares who is not the Owner of the Receipt
evidencing such American Depositary Shares on the books of the Depositary, the
Depositary will not vote or cause to be voted the number of Shares represented
by such American Depositary Shares unless the Depositary has received
verification that such number of American Depositary Shares has been deposited
in a blocked account for the Blocked Period. The Depositary (i) will not vote,
or cause to be voted, or attempt to exercise the right to vote that attaches to,
Shares represented by American Depositary Shares in respect of which the voting
Instruction Card is improperly completed or in respect of which (and to the
extent) the Voting instructions included in the Voting Instruction Card are
illegible or unclear, and (ii) will, in the case where the Voting Instruction
Card is properly completed except for voting instructions relating to any
resolutions to be submitted to the shareholders' meeting that have been left
blank, vote in favor of such resolutions.

              Notwithstanding anything in this Deposit Agreement to the
contrary, the Depositary and the Company may modify, amend or adopt additional
voting procedures from time to time as they determine may

                                      -19-
<PAGE>

be necessary or appropriate to comply with French or United States law or the
STATUTS of the Company.

              SECTION 4.08. CHANGES AFFECTING DEPOSITED SECURITIES. Upon any
change in nominal value, split-up, consolidation or other reclassification of
Deposited Securities, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger,
consolidation or sale of assets affecting the Company or to which it is a party,
any securities which shall be received by the Depositary or any Custodian in
exchange for, conversion of, replacement or otherwise in respect of Deposited
Securities shall, subject to the terms of this Deposit Agreement and applicable
law, including any applicable provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, be
treated as new Deposited Securities under this Deposit Agreement, and each
American Depositary Share shall, subject to the terms of this Deposit Agreement
and applicable law, including any applicable provisions of the Securities Act of
1933, thenceforth represent an appropriately adjusted proportional interest in
the Deposited Securities so received in exchange or conversion or replacement or
otherwise, unless additional or new Receipts are delivered pursuant to the
following sentence. In any such case the Depositary may, and shall if the
Company shall so request, execute and deliver additional Receipts as in the case
of a stock dividend on the Shares, or call for the surrender of outstanding
Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new
Deposited Securities. Upon the occurrence of any change or other event covered
by this Section with respect to the Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall
give notice thereof in writing to all Owners.

              SECTION 4.09. REPORTS. At such time as the Company shall become
subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Company will file certain reports with the Securities and Exchange
Commission required under such Act. Such reports and communications will be
available for inspection and copying at the public reference facilities
maintained by the Commission located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549.

              The Depositary shall make available for inspection by Owners at
its Corporate Trust Office copies of this Deposit Agreement and any reports and
communications, including any proxy solicitation material, received from the
Company which are both (a) received by the Depositary as the holder of the
Deposited Securities and (b) made generally available to the holders of such
Deposited Securities by the Company. The Depositary shall also send as promptly
as practicable to the Owners English language versions or summaries in English
of such reports and communications when furnished by the Company pursuant to
Section 5.06.

                                      -20-
<PAGE>

              SECTION 4.10. LISTS OF OWNERS. As promptly as practicable upon
request by the Company, the Depositary shall furnish the Company with a list, as
of a recent date, of the names, addresses and holdings of American Depositary
Shares by all persons in whose names Receipts are registered on the transfer
books of the Depositary.

              SECTION 4.11. WITHHOLDING. In connection with any dividend or
other distribution to Owners, the Company or its agent will remit to the
appropriate governmental authority or agency all amounts (if any) required under
applicable law to be withheld and remitted by the Company or such agent and
owing to such governmental authority or agency by the Company or such agent; and
the Depository and the Custodian will remit to the appropriate governmental
authority or agency all amounts (if any) required under applicable law to be
withheld and remitted by the Depository or the Custodian and owing to such
authority or agency by the Depository or the Custodian. Either the Company or
the Depository may file with any governmental agency any reports necessary to
obtain benefits under any applicable tax treaties for the Owners. The Depository
shall forward to the Company or its agent such information from its records in
relation to withholding from a dividend or other distribution on Deposited
Securities as the Company may reasonably request to enable the Company or its
agent to file necessary reports with governmental authorities or agencies, and
the Company and its agent shall forward to the Depository such information from
its records in relation to withholding from a dividend or other distribution on
Deposited Securities as the Depository may reasonably request to enable the
Depository to file necessary reports with governmental authorities or agencies.
In the event that the Depository determines that any dividend or other
distribution in property other than cash (including Shares and rights to
subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other governmental charge which the
Depository is obligated to withhold, the Depository may (after consultation with
the Company) by public or private sale dispose of all or a portion of such
property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in such amounts and
in such manner as the Depository deems necessary and practicable to withhold any
such taxes or charges and the Depository shall distribute the net proceeds of
any such sale after deduction of such taxes or charges to the Owners entitled
thereto in proportion to the number of American Depository Shares held by them
respectively, all in accordance with applicable provisions of this Deposit
Agreement.

              The Depository agrees to use reasonable efforts to follow the
procedures established, or that may be established, by the French Treasury to
enable eligible United States Owners and beneficial owners of Receipts to
qualify for a reduced withholding tax rate of 15%, if available at the time
dividends are paid, to recover any excess French withholding taxes initially
withheld or deducted with respect to dividends and other distributions to such
Owners and beneficial owners, and to receive any payment in respect of the AVOIR

                                      -21-
<PAGE>

FISCAL for which such Owners and beneficial owners may be eligible from the
French Treasury or to receive a refund of any PRECOMPTE paid to the French
Treasury by the Company.

              Upon request of any United States Owner of Receipts the Depositary
will provide a copy of Form RF 1A EU no. 5052 or Form RF 1A EU no. 5053, as
applicable, or such other form as may be promulgated from time to time by the
French tax authorities for such purpose, together with instructions to such
Owner and beneficial owners. The Depositary shall promptly arrange for the
filing with the French tax authorities of all such forms completed by United
States beneficial owners of Receipts and returned in sufficient time so that
such forms may be filed by December 31 of the year following the calendar year
in which the related dividend is paid.

              SECTION 4.12. DIVIDENDS IN CASH OR SHARES. Whenever the Depositary
shall receive notice from the Company of the declaration of a dividend or other
distribution without payment of any subscription price on Deposited Securities
payable in Shares or cash at the election of each holder of Shares or, if no
such election is made, payable in Shares or in cash as provided in the
instruments governing such dividend or other distribution, the Depositary shall
mail to the Owners a notice, the form of which shall be in the sole discretion
of the Depositary, which shall contain (a) such information as is contained in
the notice received by the Depositary from the Company and (b) a statement that
each of the owners as of the close of business on a specified date will be
entitled, subject to any applicable provisions of French law, the STATUTS of the
Company or the instruments governing such dividend or distribution, to instruct
the Depositary as to the manner in which such owner elects to receive such
dividend or distribution. Upon the written request of an Owner on such record
date, received on or before the date established by the Depositary for such
purpose, the Depositary shall endeavor, in-so-far as practicable to make the
election in accordance with the instructions set forth in such request, and to
distribute cash or Shares, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms of
Section 4.01 or Section 4.03, respectively, to the Owners entitled thereto. If
the Depositary does not receive timely instructions from any Owner as to such
Owner's election, the Depositary shall make no election with respect to the
Deposited Securities represented by such Owner's American Depositary Shares and
shall distribute such Shares or cash as it receives, if any, in respect of such
Deposited Securities in accordance with the preceding sentence.

                                   ARTICLE 5.

                 THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIAN AND THE COMPANY.

                                      -22-
<PAGE>

              SECTION 5.01. MAINTENANCE OF OFFICE AND TRANSFER BOOKS BY THE
DEPOSITARY. Until termination of this Deposit Agreement in accordance with its
terms, the Depositary shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York, facilities for the execution and delivery, registration, registration
of transfers and surrender of Receipts in accordance with the provisions of this
Deposit Agreement.

              The Depositary shall keep books for the registration OF Receipts
and transfers of Receipts which at all reasonable times shall be open for
inspection by the Company and the Owners; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such
inspection shall not be for the purpose of communicating with Owners in the
interest of a business or object other than the business of the Company or a
matter related to this Deposit Agreement or the Receipts. The Depositary may
close the transfer books at any time or from time to time when transfer agents
located in The City of New York generally close their transfer books, and at any
other time, following consultation with the Company to the extent practical,
when deemed expedient by the Depositary in connection with the performance of
its duties hereunder or at the request of the Company.

              If any Receipts or the American Depositary Shares evidenced
thereby are listed or traded on one or more stock exchanges in the United
States, the Depositary shall act as Registrar or, upon notice to the Company,
appoint a Registrar or, with the prior approval of the Company, one or more
co-registrars for registry of such Receipts in accordance with any requirements
of such exchange or exchanges and to keep books for the registration of Receipts
and transfers of Receipts as provided in this Section 5.01. Such Registrar or
co-registrars may be removed and a substitute or substitutes appointed by the
Depositary, in the case of a Registrar, upon notice to the Company and, in the
case of co-registrars, with the approval of the Company. The Depositary shall
cause each Registrar or co-registrar appointed under this Section 5.01 to give
notice in writing to the Depositary accepting such appointment and agreeing to
be bound by the applicable terms of this Deposit Agreement.

              SECTION 5.02. PREVENTION OR DELAY IN PERFORMANCE BY THE DEPOSITARY
OR THE COMPANY. Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their
respective directors, employees, agents or affiliates shall incur any liability
to any owner or beneficial owner of any Receipt, if by reason of any provision
of any present or future law or regulation of the United States or any other
country, or of any governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange, or by
reason of any provision, present or future, of the STATUTS of the Company, or by
reason of any provision of any securities issued or distributed by the Company,
or any offering or distribution thereof, or by reason of any act of God or war
or other circumstances beyond its control, the Depositary or the Company shall
be prevented,

                                      -23-
<PAGE>

delayed or forbidden from, or be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on
account of, doing or performing any act or thing which by the terms of this
Deposit Agreement or Deposited Securities it is provided shall be done or
performed; nor shall the Depositary or the Company or any of their respective
directors, employees, agents or affiliates incur any liability to any Owner or
beneficial owner of any Receipt by reason of any nonperformance or delay, caused
as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing which by the terms of this
Deposit Agreement it is provided shall or may be done or performed, or by reason
of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this
Deposit Agreement. Where, by the terms of a dividend or other distribution
pursuant to Section 4.01, 4.02, or 4.03 of the Deposit Agreement, or an offering
or distribution pursuant to Section 4.04 of the Deposit Agreement, or for any
other reason, such dividend or other distribution or offering may not be made
available to owners, and the Depositary may not dispose of such dividend or
other distribution or offering on behalf of such Owners and make the net
proceeds available to such Owners, then the Depositary shall not make such
dividend or other distribution or offering, and shall allow any rights, if
applicable, to lapse.

              SECTION 5.03. OBLIGATIONS OF THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIAN AND THE
COMPANY. Each of the Company and its agents and their respective officers,
directors, employees and affiliates assumes no obligation nor shall it be
subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement or the Receipts to Owners
or beneficial owners of Receipts, except that it agrees to perform its
obligations specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement without negligence,
willful misconduct or bad faith.

              Each of the Depositary and its agents and their respective
officers, directors, employees and affiliates assumes no obligation nor shall it
be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement or the Receipts to any
Owner or beneficial owner of a Receipt (including, without limitation, liability
with respect to the validity or worth of the Deposited Securities), except that
it agrees to perform its obligations specifically set forth in this Deposit
Agreement without negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.

              Without limiting the foregoing, neither the Depositary or its
agents nor the Company or its agents shall be under any obligation to appear in,
prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any
Deposited Securities or in respect of the Receipts, which in its opinion may
involve it in expense or liability, unless indemnity satisfactory to it against
all expense and liability shall be furnished as often as may be required, and
the Custodian shall not be under any obligation whatsoever with respect to such
proceedings, the responsibility of the Custodian being solely to the Depositary.

                                      -24-
<PAGE>

              None of the Depositary or its agents or the Company or its agents
shall be liable for any action or nonaction by it or them in reliance upon the
advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting
Shares for deposit, any owner or holder of a Receipt or any other person
believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information.

              The Depositary shall not be liable for any acts or omissions made
by a successor depositary whether in connection with a previous act or omission
of the Depositary or in connection with any matter arising wholly after the
removal or resignation of the Depositary, provided that in connection with the
issue out of which such potential liability arises the Depositary performed its
obligations without negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith while it acted
as Depositary.

              The Depositary shall not be responsible for the manner in which
any vote of any Deposited Securities is cast or the effect of any such vote,
provided that any such action or nonaction is in good faith and in accordance
with this Deposit Agreement.

              No disclaimer of liability under the Securities Act of 1933 is
intended by any provision of this Deposit Agreement.

              SECTION 5.04. RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF THE DEPOSITARY;
APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. The Depositary may at any time resign as
Depositary hereunder by written notice of its election so to do delivered to the
Company, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a successor
depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

              The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by
written notice of such removal effective upon the appointment of a successor
depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

              In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign
or be removed, the Company shall use its best efforts to appoint a successor
depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having an office in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. Every successor depositary shall
execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Company an instrument in
writing accepting its appointment hereunder, satisfactory in form and substance
to the Company, and thereupon such successor depositary, without any further act
or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and
obligations of its predecessor; however, such predecessor, upon payment of all
sums due to it and on the written request of the Company, shall execute and
deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of
such predecessor hereunder, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver all right,
title and interest in

                                      -25-
<PAGE>

the Deposited Securities to such successor, and shall deliver to such successor
all materials necessary and useful to enable the successor depositary to carry
out the responsibilities of the Depositary hereunder, including, but not limited
to, a list of the Owners of all outstanding Receipts. Any such successor
depositary shall promptly mail notice of its appointment to the Owners.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any resignation or removal and appointment of a
successor Depositary shall not relieve the prior depositary or the Company from
its obligations and liabilities pursuant to Section 5.08.

              Any corporation into or with which the Depositary may be merged or
consolidated shall be the successor of the Depositary without the execution or
filing of any document or any further act, it being understood that the Company
shall be informed in writing of such an event.

              SECTION 5.05. THE CUSTODIAN. The Depositary has appointed the
principal Paris office of AXA Banque as Custodian and agent of the Depositary
for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement. The Custodian or its successors,
which shall be an accredited intermediary acting through a specified office
located in France, in acting hereunder shall be subject at all times and in all
respects to the directions of the Depositary and shall be responsible solely to
it. If the Depositary receives notice of the resignation of the Custodian and,
upon the effectiveness of such resignation there would be no Custodian acting
hereunder, the Depositary shall, promptly after receiving such notice, appoint a
substitute custodian or custodians, each of which shall be an accredited
intermediary acting through a specified office located in France, and each of
which shall thereafter be a Custodian hereunder. Whenever the Depositary in its
discretion determines, after consultation with the Company to the extent
practicable, that it is in the best interest of the Owners to do so it may
appoint a substitute or additional custodian or custodians, which shall be an
accredited intermediary acting through a specified office located in France,
each of which shall thereafter be one of the Custodians hereunder. Upon demand
of the Depositary, any Custodian shall transfer such of the Deposited Securities
held by it and all other books and records maintained by it with respect to its
function as a Custodian hereunder as are requested of it to any other Custodian
or such substitute or additional custodian. The Depositary shall cause each
substitute or additional custodian, forthwith upon its appointment, to deliver
to the Depositary and the Company an acceptance of such appointment in form and
substance satisfactory to the Depositary.

              Upon the appointment of any successor depositary hereunder, each
Custodian then acting hereunder shall forthwith become, without any further act
or writing, the agent hereunder of such successor depositary and the appointment
of such successor depositary shall in no way impair the authority of any
Custodian hereunder, but the

                                      -26-
<PAGE>

successor depositary so appointed shall, nevertheless, on the written request of
any Custodian or as required by French law, execute and deliver to such
Custodian all such instruments as may be proper to give to such Custodian full
and complete power and authority as agent hereunder of such successor
depositary.

              SECTION 5.06. NOTICES AND REPORTS. On or before the first date on
which the Company gives notice, by publication or otherwise, of any meeting of
holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities, or of any adjourned meeting of
such holders, or of the taking of any action in respect of any cash or other
distributions or the offering of any rights, the Company agrees to transmit to
the Depositary and the Custodian a copy of the notice thereof in English, but
otherwise in the form given or to be given to holders of Shares or other
Deposited securities.

              The Company shall furnish to the Depositary in English annual
reports (including audited consolidated financial statements), semi-annual
reports (including unaudited interim consolidated financial information), and
copies or summaries in English of any other reports and communications that are
made generally available by the Company to holders of Deposited Securities. The
Depositary will arrange for the mailing of copies of such annual and semi-annual
reports and, at the written request of the Company, any other such reports and
copies or summaries to all Owners. The Company will timely provide the
Depositary with such quantity of such reports and summaries as shall be
requested by the Depositary from time to time in order for the Depositary to
effect such mailings.

              The Company has delivered to the Depositary and the Custodian a
copy (in English or with an English translation) of the STATUTS of the Company.
Promptly upon any change in such STATUTS, the Company shall deliver promptly to
the Depositary and the Custodian a copy (in English or with an English
translation) of such STATUTS, as so changed. The Depositary and its agents may
rely on the copy of such STATUTS, as so delivered for all purposes of this
Deposit Agreement.

              SECTION 5.07. ISSUANCE OR DEPOSIT OF ADDITIONAL SHARES, ETC. The
Company agrees that in the event of any issuance or distribution of (1)
additional Shares, (2) rights to subscribe for Shares, (3) securities
convertible into Shares, or (4) rights to subscribe for such securities (each a
"Distribution"), the Company will promptly furnish to the Depositary a written
opinion from U.S. counsel for the Company, which counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Depositary, stating whether or not the Distribution requires
a Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933 to be in effect prior
to making such Distribution available to Owners entitled thereto. If in the
opinion of such counsel a Registration Statement is required, such counsel shall
furnish to the Depositary a written opinion as to whether or not

                                      -27-
<PAGE>

there is a Registration Statement in effect which will cover such Distribution.

              The Company agrees with the Depositary that neither the Company
nor any company controlled by the Company will at any time deposit any Shares,
either originally issued or previously issued and reacquired by the Company or
any such company, unless a registration statement is in effect as to such Shares
under the Securities Act of 1933.

              Nothing in this Section 5.07 or elsewhere in this Deposit
Agreement shall create any obligation on the part of the Company or the
Depositary to file a registration statement in respect of any such securities or
rights. To the extent the Company in its discretion deems it necessary or
advisable in order to avoid any requirement to register such additional
securities under the Securities Act of 1933, it may prevent Owners in the United
States from purchasing any such additional securities (whether pursuant to
preemptive rights or otherwise) and direct the Depositary not to accept certain
Shares for deposit for such period of time following the issuance of such
additional securities and to adopt such other specific measures as the Company
may reasonably request in writing.

              SECTION 5.08. INDEMNIFICATION. The Company agrees to indemnify the
Depositary, its directors and employees, agents and affiliates and any Custodian
against, and hold each of them harmless from, any liability or expense
(including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel)
which may arise out of any registration with the Commission of Receipts,
American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or the offer or sale thereof
in the United States or out of acts performed or omitted, in accordance with the
provisions of this Deposit Agreement and of the Receipts, as the same may be
amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, (i) by either the
Depositary or a Custodian or their respective directors, employees, agents and
affiliates, except for any liability or expense arising out of the negligence,
willful misconduct or bad faith of any of them, or (ii) by the Company or any of
its directors, employees, agents and affiliates.

              The indemnities contained in the preceding paragraph shall not
extend to any liability or expense which may arise out of any Pre-Release (as
defined in Section 2.09) but only to the extent that any such liability or
expense arises in connection with (a) any United States federal, state or local
income tax laws, or (b) the failure of the Depositary to deliver Deposited
Securities when required under the terms of Section 2.05. However, the
indemnities provided in the preceding paragraph shall apply to any such
liability or expense which may arise out of any misstatement or alleged
misstatement or omission or alleged omission in any registration statement,
proxy statement, prospectus (or placement memorandum), or

                                      -28-
<PAGE>

preliminary prospectus (or preliminary placement memorandum relating to the
offer of sale of American Depositary Shares, except to the extent any such
liability or expense arises out of (i) information relating to the Depositary or
any Custodian (other than the Company), as applicable, furnished in writing and
not materially changed or altered by the Company expressly for use in any of the
foregoing documents, or, (ii) if such information is provided, the failure to
state a material fact necessary to make the information provided not misleading.

              The Depositary agrees to indemnify the Company, its directors,
employees, agents and affiliates against and hold them harmless from any
liability or expense (including but not limited to the reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel) which may arise out of acts performed or omitted by the
Depositary or any Custodian or their respective directors, employees, agents and
affiliates due to their negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.

              If an action, proceeding (including, but not limited to, any
governmental investigation), claim or dispute (collectively, a "Proceeding") in
respect of which indemnity may be sought by either party is brought or asserted
against the other party, the party seeking indemnification (the "Indemnitee")
shall as promptly as practicable notify in writing the party obligated to
provide such indemnification (the "Indemnitor") of such Proceeding. The failure
of the Indemnitee to so notify the Indemnitor shall not impair the Indemnitee's
ability to seek indemnification from the Indemnitor except to the extent that
the Indemnitor is materially prejudiced by such failure. Upon receipt of such
notice from the Indemnitee, the Indemnitor shall be entitled to participate in
such Proceeding and, to the extent that it shall so desire and provided no
conflict of interest exists as specified in subparagraph (b) below, to assume
the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnitee (in
which case all attorney's fees and expenses shall be borne by the Indemnitor and
the Indemnitor shall in good faith defend the Indemnitee). The Indemnitee shall
have the right to employ separate counsel in any such proceeding and to
participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be borne by the Indemnitee unless (a) the Indemnitor agrees in writing to
pay such fees and expenses, (b) the Indemnitee shall have reasonably and in good
faith concluded that there is a conflict of interest between the Indemnitor and
the Indemnitee in the conduct of the defense of such action, including but not
limited to that there may be legal defenses available to the Indemnitee that are
different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnitor, or (c) the
Indemnitor fails, within ten (10) days prior to the date the first response or
appearance is required to be made in such Proceeding, to assume the defense of
such Proceeding with counsel reasonable satisfactory to the Indemnitee. No
compromise or settlement of such Proceeding may be effected by either party
without

                                      -29-
<PAGE>

the other party's consent unless (i) there is no finding or admission of any
violation of law and no material adverse effect on any other claims that may be
made against such other party and (ii) the sole relief provided is monetary
damages that are paid in full by the party seeking the compromise or settlement.
Neither party shall have any liability with respect to any compromise or
settlement effected without its consent, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld. The Indemnitor shall have no obligation to indemnify and hold harmless
the Indemnitee from any loss, expense or liability incurred by the Indemnitee as
a result of a default judgment entered against the Indemnitee unless such
judgment was entered after the Indemnitor agreed, in writing, to assume the
defense of such Proceeding.

              The obligations set forth in this Section 5.08 shall survive the
termination of this Deposit Agreement and the succession or substitution of any
indemnified person.

              SECTION 5.09. CHARGES OF DEPOSITARY. The Company will not pay any
fees, expenses or other charges of the Depositary or of any Registrar except in
accordance with express agreements in writing entered into between the
Depositary and the Company from time to time. The Depositary shall present its
statement duly itemized for such charges and expenses to the Company once every
three months. The fees, charges and expenses of the Custodian are for the sole
account of the Depositary.

              The following charges, to the extent permitted by applicable law
or the rules of any securities exchange on which the American Depositary Shares
are listed or traded, shall be incurred by any party depositing or withdrawing
Shares or by any party surrendering Receipts or to whom Receipts are issued
(including, without limitation, issuance pursuant to a stock dividend or stock
split declared by the Company or an exchange of stock regarding the Receipts or
Deposited securities or a distribution of Receipts pursuant to Section 4.03),
whichever applicable: (1) taxes and other governmental charges, (2) such
registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of
transfers or exchanges of Shares generally on the Share register of the Company
or, if applicable, its agent and applicable to transfers or exchanges of Shares
to or from the name of the Depositary or its nominee or the Custodian or its
nominee on the making of deposits or withdrawals hereunder, (3) such air
courier, cable, telex and facsimile transmission expenses as are expressly
provided in this Deposit Agreement, (4) such reasonable expenses as are incurred
by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency pursuant to Section
4.05, (5) a fee of $5.00 or less per 100 American Depositary Shares (or portion
thereof) for the execution and delivery of Receipts pursuant to Section 2.03,
4.03 or 4.04 and the surrender of Receipts pursuant to Section 2.05 or 6.02, (6)
a fee of $.02 or less per American Depositary Share (or portion thereof) for any
cash

                                      -30-
<PAGE>

distribution made pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, except in the case of a
cash dividend or other cash distribution received from the Company on any
deposited Shares and (7) a fee for the distribution of securities pursuant to
Section 4.02, such fee being in an amount equal to the fee for the execution and
delivery of American Depositary Shares referred to above which would have been
charged as a result of the deposit of such securities (for purposes of this
clause 7 treating all such securities as if they were Shares) but which
securities are instead distributed by the Depositary to Owners.

              The Depositary, subject to compliance with all applicable laws,
rules and regulations and subject to Section 2.09 hereof, may own and deal in
any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in Receipts.

              SECTION 5.10. RETENTION OF DEPOSITARY DOCUMENTS. The Depositary is
authorized to destroy those documents, records, bills and other data compiled
during the term of this Deposit Agreement at the times permitted by the laws or
regulations governing the Depositary unless the Company requests that such
papers be turned over to the Company or to a successor depositary.

              SECTION 5.11. EXCLUSIVITY. Subject to the provisions of Section
5.04, the Company agrees not to appoint any other depositary for issuance of
depositary receipts so long as The Bank of New York is acting as Depositary
hereunder.

                                   ARTICLE 6.

                           AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION.

              SECTION 6.01. AMENDMENT. The form of the Receipts and any
provisions of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be
amended by agreement in writing between the Company and the Depositary in any
respect which they may deem necessary or desirable. Any amendment which shall
impose or increase any fees or charges (other than taxes and other governmental
charges, registration fees, cable, telex or facsimile transmission costs,
delivery costs or other such expenses), or which shall otherwise prejudice any
substantial existing right of Owners, shall, however, not become effective as to
outstanding Receipts until the expiration of 90 days after written notice of
such amendment shall have been mailed to the Owners of outstanding Receipts.
Every Owner at the time any amendment so becomes effective shall be deemed, by
continuing to hold such Receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to
be bound by the Deposit Agreement as amended thereby. In no event shall any
amendment impair the right of the Owner of any Receipt to surrender such Receipt
and receive therefor the Deposited Securities

                                      -31-
<PAGE>

represented thereby, except to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable
law.

              SECTION 6.02. TERMINATION. The Depositary shall at any time at the
direction of the Company terminate this Deposit Agreement by mailing notices of
such termination to the Owners of all Receipts then outstanding at least 30 days
prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. The Depositary may
likewise terminate this Deposit Agreement (upon 30 days' prior written notice of
such termination to the Company and the Owners of all Receipts then outstanding)
if at any time 90 days after the Depositary shall have delivered to the Company
a written notice of its resignation sent by registered mail, a successor
depositary shall not have been appointed and accepted its appointment as
provided in Section 5.04. The Depositary shall mail notice of such termination
to the Owners of all Receipts then outstanding at least 30 days prior to the
date fixed in such notice for such termination. On and after the date of
termination, each Owner shall, upon (i) surrender of each of its Receipts at the
Depositary's Corporate Trust Office, (ii) payment of the fees of the Depositary
for the surrender of Receipts provided herein and (iii) payment of any
applicable taxes and governmental charges, be entitled to delivery, to him or
upon his order, of the whole number of Deposited securities represented by the
American Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipts and to the net proceeds of
the sale of any fractional Deposited Securities represented thereby. If any
Receipts shall remain outstanding after the date of termination, the Depositary
thereafter shall discontinue the registration of transfers of Receipts, shall
suspend the distribution of dividends to the Owners thereof, and shall not give
any further notices or perform any further acts under this Deposit Agreement,
except that the Depositary shall continue to collect dividends and other
distributions pertaining to Deposited Securities, shall sell rights as provided
in this Deposit Agreement, and shall continue to deliver Deposited Securities,
together with any dividends or other distributions received with respect thereto
and the net proceeds of the sale of any rights or other property, in exchange
for Receipts surrendered to the Depositary (after deducting, in EACH case, the
fee of the Depositary for the surrender of a Receipt, any expenses for the
account of the owner of such Receipt in accordance with the terms and conditions
of this Deposit Agreement, and any applicable taxes or governmental charges).

              At any time after the expiration of one year from the date of
termination, the Depositary may sell the Deposited Securities then held
hereunder and may thereafter hold uninvested the net proceeds of any such sale,
together with any other cash then held by it hereunder, unsegregated and without
liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the owners which have not
theretofore surrendered their Receipts, such Owners thereupon becoming general
creditors of the Depositary with respect to such net proceeds. After making such

                                      -32-
<PAGE>

sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit
Agreement, except to account for such net proceeds and other cash (after
deducting, in each case, the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of a
Receipt, any expenses for the account of the Owner of such Receipt in accordance
with the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, and any applicable
taxes or governmental charges) and except for its obligations under Section 5.08
hereof. Upon the termination of this Deposit Agreement, the Company shall be
discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its
obligations to the Depositary under Sections 5.08 and 5.09 hereof.

                                   ARTICLE 7.

                                 MISCELLANEOUS.

              SECTION 7.01. COUNTERPARTS. This Deposit Agreement may be executed
in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and
all of such counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument. Copies of
this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Custodian and
shall be open to inspection by any Owner during business hours.

              SECTION 7.02. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES. This Deposit Agreement
is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and shall not be deemed to
give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim whatsoever to any other
person.

              SECTION 7.03. SEVERABILITY. In case any one or more of the
provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipts should be or
become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality
and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall
in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

              SECTION 7.04. OWNERS AND HOLDERS AS PARTIES; BINDING EFFECT. The
Owners and holders of Receipts from time to time shall be parties to this
Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof
and of the Receipts by acceptance thereof.

              SECTION 7.05. NOTICES. Any and all notices to be given to the
Company shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent
by air courier or facsimile transmission confirmed by letter addressed to AXA at
40, rue du Colisee, 75008, Paris, France, Attention: Head of Central Legal
Department or any other place of which the Company has notified the Depositary.

              Any and all notices to be given to the Depositary shall be deemed
to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by air

                                      -33-
<PAGE>

courier or facsimile transmission confirmed by letter, addressed to The Bank of
New York at its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, New York,
New York 10286, Attention: ADR Department, 22 West, or any other place to which
the Depositary has moved its Corporate Trust Office. The Depositary will give
notice to the Company and the Owners of any change in the location of its
Corporate Trust Office.

              Any and all notices to be given to any Owner shall be deemed to
have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail or by cable, telex
or facsimile transmission confirmed by letter, addressed to such Owner at the
address of such Owner as it appears on the transfer books for Receipts of the
Depositary, or, if such Owner shall have filed with the Depositary a written
request that notices intended for such Owner be mailed to some other address, at
the address designated in such request.

              Delivery of a notice sent by mail (other than registered mail) or
by cable, telex or facsimile transmission shall be deemed to be effected at the
time when a duly addressed letter containing the same (or a confirmation thereof
in the case of a cable, telex or facsimile transmission) is deposited, postage
prepaid, in a post office letter box. Notices sent by registered mail or
personally delivered will be deemed to have been duly given on the date on which
signed for on behalf of the addressee. The Depositary or the Company may,
however, act upon any cable, telex or facsimile transmission received by it from
the other or from any Owner, notwithstanding that such cable, telex or facsimile
transmission shall not subsequently be confirmed by letter as aforesaid.

              SECTION 7.06. GOVERNING LAW. This Deposit Agreement and the
Receipts shall be interpreted and all rights hereunder and thereunder and
provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by the laws of the State of New
York. It is understood that, notwithstanding any present or future provision of
the laws of the State of New York, the rights of holders of Shares and other
Deposited Securities and the obligations and duties of the Company in respect of
such holders, as such, shall be governed by the laws of The Republic of France
(or, if applicable, such other law as may govern Deposited Securities).

              SECTION 7.07. COMPLIANCE WITH U.S. SECURITIES LAW. Notwithstanding
anything in this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the
Depositary each agrees that it will not exercise any rights it has under this
Deposit Agreement to prevent the withdrawal or delivery of Deposited Securities
in a manner which would violate United states securities laws, including but not
limited to Section I A(1) of the General Instructions to the Registration
Statement on Form F-6, as amended from time to time, under the Securities Act of
1933.

                                      -34-
<PAGE>

              IN WITNESS WHEREOF, AXA and THE BANK OF NEW YORK have duly
executed this agreement as of the day and year first set forth above and all
Owners and holders of Receipts shall become parties hereto upon acceptance by
them of Receipts issued in accordance with the terms hereof.

                                                 AXA

                                                 By:
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Name:
                                                    Title:

                                                 THE BANK OF NEW YORK

                                                 By:
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Name:  Thomas D. Sanford
                                                    Title: Vice President

                                      -35-
<PAGE>

                                    EXHIBIT A

                                             AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
                                             (Each American Depositary
                                             Share represents one-half of one
                                             deposited Share)

                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK
                           AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPT
                             FOR ORDINARY SHARES OF
                                60 FRANCS EACH OF

                                       AXA
             (INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE)

                  The Bank of New York, as depositary (hereinafter called
the "Depositary"), hereby certifies
that ___________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________, or registered assigns, IS

THE OWNER OF ___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________.

                           AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

representing deposited Ordinary Shares of 60 francs each (herein called
"Shares") of AXA, a SOCIETE ANONYME organized under the laws of The Republic of
France (herein called the "Company"). At the date hereof, each American
Depositary Share represents one-half (1/2) of a Share deposited or subject to
deposit under the Deposit Agreement (as such term is hereinafter defined) at the
principal Paris office of AXA Banque (herein called the "Custodian") or with the
Depositary. The Depositary's Corporate Trust office is located at a different
address than its principal executive office. Its Corporate Trust Office is
located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, N.Y. 10286, and its principal executive
office is located at 48 Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286.

               THE DEPOSITARY'S CORPORATE TRUST OFFICE ADDRESS IS
                    101 BARCLAY STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10286

<PAGE>

                  (1) THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT. This American Depositary Receipt is
one of an issue (the "Receipts"), all issued and to be issued upon the terms and
conditions set forth in the Deposit Agreement, dated as of June 24, 1996, as it
may be amended from time to time (the "Deposit Agreement"), among the Company,
the Depositary and all holders from time to time in whose name a Receipt is
registered on the books of the Depositary ("Owners"), each of whom by accepting
a Receipt agrees to become a party thereto and becomes bound by all the terms
and provisions thereof and hereof. The Deposit Agreement sets forth the rights
and obligations of Owners of Receipts and the rights and duties of the
Depositary in respect of the Shares deposited thereunder and any and all other
securities, property and cash from time to time received in respect thereof and
held under the Deposit Agreement (such Shares, securities, property and cash are
herein called the "Deposited Securities"). Copies of the Deposit Agreement are
on file at the Corporate Trust Office of the Depositary in The City of New York
and the office of the Custodian and at any other designated transfer offices.
The statements made on the face and the reverse of this Receipt are summaries of
certain provisions of the Deposit Agreement and are qualified by and subject to
the detailed provisions thereof, to which reference is hereby made. Capitalized
terms not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Deposit
Agreement.

                  The Depositary makes no representation or warranty as to the
validity or worth of the Deposited Securities.

                  (2) SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS AND WITHDRAWAL OF SHARES. Upon
surrender at the Corporate Trust Office of the Depositary of this Receipt for
the purpose of withdrawal of the Deposited Securities represented hereby, and
upon payment of the fee of the Depositary for the cancellation of Receipts
provided for in para graph (9) of this Receipt, and subject to the terms and
conditions of the Deposit Agreement, the Company's STATUTS and the Deposited
Securities, the Owner hereof is entitled to the delivery of the whole number of
Shares and the number of any other Deposited Securities represented by the
American Depositary Shares evidenced hereby to an account designated by such
Owner and to delivery at the Corporate Trust Office of the Depositary of a new
Receipt evidencing any fractional Deposited Securities represented hereby. Such
delivery will be made without unreasonable delay. A Receipt surrendered for such
purposes may be required by the Depositary to be properly endorsed in blank or
accompanied by proper instruments of transfer in blank, and if the Depositary
requires, the Owner thereof shall execute and deliver to the Depositary a
written order directing the Depositary to cause the Deposited

                                      A-2
<PAGE>

Securities being withdrawn to be delivered to an account designated by such
Owner.

                  At the request, risk and expense of any Owner so surrendering
a Receipt, and for the account of such Owner, the Depositary shall direct the
Custodian to forward proper documents of title (if available) for any such
Deposited Securities to the Depositary for delivery at the Corporate Trust
office of the Depositary. Such direction shall be given by mail or, at the
request, risk and expense of such Owner, by air courier, cable, telex or
facsimile transmission.

                  (3) TRANSFER OF RECEIPTS; COMBINATION AND SPLIT-UP OF
RECEIPTS. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement, the
transfer of this Receipt is registrable on the books of the Depositary upon
surrender by the Owner hereof, in person or by duly authorized attorney, at any
designated transfer office, of this Receipt properly endorsed or accompanied by
proper instruments of transfer and duly stamped as may be required by the laws
of the State of New York and of the United States of America. Subject to the
terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement, this Receipt may be split into
other Receipts or may be combined with other Receipts into one Receipt
evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as were
evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

                  As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery,
registration of transfer, split-up, combination or surrender of any Receipt, the
delivery of any distribution thereon or the withdrawal of any Deposited
Securities, the Depositary or the Custodian may require payment from the
presenter of the Receipt or the depositor of the Shares of a sum sufficient to
reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charges and any stock transfer,
registration or conversion fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or
charges and fee with respect to Shares being deposited or Deposited Securities
being withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fee as provided in paragraph (9)
of this Receipt, may require the production of proof satisfactory to it as to
the identity and genuineness of any signature and may also require compliance
with such regulations, if any, as the Depositary may establish consistent with
the provisions of the Deposit Agreement or this Receipt, including, without
limitation, paragraph (25) of this Receipt.

                  The delivery of Receipts against deposits of Shares generally
or against deposits of particular Shares may be suspended and the transfer of
Receipts in particular instances may be refused or the registration of transfer
of outstanding

                                      A-3
<PAGE>

Receipts generally may be suspended during any period when the transfer books of
the Depositary are closed, or if any such action is deemed necessary or
advisable by the Depositary, after consultation with the Company to the extent
practicable (to the extent it is not practicable for the Depositary to consult
with the Company, the Depositary will notify the Company as promptly as
practicable after taking such action and explain its reasons for doing so), or
the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law
or of any government or governmental or regulatory body or commission, or under
any provision of the Deposit Agreement, or for any reason subject to paragraph
(25) hereof. The surrender of outstanding Receipts and withdrawal of Deposited
Securities may not be suspended subject only to (i) temporary delays caused by
closing the transfer books of the Depositary or the Company or the deposit of
Shares in connection with voting at a shareholders' meeting or the payment of
dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges and (iii)
compliance with any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to
the Receipts or the withdrawal of the Deposited Securities.

                  (4) PROVIDING PROOFS, CERTIFICATES, AND OTHER INFORMATION. Any
person presenting Shares for deposit or any Owner may be required from time to
time to provide such proof of (a) citizenship, residence, exchange control
approval or payment of taxes and other governmental charges and (b) the identity
of any person legally or beneficially interested in the Receipt and the nature
of such interest, such information relating to the registration of the Shares
presented for deposit on the books of the Company (or the appointed agent of the
Company for transfer and registration of Shares) or to provide such other
information, to execute such certificates and to make such representations and
warranties, as the Depositary may deem necessary or proper or as the company
reasonably may require by written request to the Depositary or any Custodian.
The Depositary may withhold the delivery or registration of transfer of any
Receipt, the distribution of any dividend or other distribution or sale of
rights or of the proceeds thereof, or the delivery of any Deposited Securities
until such proof or other information is provided, such certificates are
executed or such representations and warranties are made pertaining to such
Receipt.

                  (5) LIABILITY OF OWNER FOR TAXES. If any tax or other
governmental charge shall become payable with respect to this Receipt or any
Deposited Securities represented by this Receipt, such tax or other governmental
charge shall be payable by the Owner hereof to the Depositary. The Depositary
may refuse to effect registration of transfer of all or part of

                                      A-4
<PAGE>

this Receipt or any withdrawal of Deposited Securities represented by this
Receipt until such payment is made, and may withhold any dividends or other
distributions or, after attempting by reasonable means to notify such Owner, may
sell for the account of the Owner hereof any part or all of the Deposited
Securities evidenced by this Receipt, and may apply such dividends or other
distributions or the proceeds of any such sale to payment of such tax or other
governmental charge, the Owner hereof remaining liable for any deficiency.

                  (6) WARRANTIES ON DEPOSIT OF SHARES. Every person depositing
Shares under the Deposit Agreement, including every person depositing Shares on
behalf of an owner of Shares, shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant
that such Shares are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and that the
person making such deposit is duly authorized so to do. Every such person,
including every person depositing Shares on behalf of an owner of Shares, shall
also be deemed to represent that such Shares are not Restricted Securities. Such
representations and warranties shall survive the deposit of such shares and
issuance of Receipts in respect thereof.

                  (7) COMPLIANCE WITH LAW. The rights of each Owner will be
subject to the STATUTS of the Company as if such Owner were a holder of Shares
and to all applicable provisions of French law and the STATUTS of the Company
with regard to notification to the Company and any governmental or stock
exchange authorities of such Owner's interest in Shares. Failure by such Owner
to provide on a timely basis any such required notification of such Owner's
interest in Shares may result in the withholding of certain rights in respect of
such Owner's American Depositary Shares including, without limitation, the right
to give voting instructions in respect of the Shares represented by such
American Depositary Shares.

                  (8) DISCLOSURE OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF RECEIPTS. The
Company and the Depositary may from time to time request Owners to provide
information as to the capacity in which they hold Receipts and regarding the
identity of any other persons then interested in such Receipts and various other
matters.

                  (9) CHARGES OF DEPOSITARY. The following charges, to the
extent permitted by applicable law or the rules of any securities exchange on
which the American Depositary Shares are listed or traded, shall be incurred by
any party depositing or withdrawing Shares or by any party surrendering Receipts
or to whom Receipts are issued (including, without limitation, issuance pursuant
to a stock dividend or stock split declared by the Company or an exchange of
stock regarding the Receipts or Deposited Securities or a distribution of
Receipts pursuant

                                      A-5
<PAGE>

to Section 4.03 of the Deposit Agreement), whichever applicable: (1) taxes and
other governmental charges, (2) such registration fees as may from time to time
be in effect for the registration of transfers or exchanges of Shares generally
on the Share register of the Company or, if applicable, its agent and applicable
to transfers or exchanges of Shares to or from the name of the Depositary or its
nominee or the Custodian or its nominee on the making of deposits or
withdrawals, (3) such air courier, cable, telex and facsimile transmission
expenses as are expressly provided in the Deposit Agreement, (4) such reasonable
expenses as are incurred by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency
pursuant to Section 4.05 of the Deposit Agreement, (5) a fee of $5.00 or less
per 100 American Depositary Shares (or portion thereof) for the execution and
delivery of Receipts pursuant to Section 2.03, 4.03 or 4.04 of the Deposit
Agreement and the surrender of Receipts pursuant to Section 2.05 or 6.02 of the
Deposit Agreement, (6) a fee of $.02 or less per American Depositary Share (or
portion thereof) for any cash distribution made pursuant to the Deposit
Agreement, except in the case of a cash dividend or other cash distribution
received from the Company on any deposited Shares and (7) a fee for the
distribution of securities pursuant to Section 4.02 of the Deposit Agreement,
such fee being in an amount equal to the fee for the execution and delivery of
American Depositary Shares referred to above which would have been charged as a
result of the deposit of such securities (for purposes of this clause 7 treating
all such securities as if they were Shares) but which securities are instead
distributed by the Depositary to Owners.

                  (10) PRE-RELEASE OF RECEIPTS. Unless requested in writing by
the Company to cease doing so, the Depositary may, notwithstanding Section 2.03
of the Deposit Agreement, execute and deliver Receipts prior to the receipt of
Shares pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Deposit Agreement (a "Pre-Release"). The
Depositary may, pursuant to Section 2.05 of the Deposit Agreement, deliver
Shares upon the receipt and cancellation of Receipts which have been
Pre-Released, whether or not such cancellation is prior to the termination of
such Pre-Release or the Depositary knows that such Receipt has been
Pre-Released. The Depositary may receive Receipts in lieu of shares in
satisfaction of a Pre- Release. Each Pre-Release will be (a) preceded or
accompanied by a written representation from the person to whom Receipts or
Shares are to be delivered (a "Pre-Releasee"), that such Pre- Releasee, or its
customer, (i) as of the time of such transaction, owns the Shares or Receipts to
be remitted, as the case may be, (ii) assigns all beneficial right, title and
interest in such Shares or Receipts, as the case may be, to the Depositary in
its capacity as such and for the benefit of the Owners, and (iii) will not take
any action

                                      A-6
<PAGE>

with respect to such Shares or Receipts, as the case may be, that is
inconsistent with the transfer of beneficial ownership (including, without the
consent of the Depositary, disposing of such Shares or Receipts, as the case may
be), other than in satisfaction of such Pre-Release, (b) at all times fully
collaterized with cash, U.S. government securities or such other collateral as
the Depositary determines, in good faith, will provide substantially similar
liquidity and security, (c) terminable by the Depositary on not more than five
(5) business days notice, and (d) subject to such further indemnities and credit
regulations as the Depositary deems appropriate. The number of American
Depositary Shares which are outstanding at any time as a result of Pre-Release
will not normally exceed thirty percent (30%) of the Shares deposited under the
Deposit Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Depositary reserves the right to
change or disregard such limit from time to time as it deems appropriate. The
Depositary will also set dollar limits with respect to Pre-Release transactions
to be entered into under the Deposit Agreement with any particular Pre-Releasee
on a case-by-case basis as the Depositary deems appropriate. For purposes of
enabling the Depositary to fulfill its obligations to the Owners under the
Deposit Agreement, the collateral referred to in clause (b) above shall be held
by the Depositary as security for the performance of the Pre-Releasee's
obligations to the Depositary in connection with a Pre-Release transaction,
including the Pre- Releasee's obligation to deliver Shares or Receipts upon
termination of a Pre-Release transaction (and shall not, for the avoidance of
doubt, constitute Deposited Securities under the Deposit Agreement). The
Depositary may retain for its own account any compensation received by it in
connection with the foregoing.

                  (11) TITLE TO RECEIPTS. It is a condition of this Receipt, and
every successive Owner hereof by accepting or holding the same consents and
agrees, that title to this Receipt (and to the American Depositary Shares
evidenced hereby), when properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments
of transfer, is transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the case of
a negotiable instrument under the laws of the State of New York; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, may
treat the Owner of this Receipt as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of
determining the person entitled to distribution of dividends or other
distributions or to any notice provided for in the Deposit Agreement and for all
other purposes, and neither the Depositary nor the Company shall have any
obligation or be subject to any liability under the Deposit Agreement to any
holder of this Receipt unless such holder is the Owner hereof.

                                      A-7
<PAGE>

                  (12) VALIDITY OF RECEIPT. This Receipt shall not be entitled
to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement or be valid or enforceable for any
purpose, unless this Receipt has been executed by the Depositary by the manual
signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that such signature may be a facsimile if a Registrar for the Receipts shall
have been appointed and the Receipt has been countersigned by the manual
signature of a duly authorized officer of the Registrar.

                                                    THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
Dated:                                              as Depositary

Countersigned:

By:                                                 By:
  ---------------------------                         --------------------------
   Authorized Signatory                                Authorized Signatory

                  The address of the Corporate Trust Office of the Depositary is
101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286.

                  The address of the Custodian is AXA Banque at 5-7 rue de
Milan, 75009 Paris, France.

                                      A-8
<PAGE>

                          [FORM OF REVERSE OF RECEIPT]

                    SUMMARY OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
                            OF THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

                  (13) DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS. Whenever the Depositary or
Custodian shall receive any cash dividend or other cash distribution on any
Deposited Securities, the Depositary will, after any necessary conversion of
such distribution into Dollars pursuant to Section 4.05 of the Deposit Agreement
and after fixing a record date pursuant to Section 4.06 of the Deposit
Agreement, as promptly as practicable distribute the amount thus received to the
owners of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of American
Depositary Shares held by them respectively; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
Depositary shall make appropriate adjustments in the amounts so distributed in
respect of any amounts withheld or requested to be withheld by the Company, the
Custodian or the Depositary from any such distribution on account of (i) taxes
or other governmental charges including, but not limited to, withholding taxes
referred to in Section 4.11 of the Deposit Agreement, or (ii) reasonable
expenses of the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency into Dollars
pursuant to Section 4.05 of the Deposit Agreement and any other charges of the
Depositary pursuant to Section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement.

                  Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.11 and 5.09 of the
Deposit Agreement, whenever the Depositary or the Custodian shall receive any
distribution other than cash, shares or rights upon any Deposited Securities,
the Depositary shall cause the securities or property received by it to be
distributed to the Owners, as of the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.06
of the Deposit Agreement, of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the
number of American Depositary Shares held by them as of such date in any manner
that the Depositary may reasonably deem equitable and practicable for
accomplishing such distribution; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if in the opinion of
the Depositary such distribution cannot be made proportionally among such
Owners, or if for any other reason (including but not limited to any requirement
that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes or
other governmental charges or that such securities must be registered under the
Securities Act of 1933 in order to be distributed to Owners) the Depositary
deems such distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may adopt such method
as it may deem equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such
distribution, including (after consultation with the Company) the public or
private sale of the securities or other property thus received, or any part
thereof, and the net

                                      A-9
<PAGE>

proceeds of any such sale (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as
provided in Section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement) shall as promptly as
practicable be distributed by the Depositary to the Owners entitled thereto as
in the case of a distribution received in cash, subject to the provisions of the
Deposit Agreement.

                  If any distribution upon any Deposited Securities consists of
a dividend in, or distribution without payment of any subscription price of,
Shares, including pursuant to any program under which holders of Deposited
Securities may elect to receive cash or Shares, the Depositary may execute and
deliver additional Receipts evidencing American Depositary Shares representing
the amount of Shares received as such dividend or distribution and distribute to
the Owners, as of the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.06 of the Deposit
Agreement, of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of American
Depositary Shares held by them as of such date, Receipts evidencing additional
American Depositary Shares, subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit
Agreement with respect to the deposit of Shares and the issuance of Receipts,
including the withholding of any tax or other governmental charge as provided in
Section 4.11 of the Deposit Agreement and the payment of fees of the Depositary
as provided in Section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement. The Depositary may
withhold any such distribution if it has not received adequate assurances from
the Company that such distribution does not require registration under the
Securities Act of 1933. In any case involving fractional American Depositary
Shares, the Depositary shall sell the amount of Shares representing the
aggregate of such fractions and distribute the net proceeds, all in the manner
and subject to the conditions described in Section 4.01 of the Deposit Agreement
or take such other action with the approval of the Company as may be
appropriate. If additional American Depositary Shares are not so distributed,
each American Depositary Share shall thenceforth also represent the additional
Shares distributed with respect to the Deposited Securities represented thereby.

                  Whenever the Depositary shall receive notice from the Company
of the declaration of a dividend or other distribution without payment of any
subscription price on Deposited Securities payable in Shares or cash at the
election of each holder of Shares or, if no such election is made, payable in
Shares or in cash as provided in the instruments governing such dividend or
other distribution, the Depositary shall mail to the Owners a notice, the form
of which shall be in the sole discretion of the Depositary, which shall contain
(a) such information as is contained in the notice received by the

                                      A-10
<PAGE>

Depositary from the Company and (b) a statement that each of the Owners as of
the close of business on a specified date will be entitled, subject to any
applicable provisions of French law, the STATUTS of the Company or the
instruments governing such dividend or distribution, to instruct the Depositary
as to the manner in which such Owner elects to receive such dividend or
distribution. Upon the written request of an Owner on such record date, received
on or before the date established by the Depositary for such purpose, the
Depositary shall endeavor, in so far as practicable, to make the election in
accordance with the instructions set forth in such request, and to distribute
cash or Shares, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms of Section 4.01
or Section 4.03 of the Deposit Agreement, respectively, to the Owners entitled
thereto. If the Depositary does not receive timely instructions from any Owner
as to such Owner's election, the Depositary shall make no election with respect
to the Deposited Securities represented by such Owner's American Depositary
Shares and shall distribute such Shares or cash as it receives, if any, in
respect of such Deposited Securities in accordance with the preceding sentence.

                  (14) RIGHTS. In the event that the Company shall offer or
cause to be offered to the holders of any Deposited Securities any rights to
subscribe for additional Shares or any rights of any other nature, the
Depositary (after consultation with the Company) shall have discretion as to the
procedure to be followed in making such rights available to any Owners,
including the distribution of warrants or other instruments therefor in such
form as it deems appropriate, or in disposing of such rights on behalf of any
Owners and distributing the net proceeds in Dollars to such Owners. If, by the
terms of such rights offering or for any other reason, the Depositary may not
either make such rights available to any Owners or dispose of such rights and
distribute the net proceeds to such Owners, then the Depositary shall allow the
rights to lapse. If at the time of the offering of any rights the Depositary
determines in its discretion that it is lawful and feasible to make such rights
available to certain Owners but not to other Owners, (i) the Depositary shall
distribute to every Owner with respect to whom it determines the distribution to
be lawful and feasible, in proportion to the number of American Depositary
Shares held by such Owner, warrants or other instruments therefor in such form
as it deems appropriate and (ii) in respect of Owners to whom the Depositary
determines the distribution not to be lawful or feasible, the Depositary shall
use reasonable efforts to sell the rights, warrants or other instruments in
proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by such Owners and
distribute the net proceeds of such sales (net of the fees of the Depositary as
provided in section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement and all taxes and governmental
charges payable in

                                      A-11
<PAGE>

connection with such rights and subject to the terms and conditions of the
Deposit Agreement) to such Owners upon an averaged or other fair and practicable
basis without regard to any distinctions among such Owners resulting from
exchange restrictions, the date of delivery of any Receipt or otherwise. In the
event that rights and the securities to which such rights relate are not
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the Depositary shall not be
responsible for any failure to determine that it may be lawful or feasible to
make such rights available to Owners in general or to any Owner in particular.

                  In circumstances in which rights would not otherwise be
distributed, if an Owner requests the distribution of warrants or other
instruments in order to exercise the rights allocable in respect of American
Depositary Shares of such Owner hereunder, the Depositary will make such rights
available to such Owner upon written notice from the Company to the~Depositary
that (a) the Company has elected in its sole discretion to permit such rights to
be exercised and (b) the Owner has executed such documents as the Company has
determined in its sole discretion are reasonably required under applicable law.
Upon instruction pursuant to such warrants or other instruments to the
Depositary from such owner to exercise such rights, upon payment by such Owner
to the Depositary for the account of such Owner of an amount equal to the
purchase price of the Shares or other securities to be received upon the
exercise of the rights, and upon payment of the fees of the Depositary as set
forth in such warrants or other instruments, the Depositary shall, on behalf of
such Owner, exercise the rights and purchase such Shares or other securities and
the Company shall cause the Shares or other securities so purchased to be
delivered to the Depositary on behalf of such Owner. As agent for such Owner,
the Depositary will arrange for Shares so purchased to be deposited and for
depositary shares to be delivered to such Owner in transactions exempt from, or
not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933
under a separate deposit agreement to be entered into between the Company and
the Depositary providing for the issuance of depositary receipts subject to
appropriate restrictions on deposit and withdrawal of Shares and transfers of
such depositary shares as required by United States securities laws.

                  Except as otherwise provided in the preceding paragraph, the
Company and the Depositary will not offer rights to owners unless a registration
statement is in effect with respect to both such rights and any securities to be
received upon exercise of such rights under the Securities Act of 1933 or unless
the offering and sale of such securities to such

                                      A-12
<PAGE>

Owners are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933. Nothing in
the Deposit Agreement shall create any obligation on the part of the Company to
file a registration statement in respect of any rights or securities for any
purpose.

                  (15) CONVERSION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY. Whenever the Depositary
or the Custodian shall receive foreign currency, by way of dividends or other
distributions or as the net proceeds from the sale of securities, property or
rights, and if at the time of the receipt thereof the foreign currency so
received can in the reasonable judgment of the Depositary be converted on a
reasonable basis into Dollars and transferred to the United States, the
Depositary shall, subject to any restrictions imposed by applicable law,
regulations or permits, convert or cause to be converted, by sale or in any
other manner that it may determine, such foreign currency into Dollars, and such
Dollars shall be distributed, as promptly as practicable, net of any reasonable
and customary expenses incurred by the Depositary in connection with the
conversion of currency pursuant to Section 4.05 of the Deposit Agreement, to the
Owners entitled thereto as of the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.06 of
the Deposit Agreement in accordance with any applicable provisions of Sections
4.01, 4.02, 4.03 and 4.04 of the Deposit Agreement. Such distribution may be
made upon an averaged or other fair and practicable basis without regard to any
distinctions among Owners resulting from exchange restrictions or otherwise.

                  If such conversion or distribution can be effected only with
the approval or license of any government or agency thereof, the Depositary
shall file as promptly as practicable such application for approval or license,
if any, as it may deem desirable; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such application is
made on behalf of the Company, such application shall not be filed unless
approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.

                  If at any time the Depositary shall determine, following
consultation with the Company, that in its judgment any foreign currency
received by the Depositary or the Custodian is not, pursuant to applicable law
or otherwise, convertible on a reasonable basis into Dollars transferable to the
United States, or if any approval or license of any government or agency thereof
which is required for such conversion is denied or in the opinion of the
Depositary is not obtainable, or if any such approval or license is not obtained
within a reasonable period as determined by the Depositary, the Depositary may
distribute the foreign currency (or an appropriate document evidencing the right
to receive such

                                      A-13
<PAGE>

foreign currency) received by the Depositary or the Custodian to, or in its
discretion may hold such foreign currency proceeds uninvested for the respective
accounts of, the Owners entitled to receive the same, without liability for
interest thereon.

                  If any such conversion of foreign currency, in whole or in
part, cannot be effected for distribution to some Owners entitled thereto, the
Depositary may in its discretion make such conversion and distribution in
Dollars to the extent permissible to the Owners entitled thereto for whom such
conversion and distribution is practicable and may distribute the balance of the
foreign currency (or an appropriate document evidencing the right to receive
such foreign currency) received by the Depositary or the Custodian to, or hold,
such balance uninvested and without liability for the respective accounts of,
the Owners entitled thereto for whom such conversion and distribution is not
practicable.

                  (16) FIXING OF RECORD DATE. Whenever any cash dividend or
other cash distribution shall become payable or any distribution other than cash
shall be made, or whenever rights shall be issued with respect to the Deposited
Securities, or whenever for any reason there occurs a change in the number or
type of Deposited Securities that are represented by each American Depositary
Share, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting of, or
solicitation of consents or proxies from, holders of Shares or other Deposited
Securities or whenever the Company or the Depositary finds it necessary or
convenient in respect of any matter, the Depositary shall fix a record date
(which, to the extent practicable, shall be the same as any corresponding record
date set by the Company with respect to Shares, and after consultation with the
Company if such date is to be different from any such record date established by
the Company in respect of the Shares) for the determination of the Owners who
shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution or rights, or the net
proceeds of the sale thereof, or to give instructions for the exercise of voting
rights at any such meeting or in respect of any such solicitation or to receive
information as to any such meeting or solicitation, or for fixing the date on or
after which each American Depositary Share will represent the changed number or
type of Deposited Securities, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Deposit Agreement. If the American Depositary Shares shall be listed on any
stock exchange, then any such record date shall be fixed in accordance with any
applicable rules of such stock exchange.

                  (17) VOTING OF SHARES. Upon receipt of notice of any meeting
of holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities,

                                      A-14
<PAGE>

the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail to the Owners (i)
a copy or summary in English of the notice of such meeting sent by the Company
to the Depositary pursuant to Section 5.06 of the Deposit Agreement, (ii) a
statement that the Owners as of the close of business on a record date
established by the Depositary pursuant to Section 4.06 of the Deposit Agreement
will be entitled, subject to any applicable provisions of French law, the
STATUTS of the Company and the Deposited Securities (which provisions, if any,
including any applicable provisions relating to double voting rights, will be
summarized in pertinent part in such statement), to instruct the Depositary as
to the exercise of the voting rights, if any, pertaining to the Shares or other
Deposited Securities represented by such Owner's American Depositary Shares,
(iii) copies or summaries in English of any materials or other documents
provided by the Company for the purpose of enabling such Owner to give
instructions for the exercise of such voting rights and (iv) a voting
instruction card to be prepared by the Depositary and the Company (a "Voting
Instruction Card") and setting forth the date established by the Depositary for
the receipt of such Voting Instruction Card (the "Receipt Date"). Voting
instructions may be given only in respect of a number of American Depositary
Shares representing an integral number of Shares. In addition, a precondition
for exercising any voting rights with respect to any holders of American
Depositary Shares who are not Owners of the Receipts evidencing such American
Depositary Shares on the books of the Depositary is that such holders arrange
for deposit in a blocked account established for such purpose of the relevant
number of American Depositary Shares for a period to commence on a date to be
fixed by the Depositary after consultation with the Company (which date will not
be more than five days prior to the date of the shareholders' meeting) until the
completion of such meeting (the "Blocked Period"). The Depositary will use its
best efforts to implement and maintain procedures to allow for blocking of
American Depositary Shares as contemplated by the preceding sentence.

                  Upon the request of an Owner, the Depositary will, as promptly
as practicable, cause the number of deposited Shares represented by such Owner's
American Depositary Shares to be held in registered form. In accordance with
French companies law and the STATUTS of the Company, Shares that have been held
in registered form in the name of the same holder since at least the beginning
of the second full calendar year preceding the date of the shareholders' meeting
in question are entitled to double voting rights. Consequently, deposited Shares
will be entitled to such double voting rights to the sole extent that (i) since
at least the beginning of the second full calendar year preceding the date of
the shareholder meeting in

                                      A-15
<PAGE>

question the Depositary, upon the request of the Owners, has held such Shares in
registered form; (ii) such Owners have at least since the same date continuously
held Receipts evidencing American Depositary Shares representing such number of
deposited Shares and (iii) such Owners have certified to the Depositary, as of
the date the Voting Instruction Card is executed, that they are, and at all
times since the beginning of the second full calendar year preceding the date of
the shareholder meeting in question have been, Eligible Owners. For purposes of
determining whether deposited Shares may be entitled to double voting rights,
upon a transfer or surrender of American Depositary Shares by an Owner, unless
otherwise specified by such Owner, the Depositary and the Company shall presume
that the most recently acquired American Depositary Shares are being transferred
or surrendered by such Owner. Accordingly, the Depositary will use reasonable
efforts, as hereinafter provided, to exercise or cause to be exercised double
voting rights in accordance with instructions received from Owners that have
satisfied the conditions set forth in clauses (i) to (iii) above, in respect of
the number of Shares which are entitled to double voting rights represented by
the American Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts held by such Owners.

                  Upon receipt by the Depositary from an Owner of American
Depositary Shares of a properly completed Voting Instruction Card on or before
the Receipt Date, the Depositary will either, in its discretion, (i) use
reasonable efforts, insofar as practical and permitted under any applicable
provisions of French law and the STATUTS of the Company, to vote or cause to be
voted the Shares represented by such American Depositary Shares in accordance
with any non-discretionary instructions set forth in such Voting Instruction
Card or (ii) forward such instructions to the Custodian and the Custodian will
use reasonable efforts, insofar as practical and permitted under any applicable
provisions of French law and the STATUTS of the Company, to vote or cause to be
voted the Shares represented by such American Depositary Shares in accordance
with any nondiscretionary instructions set forth in such Voting Instruction
Card. The Depositary will only vote, or cause to be voted, or attempt to
exercise the right to vote that attaches to, Shares represented by American
Depositary Shares in respect of which a Voting Instruction Card has been
received. In the case of a Voting Instruction Card received in respect of any
holder of American Depositary Shares who is not the Owner of the Receipt
evidencing such American Depositary Shares on the books of the Depositary, the
Depositary will not vote or cause to be voted the number of Shares represented
by such American Depositary Shares unless the Depositary has received
verification that such number of American Depositary Shares

                                      A-16
<PAGE>

has been deposited in a blocked account for the Blocked Period. The Depositary
(i) will not vote, or cause to be voted, or attempt to exercise the right to
vote that attaches to, Shares represented by American Depositary Shares in
respect of which the Voting Instruction Card is improperly completed or in
respect of which (and to the extent) the voting instructions included in the
Voting Instruction Card are illegible or unclear, and (ii) will, in the case
where the Voting Instruction Card is properly completed except for voting
instructions relating to any resolutions to be submitted to the shareholders'
meeting that have been left blank, vote in favor of such resolutions.

                  Notwithstanding anything in the Deposit Agreement to the
contrary, the Depositary and the Company may modify, amend or adopt additional
voting procedures from time to time as they determine may be necessary or
appropriate to comply with French or United States law or the STATUTS of the
Company.

                  (18) CHANGES AFFECTING DEPOSITED SECURITIES. Upon any change
in nominal value, split-up, consolidation or other reclassification of Deposited
Securities, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation
or sale of assets affecting the Company or to which it is a party, any
securities which shall be received by the Depositary or any Custodian in
exchange for, conversion of, replacement or otherwise in respect of Deposited
Securities shall, subject to the terms of the Deposit Agreement and applicable
law, including any applicable provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, be
treated as new Deposited Securities under the Deposit Agreement, and each
American Depositary Share shall, subject to the terms of the Deposit Agreement
and applicable law, including any applicable provisions of the Securities Act of
1933, thenceforth represent an appropriately adjusted proportional interest in
the Deposited Securities so received in exchange or conversion or replacement or
otherwise, unless additional or new Receipts are delivered pursuant to the
following sentence. In any such case the Depositary may, and shall if the
Company shall so request, execute and deliver additional Receipts as in the case
of a stock dividend on the Shares, or call for the surrender of outstanding
Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new
Deposited Securities. Upon the occurrence of any change or other event covered
by this Section with respect to the Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall
give notice thereof in writing to all Owners.

                  (19) REPORTS. At such time as the Company shall become subject
to the periodic reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Company will file certain

                                      A-17
<PAGE>

reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission required under such Act.
Such reports and communications will be available for inspection and copying at
the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission located at 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549.

                  The Depositary shall make available for inspection by Owners
at its Corporate Trust Office copies of the Deposit Agreement and any reports
and communications, including any proxy solicitation material, received from the
Company which are both (a) received by the Depositary as the holder of the
Deposited Securities and (b) made generally available to the holders of such
Deposited Securities by the Company. The Depositary will also send as promptly
as practicable to the Owners English language versions or summaries in English
of such reports and communications when furnished by the Company as provided
pursuant to Section 5.06 of the Deposit Agreement. The Depositary shall keep
books for the registration of Receipts and transfers of Receipts which at all
reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Owners and the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such inspection shall not be for the purpose of
communicating with Owners in the interest of a business or object other than the
business of the Company or a matter related to the Deposit Agreement or the
Receipts.

                  (20) WITHHOLDING. In the event that the Depositary determines
that any dividend or other distribution in property other than cash (including
Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other
governmental charges which the Depositary is obligated to withhold, the
Depositary may (after consultation with the Company) by public or private sale
dispose of all or a portion of such property (including shares and rights to
subscribe therefor) in such amounts and in such manner as the Depositary deems
necessary and practicable to withhold any such taxes or charges and the
Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale after deduction of
such taxes or charges to the Owners entitled thereto, in proportion to the
number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively, all in
accordance with the applicable provisions of the Deposit Agreement.

                  The Depositary agrees to use reasonable efforts to follow the
procedures established, or that may be established, by the French Treasury to
enable eligible United States Owners and beneficial owners of Receipts to
qualify for a reduced withholding tax rate of 15%, if available at the time
dividends are paid, to recover any excess French withholding taxes initially
withheld or deducted with respect to dividends and other distributions to such
Owners and beneficial owners, to receive any payment in respect of the AVOIR
FISCAL for which

                                      A-18
<PAGE>

such Owners and beneficial owners may be eligible from the French Treasury or to
receive a refund of any PRECOMPTE paid to the French Treasury by the Company.

                  Upon request of any United States Owner of Receipts the
Depositary will provide a copy of Form RF 1A EU No. 5052 or Form RF 1A EU no.
5053, as applicable, or such other form as may be promulgated from time to time
by the French tax authorities for such purpose, together with instructions to
such Owner and beneficial owners. The Depositary shall promptly arrange for the
filing with the French tax authorities of all such forms completed by United
States beneficial owners of Receipts, and returned in sufficient time so that
such forms may be filed by December 31 of the year following the calendar year
in which the related dividend is paid.

                  (21) LIABILITY OF THE COMPANY AND THE DEPOSITARY. Neither the
Depositary nor the Company nor any of their respective directors, employees,
agents or affiliates shall incur any liability to any Owner or beneficial owner
of any Receipt if by reason of any provision of any present or future law or
regulation of the United States or any other country or of any other
governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange, or by reason of any
provision, present or future, of the STATUTS of the Company, or by reason of any
provision of any securities issued or distributed by the Company, or any
offering or distribution thereof, or by reason of any act of God or war or other
circumstances beyond their control, the Depositary or the Company shall be
prevented, delayed or forbidden from, or be subject to any civil or criminal
penalty on account of, doing or performing any act or thing which by the terms
of the Deposit Agreement or Deposited Securities it is provided shall be done or
performed; nor shall the Company or the Depositary or any of their respective
directors, employees, agents or affiliates incur any liability to any owner or
beneficial owner of any Receipt by reason of any non-performance or delay,
caused as aforesaid in the performance of any act or thing which by the terms of
the Deposit Agreement it is provided shall or may be done or performed, or by
reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for
in the Deposit Agreement. Where, by the terms of a dividend or other
distribution pursuant TO Section 4.01, 4.02, 4.03 of the Deposit Agreement, an
offering or distribution pursuant to Section 4.04 of the Deposit Agreement, or
for any other reason, such dividend or other distribution or offering may not be
made available to Owners, and the Depositary may not dispose of such dividend or
other distribution or offering on behalf of such Owners and make the net
proceeds available to such Owners, then the Depositary shall not make such
dividend or other distribution or offering and shall allow any rights,

                                      A-19
<PAGE>

if applicable, to lapse. Each of the Company and its agents and their respective
officers, directors, employees and affiliates assumes no obligation nor shall it
be subject to any liability under the Deposit Agreement or the Receipts to any
Owners or beneficial owners of Receipts, except that it agrees to perform its
obligations specifically set forth in the Deposit Agreement without negligence,
willful misconduct or bad faith. Each of the Depositary and its agents and their
respective officers, directors, employees and affiliates assume no obligation
nor shall it be subject to any liability under the Deposit Agreement or the
Receipts to any Owners or beneficial owners of Receipts (including, without
limitation, liability with respect to the validity or worth of the Deposited
Securities), except that it agrees to perform its obligations specifically set
forth in the Deposit Agreement without negligence, willful misconduct or bad
faith. Without limiting the foregoing, neither the Depositary or its agents nor
the Company or its agents shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute
or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any Deposited
Securities or in respect of the Receipts, which in their respective opinions may
involve them in expense or liability, unless indemnity satisfactory to it
against all expenses and liabilities is furnished as often as may be required,
and the Custodian shall not be under any obligation whatsoever with respect to
such proceedings, the responsibility of the Custodian being solely to the
Depositary. None of the Depositary or its agents or the Company or its agents
shall be liable for any action or non-action by it or them in reliance upon the
advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting
Shares for deposit, any Owner or holder of a Receipt, or any other person
believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information.
The Depositary shall not be responsible for the manner in which any vote of any
Deposited Securities is cast or the effect of any such vote, provided that any
such action or inaction is in good faith and in accordance with the Deposit
Agreement. Subject to the Company's STATUTS and Section 2.09 of the Deposit
Agreement, the Depositary may own and deal in any class of securities of the
Company and its affiliates and in Receipts.

                  (22) RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF THE DEPOSITARY; SUBSTITUTION
AND ADDITION OF CUSTODIAN. The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary
under the Deposit Agreement by written notice of its election so to do delivered
to the Company, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a
successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as provided in the
Deposit Agreement. The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by
written notice of such removal, effective upon
the appointment of a

                                      A-20
<PAGE>

successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as provided in the
Deposit Agreement.

                  In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall
resign or be removed, the Company shall use its best efforts to appoint a
successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having an office in
the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

                  Whenever the Depositary in its discretion determines, after
consultation with the Company to the extent practicable, that it is in the best
interest of the Owners to do so, it may appoint a substitute or additional
custodian or custodians approved by the Company, which shall be an accredited
intermediary acting through a specified office located in France, and the term
"Custodian" shall also refer to each such substitute or additional Custodian.

                  (23) AMENDMENT OF THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT AND RECEIPTS. The form
of the Receipts and the Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time
be amended by agreement in writing between the Company and the Depositary in any
respect which they may deem necessary or desirable. Any amendment which shall
impose or increase any fees or charges (other than taxes and other governmental
charges, registration fees, cable, telex or facsimile transmission charges,
delivery costs or other such expenses), or which shall otherwise prejudice any
substantial existing right of Owners, shall, however, not become effective as to
outstanding Receipts until the expiration of 90 days after written notice of
such amendment shall have been mailed to the Owners of outstanding Receipts.
Every Owner at the time any such amendment so becomes effective shall be deemed,
by continuing to hold such Receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and
to be bound by the Deposit Agreement or the Receipt as amended thereby. In no
event shall any amendment impair the right of the Owner hereof to surrender this
Receipt and receive therefor the Deposited Securities represented hereby, except
to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law.

                  (24) TERMINATION OF THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT. The Depositary will
at any time at the direction of the Company terminate the Deposit Agreement by
mailing notices of such termination to the Owners of all Receipts then
outstanding at least 30 days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such
termination. The Depositary may likewise terminate the Deposit Agreement (upon
30 days' prior written notice of such termination to the Company and the Owners
of all Receipts then outstanding) if at any time 90 days after the Depositary
shall have delivered to the Company a written notice of its

                                      A-21
<PAGE>

resignation sent by registered mail, a successor depositary shall not have been
appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in the Deposit Agreement. The
Depositary shall mail notice of such termination to the Owners of all Receipts
then outstanding at least 30 days prior to the date fixed in such notice for
such termination. On and after the date of termination, each Owner shall, upon
(i) surrender of each of its Receipts at the Depositary's Corporate Trust
Office, (ii) payment of the fees of the Depositary for the surrender of Receipts
as provided in paragraph (9) of this Receipt and (iii) payment of any applicable
taxes and governmental charges, be entitled to delivery, to him or upon his
order, of the whole number of Deposited Securities represented by the American
Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipts and to the net proceeds of the sale
of any fractional Deposited Securities represented thereby. If any Receipts
shall remain outstanding after the date of termination, the Depositary
thereafter shall discontinue the registration of transfers of Receipts, shall
suspend the distribution of dividends to the Owners thereof, and shall not give
any further notices or perform any further acts under the Deposit Agreement,
except that the Depositary shall continue to collect dividends and other
distributions pertaining to Deposited Securities, shall sell rights as provided
in the Deposit Agreement and shall continue to deliver Deposited Securities
together with any dividends or other distributions received with respect thereto
and the net proceeds of the sale of any rights or other property, in exchange
for Receipts surrendered to the Depositary (after deducting, in each case, the
fee of the Depositary for the surrender of a Receipt, expenses for the account
of the Owner of such Receipt in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Deposit Agreement, and any applicable taxes or governmental charges). At any
time after the expiration of one year from the date of termination, the
Depositary may sell the Deposited Securities then held under the Deposit
Agreement and may thereafter hold uninvested the net proceeds of any such sale,
together with any other cash then held by it under the Deposit Agreement,
unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the PRO RATA benefit of the
Owners which have not theretofore surrendered their Receipts, such Owners
thereupon becoming general creditors of the Depositary with respect to such net
proceeds. Thereafter, the Depositary will be discharged from all obligations
under the Deposit Agreement, except to account for such net proceeds and other
cash (after deduction, in each case, of the fee of the Depositary for the
surrender of a Receipt and any expenses for the account of the Owner of such
Receipt in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement,
and any applicable taxes or governmental charges) and except for its obligations
under Section 5.08 of the Deposit Agreement.

                                      A-22
<PAGE>

                  (25) COMPLIANCE WITH U.S. SECURITIES LAW. Notwithstanding
anything in the Deposit Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the
Depositary each agrees that it will not exercise any rights it has under the
Deposit Agreement to prevent the withdrawal or delivery of Deposited Securities
in a manner which would violate U.S. securities laws, including but not limited
to Section I A(1) of the General Instructions to the Registration Statement of
Form F-6, as amended from time to time, under the Securities Act of 1933.

                                      A-23<PAGE>

                                                                 EXHIBIT 10.1
                                                      [COMPOSITE CONFORMED COPY]

                        STANDSTILL AND REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of
                 July 18, 1991, between THE EQUITABLE COMPANIES INCORPORATED, a
                 Delaware corporation (the "Company"), THE EQUITABLE LIFE
                 ASSURANCE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES, a New York mutual life
                 insurance company ("Equitable"), and AXA, a corporation
                 organized under the laws of France (the "Investor"), as amended
                 by AMENDMENT NO. 1 dated as of November 27, 1991 and AMENDMENT
                 NO. 2 dated as of March 5, 1992.

                                   WITNESSETH:

            WHEREAS Equitable is currently preparing a plan of reorganization
under Section 7312 of the New York Insurance Law providing for, among other
things, the conversion of Equitable from a mutual life insurance company into a
stock life insurance company;

            WHEREAS Equitable, the Company and the Investor are parties to the
Investment Agreement dated as of July 18, 1991 (the "Investment Agreement");

            WHEREAS the Investor, directly or indirectly through one or more of
its Subsidiaries, will, after the Second Closing, own a substantial amount of
the common stock, par value $.O1 per share, of the Company ("Common Stock");

            WHEREAS the Company will, after the Second Closing, own all the
outstanding shares of capital stock of Equitable, which will then be a New York
stock life insurance company;

            WHEREAS the parties desire to set forth certain agreements with
respect to (i) the Investor's representation on the boards of directors of
Equitable and of the Company, as well as on certain other policy-making bodies
of Equitable, the Company and certain of their Subsidiaries, and (ii) the
Company's representation on the

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boards of directors of the Investor and one of its Subsidiaries; and

            WHEREAS the Investor and the Company desire to set forth certain
agreements with respect to the Investor's ownership of Voting Securities (as
defined below) after the Second Closing and the Company wishes to grant to the
Investor certain rights relating to the registration of Voting Securities after
the Second Closing and the parties accordingly desire that Articles II, III, IV
and V of this Agreement become effective only after the Second Closing, as
provided in Section 7.13;

            NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

            SECTION 1.1.  CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.  For purposes of this
Agreement;

            "beneficial ownership" has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
      13d-3 under the Exchange Act; and "beneficially own" shall have the
      correlative meaning.

            "Convertible Securities" means the Convertible Preferred Stock (and
      any convertible debentures exchanged therefor) and other securities
      convertible into or exchangeable for Voting Securities or any options,
      warrants or other rights exercisable to acquire Voting Securities.

            "group" has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-5(b) under
      the Exchange Act.

            "Investor Related Parties" means, collectively, (i) all Subsidiaries
      of the Investor, (ii) Axa Assurances I.A.R.D. Mutuelle, Axa Assurances Vie
      Mutuelle, La Mutuelle Generale Assurances Risques Divers, Uni Europe
      Assurance Mutuelle, Alpha Assurances Vie Mutuelle, La Nouvelle Mutuelle
      Assurance, FINAXA, Midi Participations, A.N.F., and their respective
      Subsidiaries (other than the Investor), (iii) any other person of which
      the Investor is or becomes a Subsidiary

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      and (iv) each person of which voting securities or other ownership
      interests representing 25% or more of the ordinary voting power are owned
      by the Investor or one or more Subsidiaries of the Investor or a
      combination thereof, which person is not a Subsidiary of the Investor but
      is actually controlled by the Investor.

           "person" has the meaning ascribed to such term in the
     Investment Agreement.

           "Standstill Amount" means the lesser of (a) 49% and (b) the greater
     of (i) 40.71% and (ii) the percentage equal to the sum of 5% plus the
     percentage of the Total Voting Power represented by the aggregate Voting
     Power of the shares of Common Stock acquired by the Investor and its
     Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 1.2 of the Investment Agreement (including
     without limitation paragraph (c)(ii) thereof); PROVIDED, that Total Voting
     Power, and the Voting Power of shares of Common Stock acquired by the
     investor and its Subsidiaries, shall initially be determined immediately
     after giving effect to the issuance of shares pursuant to the Plan and to
     the Second Closing (and the closing of the exchange of Other Debt
     Securities for shares) and the closing with the underwriters in the IPO,
     shall be recalculated immediately after giving effect to the Adjustment
     (and any similar adjustment involving the holders of the Other Debt
     Securities) made on the Adjustment Date, and shall be further recalculated
     immediately after giving effect to any exercise of the Warrants, in each
     case on the basis of all then outstanding Voting Securities other than any
     shares of Common Stock issued in the IPO pursuant to clause (z) of Section
     4.11(b) of the Investment Agreement; and PROVIDED FURTHER, that to the
     extent any Holder has exercised Warrants, such Holder shall be deemed to
     have acquired the shares of Common Stock then issuable to such Holder by
     reason of such exercise, and the shares so issuable shall be deemed
     outstanding; and PROVIDED FURTHER that if such Holder does not acquire the
     Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise within the six-month period
     referred to in Section 1.2(c)(ii) of the Investment Agreement, such Holder
     shall thereafter be deemed not to have exercised such Warrants.

            "Standstill Period" means the period commencing on the date of this
      Agreement and ending on the Termination Date.

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            "Subsidiary" has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Investment
      Agreement, except that in no event shall the Company or any of its
      Subsidiaries be considered a Subsidiary of the Investor or any of its
      Affiliates.

           "Termination Date" has the meaning ascribed to such term in
      Section 7.1.

           "Total Voting Power" means, at any time, the total number of votes
     that may be cast in the election of directors of the Company at any meeting
     of the holders of Voting Securities held at such time for such purpose,
     without regard to any voting limitation on any Voting Securities imposed by
     Section 7312(v) of the New York Insurance Law, if all then outstanding
     voting Securities were present and voted at such meeting.

           "Voting Power" means, as to any Voting Security at any time, the
     number of votes such Voting Security is entitled to cast for directors of
     the Company at any meeting of the holders of Voting Securities held at such
     time for such purpose, without regard to any voting limitation on any
     Voting Securities imposed by Section 7312(v) of the New York Insurance Law.

           "Voting Securities" means the Common Stock and any other securities
      issued by the Company having the power to vote in the election of
      directors of the Company, including without limitation any securities
      having such power only upon the occurrence of a default or any other
      extraordinary contingency, but excluding the Convertible Preferred Stock
      and the Other Preferred Stock and any preferred stock issued by the
      Company having only such rights to elect up to two directors as are
      required by the rules of (i) The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (whether or
      not such preferred stock is listed for trading thereon) or (ii) if such
      preferred stock is listed for trading only on one or more other stock
      exchanges, the principal stock exchange on which such preferred stock is
      listed; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that for purposes of Section 3.2, Section 3.3
      and Article V only, the term "Voting Securities" shall include the
      Convertible Preferred Stock (and any convertible debentures exchanged
      therefor) and, for purposes of Article V only, shall also include the
      Other Preferred Stock (it being understood that for purposes of Section

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      3.2 only, Total Voting Power and Voting Power shall be determined as
      though all Convertible Preferred Stock (and any convertible debentures
      exchanged therefor), whether or not in the money, had been converted or
      exchanged, in accordance with their terms, into or for Voting Securities
      immediately prior to the time of determination).

            SECTION 1.2.  OTHER DEFINITIONS.  Capitalized terms used
herein but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings
specified for such terms in the Investment Agreement.

                                   ARTICLE II

                RESTRICTIONS ON ACQUISITION OF VOTING SECURITIES

            SECTION 2.1. RESTRICTIONS ON ACQUISITION OF VOTING SECURITIES. (a)
During the Standstill Period, except as permitted by Section 2.2(a), the
Investor will not, and will cause the Investor Related Parties not to, directly
or indirectly, acquire any Voting Securities, without the prior consent of the
Company, unless, immediately after such acquisition, the percentage of the Total
Voting Power represented by the aggregate Voting Power of all Voting Securities
then owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor and the Investor Related
Parties would be less than or equal to the Standstill Amount; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that, for purposes of this Agreement, the direct or indirect acquisition
pursuant to Section 1.2(c) of the Investment Agreement or Section 2.3 of this
Agreement of any Convertible Securities or, thereafter, the direct or indirect
ownership thereof by the Investor or one of the Investor Related Parties shall
not be deemed to constitute the direct or indirect acquisition or ownership of
any Voting Securities unless and until such Convertible Securities are converted
into or exchanged or exercised for Voting Securities, except that to the extent
any Holder has exercised Warrants, such Holder shall be deemed, for purposes of
this Agreement (including the definition of Standstill Amount), to own the
shares of Common Stock then issuable to such Holder by reason of such exercise,
and the shares so issuable shall be deemed outstanding: and PROVIDED that if
such Holder does not acquire the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise
within the six-month period referred to in Section 1.2(c)(ii) of the Investment
Agreement, such Holder shall thereafter be deemed not to have exercised such
Warrants.

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             (b) During the Standstill Period, except as permitted by Section
 2.2 or 3.2, the investor will not, and will cause the Investor Related Parties
 not to, participate in making or financing any tender or exchange offer with
 respect to any Voting Securities, any proposal or offer for a merger,
 consolidation or other business combination involving the Company or any
 Significant Subsidiary or any proposal or offer to acquire all or any
 substantial part of the assets of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary,
 without the prior consent of the Company.

            SECTION 2.2. PERMITTED ACQUISITIONS OF VOTING SECURITIES. (a)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.1, the Investor or any of the
Investor Related Parties may directly or indirectly acquire Voting Securities
(in the open market, in a privately negotiated transaction, by tender or
exchange offer or otherwise) without regard to the Standstill Amount:

            (i) as otherwise contemplated by Section 2.3 or 3.2(iii);

           (ii) if any person or group, other than the Company or any of its
      Subsidiaries or the Investor or any of its Affiliates, either publicly or
      in a communication to the Company or to its Board of Directors, makes (x)
      a tender or exchange offer or other bona fide offer to acquire directly or
      indirectly voting securities under circumstances such that, immediately
      after such acquisition, such person or group would beneficially own Voting
      Securities with aggregate Voting Power representing 10% or more of the
      Total Voting Power, or (y) a formal proposal or offer for a merger,
      consolidation or other business combination directly or indirectly
      involving the Company, Equitable or any other Significant Subsidiary or a
      formal proposal or offer to acquire directly or indirectly all or
      substantially all the assets of the Company, of Equitable or of any other
      Significant Subsidiary (any proposal or offer referred to in this clause
      (y) being herein called a "Business Combination Proposal"), which Business
      Combination Proposal is either (A) not withdrawn or terminated or rejected
      by the Board of Directors of the Company within 30 days after such
      Business Combination Proposal is made or (B) accepted by the Board of
      Directors of the Company; PROVIDED that the restrictions set forth in
      Section 2.1 shall again

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      be applicable in accordance with their terms upon the withdrawal or
      termination of such offer or proposal of such person or group or, in the
      case of any Business Combination Proposal, the withdrawal or termination
      thereof or the rejection thereof by the Board of Directors of the Company,
      except to the extent the Investor or one of the Investor Related Parties
      is legally obligated (whether or not such obligations depend upon
      satisfaction or waivers of conditions precedent) to complete an
      acquisition of Voting Securities pursuant to a tender or exchange offer
      commenced or an agreement entered into prior to such withdrawal or
      termination or rejection (in such case, the Investor or such Investor
      Related Party, as the case may be, being "Legally Obligated"); PROVIDED
      FURTHER that it is understood and agreed that the filing by any such
      person or group of a notification and report form under the
      Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 or of a statement
      regarding the acquisition of control of or merger with a domestic insurer,
      or an equivalent document, under any state insurance law or regulation or
      of any proxy solicitation materials under the Exchange Act, in any such
      case with respect to any such acquisition, merger, consolidation or other
      business combination, shall be deemed to be an offer or proposal for
      purposes of this clause (ii) and for purposes of Sections 2.2(b), 2.4 and
      4.1(a)(iii); PROVIDED FURTHER that the restrictions set forth in Section
      2.1 shall again be applicable in accordance with their terms upon the
      withdrawal of such filing or the public announcement by such person or
      group of its termination or withdrawal of such offer or proposal, except
      to the extent the Investor or one of the Investor Related Parties is
      Legally Obligated;

         (iii) if such Voting Securities are acquired for a price (determined
      without regard to brokerage commissions or other expenses) that is less
      than, in the case of Common Stock, an amount per share equal to the
      Exchange Price and, in the case of other Voting Securities, an equivalent
      amount per share or other trading unit (adjusted proportionately for any
      differences between the Voting Power of one share or other trading unit of
      such Voting Securities and the Voting Power of one share of Common Stock),
      and in either case so long as, immediately after such acquisition, the
      percentage of the Total Voting Power represented by the aggregate Voting
      Power of all Voting

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      Securities then owned by the Investor and the Investor Related Parties
      would be less than or equal to 49%;

           (iv) directly from the Company (pursuant to any stock dividend or
      other distribution, by purchase or otherwise); or

            (v) (A) in the case of any Investor Related Party that is engaged in
      financial services activities (other than insurance), acquisitions for
      third parties in the ordinary course of business of such activities, so
      long as such Investor Related Party does not have voting discretion over
      such Voting Securities and (B) in the case of any employee benefit or
      other plan administered by any Investor Related Party in the ordinary
      course of its business, if the determination to acquire Voting Securities
      is made by independent trustees.

            (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.1, at any time after
the making of any offer or proposal of the type referred to in Section
2.2(a)(ii) the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties may participate
in making or financing any tender or exchange offer with respect to any Voting
Securities or any proposal or offer of the type referred to in Section 2.1(b),
without the prior consent of the Company; PROVIDED that the restrictions set
forth in Section 2.1 shall again be applicable upon the withdrawal or
termination or rejection of such offer or proposal as contemplated in Section
2.2(a)(ii), except to the extent the Investor or one of the Investor Related
Parties is legally obligated (whether or not such obligations depend upon
satisfaction or waivers of conditions precedent) to complete any such
transaction pursuant to a tender or exchange offer commenced or an agreement
entered into prior to such withdrawal or termination or rejection.

            SECTION 2.3. PROPORTIONAL PURCHASE RIGHTS. If from time to time the
percentage of the Total Voting Power represented by the Voting Power of all
Voting Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor and the
Investor Related Parties would be reduced as a result of any issuance of Voting
Securities by the Company or could be reduced as a result of any issuance of
Convertible Securities by the Company (in either case, whether for cash,
property or otherwise), the Company shall so notify the Investor in writing not
less than 30 Business Days prior to the proposed date of any such issuance and
shall

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offer to sell to the Investor or to any Investor Related Party designated by the
Investor, and, if such offer is accepted in writing by (x) if such issuance is
made pursuant to an underwriting or private placement purchase agreement, the
second Business Day prior to the date of execution of any such agreement (it
being understood that the Company will give the Investor at least four Business
Day's prior notice of such date of execution) or (y) if such issuance is not
made pursuant to such an agreement, the fifth Business Day prior to the proposed
date of such issuance, the Company shall sell to the Investor or such Investor
Related Party, as the case may be, that portion of the Voting Securities or
Convertible Securities to be issued which would result in the percentage of the
Total Voting Power immediately after such issuance represented by the aggregate
Voting Power of all Voting Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Investor and the Investor Related Parties equalling the percentage in effect
immediately prior to such issuance (assuming, in the case of Convertible
Securities, the conversion, exchange or exercise at such time of all Convertible
Securities to be issued in such issuance), or any lesser portion of the Voting
Securities or Convertible Securities to be issued in such issuance as may be
designated by the Investor, in either case at a price per share or other trading
unit of such Voting Securities or Convertible Securities, as the case may be,
equal to the price per share or other trading unit of such Voting Securities or
Convertible Securities, as the case may be, to be received by the Company in
such issuance, less any underwriting discounts and commissions, and otherwise on
the same terms as may be applicable to such issuance, except as set forth in the
next sentence; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this Section 2.3 shall not be applicable
to (i) any issuance of Common Stock or Convertible Securities in exchange for
Other Debt Securities as contemplated by Section 4.11(a) of the Investment
Agreement or of Common Stock in the IPO as permitted by Section 4.11(b) of the
Investment Agreement (other than clause (z) thereof) or of Voting Securities
upon the conversion, exchange or exercise of Convertible Securities which the
Company previously issued in accordance with this Section 2.3 (including clause
(ii) below) or (ii) any issuance of Convertible Securities to directors,
officers, insurance agents or employees of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries pursuant to any employee benefit plan established with the prior
consent of the Investor or (iii) any issuance of Common Stock upon the
conversion of Convertible Preferred Stock or of any

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convertible debentures exchanged for such Convertible Preferred Stock. The
Investor or any such Investor Related Party designated by the Investor may pay
for any Voting Securities or Convertible Securities purchased by it pursuant to
this Section 2.3 in whole or in part by surrendering shares of Other Preferred
Stock to the Holding Company, which shares will be valued for such purpose at
$100 per share plus all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date of
surrender.

            SECTION 2.4. NOTICE. The Company shall promptly advise the Investor
 orally and in writing of the making of any offer or proposal of the type
 referred to in Section 2.2(a)(ii) or of any written notice or other information
 received by the Company that indicates that any person or group has acquired or
 plans to acquire beneficial ownership of Voting Securities with aggregate
 Voting Power representing 5% or more of the Total Voting Power, and in each
 such case the identity of the person or group involved. The Company will keep
 the Investor fully informed of the status and details of any such offer,
 proposal, acquisition or planned acquisition.

                                   ARTICLE III

                 RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERS OF VOTING SECURITIES

            SECTION 3.1. RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERS. During the Standstill
Period, except as permitted by Section 3.2, the Investor will not, and will
cause the Investor Related Parties not to, directly or indirectly, sell or
otherwise transfer any Voting Securities or Convertible Preferred Stock (or any
convertible debentures exchanged therefor) owned by the Investor or any of the
Investor Related Parties, without the prior consent of the Company. All
Convertible Securities (other than Convertible Preferred Stock (or any
convertible debentures exchanged therefor)) and all other securities of the
Company owned by the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties may be sold
or otherwise transferred at any time without restriction under this Agreement,
subject to applicable law.

            SECTION 3.2. PERMITTED TRANSFERS. Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 3.1, the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties may sell or
otherwise transfer all or any portion of the Voting Securities owned by it as
follows (each of which exceptions

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shall be separate and not reduce the scope or availability of any other
exception):

            (i) pursuant to a public offering, private placement or any other
      transaction in which, to the Investor's knowledge and, in the case of any
      public offering, the knowledge of any managing underwriter involved in
      such public offering, no person or group that acquires such Voting
      Securities would immediately thereafter beneficially own Voting Securities
      with aggregate Voting Power representing 5% or more of the Total Voting
      Power;

            (ii) as permitted by Rule 144 under the Securities Act;

            (iii) to or among Affiliates of the Investor or back to the
      Investor; PROVIDED that prior to the first sale or other transfer to any
      such Affiliate that is not an Investor Related Party, such Affiliate
      agrees in writing to be bound by this Agreement as if it were the
      Investor, in which case such Affiliate shall have benefits identical to
      those accruing to the Investor under this Agreement, including without
      limitation those set forth in Article V (provided that the aggregate
      number of Free Registrations (as defined in Section 5.3(a)) otherwise
      required to be provided by the Company hereunder shall not be increased
      and that such Affiliate shall not have any rights under Article VI);

            (iv) subject only to the Company's right of first offer pursuant to
      Section 3.3, to any person or group;

            (v) to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any other person or
      group approved by the Company;

            (vi) pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by any person or
      group to all holders of any class or series of a class of Voting
      Securities which is not opposed by the Board of Directors of the Company
      in the Schedule 14D-9 (or, if such Schedule 14D-9 has been amended, in the
      latest amendment thereto) filed by the company in response to such offer;

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            (vii) pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made to all holders of
      any class or series of a class of Voting Securities which offer is (x) for
      an amount of Voting Securities which, together with all other Voting
      Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the person or group
      making such offer and their respective Affiliates, has an aggregate Voting
      Power equal to or greater than the aggregate Voting Power of all Voting
      Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor and the
      Investor Related Parties and (y) opposed by the Board of Directors of the
      Company in the Schedule 14D-9 (or, if such Schedule 14D-9 has been
      amended, in the latest amendment thereto) filed by the Company in response
      to such offer; PROVIDED that the Investor will not, and will cause the
      Investor Related Parties not to, tender any Voting Securities prior to the
      then scheduled expiration date of such offer and then only if the Company
      or its designee has not theretofore purchased all Voting Securities of
      such class or series proposed to be tendered by the Investor and the
      Investor Related Parties at a price per share or other trading unit in
      cash not less than the price per share or other trading unit to be paid in
      such offer (or, in the case of any offered consideration other than cash,
      the Fair Market Value (as defined in Section 3.3(b)) thereof) (it being
      understood that if the Company gives the Investor notice under Section 7.6
      that the Company or such designee offers to purchase all such Voting
      Securities at such a price under the circumstances contemplated by this
      clause (vii), the Investor and the Investor Related Parties shall be
      obligated either to sell such Voting Securities to the Company or such
      designee pursuant to such offer of the Company or such designee or to
      refrain from tendering such voting securities pursuant to such tender or
      exchange offer). If, following the purchase of such Voting Securities by
      the Company or such designee, the actual price per share or other trading
      unit paid in such offer or in any competing offer (or, in the case of any
      consideration paid other than cash, the Fair Market Value thereof) is
      greater than the amount per share or other trading unit paid by the
      Company or such designee, the Company shall, or shall cause such designee
      to, promptly pay to the investor or the appropriate Investor Related Party
      in cash the difference between the aggregate amount the Investor or such
      Investor Related Party would have received if

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      it had tendered such Voting Securities into such offer or competing offer
      and the aggregate amount paid by the Company or such designee for such
      Voting Securities. If the consideration so paid for any Voting Securities
      consists of both cash and noncash consideration, then the amount per share
      or other trading unit to be paid by the Company or such designee pursuant
      to this clause (vii) shall be determined by aggregating such cash
      consideration and the Fair Market Value of such noncash consideration so
      paid; and

            (viii) in the case of any Investor Related Party that is engaged in
      financial services activities (other than insurance), or in the case of
      any employee benefit or other plan administered by any Investor Related
      Party, in the ordinary course of its business.

            SECTION 3.3. COMPANY'S RIGHT OF FIRST OFFER. Prior to any sale or
other transfer of Voting Securities during the Standstill Period otherwise
permitted only by Section 3.2(iv), the Investor will give the Company or its
designee the opportunity to purchase such Voting Securities in the following
manner:

            (a) The Investor shall give notice (the "Transfer Notice") to the
Company in writing of its or one of the Investor Related Parties' intention to
effect such a sale or transfer, specifying the proposed manner of sale or
transfer, the amount and type of Voting Securities proposed to be sold or
transferred, the proposed minimum price per share or other trading unit thereof
(which price may be a price determined by application of a formula) (the
"Transfer Price") and the other material terms upon which such sale or transfer
is proposed to be made.

            (b) The Company shall have the right, exercisable by notice (the
"Acceptance Notice") given by the Company to the Investor within 120 days after
receipt of a Transfer Notice (such 120 days being herein called the "Acceptance
Period"), to agree to purchase or cause its designee to purchase all (but not
less than all) the Voting Securities specified in such Transfer Notice, for cash
at a price per share equal to the Transfer Price and on the other terms
specified in such Transfer Notice; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if, prior to its
receipt of the Acceptance Notice, the Investor gives notice to the Company that
the sale or transfer proposed in such Transfer Notice has been aban-

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doned, then the Company shall not have the right to agree to so purchase or
cause its designee to purchase such Voting Securities; PROVIDED FURTHER that if
from time to time the Investor shall give notice to the Company that the
Investor is reducing the Transfer Price, (X) the Transfer Price shall be deemed
to be reduced to the price specified in such notice and (y) the Acceptance
Period shall be deemed to end on the later of (i) the date that is 45 days from
the date such notice is given and (ii) the last day of the Acceptance Period
(prior to giving effect to this clause (y)); PROVIDED FURTHER that if the
Investor or such Investor Related Party proposes to sell Voting Securities
pursuant to a third-party offer consisting in whole or in part of consideration
other than cash, and the Company exercises its right of first offer, the Company
shall pay or cause such designee to pay to the Investor or such Investor Related
Party, as the case may be, in lieu of such noncash consideration, an amount in
cash equal to the then Fair Market Value thereof. For this purpose, the Company
and the Investor shall use their best efforts to cause any determination of the
Fair Market Value of any noncash consideration included in the Transfer Price to
be made promptly after the date of delivery of any Transfer Notice. The fees and
reimbursable expenses of any person or persons making the foregoing
determinations shall be paid in equal portions by the Company and the Investor.
"Fair Market Value" of any noncash consideration means the fair market value of
such noncash consideration as jointly determined by the Investor and the Company
or, in the event the Investor and the Company are unable to agree, as determined
by a mutually acceptable internationally recognized investment banking or other
advisory firm, which determination shall be final and binding on the parties
hereto.

            (c) If the Company exercises its right of first offer hereunder, the
closing of the purchase of the Voting Securities with respect to which such
right has been exercised shall take place on a Business Day not later than the
tenth Business Day after the Company gives notice of such exercise, which period
of time shall be extended in order to comply with applicable laws and
regulations and stock exchange listing requirements. Upon exercise by the
Company of the right of first offer under this Section 3.3, the Company and the
Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, shall be legally
obligated to consummate (or, in the case of the Company, to cause its designee
to consummate) the purchase contemplated thereby

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and shall use their best efforts to secure (or, in the case of the Company, to
cause its designee to secure) any approvals required and to comply (or, in the
case of the Company, to cause its designee to comply) with all applicable laws
and regulations and stock exchange listing requirements in connection therewith
as soon as practicable. If, for any reason, a designee of the Company does not
consummate the purchase contemplated thereby within 90 days after the Company
gives notice of the exercise of its right of first offer hereunder, the Company
shall consummate such purchase within 10 Business Days thereafter.

            (d) If the Company does not exercise its right of first offer
hereunder within the time specified for such exercise, the Investor or such
Investor Related Party, as the case may be, shall be free, during the period of
120 days following the expiration of such time for exercise, to sell the Voting
Securities specified in such Transfer Notice at a price not less than the
Transfer Price and on terms no less favorable to the Investor or such Investor
Related Party, as the case may be, than the other terms specified in such
Transfer Notice. Such 120-day period shall be extended in order to comply with
applicable laws and regulations so long as the parties are using all reasonable
efforts to secure any approvals required in connection therewith. Voting
Securities not so sold by the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the
case may be, within such period (or extended period) shall again become subject
to the restrictions provided for in this Article III.

                                   ARTICLE IV

                  VOTING OF SECURITIES; CORPORATE RESTRICTIONS

            SECTION 4.1. VOTING OF SECURITIES. (a) Subject to Section 4.1(b) and
to the rights of the Investor and its directors nominated under Article VI,
during the Standstill Period, the Investor will not, and will cause the Investor
Related Parties not to, (A) solicit proxies or become a "participant" in a
"solicitation" (as such terms are defined in Regulation 14A under the Exchange
Act) in opposition to the Board of Directors of the Company (PROVIDED that (i)
the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties may vote against any nominee
for director of the Company as to whom proxies are not being solicited

                                       15
<PAGE>

by the Board of Directors of the Company, (ii) (A) any Investor Related Party
that is engaged in financial services activities (other than insurance) may vote
Voting Securities so long as such Investor Related Party does not have voting
discretion over such Voting Securities and (B) any employee benefit or other
plan administered by any Investor Related Party in the ordinary course of its
business may vote Voting Securities if the decisions with respect thereto are
made by independent trustees and (iii) neither the Investor nor any of the
Investor Related Parties shall he deemed a "participant" for purposes of this
Section 4.1(a) solely by reason of the membership of its designees on the Board
of Directors of the Company as provided in Article VI), (B) call or seek to call
any special meeting of the Company's stockholders for any reason whatsoever, (C)
deposit any Voting Securities in a voting trust or subject any Voting Securities
to any arrangement or agreement with respect to the voting of such Voting
Securities other than an arrangement or agreement among the Investor, the
Investor Related Parties and any of the Investor's other Affiliates to which
Voting Securities have been transferred pursuant to Section 3.2(iii) or (D) form
or join a group for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of
Voting Securities, other than a group consisting only of the Investor, the
Investor Related Parties and any of the Investor's other Affiliates to which
Voting Securities have been transferred pursuant to Section 3.2(iii).

            Subject to Section 4.1(b), during the Standstill Period the Investor
will, and will cause the Investor Related Parties to, vote all Voting Securities
owned, directly or indirectly, by any of them, at the option of the Board of
Directors of the Company upon reasonable prior notice to the Investor, either in
accordance with the recommendation of the Company's Board of Directors or in the
same proportion as the holders of Voting Securities who are not affiliated with
either the Company or the Investor, with respect to all matters properly
presented for a vote of the holders of Voting Securities, other than those that
relate to:

            (i) (A) any merger, consolidation or other business combination
      involving the Company, Equitable or any Significant Subsidiary, (B) any
      sale, lease, transfer or other disposition in one transaction or a series
      of transactions of all or substantially all the assets of the Company,
      Equitable or any Significant

                                       16
<PAGE>

      Subsidiary, (C) any recapitalization or similar transaction or series of
      transactions involving the Company, Equitable or any Significant
      Subsidiary or (D) any dissolution or complete or partial liquidation of
      the Company, Equitable or any Significant Subsidiary;

           (ii) the approval of any amendment to the Company's Certificate of
      Incorporation or By-laws;

          (iii) any matter, at any time when the Investor or any of the Investor
      Related Parties may acquire Voting Securities without regard to the
      Standstill Amount pursuant to Section 2.2(a)(ii); and

           (iv) any matter that could result in any decrease in the percentage
      of the Total Voting Power represented by the aggregate Voting Power of all
      Voting Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor and
      the Investor Related Parties (other than any issuance of Voting Securities
      or Convertible Securities permitted to be made without the prior consent
      of the Investor pursuant to Section 4.2(i)) or any matter (other than the
      election of directors) that in the good faith judgment of the Investor
      could adversely affect its interests as the principal stockholder of the
      Company.

            (b) The provisions of Section 4.1(a) shall automatically terminate
and be of no further force and effect upon the earliest to occur of the
following:

            (i) any reduction after the date of this Agreement in the rating of
      Equitable or EVLICO by A.M. Best & Co. or in the claims paying ability
      rating of Equitable or EVLICO by Standard & Poor's Corporation or in the
      financial strength rating of Equitable or EVLICO by Moody's Investors
      Service, Inc., to "B+" or below, "BBB+" or below or "Baal" or below,
      respectively (or to or below a comparable rating from any of such rating
      agencies in the event that said rating agency changes its rating
      designations);

           (ii) the Company experiences Financial Adjustments (as defined in
       Section 4.1(c));

          (iii) a new chief executive officer or chief operating officer of the
      Company or of Equitable (regardless of the actual title of such officer)
      is

                                       17
<PAGE>

      appointed after the date of this Agreement without the prior consent of
      the Investor;

           (iv) the percentage of the Total Voting Power represented by the
      aggregate Voting Power of all Voting Securities then owned, directly or
      indirectly, by the Investor and the Investor Related Parties (other than
      any Voting Securities acquired in violation of this Agreement or acquired
      pursuant to Section 2.2(a)(v)) is greater than 50%; or

            (v) regardless of any other remedies the Investor may have, after a
       covenant or agreement of the Company contained in the Investment
       Agreement has been breached in any material respect, (x) if such breach
       was not inadvertent, the date on which the Investor gives notice of such
       breach to the Company or (y) if such breach was inadvertent, the date on
       which 30 days have passed after the giving of such notice without the
       Company having cured such breach.

             (c) (i) For purposes of Section 4.1(b)(ii), the Company shall be
 deemed to experience "Financial Adjustments" if:

             (x) the Company reports on its income statements (1) for each of
       two consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company that each end in the
       calendar year 1992, a Pre-Tax Operating Loss (as defined in Section
       4.1(c)(ii)) that, on a cumulative basis for such two fiscal quarters,
       exceeds $40,000,000, (2) for each of the two consecutive fiscal quarters
       of the Company ending on March 31, 1993, a Pre-Tax Operating Loss that,
       for the fiscal quarter ending on December 31, 1992, exceeds $20,000,000,
       or (3) for each of two consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company ending
       on or after June 30, 1993, a Pre-Tax Operating Loss;

             (y) the Company reports on its balance sheet for any fiscal quarter
       of the Company ending on or after December 31, 1992, that its
       consolidated stockholders' equity is less than 90% of its consolidated
       stockholders' equity as at the end of its year-earlier fiscal quarter;

             (z) Equitable, EVLICO and The Equitable of Colorado, Inc. report on
       a combined, statutory basis that for (1) any two consecutive fiscal
       quarters

                                       18
<PAGE>

      commencing on October 1, 1991, or any later date and ending on or prior to
      the Plan Effective Date or (2) any single fiscal quarter ending after the
      Plan Effective Date, (A) aggregate surrenders for individual insurance
      products exceeded $647,000,000 per fiscal quarter for any fiscal quarter
      ending in 1991, $638,000,000 per fiscal quarter for any fiscal quarter
      ending in 1992, $656,000,000 per fiscal quarter for any fiscal quarter
      ending in 1993 and $666,000,000 per fiscal quarter for any fiscal quarter
      ending in 1994 (for the purpose of this clause (A), classification of
      products as individual insurance products and determination of the amount
      of surrenders of individual insurance products shall be made in a manner
      consistent with such classification and determination of actual surrenders
      for individual insurance products for the year ended December 31, 1990, as
      reported in the "Total Individual Insurance Products After Coinsurance"
      table of the Company's 5-year plan (1991-1995) dated as of March 1, 1991)
      or (B) net increases in policy loan balances in excess of $60,000,000 per
      fiscal quarter (excluding policy loan balances relating to Aspen policies
      issued by The Equitable of Colorado, Inc. to the extent that proceeds of
      any such policy loans are used, as specifically contemplated and permitted
      by the terms of such policies, solely for the payment of premiums on such
      policies to The Equitable of Colorado, Inc.).

           (ii) For purposes of Section 4.1(c)(i)(x), "Pre-Tax Operating Loss"
for any fiscal quarter means the amount equal to (x) the sum of the Company's
consolidated earnings or loss from continuing operations before Federal income
taxes for such fiscal quarter plus the aggregate pre-tax amounts for
discontinued operations and extraordinary items for such fiscal quarter, in each
case determined in accordance with GAAP (on a pro forma basis with respect to
any fiscal quarter ending prior to the Plan Effective Date), minus (y) the
Pre-Tax Return Amount (as defined in Section 4.1(c)(v)) for such fiscal quarter.
A Pre-Tax Operating Loss shall be deemed to exist only if the result of the
foregoing calculation represents a loss. For the avoidance of doubt, if the
result of the calculation described in clause (x) represents a loss, the effect
of the subtraction of the amount described in clause (y) shall be to increase
the amount of the loss. The foregoing calculation shall in each case be made

                                       19
<PAGE>

            (1) without giving effect to any reduction in the amount as of the
      end of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter of any asset valuation
      allowance or reserve which has been established for any asset or assets
      (each an "Asset Valuation Allowance") in the consolidated financial
      statements of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP (on a pro forma
      basis with respect to any fiscal quarter ending prior to the Plan
      Effective Date) other than any such reduction that either (w) is related
      to assets of the GIC Segment (as hereinafter defined), to the extent that
      allowances for estimated future losses on the GIC Segment are
      correspondingly increased as a result of such reduction or such reduction
      reduces the amount of actual losses incurred from the operations of the
      GIC Segment during such fiscal quarter and as a result reduces the amount
      of any reduction given effect to pursuant to paragraph (3) below with
      respect to such fiscal quarter; PROVIDED in any case that if such
      reduction is the result of a revaluation of an asset, such revaluation
      must have been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (or,
      prior to the Plan Effective Date, by the Board of Directors of Equitable),
      (x) is related to any loss recognized in accordance with GAAP (on a pro
      forma basis prior to the Plan Effective Date) in such fiscal quarter with
      respect to any asset in respect of which an Asset Valuation Allowance has
      been previously established, other than any asset of the GIC Segment;
      PROVIDED that the amount of the reduction in the Asset Valuation Allowance
      with respect to such asset given effect to pursuant to this clause (x)
      shall not exceed the amount of such loss, (y) results from changes in
      discount rates or exit capitalization rates for mortgage loans and real
      estate owned, directly or indirectly, in respect of which an Asset
      Valuation Allowance has been previously established, other than mortgage
      loans and real estate of the GIC Segment; PROVIDED that any such reduction
      described in this clause (y), in any case or in the aggregate, shall be
      deemed for purposes of this paragraph (1) not to exceed in any fiscal
      quarter the lesser of (A) $10,000,000 or (B) the aggregate amount of
      additional asset valuation allowances for continuing operations taken in
      such fiscal quarter or (z) results from the revaluation of assets, other
      than as described in clause (y), in respect of which an Asset Valuation
      Allowance has been previously established, other than assets of the GIC
      Segment; PROVIDED that any such reduction described in

                                       20
<PAGE>

      this clause (z), in any case or in the aggregate, shall be deemed for
      purposes of this paragraph (1) not to exceed in any fiscal quarter the
      aggregate amount of additional asset valuation allowances for continuing
      operations taken in such fiscal quarter, less the amount of any reduction
      described in clause (y) with respect to such fiscal quarter; PROVIDED
      FURTHER that any such change or revaluation referred to in clause (y) or
      (z) is effected in accordance with GAAP and with the Company's standard
      accounting policies and is described in writing to the Investor in
      reasonable detail with respect to the assets being revalued;

            (2) without giving effect to any adjustment to the amount of
      Deferred Acquisition Costs which may result from (a) any reduction in an
      Asset Valuation Allowance or (b) any adjustment to the Closed Block (as
      defined in Exhibit 2 to the Investment Agreement) (for purposes of this
      paragraph (2), "Deferred Acquisition Costs" means the amount so reported
      in Equitable's or the Company's, as the case may be, financial statements,
      determined in accordance with GAAP applied in a manner consistent with
      that used in the financial statements of Equitable referred to in the
      first sentence of Section 4.1(c)(iv));

            (3) without giving effect to any reduction in the allowances (as
      such allowances may exist from time to time) for estimated future losses
      on its discontinued Guaranteed Interest Contract Segment (the "GIC
      Segment") recorded by Equitable or the Company, as the case may be, which
      are described in the financial statements of Equitable and its
      consolidated subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP for stock life
      insurance companies on a pro forma basis as at and for the nine months
      ended September 30, 1991 (and which were as at December 31, 1991 equal to
      $375.0 million), except any such reduction in such allowances that is the
      result of and does not exceed actual losses incurred from the operations
      of the GIC Segment; and

            (4) without giving effect to any Transaction Expenses that are
      described in writing to the Investor in reasonable detail with respect to
      each such expense, except to the extent that the aggregate amount of all
      Transaction Expenses incurred after December 31, 1991 exceeds $104,500,000
      (all such Transaction Expenses not given effect to in determining whether
      a Pre-Tax

                                       21
<PAGE>

      Operating Loss has occurred are herein referred to as "Excluded Expenses")
      (the adjustments referred to in the foregoing paragraphs (1), (2), (3) and
      (4) being referred to herein as the "Accounting Adjustments").

          (iii) For purposes of Section 4.1(c)(i)(y), the Company's consolidated
stockholders' equity shall be determined in accordance with GAAP (on a pro forma
basis with respect to any fiscal quarter ending prior to the Plan Effective
Date) but after applying the Accounting Adjustments with respect to each fiscal
quarter during the one-year period over which the change in such stockholders'
equity is then being measured and without giving effect to (x) any issuance of
any class of the Company's capital stock on or after the Plan Effective Date
(including but not limited to the issuance thereof upon the exchange or
conversion of the Notes, the issuance of shares of the Convertible Preferred
Stock, if any, and of the Other Preferred Stock, if any, in accordance with
Section 1.2 of the Investment Agreement, the issuance of Common Stock upon any
conversion of the Convertible Preferred Stock, if any, and the IPO), other than
to the extent that the cash received by the Company from the issuance of shares
in the IPO is used (the "Cash-Out Amount") to pay cash or provide for policy
credits to policyholders entitled to receive cash or policy credits in lieu of
shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan (for this purpose, the aggregate
amount of such cash and policy credits not to exceed $300,000,000), (y) any
underwriters' commissions and out-of-pocket expenses related to any issuance
referred to in clause (x) above or (z) the payment by the Company of any
dividends on its capital stock. In addition, in determining the Company's
consolidated stockholders' equity as at any date for purposes of Section
4.1(c)(i)(y), such consolidated stockholders' equity shall be reduced by the
After-Tax Return Amount (as defined in Section 4.1(c)(v)) as at such date.

            (iv) All determinations of Financial Adjustments shall be made using
the accounting principles to be used by Equitable in its consolidated balance
sheet as at December 31, 1991, and its consolidated income statement for the
year ended December 31, 1991, prepared in accordance with GAAP for stock life
insurance companies on a pro forma basis, and no effect shall be given to any
subsequent change in the accounting principles used by Equitable or the Company,
whether such change is required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or
otherwise.

                                       22
<PAGE>

Equitable and the Company hereby confirm and agree that the foregoing accounting
principles are the same as the accounting principles that were used by Equitable
in its consolidated financial statements as at and for the nine months ended
September 30, 1991, as included in Part 2 of the Policyholder Information
Booklet as initially mailed by Equitable to its policyholders. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, any determination required to be made
with respect to the Company under this Section 4.1(c) with respect to any fiscal
quarter ending prior to the Plan Effective Date shall instead be made with
respect to and on the basis of the financial statements of Equitable and its
consolidated subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP for stock life
insurance companies on a pro forma basis. Promptly following the Plan Effective
Date, the Company will deliver to the Investor a certificate of its chief
financial officer as to whether the Company has experienced Financial
Adjustments and setting forth in detail the calculations made in arriving at
such determination. After the Plan Effective Date, the Company will,
concurrently with its filings of Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q with the SEC, deliver to the Investor a certificate of its
chief financial officer as to whether the Company is experiencing Financial
Adjustments and setting forth in detail the calculations made in arriving at
such determination. Each such certificate relating to Equitable's or the
Company's year-end results will be accompanied by a report of Equitable's or the
Company's, as the case may be, independent public accountants certifying the
calculations made in arriving at such determination.

            (v) As used herein, the "Pre-Tax Return Amount" for any fiscal
quarter shall mean an amount equal to 7.5% per annum on the Adjusted New Capital
Amount (as hereinafter defined) as at the first day of such fiscal quarter,
calculated from and including the first day of such fiscal quarter to but
excluding the last day of such fiscal quarter, plus, with respect to any portion
of the New Capital Amount (as hereinafter defined) acquired by the Company after
the first day of such fiscal quarter, an amount equal to 7.5% per annum on such
portion, calculated from and including the date the Company acquired such
portion to but excluding the last day of such fiscal quarter. The "After-Tax
Return Amount" as at any date shall mean an amount equal to 5% per annum,
compounded annually, on the New Capital Amount at such date, calculated from and
including the Plan Effective Date (or,

                                       23
<PAGE>

with respect to any portion of the New Capital Amount acquired by the Company
after the Plan Effective Date, from and including the date the Company acquired
such portion) to but excluding such date. The "New Capital Amount" as at any
date shall mean an amount equal to (a) the aggregate amount as of that date of
consideration received by the Company on or after the Plan Effective Date from
any issuance of any capital stock of the Company, after deducting any
underwriters' commissions and out-of-pocket expenses in connection with such
issuance (other than any such expenses paid by the underwriters or by any other
unaffiliated party), minus (b) (1) the amount of any Excluded Expenses, other
than any underwriters' commissions and out-of-pocket expenses deducted pursuant
to subclause (a) of this sentence, (2) the aggregate amount of the proceeds of
the IPO used to pay or provide for the Cash-Out Amount and (3) the amount of any
cash dividends paid by the Company on its capital stock. For the avoidance of
doubt, the $1 billion principal amount of the Notes, as well as any
consideration received from the Investor in respect of the issuance of any other
shares of Common Stock and the amount received upon the sale of shares of Common
Stock in the IPO, shall be deemed consideration received by the Company for
purposes of calculation of the New Capital Amount. The "Adjusted New Capital
Amount" as at any date shall mean an amount equal to the New Capital Amount as
at such date increased by an amount equal to 5% per annum, compounded annually,
on such New Capital Amount, calculated from and including the Plan Effective
Date (or, with respect to any portion of such New Capital Amount received by the
Company after the Plan Effective Date, from and including the date the Company
received such portion), to but excluding the date as at which the Adjusted New
Capital Amount is being determined.

            SECTION 4.2. CORPORATE RESTRICTIONS. Until the completion of the
first annual meeting of the stockholders of the Company after the end of the
Standstill Period, the Company will not, and will cause its Subsidiaries not to,
take or authorize or agree to take any of the following actions, without the
prior consent of the Investor (which consent the Company will seek at least 20
days prior to the proposed date of any such action):

            (i) issue or sell any Voting Securities or Convertible Securities,
      or any shares of any other class or series of capital stock that has the
      right to vote, either together with the Common Stock or sepa-

                                       24
<PAGE>

      rately as a class, on any matter (other than such right to vote on such
      matters as are expressly required by the General Corporation Law of the
      State of Delaware), other than (w) Common Stock issuable upon the
      conversion, exchange or exercise of Convertible Securities previously
      issued pursuant to clause (x) or (y) below or with the prior consent of
      the Investor, (x) Common Stock or Convertible Securities issuable to
      directors, officers, employees or insurance agents of the Company or any
      of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any employee benefit plan established with
      the prior consent of the Investor (PROVIDED that the Investor shall not be
      deemed to have consented to the establishment of any such plan (A) if such
      plan is materially amended without the prior consent of the Investor, (B)
      solely by reason of any vote cast by the Investor or any of the Investor
      Related Parties pursuant to Section 4.1(a) or (C) solely by reason of any
      reference to such plan in the Plan) so long as no Voting Securities other
      than Common Stock are issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of
      such Convertible Securities, (y) Common Stock or Convertible Securities
      (including Convertible Preferred Stock and any convertible debentures
      exchanged therefor) to be issued pursuant to the Plan, to policyholders of
      Equitable, pursuant to Section 1.2 of the Investment Agreement or in
      exchange for Other Debt Securities as contemplated by Section 4.11(a) of
      the Investment Agreement or Common Stock to be issued in the IPO as
      permitted by Section 4.11(b) of the Investment Agreement and (z) an amount
      of Common Stock such that (A) the sum of the aggregate offering price
      (before deduction of underwriting discounts or commissions and expenses)
      of all such common Stock does not exceed (B) the excess, if any, of
      $200,000,000 over the aggregate offering price (before deduction of
      underwriting discounts or commissions and expenses) of any shares of
      Common Stock issued in the IPO pursuant to clause (z) of Section 4.11(b)
      of the Investment Agreement;

            (ii) merge or consolidate with any other person (other than the
      Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company; PROVIDED that if
      the Company is a party to any merger or consolidation, it shall be the
      surviving corporation) or sell, lease, pledge, mortgage, transfer or
      otherwise dispose of (whether by bulk reinsurance or otherwise, but other
      than to the

                                       25
<PAGE>

      Company or any wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company) (x) in the case of
      the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, all or any substantial portion
      of its assets, properties or business or any significant business segment
      or (y) in the case of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than
      in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, any
      asset, property, business or business segment that is material, in any
      case or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered
      as A whole; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this paragraph (ii) shall not prohibit
      any merger, consolidation, sale, lease, pledge, mortgage, transfer or
      disposition between Alliance L.P. and any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries
      or between any wholly owned Subsidiaries of Alliance L.P.;

            (iii) issue or sell any securities of any Significant Subsidiary of
      the Company having the power to vote, including without limitation any
      securities having such power only upon the occurrence of a default or any
      other extraordinary contingency, other than (x) to the Company or one or
      more of the Significant Subsidiaries and (y) partnership interests in
      Alliance L.P., so long as, after such issuance or sale, the Company
      directly or indirectly (through one or more Significant Subsidiaries)
      continues to own the general partnership interest and more than 50% of the
      limited partnership interests in Alliance L.P.;

            (iv) other than as set forth in Schedule 4.2(a) to the Investment
      Agreement, (x) incur, create or assume any Indebtedness, other than, in
      the case of any Insurance Company, short-term Indebtedness incurred in the
      ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, Section 1307
      Indebtedness and other Indebtedness that is nonrecourse to any assets of
      the Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than the separate accounts of
      any Insurance Company and, in the case of any Subsidiary of the Company
      that is not an Insurance Company, (A) Indebtedness incurred in the
      ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) other
      Indebtedness not exceeding $200,000,000 (less any Basket Indebtedness (as
      defined in the Investment Agreement) incurred prior to the Plan Effective
      Date) in the aggregate for all such Subsidiaries or, (y) other than in the
      ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, create or

                                       26
<PAGE>

      assume any liabilities (contingent, or otherwise) that are material, in
      any case or in the aggregate, to the Company or to any Significant
      Subsidiary;

            (v) make any material change in the nature of the business of the
      Company, Equitable or any Significant Subsidiary or enter into or acquire
      any material new business;

           (vi) except for surplus relief reinsurance agreements entered into to
      provide surplus in amounts that do not exceed anticipated repayments of
      outstanding surplus relief plus any associated risk charges arising from
      existing surplus relief reinsurance agreements, enter into any reinsurance
      agreements for the purpose of obtaining surplus relief that, together with
      any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 4.2(k) of the Investment
      Agreement, provide more than an aggregate of $18,960,000 in surplus to the
      Insurance Companies;

            (vii) take any action which has the purpose or effect of imposing
      limitations on the legal rights to be enjoyed by the Investor or any of
      the Investor Related Parties as a stockholder of the Company, including
      any action which would impose restrictions based on the size of its
      security holdings, the business in which it is engaged, its citizenship or
      other considerations applicable to it and not to stockholders generally,
      or impeding the Investor's or any Investor Related Party's ability to
      acquire or transfer, in any manner after the Standstill Period and in any
      manner that does not breach Section 2.1 or Section 3.1, respectively,
      during the Standstill Period, Voting Securities or control of the Company
      or its Board of Directors, or to vote, in any manner after the Standstill
      Period or the termination of the provisions of Section 4.1(a) and in any
      manner that does not breach Section 4.1 during the Standstill Period,
      Voting Securities, or to effect any merger, consolidation or other
      business combination involving the Company or Equitable, including,
      without limiting the generality of the foregoing, through the adoption of
      any stockholder rights plan or any similar agreement or plan; or

                                       27
<PAGE>

            (viii) amend the Certificate or Articles of Incorporation or By-laws
      of the Company, Equitable or any other Significant Subsidiary.

            For purposes of this Section 4.2, "Indebtedness" of any person shall
mean, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such person for borrowed money
or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such
person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all
obligations of such person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d)
all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such
Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by)
any lien, pledge, mortgage, security interest or other similar encumbrance on
property owned or acquired by such person, whether or not the obligations
secured thereby have been assumed, (e) all Guarantees by such person of
Indebtedness of others, (f) all capitalized lease obligations of such person and
(g) all obligations of such person as an account party in respect of letters of
credit and bankers' acceptances; PROVIDED that Indebtedness shall not include
any insurance policies, annuity contracts, guaranteed interest contracts or
funding agreements (within the meaning of Section 3222 of the New York Insurance
Law). The Indebtedness of any person shall include the Indebtedness of any
partnership in which such person is a general partner, except to the extent that
such Indebtedness is without recourse to such person.

            For purposes of this Section 4.2, "Guarantee" of or by any person
shall mean any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such person guaranteeing
or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other
person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or indirectly,
and including any obligation of such person, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase
or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such
Indebtedness or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of)
any security for the payment of such Indebtedness, (b) to purchase property,
securities or services for the purpose of assuring the holder of such
Indebtedness or any other person of the payment of such Indebtedness or (c) to
maintain working capital, equity capital or other financial statement condition
or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay
such Indebtedness; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the term

                                       28
<PAGE>

Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either
case in the ordinary course of business.

            For purposes of this Section 4.2 the Company shall not be required
to cause the following entities to comply with the covenants contained in this
Section 4.2:

            (i) any limited or general partnership in which neither the Company
      nor any of its Subsidiaries has as interest as a managing general partner;

           (ii) the Investment Management Vehicles; and

          (iii) any entity the equity securities of which are held by the
      Company or any of its Subsidiaries as an investment (or as a result of a
      foreclosure or restructuring in respect of an existing investment of the
      Company or its Subsidiaries) in the ordinary course of the investment of
      the General Account or in the ordinary course of the investment of assets
      by the Investment Management Vehicles.

            In the event the Company or its stockholders or any of its
Subsidiaries takes any action not permitted by the terms of this Section 4.2
and, only if such action is inadvertent, the Company does not cure such action
within 30 days after the Investor gives notice thereof to the Company, the
Investor shall thereafter have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving
notice of such termination to the Company.

                               ARTICLE V

                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS

            SECTION 5.1. REGISTRATION ON REQUEST. (a) Whenever the Company shall
receive a request from the Investor that the Company file a registration
statement under the Securities Act relating to the offering of Voting Securities
by the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties, specifying the Voting
Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor or such Investor
Related Party which are requested to be covered by such registration statement,
the Company shall file promptly such registration statement covering the Voting
Securities requested by the Investor to be so covered; PROVIDED that the Company
may delay such filing for a period not to

                                       29
<PAGE>

exceed the lesser of 60 days or the period during which the following condition
exists, if, in the good faith judgment of the general counsel of the Company,
the Company would be required to include in such registration statement material
business information which at that time cannot be publicly disclosed without
material disruption of a major corporate development or transaction then pending
or in progress that has previously been presented to the Company's Board of
Directors or is then described in reasonable detail to the Investor; PROVIDED
FURTHER that the Company shall not be obligated to file a registration statement
relating to any registration request under this Section 5.1(a) within a period
of nine months after either the IPO or the initial effective date of any other
registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to this Section 5.1(a). The
Company shall use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to
become effective and to remain effective for the period specified by the
Investor as required to permit the offering and sale by the Investor or such
Investor Related Party, as the case may be, of the Voting Securities covered
thereby (but not for more than six months from the effective date thereof).

            (b) Whenever the Company shall file a registration statement
pursuant to Section 5.1(a) in connection with an underwritten offering by the
Investor or such Investor Related Party, securities other than Voting Securities
owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor or such Investor Related Party
may be included by the Company among the securities covered by such registration
statement unless the managing underwriter, if any, of such offering shall have
advised the Investor in writing that the inclusion of such other securities
would adversely affect the successful marketing or the price of such offering.

            SECTION 5.2. INCIDENTAL REGISTRATION. Whenever the Company shall
propose to file a registration statement (other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or
any successor or similar form) under the Securities Act relating to any offering
of Voting Securities or any other securities of the Company, the Company shall
(i) promptly give notice thereof to the Investor, advising the Investor of both
the kind and amount of securities proposed by the Company to be so registered
and of the Investor's right hereunder (subject to the proviso to this sentence)
to have any or all Voting Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties

                                       30
<PAGE>

included among the securities to be covered by such registration statement and
offering an opportunity for 30 days (or, in the case of a registration statement
on Form S-3, for 20 days) from the date of such notice to request to have any or
all of such Voting Securities so included, (ii) with reasonable promptness file
such registration statement covering (subject to the proviso to this sentence)
the Voting Securities timely requested by the Investor to be so included and
(iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
effective and to remain effective for the period specified by the Investor as
required to permit the offering and sale by the Investor or such Investor
Related Party, as the case may be, of the Voting Securities covered thereby (but
not for more than six months from the effective date thereof); PROVIDED that, if
the Investor shall have requested pursuant to this Section 5.2 that Voting
Securities owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor or such Investor
Related Party be included among the securities covered by any such registration
statement relating to an underwritten public offering of Voting Securities or
Convertible Securities, (a) the Company may, to the extent necessary in the
opinion of the managing underwriter of such offering to permit the successful
distribution of all Voting Securities or Convertible Securities to be included
in such offering, require the Investor or such Investor Related Party to reduce
the number of Voting Securities proposed by the Investor to be so included
(which reduction shall be in the same proportion as any similar reduction then
imposed with respect to securities the Company then proposes to register (other
than securities to be issued by the Company)), so as to permit, in the opinion
of the managing underwriter, such successful distribution and (b) if any Voting
Securities owned by the Investor or any Investor Related Party are thereafter
included among the securities covered by such registration statement, the
Investor or such Investor Related Party and the Company shall agree, if
requested by such managing underwriter in order to facilitate the distribution
of the Voting Securities or Convertible Securities proposed to be sold under
such registration statement, not to sell any other Voting Securities (or
Convertible Securities) in the public market for a period not to exceed 90 days
after the effective date of such registration statement. Anything in this
Section 5.2 to the contrary notwithstanding, (A) if, at any time after giving
notice of its intention to register any securities and prior to the effective
date of the registration statement filed in connection with such registration,
the

                                       31
<PAGE>

Company shall determine for any reason not to register such securities, the
Company may, at its election, give notice of such determination to the Investor
and thereupon shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Voting
Securities in connection with such registration and (B) if such registration
involves an underwritten public offering of Voting Securities by the Company,
the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, must sell the
Voting Securities proposed by the Investor to be registered that are of the same
class or series of a class proposed by the Company to be registered to the
underwriters selected by the Company at the same price as applies to the
Company. If a registration requested pursuant to this Section 5.2 involves an
underwritten public offering, the Investor may elect, by notice to the Company
prior to the effective date of such registration statement, not to register
Voting Securities previously proposed by the Investor to be registered under
such registration statement.

            SECTION 5.3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) All expenses of the
Company (including without limitation Securities and Exchange Commission,
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., stock exchange and Blue Sky
filing and listing fees, attorneys' fees and disbursements, accountants' fees
and disbursements, printing costs and messenger and delivery expenses) and all
out-of-pocket expenses of the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties
(other than the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Investor or such
Investor Related Party, as the case may be, which shall be paid by the Investor)
incurred in connection with any registration undertaken by the Company pursuant
to Section 5.2 or any of the first five registrations undertaken by the Company
pursuant to Section 5.1(a) (each a "Free Registration") shall be paid by the
Company; PROVIDED that the underwriting commissions and discounts, if any,
applicable to Voting Securities owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor
or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, and included in any such
registration shall be borne by the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as
the case may be; PROVIDED FURTHER that with respect to each registration
pursuant to Section 5.1(a) other than a Free Registration, the Investor shall
reimburse the Company for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of the Company
incurred in connection therewith (including without limitation Securities and
Exchange Commission, National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., stock
exchange and Blue Sky filing and listing fees, attorneys' fees and
disbursements,

                                       32
<PAGE>

accountants' fees and disbursements, printing costs and messenger and delivery
expenses).

            (b) If requested by the underwriters for any underwritten offering
by the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties pursuant to any
registration requested under Section 5.1(a), the Company shall enter into an
underwriting agreement with such underwriters for such offering, such agreement
to be satisfactory in form and substance to the Investor and to contain such
representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms and
provisions (including, without limitation, provisions for indemnification of
such underwriters by the Company) as are customarily contained in such
underwriting agreements. The Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the
case may be, shall be a party to such underwriting agreement and may, at its
option, require that any or all of the representations and warranties by, and
the agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of such
underwriters be made to and for the benefit of the Investor or such Investor
Related Party, as the case may be, and that any or all of the conditions
precedent to the obligations of such underwriters under such underwriting
agreement be conditions precedent to the obligations of the Investor or such
Investor Related Party, as the case may be. Whenever a registration requested
pursuant to Section 5.1(a) is for an underwritten offering, the Investor will
select the managing underwriter to administer such offering after consultation
with the Company and subject to the approval of the Company, which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld.

            (c) Whenever the Company shall file a registration statement
pursuant to Section 5.1(a) or include any Voting Securities among the securities
covered by a registration statement pursuant to Section 5.2, the Company shall
(i) thereafter, for such period of time as shall be required in connection with
the transactions contemplated thereby and permitted by applicable rules,
regulations and administrative practice (but not for more than six months from
the effective date thereof), file such post-effective amendments and supplements
to such registration statement as shall be necessary so that neither such
registration statement nor any related prospectus shall contain any material
misstatement or omission relative to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
any of their respective assets or liabilities or their respective businesses or
affairs and so that such

                                       33
<PAGE>

registration statement and prospectus will otherwise comply with all applicable
legal requirements, (ii) furnish to the Investor such number of copies of such
registration statement and any related preliminary prospectus, prospectus,
post-effective amendment or supplement (in each case including all exhibits
thereto) as the Investor may reasonably request, (iii) take all action which may
be necessary under the securities or Blue Sky laws of any state or foreign
country, and as may be reasonably requested by the Investor, to permit the
offering and sale of the Voting Securities owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties and covered by such registration
statement; PROVIDED that the Company shall not be required to consent to (x)
general service of process or qualify generally to do business as a foreign
corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not then qualified to do business
or (y) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction, (iv) use its best
efforts to cause such Voting Securities to be registered with or approved by
such other Governmental Authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the
business and operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries to enable the
Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, to consummate the
disposition of such Voting Securities and (v) at the Investor's expense in
connection with any registration statement referred to in Section 5.1(a), other
than any Free Registration, and at the Company's expense otherwise, to furnish
to the Investor an opinion from the Company's counsel and a "comfort" letter in
customary form from the Company's independent public accountants, each addressed
to the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, and in such
form and covering such matters as are customarily covered in opinions of
issuer's counsel, and in accountants' letters delivered in similar
circumstances, in underwritten public offerings of securities and as the
Investor may reasonably specify in connection with such registration statement.

            (d) The Company covenants that it will (i) comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and
make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an
earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve months beginning with
the first month of the first fiscal quarter after the effective date of any
registration statement referred to in Section 5.1(a) or 5.2, which earnings
statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act;
(ii) use its best efforts to list the

                                       34
<PAGE>

Voting Securities covered by such registration statement on The New York Stock
Exchange or, if Voting Securities of such class or series of a class are not
then listed or admitted to trading thereon, on the principal national securities
exchange on which such Voting Securities are then listed or admitted to trading
or, if such Voting Securities are not then listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, on the National Association of Securities Dealers
Automated Quotations National Market System, and to provide a transfer agent and
registrar for such Voting Securities not later than the effective date of such
registration statement; (iii) promptly notify the Investor (A) of the time such
registration statement becomes effective or when any amendment or supplement or
prospectus forming a part of such registration statement has been filed, (B) of
any request by the Securities and Exchange Commission for an amendment of or
supplement to such registration statement or prospectus or for additional
information, (C) after the Company shall have received notice or otherwise
obtained knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any order by the Securities and
Exchange Commission suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement
or any amendment thereto or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding
for that purpose (and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any such stop order or to obtain its withdrawal promptly if such
stop order should be issued) and (D) at any time when a prospectus is required
to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the occurrence of an event
requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so
that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Voting Securities such
prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading and, at the request of the Investor, promptly
prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and make available
to the Investor any such supplement or amendment (PROVIDED that the six-month
periods referred to in the last sentence of Section 5.1(a) and clause (iii) of
the first sentence of Section 5.2 shall be extended by the period from which the
Company gives the notice specified in this clause (D) until such supplement or
amendment is made available to the Investor); and (iv) make available for
inspection by the Investor, any underwriter participating in any disposition
pursuant to such registration statement, and any attorney, accountant or other
professional retained by the Investor

                                       35
<PAGE>

or such underwriter (collectively, the "Inspectors"), all financial and other
records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (collectively, the "Records") as shall be reasonably necessary to
enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility, and cause the
Company's officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably
requested by any such Inspector in connection with such registration statement.
Records which the Company determines, in good faith, to be confidential and
which it notifies the Inspectors are confidential shall not be disclosed by the
Inspectors unless the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena
or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction. The investor agrees that
information obtained by it as a result of such inspections which is deemed
confidential shall not be used by it as the basis for any market transactions in
securities of the Company unless and until such information is made generally
available to the public. The Investor further agrees that it will, upon learning
that disclosure of such Records is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction,
give notice to the Company and allow the Company, at its expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the Records deemed confidential.

            (e) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company shall not be obligated to file a registration statement pursuant to
Section 5.1(a) with respect to any Voting Securities or to include among the
securities covered by a registration statement any Voting Securities requested
to be so included pursuant to Section 5.2 unless the Investor shall have, on or
prior to the second Business Day before the date of filing of such registration
statement, furnished to the Company in writing all information with respect to
the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, such Voting
Securities owned by the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may
be, and requested to be so included, the transaction or transactions which the
Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, contemplates and
each underwriter who will act for the Investor or such Investor Related Party,
as the case may be, in connection therewith, which any law, rule or regulation
requires to be disclosed therein. The Investor shall furnish promptly to the
Company all information required to be disclosed in order to correct any
misstatement or omission of a material fact contained in any registration
statement or prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any
preliminary

                                       36
<PAGE>

prospectus, based upon any information previously supplied by the Investor to
the Company.

             (f) The Company covenants that it will file the reports required to
be filed by it under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder and
will take such further action as the Investor may reasonably request, all to the
extent required from time to time to enable the Investor or such Investor
Related Party, as the case may be, to sell Voting Securities without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions
provided by (i) Rule 144 or, if applicable, Regulation S under the Securities
Act, as such Rule or Regulation may be amended from time to time, or (ii) any
other rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission permitting the sale of securities without registration under the
Securities Act. Upon the request of the Investor the Company will deliver to the
Investor a written statement as to whether it has complied with such
requirements.

            (g) Upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the occurrence of
any event of the kind described in Section 5.3(d)(iii)(D), the Investor and any
Investor Related Party will forthwith discontinue any dispositions of Voting
Securities pursuant to the registration statement relating to such Voting
Securities until the Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
amended prospectus contemplated by such Section and, if so directed by the
Company, will use its reasonable efforts to deliver or cause to be delivered to
the Company all copies, other than permanent file copies, then in the possession
of the Investor and the Investor Related Parties of the prospectus relating to
such Voting Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.

            SECTION 5.4. SECURITIES ACT REGISTRATION STATEMENTS; COUNSEL AND
ACCOUNTANTS; INDEMNIFICATION. (a) The Company covenants that it will not, and
will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, file any registration statement
under the Securities Act unless it shall first have given notice thereof to the
Investor. The Company further covenants that the Investor shall have the right
(i) prior to filing with the Securities and Exchange commission, to receive
copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto and any prospectus forming a part thereof in a timely fashion to enable
it to

                                       37
<PAGE>

participate in the preparation of such registration statement, amendment,
supplement or prospectus and to require the insertion therein of material,
furnished in timely fashion in writing to the Company, which in the Investor's
judgment should be included therein (PROVIDED that the Company shall not be
required to insert such material in such registration statement if the Company
shall furnish to the Investor an opinion of the Company's outside counsel to the
effect that the omission of such material does not cause such registration
statement to contain any 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) and (ii) at the Investor's expense in connection with
any registration statement referred to in Section 5.1(a) or 5.2, and at the
Company's expense otherwise, to retain counsel, and at the Company's expense to
retain independent public accountants (which at the Company's option may be the
Company's independent public accountants) to assist the Investor in such
participation. The Investor shall have the right to require the insertion in any
registration statement filed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of
language, in form and substance satisfactory to the Investor, to the effect that
the holding by the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be,
of any Voting Securities is not to be construed as a recommendation by the
Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the case may be, of the investment
quality of the securities of the Company or such Subsidiary and that such
holding does not imply that the Investor or such Investor Related Party, as the
case may be, will assist in meeting any future financial requirements of the
Company or such Subsidiary

            (b) In connection with any registration statement filed by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (including in connection with the IPO), the
Company will indemnify, defend and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by
law, the Investor, each Investor Related Party, if any, that owns securities
covered by such registration statement and each of their respective officers,
directors and agents and each person (as defined in Section 2(2) of the
Securities Act), if any, who controls the Investor or such Investor Related
Party within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act or any similar Federal statute then in force, against any and
all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable
costs of investigation and reasonable

                                       38
<PAGE>

attorneys' fees) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in any registration statement or
prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any preliminary
prospectus, or arising out of or based upon any omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses arise out of or are based upon any such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or such omission or alleged omission
contained in information furnished in writing by the Investor expressly for use
in such registration statement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, in the case of any
underwritten public offering where the Investor has selected the managing
underwriter, the foregoing indemnity shall not apply with respect to any
preliminary prospectus to the extent that any person asserting any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or expense that purchased the securities offered
pursuant to such preliminary prospectus did not receive a copy of the final
prospectus at or prior to the confirmation of the sale of such securities to
such person in any case where delivery of the final prospectus is required by
the Securities Act and the untrue statement or omission of a material fact
contained in such preliminary prospectus was corrected in such final prospectus.
If, in connection with any such registration statement, the Investor shall
furnish written information to the Company expressly for use in any such
registration statement, the Investor will indemnify, defend and hold harmless,
to the extent permitted by law, the Company and its directors, officers and
agents against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses
(including reasonable costs of investigation and reasonable attorneys' fees)
arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required
to be stated in such registration statement or prospectus or any preliminary
prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, but only insofar as such untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or such omission or alleged omission is contained in
information so furnished in writing by the Investor expressly for use therein;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, in the case of any offering (other than an underwritten
public offering where the Investor has selected the managing underwriter), the
foregoing indemnity shall not apply with respect to any preliminary prospectus
to the extent that any person

                                       39
<PAGE>

asserting any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense that purchased the
securities offered pursuant to such preliminary prospectus did not receive a
copy of the final prospectus at or prior to the confirmation of the sale of such
securities to such person in any case where delivery of the final prospectus is
required by the Securities Act and the untrue statement or omission of a
material fact contained in such preliminary prospectus was corrected in such
final prospectus. Any person entitled to indemnification under the provisions of
this Section 5.4(b) shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying
party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification; PROVIDED that
the failure of any indemnified party to give notice as provided in this
Agreement shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under this
Section 5.4(b), except to the extent that the indemnifying party is actually
prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, and (ii) unless in such
indemnified party's reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such
indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist in respect of such claim, permit
such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim, with counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party's
election to assume the defense of such claim, the indemnifying party will not be
liable to the indemnified party for any legal expenses subsequently incurred by
the indemnified party in connection with the defense of such claim; and, in any
event, such indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any
settlement made without its consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld).
In the event an indemnifying party shall not be entitled, or elects not, to
assume the defense of a claim, such indemnifying party shall not be obligated to
pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel (plus one local counsel in
each relevant jurisdiction) for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying
party under this Section 5.4(b) in respect of such claim, unless in the
reasonable judgment of any such indemnified party a conflict of interest may
exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties
in respect to such claim. The indemnification provided in this Section 5.4(b)
shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by
or on behalf of any indemnified party, and shall survive the transfer of any
Voting Securities being registered pursuant to Section 5.1(a) or 5.2.

                                       40
<PAGE>

            (c) If the indemnification provided for in Section 5.4(b) is due in
accordance with its terms but is for any reason held by a court to be
unavailable from the indemnifying party, on grounds of policy or otherwise, then
the Company and the Investor shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims,
damages, liabilities and expenses to which the Company, on the one hand, and the
Investor or an Investor Related Party, on the other, may be subject in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company, on
the one hand, and of the Investor or such Investor Related Party, on the other,
in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Investor or
such Investor Related Party shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission of a material fact relates to information supplied
by the Company or by the Investor or such Investor Related Party and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Investor
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
Section 5.4 (c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to in the two immediately preceding sentences. 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 who was not guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation.

            (d) Nothing contained in this Section 5.4 shall be deemed to give
the Company the right to refuse to file any registration statement pursuant to
Section 5.1(a) or 5.2 or otherwise take any action required thereunder.

            SECTION  5.5.  NO CONFLICTS; OTHER REGISTRATION RIGHTS.  (a)  The
Company shall not enter into any agreement, contract orunderstanding, written or
unwritten, inconsistent with any provision of this Article V.

            (b) The Company shall not grant any right of registration under the
Securities Act relating to any of its securities to any person unless the
Investor and the Investor Related Parties shall be entitled to have included in
any such registration the Voting Securities owned by

                                       41
<PAGE>

them pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Article V.

            SECTION 5.6. ASSIGNMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS. The Investor may
assign its rights under this Article V (other than its rights under Section
5.4(a), which the Investor shall not assign without the prior consent of the
Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld) to any person to whom the
Investor or one of the Investor Related Parties sells or transfers any of the
Voting Securities owned by it (other than a sale of Voting Securities pursuant
to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or included in a registration pursuant to
this Article V); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no assignment shall increase the number
of Free Registrations otherwise required to be provided by the Company hereunder
or increase, with respect to any registration statement filed by the Company,
the number of counsel the fees and disbursements of which the Company would
otherwise be obligated to reimburse to any person.

                               ARTICLE VI

                          BOARD REPRESENTATION

            SECTION 6.1. INVESTOR DESIGNEES. (a) Equitable hereby agrees that,
at or prior to the First Closing, it will cause three vacancies to be created on
its Board of Directors (by increasing the number of members of such Board or
otherwise) and effective no later than the First Closing it will cause three
persons designated by the Investor to be elected or appointed to such Board with
an initial term expiring on December 31, 1992. One of such designees, in each
case as designated by the Investor, shall, effective no later than the First
Closing (or such later date as the Investor shall designate), be elected or
appointed to the Audit Committee, the Executive Committee, the Finance
Committee, the Insurance Committee, the Investment Committee and the
Organization and Compensation Committee of such Board and any other Committee of
such Board designated by the Investor (collectively, the "Committees").

            (b) (i) Equitable and the Company hereby agree that from and after
the Second Closing the Investor shall be entitled from time to time to nominate
that number of members of the Boards of Directors of each of Equitable and the
Company (rounded to the next higher whole number (with

                                       42
<PAGE>

respect to each such Board, the "Permitted Number")) as shall be determined for
each such Board of Directors by multiplying the number of members constituting
the entire Board of Directors by the Investor Percentage and Equitable and the
Company will cause such persons so nominated by the Investor to be elected or
appointed to such Board as soon as practicable. For purposes of this Article VI,
"Investor Percentage" means the percentage of the Total Voting Power represented
by the Voting Power of the aggregate Voting Securities then held by the Investor
or any Investor Related Party; PROVIDED that, until the later of (a) if the
notice to be given by the Investor referred to in the second sentence of Section
1.2(c)(ii) of the Investment Agreement has been timely given, the date that is
six months after the Adjustment Date (or, if later, the date on which all the
conditions referred to in the proviso to the third sentence of Section
1.2(c)(ii) of the Investment Agreement have been satisfied in full) and (b) the
first annual meeting of the Company's stockholders after the Adjustment Date,
the Investor Percentage shall for purposes of this Agreement be deemed to be 40%
if the Investor Percentage would, prior to giving effect to this proviso, be
less than 40%. In the event the Permitted Number with respect to any such Board
at any time exceeds the number of nominees of the Investor serving on such
Board, the investor shall be entitled to nominate a number of additional persons
to serve as members of such Board such that, after such additional persons
become members of such Board (whether through filling newly established board
seats or otherwise), the number of Investor nominees then serving on such Board
shall equal the Permitted Number, calculated as of such time. If at the time
definitive proxy materials for any annual meeting of the stockholders of the
Company are mailed to stockholders, the Permitted Number with respect to the
Board of Directors of the Company is less than the number of nominees of the
Investor then serving on the Board of Directors of the Company and such
Permitted Number has been less than such number of nominees for the preceding 30
days or longer, then notwithstanding subsection (c)(i) below, the Company shall
only be required to nominate for election to its Board of Directors such number
of Investor nominees as shall then constitute such Permitted Number (or, if such
Board of Directors is classified, that portion of such Permitted Number equal to
such permitted Number divided by the number of classes (with the foregoing
portion to be rounded to the next higher whole number)), and in addition the
Investor shall cause a number of its nominees (if such Board of

                                       43
<PAGE>

Directors is classified, serving in classes other than the class then being
elected) to resign from the Board of Directors of the Company and Equitable
effective as of such annual meeting such that the Permitted Number shall
thereafter equal the number of such nominees serving on such Board; PROVIDED
that if, as the result of an issuance of Voting Securities by the Company within
the 120-day period preceding the mailing of such proxy materials, the Permitted
Number at the time of such mailing is less than the number of nominees then
serving, the Company shall be required to nominate for election to its Board of
Directors the full number of Investor nominees whose terms would otherwise end
as of such annual meeting, and the Investor shall cause any necessary
resignations to instead occur effective as of the date 120 days after such
annual meeting if still necessary as of such time; PROVIDED FURTHER that in the
event the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties (other than those
referred to in clause (iv) of the definition thereof) at any time have sold to
third parties (other than to Affiliates pursuant to Section 3.2 (iii)) Voting
Securities with aggregate Voting Power representing 1% or more of the Total
Voting Power and the Permitted Number is then less than the number of nominees
of the Investor then serving on the Board of Directors of Equitable or of the
Company, as the case may be, the Investor shall within 10 Business Days
thereafter cause a number of its nominees to resign from such Boards such that
the Permitted Number with respect to each such Board shall thereafter equal the
number of such nominees serving on such Board. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this paragraph (i), in the event the Permitted Number with respect
to either the Board of Directors of the Company or the Board of Directors of
Equitable constitutes a majority of the entire such Board, the Permitted Number
with respect to such Board shall be deemed to be one less than such Permitted
Number would be without giving effect to this sentence.

           (ii) From and after the Second Closing, the Investor shall be
entitled from time to time to nominate the number of members of each of (x) the
respective committees of the Boards of Directors of Equitable and of the Company
and (y) the boards of directors and committees thereof of the Significant
Subsidiaries (all such committees and boards of directors referred to in (x) and
(y) are herein collectively called the "Other Boards") (in each case rounded to
the next higher whole number (with respect to each such Other Board, the "Other
Permitted

                                       44
<PAGE>

Number")), as shall be determined for each Other Board by multiplying the number
of members constituting the entire such other Board by the Investor Percentage,
and Equitable and the Company will cause such persons so nominated by the
Investor to be elected or appointed to such Other Board as soon as practicable.
In the event the Other Permitted Number with respect to any Other Board at any
time exceeds the number of nominees of the Investor serving on such other Board,
the Investor shall be entitled to nominate a number of additional persons to
serve as members of such other Board such that, after such additional persons
become members of such Other Board (whether through filling newly established
board seats or otherwise), the number of Investor nominees then serving on such
Other Board shall equal such Other Permitted Number, calculated as of such time.
If at the time definitive proxy materials for any annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Company are mailed to stockholders, the Other Permitted
Number with respect to any Other Board is less than the number of nominees of
the Investor then serving on such Other Board, and such Other Permitted Number
has been less than such number of nominees for the preceding 30 days or longer,
the Investor shall cause a number of such nominees to resign from such Other
Board effective as of such annual meeting such that such other Permitted Number
shall thereafter equal the number of such nominees serving on such Other Board;
PROVIDED that if, as the result of an issuance of Voting Securities within the
120-day period preceding the mailing of such proxy materials, the Other
Permitted Number at the time of such mailing is less than the number of nominees
then serving, the investor shall cause any necessary resignations to instead
occur effective as of the date 120 days after such annual meeting if still
necessary as of such time; PROVIDED, FURTHER that in the event the Investor or
any of the Investor Related Parties (other than those referred to in clause (iv)
of the definition thereof) at any time have sold to third parties (other than to
Affiliates pursuant to Section 3.2(iii) Voting securities with aggregate Voting
Power representing 1% or more of the Total Voting Power and the Permitted Number
is then less than the number of nominees then serving any Other Board, the
Investor shall within 10 Business Days thereafter cause a number of its nominees
to resign from such Other Board such that the Permitted Number with respect to
such Other Board shall thereafter equal the number of such nominees serving on
such Other Board. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph
(ii), in the event the other Permitted Number with respect to any Other Board

                                       45
<PAGE>

constitutes a majority of the entire such Other Board, the Other Permitted
Number with respect to such Other Board shall be deemed to be one less than such
Other Permitted Number would be without giving effect to this sentence.

            (c) Equitable and the Company shall use their best efforts to cause
all persons nominated by the Investor pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement to be elected at any meeting of policyholders or stockholders held for
the purpose of electing directors. Without limiting the foregoing, such persons
shall be included in the list of candidates nominated by the Board of Directors
for such election, and Equitable and the Company shall solicit votes in favor of
such persons in the solicitation materials sent to policyholders or stockholders
and shall vote or cause to be voted all shares held by them or which they
otherwise have power to vote or direct the voting of in favor of such persons.
If, in connection with any such election, any persons nominated by the Investor
are to be put into one of several classes of directors, such persons shall be
distributed among the classes as evenly as possible, with any extra persons put
into the class or classes that will result in the longest possible terms for
such persons.

            (d) (i) Each nominee of the Investor referred to in section 6.1(a),
(b) or (c) shall serve on each Board of Directors, Committee or Other Board, as
the case may be, to which such nominee is elected or appointed, until his
successor is duly elected or appointed and qualified, or until his earlier death
or resignation. In the event that any such nominee shall cease to serve as a
director of Equitable or of the Company, as the case may be, or member of any
such committee or other Board to which he has been elected or appointed for any
reason (including without limitation the expiration of his term and his failure
to be reelected) other than as a result of his resignation due to the limits set
forth in Section 6.1(b), Equitable or the Company, as the case may be, shall
cause the vacancy resulting thereby promptly to be filled by another nominee of
the Investor.

           (ii) Equitable and the Company shall not be required to cause any
person to be elected or appointed to either of their Boards of Directors or any
Other Board who is then in their reasonable judgment legally ineligible to serve
thereon. With respect to any legal requirements concerning the residency or
citizenship of Directors, Equitable and the Company will use their best efforts
to

                                       46
<PAGE>

cause the members of such Boards of Directors or Other Boards other than
Investor nominees to be persons with residency and citizenship such that the
persons proposed to be designated by the Investor will not be ineligible to
serve. Such best efforts will include but not be limited to causing any
necessary resignations in order to accommodate the Investor's nominees. To the
extent that any nominee is required to be a "member" of Equitable, Equitable
will make reasonable and customary arrangements to cause such person to become a
member (with the Investor, if necessary under law, to pay any costs of acquiring
any necessary insurance policy).

            (e) Prior to the Second Closing Date, the Investor shall direct its
nominees that are directors of Equitable to abstain from voting (at meetings of
the Board of Directors of Equitable and committees thereof) on matters relating
to the Plan.

            SECTION 6.2. OFFICERS' COMMITTEES. (a) At or prior to the First
Closing, Equitable shall cause one person nominated by the Investor to be
appointed to each standing officers' committee of Equitable, the Company and
EVLICO (collectively, the "Officers' Committees") designated by the Investor. To
the knowledge of the Company and Equitable, Exhibit A is a true and complete
list of each such officers' Committee that is in existence on the date hereof
and that held any meetings in the last twelve months. Except as otherwise
provided by Section 6.2(b), the Investor shall after the First Closing be
entitled to so nominate one person to each Officers' Committee.

            (b) From and after the Second Closing, the Investor shall be
entitled from time to time to nominate that number of members of each of the
Officers' Committees (rounded to the next higher whole number (with respect to
each such Officers' Committee, the "OCP Number")) as shall be determined for
each such Officers' Committee by multiplying the number of members constituting
the entire officers' Committee by the Investor Percentage. In the event the OCP
Number with respect to any such Officers' Committee at any time exceeds the
number of nominees of the Investor serving on such Officers' Committee, the
Investor shall be entitled to nominate a number of additional persons to serve
as members of such Officers' Committee such that, after such additional persons
become members of such Officers' Committee, the number of Investor nominees

                                       47
<PAGE>

then serving on such Officers' Committee shall equal the OCP Number, calculated
as of such time. Equitable and the Company will cause such additional persons so
nominated by the Investor to be elected or appointed to such Officers' Committee
as soon as practicable. If at the time definitive proxy materials for any annual
meeting of the stockholders of the Company are mailed to stockholders, such OCP
Number is less than the number of nominees of the Investor then serving on any
such Officers' Committee, and such OCP Number has been less than such number of
nominees for the preceding 30 days or longer, the Investor shall cause a number
of such nominees to resign from such officers' Committee effective as of such
annual meeting such that such OCP Number shall thereafter equal the number of
such nominees serving on such Officers' Committee; PROVIDED that if, as the
result of an issuance of Voting Securities within the 120-day period preceding
the mailing of such proxy materials, the OCP Number at the time of such mailing
is less than the number of nominees then serving, the Investor shall cause any
resignations to instead occur effective as of the date 120 days after such
annual meeting if still necessary as of such time; PROVIDED FURTHER that in the
event the investor or any of the Investor Related Parties (other than those
referred to in clause (iv) of the definition thereof) at any time have sold to
third parties (other than to Affiliates pursuant to Section 3.2(iii)) Voting
Securities with aggregate Voting Power representing 1% or more of the Total
Voting Power and the OCP Number is then less than the number of nominees of the
Investor then serving on any Officers' Committee, the Investor shall within 10
Business Days thereafter cause a number of its nominees to resign from such
Officers' Committee such that the OCP Number with respect to such Officers'
Committee shall thereafter equal the number of such nominees serving on such
Officers' Committee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph
(b), in the event the OCP Number with respect to any Officers' Committee
constitutes a majority of the entire such Officers' Committee, the OCP Number
with respect to such Officers' Committee shall be deemed to be one less than
such OCP Number would be without giving effect to this sentence.

            SECTION 6.3. COMPANY DESIGNEES. The Investor hereby agrees that it
will use its best efforts at or prior to the First Closing to cause Richard H.
Jenrette to be appointed to the Board of Directors of the Investor as the
"representant permanent" of Axa Assurances Vie Mutuelle, and will use its best
efforts at or prior to the First

                                       48
<PAGE>

Closing to cause Joseph Melone to be appointed to the Board of Directors of
Equity and Law PLC, in each case for the remaining term of office in respect of
the vacancy filled by such person. Such persons shall serve in such capacity on
such Boards until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified; or
until their respective earlier deaths or resignations. The Investor will use its
best efforts to cause such persons to be reelected at the end of their
respective terms. This Section 6.3 shall terminate and be of no further force or
effect on and after the Termination Date.

                              ARTICLE VII

                             MISCELLANEOUS

            SECTION 7.1.  TERMINATION.  (a)  Except as provided in
Section 7.1(b), this Agreement shall automatically terminate on the
earliest of the following dates (the "Termination Date"):

            (i) September 19, 1994;

           (ii) the third anniversary of the date the Plan was adopted by the
      Board of Directors of Equitable in accordance with Section 7312(e);

          (iii) the date any person or group other than the Investor or any of
      its Affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of voting Securities with
      aggregate Voting Power representing 10% or more of the Total Voting Power;

           (iv) the date on which the Company enters into any agreement,
      agreement in principle or letter of intent, whether or not binding, with
      respect to (x) any merger, consolidation or other business combination
      involving the Company pursuant to which the percentage of the Total Voting
      Power immediately after the consummation thereof represented by the
      aggregate Voting Power of all Voting Securities that would then be owned,
      directly or indirectly, by the Investor and the Investor Related Parties
      (with references to the Company in the definition of the terms Total
      Voting Power, Voting Power and Voting Securities being deemed to be
      references to the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or
      business combination) would be

                                       49
<PAGE>

      less than the percentage of the Total Voting Power immediately prior to
      the execution of such agreement, agreement in principle or letter of
      intent represented by the aggregate Voting Power of all Voting Securities
      then owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor and the Investor
      Related Parties or (y) any sale of all or substantially all the Company's
      assets;

            (v) the first date after the Second Closing Date on which the
      percentage of the Total Voting Power represented by the aggregate Voting
      Power of all Voting Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by the
      Investor and the Investor Related Parties is less than 10% (the "l0%
      Threshold Date") (it being understood that for purposes of this clause (v)
      only, Total Voting Power and Voting Power shall be determined as though
      all Convertible Securities, whether or not in-the-money, owned by the
      Investor or any Investor Related Party had been converted or exchanged, in
      accordance with their respective terms, into or for Voting Securities
      immediately prior to the time of determination):

           (vi) the date on which any person nominated by the Investor pursuant
      to Article VI to be elected or appointed as a director of the Company or
      any of its Subsidiaries or a member of any committee of the Board of
      Directors of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or of any officers
      Committee, other than by reason of Section 6.1(d)(ii), (x) is not
      nominated for election, elected or appointed, as the case may be, as
      contemplated by Article VI or (y) is improperly removed or is prevented by
      the Company or any of its Subsidiaries from being such a director or
      sitting on any such committee or Officers' Committee in accordance with
      Article VI; and

          (vii) the earliest of (x) the date on which the Investor gives notice
      to the Company of termination of this Agreement as a result of any
      agreement or covenant of the Company contained in this Agreement or in the
      Cooperation Agreement having been breached in any material respect;
      PROVIDED that, if such breach is inadvertent and the Company cures such
      breach within 30 days of such date, such notice shall be deemed not to
      have been given for purposes of this clause (x), (y) the date on which the
      Investor is entitled to, and does, terminate this Agreement as specified
      in the last

                                       50
<PAGE>

      sentence of Section 4.2 and (z) the date on which the Investment Agreement
      is terminated in accordance with its terms.

            (b) In the event of termination of this Agreement pursuant to
Section 7.1(a), this Agreement shall, subject to the next sentence, thereafter
become void and have no effect and no party hereto shall have any liability to
the other party hereto in respect thereof, except as otherwise provided in the
next succeeding sentence and except that nothing herein will relieve any party
from liability for any breach of this Agreement prior to the Termination Date.
The provisions of Articles V and VI and Sections 2.3 and 4.2 shall survive the
Termination Date until (i) in the case of Article V, the Company shall deliver
to the Investor an opinion in form and substance satisfactory to the Investor of
counsel satisfactory to the Investor to the effect that all Voting Securities,
Convertible Preferred Stock, convertible debentures exchanged therefor and Other
Preferred Stock (for purposes of this Section 7.1(b)(i), (A) each class or
series of Voting Securities, (B) the Convertible Preferred Stock, (C) such
convertible debentures and (D) the Other Preferred Stock are each referred to as
a "Class of Securities") then owned, directly or indirectly, by the Investor and
the Investor Related Parties may be sold in a single transaction pursuant to
Rule 144 under the Securities Act; PROVIDED that if, after the Termination Date,
the Investor and the investor Related Parties own, directly or indirectly, more
than one Class of Securities, then the provisions of Article V shall survive the
Termination Date with respect to each class of Securities until the Company
shall deliver to the Investor an opinion in form and substance satisfactory to
the Investor of counsel satisfactory to the Investor to the effect that all
securities in such Class of Securities then owned, directly or indirectly, by
the Investor and the Investor Related Parties (and notwithstanding ownership by
the Investor or any Investor Related Party of any securities in any other Class
of Securities which any of them in fact then own) may be sold in a single
transaction pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, (ii) in the case of
Article VI, if the Investment Agreement has not been terminated in accordance
with its terms, the completion of the first annual meeting of the stockholders
of the Company after the end of the Standstill Period, and if the Investment
Agreement has been so terminated, Article VI shall not survive the Termination
Date and the Investor shall cause its nominees to forthwith

                                       51
<PAGE>

resign, (iii) in the case of Section 2.3, the 10% Threshold Date and (iv) in the
case of Section 4.2, the completion of the first annual meeting of the
stockholders of the Company after the end of the Standstill Period.

            SECTION 7.2. LEGEND AND STOP TRANSFER ORDER. To assist in
effectuating the provisions of this Agreement, the Investor consents and shall
cause each of the Investor Related Parties that owns Voting Securities to
consent:

            (a) to the placement of the following legend on all certificates
      representing Voting Securities hereafter owned, directly or indirectly, by
      the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties until such time as
      such securities have been transferred pursuant to the requirements of
      Section 3.2(i), (ii), (iv), (v), (vi) or (vii) or, if earlier, the
      Termination Date:

            "The securities represented by this certificate are subject to the
            provisions of a Standstill and Registration Rights Agreement dated
            as of July 18, 1991, among The Equitable Companies Incorporated (the
            "Company"), The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United
            States and AXA and may not be transferred except in accordance with
            such Agreement. Copies of such Agreement are on file at the office
            of the Corporate Secretary of the Company."

      Promptly following the acquisition of any Voting Securities not so
      legended by the Investor or any of the Investor Related Parties, the
      investor shall present or cause to be presented to the Company all
      certificates representing such Voting Securities for the placement of such
      legend thereon; and

      (b)   to entry of a stop tansfer order with any transfer agent and
            registrar for Voting Securities against transfer of any Voting
            Securities except in compliance with the requirements of this
            Agreement.

            The Investor and the Investor Related Parties shall be entitled to
            receive new certificates representing any Voting Securities owned,
            directly or indirectly, by them without the foregoing legend
            promptly after the Termination Date.

                                       52
<PAGE>

            SECTION 7.3. SEVERABILITY. If any term, provision, covenant or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect, unless such action would substantially impair the benefits to any party
of the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

            SECTION 7.4. SPECIFIC ENFORCEMENT. The Company, Equitable and the
Investor acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event
that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance
with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed
that any of the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to
prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce
specifically the terms and provisions hereof and thereof in any court of the
United States or any state thereof having jurisdiction, this being in addition
to any other remedy to which it may be entitled by law or equity.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Investor hereby agrees that it shall not be
entitled to an injunction with respect to any breach of (or to enforce
specifically) the Company's obligations set forth in Article VI with respect to
the Investor's designees to the Boards of Directors of the Subsidiaries of the
Company, with respect to which breaches the Investor's remedies shall be limited
to termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1(a).

            SECTION 7.5.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Agreement, the
Investment Agreement and the Cooperation Agreement contain the entire
understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered hereby
and thereby.

            SECTION 7.6. NOTICES. Any notice, demand, election, request, consent
or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be effective upon receipt. The addresses for such
communications shall be:

            If to the Company:

            General Counsel
            The Equitable Companies Incorporated
            787 Seventh Avenue
            New York, N.Y. 10019

                                       53
<PAGE>

            Telecopy: (212) 554-1030

            If to Equitable:

            General Counsel
            The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the
              United States
            787 Seventh Avenue
            New York, N. Y. 10019
            Telecopy: (212) 554-1030

                                       54
<PAGE>

            in either case with a copy to:

                 Debevoise & Plimpton
                 875 Third Avenue
                 New York, N. Y. 10022
                 Telecopy: (212) 909-6836
                 Attention: Wolcott B. Dunham, Jr., Esq.

            If to the Investor:

                 Directeur General International
                 AXA
                 23, Avenue Matignon
                 75008 Paris, France
                 Telecopy: 011-331-40754839

            with a copy to:

                  Cravath, Swaine & Moore
                  Worldwide Plaza
                  825 Eighth Avenue
                  New York, New York 10019
                  Telecopy: (212) 474-3700
                  Attention: George T. Lowy, Esq.

Any party hereto may from time to time change its address for communications
under this Section 7.6 by giving at least 5 days' notice of such changed address
to the other party hereto.

            SECTION 7.7. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS. This Agreement may not be
amended, supplemented or discharged, and none of its provisions may be modified,
except expressly by an instrument in writing signed by the party to be charged.
In addition, in accordance with Section 1.10 of the By-laws of the Company, any
such amendment of this Agreement shall not be effective unless approved by a
majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Company. Any term or provision
of this Agreement may be waived, but only in writing by the party which is
entitled to the benefit of that provision. No waiver by any party of any default
with respect to any provision, condition or requirement hereof shall be deemed
to be a continuing waiver in the future thereof or a waiver of any other
provision, condition or requirement hereof; nor shall any delay or omission of
any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of
any such right accruing to it thereafter.

                                       55
<PAGE>

            SECTION 7.8. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts, which together shall constitute but one instrument. It shall
not be necessary for each party to sign each counterpart so long as each party
has signed at least one counterpart.

            SECTION 7.9. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and legal
representatives. No party shall assign this Agreement or any rights hereunder
except as provided in Section 3.2(iii) or 5.6, and the assignment by a party of
this Agreement or any rights hereunder shall not affect the obligations of such
party under this Agreement. Subject to Sections 3.2(iii) and 5.6 and this
Section 7.9, no provision of this Agreement is intended to confer any right or
remedy upon any person other than the parties hereto and the Investor Related
Parties.

            SECTION 7.10. INTERPRETATION. When a reference is made in this
Agreement to an Article or Section, such reference shall be to an Article or
Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated or unless the context shall
otherwise require. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.

            SECTION 7.11. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. Each party hereto irrevocably
agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement and
any transaction contemplated hereby may be brought in the courts of the State of
New York in the Borough of Manhattan or of the United States of America for the
Southern District of New York, and the Investor hereby (i) agrees irrevocably to
designate, appoint and empower Axa Re United States, with offices on the date
hereof at 175 State Street, New York, New York 10004, to receive for and on its
behalf service of process in the State of New York and (ii) agrees not to plead
or claim in any such court that any such action or proceeding brought in any
such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

            SECTION 7.12. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS, EXCEPT TO THE

                                       56
<PAGE>

EXTENT THE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE IS MANDATORILY
APPLICABLE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT.

            SECTION 7.13. EFFECTIVE TIME OF AGREEMENT. Articles I, VI and VII of
this Agreement shall become effective as of the date of this Agreement upon
execution of this Agreement by all the parties hereto. Articles II, III, IV and
V of this Agreement shall automatically become effective in accordance with
their respective terms at the Second Closing, without further action by the
parties hereto.

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company, Equitable and the Investor have
caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized
officers as of the date first written above.

                             THE EQUITABLE COMPANIES
                                  INCORPORATED,

                                     by

                                       /s/ Richard H. Jenrette
                                       -----------------------------------
                                       Name: Richard H. Jenrette
                                       Title: Chairman

                                       57
<PAGE>

                          THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE
                          SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES,

                                     by

                                       /s/ Richard H. Jenrette
                                       -----------------------------------
                                       Name: Richard H. Jenrette
                                       Title: Chairman and Chief
                                                Executive Officer

                                  AXA,

                                     by

                                       /s/ Claude Bebear
                                       -----------------------------------
                                       Name: Claude Bebear
                                       Title: President
                                              Directeur General

                                       58
<PAGE>

                                                               Exhibit A

                     EQUITABLE OFFICERS COMMITTEES

            The list of officers committees set forth below is based on a review
of all Equitable Executive Announcements issued since 1986 and a survey of the
Law Department Division Directors.

            a.  Investments Under Surveillance Committee
            b.  Committee on Benefit Plans
            c.  Allocation of Investments Committee
            d.  Sales Complaint Committee
            e.  Irregularities Review Committee
            f.  UL/IL Commission Tier Appeal Committee
            g.  Annuity Commission Review Committee
            h.  Committee for Annuity Separate Accounts of The Equitable
            i.  Committee for Separate Account Numbers 20, 21 and 22 of The
                Equitable
            j.  Business Planning Task Force

                                       59

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