INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, dated as of the 25th day of April, 2000, by and between
XXXXXXXXXXX EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FUND, a Massachusetts business trust
(hereinafter referred to as the "Fund"), and OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC. (hereinafter
referred to as "OFI").
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end, diversified management investment
company registered as such with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment
Company Act"), and OFI is an investment adviser registered as such with the
Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940;
WHEREAS, the Fund desires that OFI shall act as its investment adviser
pursuant to this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants
hereinafter set forth, it is agreed by and between the parties, as follows:
1. General Provisions:
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The Fund hereby employs OFI and OFI hereby undertakes to act as the
investment adviser of the Fund and to perform for the Fund such other duties and
functions as set forth in this Agreement. OFI shall, in all matters, give to the
Fund and its Board of Trustees (the "Trustees") the benefit of its best
judgement, effort, advice and recommendations and shall, at all times conform
to, and use its best efforts to enable the Fund to conform to: (i) the
provisions of the Investment Company Act and any rules or regulations
thereunder; (ii) any other applicable provisions of state or Federal law; (iii)
the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund as amended
from time to time; (iv) policies and determinations of the Trustees; (v) the
fundamental policies and investment restrictions of the Fund as reflected in the
registration statement of the Fund under the Investment Company Act or as such
policies may, from time to time, be amended; and (vi) the Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information of the Fund in effect from time to time. The
appropriate officers and employees of OFI shall be available upon reasonable
notice for consultation with any of the Trustees and officers of the Fund with
respect to any matters dealing with the business and affairs of the Fund,
including the valuation of portfolio securities of the Fund which are either not
registered for public sale or not traded on any securities market.
2. Investment Management:
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(a) OFI shall, subject to the direction and control by the Trustees:
(i) regularly provide investment advice and recommendations to the Company with
respect to the investments, investment policies and the purchase and sale of
securities and other investments for the Fund; (ii) supervise continuously the
investment program of the Fund and the composition of its portfolio and
determine what securities shall be purchased or sold by the Fund; and (iii)
arrange, subject to the provisions of paragraph 7 hereof, for the purchase and
sale of securities and other investments for the Fund.
(b) Provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any
compensation for services under this Agreement other than as provided by the
terms of the Agreement and subject to the provisions of paragraph 7 hereof, OFI
may obtain investment information, research or assistance from any other person,
firm or corporation to supplement, update or otherwise improve its investment
management services, including entering into sub-advisory agreements with other
affiliated or unaffiliated registered investment advisors to obtain specialized
services.
(c) Provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to protect OFI from
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its
duties, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this
Agreement, OFI shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of good
faith errors or omissions in connection with any matters to which this Agreement
relates.
(d) Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent OFI or any entity
controlling, controlled by or under common control with OFI or any officer
thereof from acting as investment adviser for any other person, firm or
corporation or in any way limit or restrict OFI or any of its directors,
officers, stockholders or employees from buying, selling or trading any
securities or other investments for its or their own account or for the account
of others for whom it or they may be acting, provided that such activities will
not adversely affect or otherwise impair the performance by OFI of its duties
and obligations under this Agreement.
3. Other Duties of OFI:
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OFI shall, at its own expense, provide and supervise the activities
of all administrative and clerical personnel as shall be required to provide
effective corporate administration for the Fund, including the compilation and
maintenance of such records with respect to its operations as may reasonably be
required; the preparation and filing of such reports with respect thereto as
shall be required by the Commission; composition of periodic reports with
respect to operations of the Fund for its shareholders; composition of proxy
materials for meetings of the Fund's shareholders; and the composition of such
registration statements as may be required by Federal and state securities laws
for continuous public sale of Shares of the Fund. OFI shall, at its own cost and
expense, also provide the Fund with adequate office space, facilities and
equipment.
4. Allocation of Expenses:
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All other costs and expenses of the Fund not expressly assumed by
OFI under this Agreement, or to be paid by the Distributor of the Shares of the
Fund, shall be paid by the Fund, including, but not limited to: (i) interest,
taxes and governmental fees; (ii) brokerage commissions and other expenses
incurred in acquiring or disposing of the portfolio securities and other
investments of the Fund; (iii) insurance premiums for fidelity and other
coverage requisite to its operations; (iv) compensation and expenses of its
Trustees other than those affiliated with OFI; (v) legal and audit expenses;
(vi) custodian and transfer agent fees and expenses; (vii) expenses incident to
the redemption of its Shares; (viii) expenses incident to the issuance of its
Shares against payment therefor by or on behalf of the subscribers thereto; (ix)
fees and expenses, other than as herein above provided, incident to the
registration under Federal securities laws of Shares of the Fund for public
sale; (x) expenses of printing and mailing reports, notices and proxy materials
to shareholders of the Fund; (xi) except as noted above, all other expenses
incidental to holding meetings of the Fund's shareholders; and (xii) such
extraordinary non-recurring expenses as may arise, including litigation,
affecting the Fund thereof and any legal obligation which the Fund may have to
indemnify its officers and Trustees with respect thereto. Any officers or
employees of OFI (or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common
control with OFI) who also serve as officers, Trustees or employees of the Fund
shall not receive any compensation from the Fund for their services.
5. Compensation of OFI:
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The Fund agrees to pay OFI and OFI agrees to accept as full
compensation for the performance of all functions and duties on its part to be
performed pursuant to the provisions hereof, a management fee computed on the
aggregate net assets of the Fund as of the close of each business day and
payable monthly at the annual rate of 1.00% of aggregate net assets.
6. Use of Name "Xxxxxxxxxxx":
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OFI hereby grants to the Fund a royalty-free, non-exclusive license
to use the name "Xxxxxxxxxxx" in the name of the Fund for the duration of this
Agreement and any extensions or renewals thereof. Such license may, upon
termination of this Agreement, be terminated by OFI, in which event the Company
shall promptly take whatever action may be necessary to change its name and
discontinue any further use of the name "Xxxxxxxxxxx" in the name of the Fund or
otherwise. The name "Xxxxxxxxxxx" may be used or licensed by OFI in connection
with any of its activities, or licensed by OFI to any other party.
7. Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage:
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(a) OFI (and any Sub Advisor) is authorized, in arranging the
purchase and sale of the portfolio securities and other investments of the Fund
to employ or deal with such members of securities or commodities exchanges,
brokers or dealers (hereinafter "broker-dealers"), including "affiliated"
broker-dealers (as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act), as may,
in its best judgment, implement the policy of the Fund to obtain, at reasonable
expense, the "best execution" (prompt and reliable execution at the most
favorable security price obtainable) of the portfolio transactions of the Fund
as well as to obtain, consistent with the provisions of subparagraph (c) of this
paragraph 7, the benefit of such investment information or research as will be
of significant assistance to the performance by OFI (and any Sub Advisor) of its
investment management functions.
(b) OFI (and any Sub Advisor) shall select broker-dealers to effect
the portfolio transactions of the Fund on the basis of its estimate of their
ability to obtain best execution of particular and related portfolio
transactions. The abilities of a broker-dealer to obtain best execution of
particular portfolio transaction(s) will be judged by OFI (or any Sub Advisor)
on the basis of all relevant factors and considerations including, insofar as
feasible, the execution capabilities required by the transaction or
transactions; the ability and willingness of the broker-dealer to facilitate the
portfolio transactions of the Fund by participating therein for its own account;
the importance to the Fund of speed, efficiency or confidentiality; the
broker-dealer's apparent familiarity with sources from or to whom particular
securities or other investments might be purchased or sold; as well as any other
matters relevant to the selection of a broker-dealer for particular and related
transactions of the Fund.
(c) OFI (and any Sub Advisor) shall have discretion, in the interest
of the Fund, to allocate brokerage on the portfolio transactions of the Fund to
broker-dealers, other than affiliated broker-dealers, qualified to obtain best
execution of such transactions who provide brokerage and/or research services
(as such services are defined in Section 28(e)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934) for the Fund and/or other accounts for which OFI or its affiliates (or
any Sub Advisor) exercise "investment discretion" (as that term is defined in
Section 3(a)(35) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) and to cause the Fund
to pay such broker-dealers a commission for effecting a portfolio transaction
for the Fund that is in excess of the amount of commission another broker-dealer
adequately qualified to effect such transaction would have charged for effecting
that transaction, if OFI (or any Sub Advisor) determines, in good faith, that
such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or
research services provided by such broker-dealer viewed in terms of either that
particular transaction or the overall responsibilities of OFI or its affiliates
(or any Sub Advisor) with respect to accounts as to which they exercise
investment discretion. In reaching such determination, OFI (or any Sub Advisor)
will not be required to place or attempt to place a specific dollar value on the
brokerage and/or research services provided or being provided by such
broker-dealer. In demonstrating that such determinations were made in good
faith, OFI (and any Sub Advisor) shall be prepared to show that all commissions
were allocated for purposes contemplated by this Agreement and that the total
commissions paid by the Fund over a representative period selected by the Fund's
Trustees were reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund.
(d) OFI (or any Sub Advisor) shall have no duty or obligation to
seek advance competitive bidding for the most favorable commission rate
applicable to any particular portfolio transactions or to select any
broker-dealer on the basis of its purported or "posted" commission rate but
will, to the best of its ability, endeavor to be aware of the current level of
the charges of eligible broker-dealers and to minimize the expense incurred by
the Fund for effecting its portfolio transactions to the extent consistent with
the interests and policies of the Fund as established by the determinations of
the Board of Trustees of the Fund and the provisions of this paragraph 7.
(e) The Fund recognizes that an affiliated broker-dealer: (i) may
act as one of the Fund's regular brokers for the Fund so long as it is lawful
for it so to act; (ii) may be a major recipient of brokerage commissions paid by
the Fund; and (iii) may effect portfolio transactions for the Fund only if the
commissions, fees or other remuneration received or to be received by it are
determined in accordance with procedures contemplated by any rule, regulation or
order adopted under the Investment Company Act to be within the permissible
level of such commissions.
(f) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 7, OFI
(and any Sub Advisor) may also consider sales of Shares of the Fund, and the
other funds advised by OFI and its affiliates as a factor in the selection of
broker-dealers for its portfolio transactions.
8. Duration:
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This Agreement will take effect on the date first set forth above.
Unless earlier terminated pursuant to paragraph 10 hereof, this Agreement shall
remain in effect for a period of two (2) years and thereafter from year to year,
so long as such continuance shall be approved at least annually by the Fund's
Board of Trustees, including the vote of the majority of the Trustees of the
Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined
in the Investment Company Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval, or by the holders of a
"majority" (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund, and by such a vote of the Fund's Board of Trustees.
9. Disclaimer of Shareholder or Trustee Liability:
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OFI understands and agrees that the obligations of the Fund under
this Agreement are not binding upon any shareholder or Trustee of the Fund
personally, but bind only the Fund and the Fund's property; OFI represents that
it has notice of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund
disclaiming shareholder or Trustee liability for acts or obligations of the
Fund.
10. Termination.
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This Agreement may be terminated (i) by OFI at any time without
penalty upon sixty days' written notice to the Fund (which notice may be waived
by the Fund); or (ii) by the Fund at any time without penalty upon sixty days'
written notice to OFI (which notice may be waived by OFI) provided that such
termination by the Fund shall be directed or approved by the vote of a majority
of all of the Trustees of the Fund then in office or by the vote of the holders
of a "majority" of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in
the Investment Company Act).
11. Assignment or Amendment:
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This Agreement may not be amended, or the rights of OFI hereunder
sold, transferred, pledged or otherwise in any manner encumbered without the
affirmative vote or written consent of the holders of the "majority" of the
outstanding voting securities of the Company. This Agreement shall automatically
and immediately terminate in the event of its "assignment," as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
12. Definitions:
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The terms and provisions of the Agreement shall be interpreted and
defined in a manner consistent with the provisions and definitions contained in
the Investment Company Act.
XXXXXXXXXXX EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FUND
Attest: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxx Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Assistant Secretary Secretary
OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
Attest: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxx Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Assistant Secretary Executive Vice President
EmergingTech/OrgDocs/AdvAgmt(400)
