MARSH & MCLENNAN COMPANIES INC
8-K, 1999-04-13
INSURANCE AGENTS, BROKERS & SERVICE
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                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                           WASHINGTON, DC  20549 
  
  
                                  FORM 8-K 
  
  
                               CURRENT REPORT 
                   PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE 
                      SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
  
  
 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  April 5, 1999 
  
  
                      MARSH & MCLENNAN COMPANIES, INC. 
           -------------------------------------------------- 
           (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Charter) 
  
  
 Delaware                             1-5998             36-2668272 
 --------                             ------             ----------
 (State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission         (IRS Employer 
 of Incorporation)                  File Number)        Identification No.) 
  
  
 1166 Avenue of the Americas                                 10036-2774 
 ---------------------------                                 ----------
 (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                    (Zip Code) 
  
  
 Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (212) 345-5000 
  
  
                                Not Applicable
       ---------------------------------------------------------------     
       (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report) 
  

  
 ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS 
  
           An exhibit is filed herewith in connection with the Registration
 Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-67543) originally filed November 19,
 1998 by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (the "Company"). 
  
           On April 5, 1999, the Company entered into an Underwriting
 Agreement ("Underwriting Agreement") with Goldman & Sachs & Co., as
 underwriter, relating to 4,100,000 shares (the "Shares") of common stock,
 par value $1.00 per share, of the Company. 
  
           On April 6, 1999, the Company filed a prospectus supplement dated
 April 5, 1999 pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
 amended, relating to the issuance of the Shares. 
            
           The Underwriting Agreement, which is a exhibit to the
 Registration Statement, is being filed as an exhibit hereto.   

  
 ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS. 
  
           The Company is filing herewith the following exhibits: 
  
           (c)  Exhibits. 
  
           The exhibits accompanying this report are listed in the
 accompanying Exhibit Index. 



                                    Signature

  
      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
 the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
 the undersigned, thereto duly authorized. 
  

                                   Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. 
  
  
  
 Dated:    April 12, 1999          By:  /s/ Gregory F. Van Gundy 
                                        ----------------------------
                                   Name:  Gregory F. Van Gundy 
                                   Title: Secretary 

  

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
           The following exhibits are filed herewith and are exhibits to the
 Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3, Registration No. 333-67543,
 as noted below. 
  
  
                    Registration No.  
                      333-67543 
 Exhibit No.          Exhibit NO.                    Exhibit 
 

 1                      1.1                    Underwriting Agreement dated 
                                               April 5, 1999, among the 
                                               Company and Goldman, Sachs 
                                               & Co., as underwriter.






  
                              4,100,000 SHARES 
  
  
                      MARSH & MCLENNAN COMPANIES, INC. 
  
                  COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $1.00 PER SHARE 
                           UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT 




 April 5, 1999

  
  
                                             April 5, 1999 
  
  
  
 Goldman, Sachs & Co. 
   85 Broad Street 
   New York, New York 10004 
  
 Dear Sirs and Mesdames: 
  
      Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
 "COMPANY"), proposes to issue and sell to you, as underwriter (the
 "UNDERWRITER") 4,100,000 shares of its Common Stock, par value $1.00 per
 share (the "SHARES").  The shares of Common Stock, par value $1.00 per
 share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales
 contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the "COMMON STOCK." 

      The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
 "COMMISSION") a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to
 the Shares, which has become effective. The registration statement as
 amended at the time it became effective, or, if a post-effective amendment
 is filed with respect thereto, as amended by such post-effective amendment
 at the time of its effectiveness including in each case the information (if
 any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of
 effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as
 amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), is hereinafter referred to as the
 "REGISTRATION STATEMENT"; the prospectus as supplemented by the prospectus
 supplement relating to the sale of the Shares by the Underwriters in the
 form first used to confirm sales of Shares is hereinafter referred to as
 the "PROSPECTUS."  If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration
 statement to register additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule
 462(b) under the Securities Act (the "RULE 462 REGISTRATION STATEMENT"),
 then any reference herein to the term "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall be
 deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in
 this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or
 the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents
 incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the
 Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or
 the date of such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may
 be, and any reference to "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with respect
 to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus
 shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date
 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT"),
 and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder that are deemed
 to be incorporated by reference therein. 

     1.  Representations and Warranties.  The Company represents and
 warrants to and agrees with the Underwriter that:

         (a)   The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop
      order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in
      effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to
      the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.

         (b)  (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did
      not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not
      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, (ii) the Registration Statement and
      the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable,
      will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the
      applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and
      (iii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented,
      if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material
      fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
      therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
      not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set
      forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the
      Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon information
      relating to the Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by you
      expressly for use therein.

         (c)  The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing
      as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction
      of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its
      property and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus
      and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in
      each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its
      ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except
      to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good
      standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and
      its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

         (d)  Each subsidiary of the Company listed on Schedule A hereto,
      each a "SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARY," has been duly incorporated, is
      validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
      the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and
      authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described
      in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in
      good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its
      business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such
      qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so
      qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse
      effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; except
      as described or incorporated by reference in or contemplated by the
      Prospectus, all of the issued shares of capital stock of each
      Significant Subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly
      authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except
      for Class B Common Stock of Putnam Investments, Inc. are owned
      directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens,
      encumbrances, equities or claims.

         (e)  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
      delivered by the Company.

         (f)  The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to
      legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.

         (g)  The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance
      of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully
      paid and non-assessable.

         (h)  The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and
      delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be
      validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of
      such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

         (i)  The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the
      performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement
      will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate
      of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other
      instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is
      material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any
      judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court
      having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except for any
      such contraventions which, individually or in the aggregate, would not
      have a material adverse affect on the Company and its subsidiaries
      taken as a whole, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of,
      or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for
      the performance by the Company of the transaction contemplated by this
      Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue
      Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale
      of the Shares.

         (j)  There has not occurred any material adverse change, in the
      condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or
      operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from
      that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or
      supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).

         (k)  To the knowledge of the Company, there are no legal or
      governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or
      any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties
      of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required
      to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and
      are not so described or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other
      documents that are required to be described in the Registration
      Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
      Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

         (l)  No order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
      prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each preliminary
      prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally
      filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule
      424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material
      respects with the Securities Act, and did not contain an untrue
      statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
      to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
      the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
      misleading; provided that this representation and warranty shall not
      apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
      conformity with information relating to the Underwriter furnished to
      the Company in writing by you expressly for use therein.

         (m)  The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
      and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as
      described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" as
      such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
      amended.

         (n)  Except for the registration rights agreement dated March 12,
      1997, as amended on March 27, 1997, by and among the Company and the
      stockholders of Johnson & Higgins (the "J&H AGREEMENT"), there are no
      contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any
      person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a
      registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
      securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such
      securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration
      Statement.

     2.  Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell
 to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter, upon the basis of the
 representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the
 conditions hereinafter stated, agrees to purchase from the Company all of
 the Shares at $73.555 a share (the "PURCHASE PRICE").

      The Company hereby agrees that, without your prior written consent, 
 it will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of this
 Agreement, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or
 contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any
 option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or
 dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any
 securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock
 or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another,
 in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the
 Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii)
 above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other
 securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to
 (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) the issuance by the Company of
 shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the
 conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, (C) the granting
 of stock options or the issuance of restricted stock under the current
 employee benefit plans of the Company or (D) the issuance of shares of
 Common Stock by the Company in connection with acquisitions. 

     3.  Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the
 Underwriter proposes to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after
 the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in
 your judgment is advisable. The Company is further advised by you that the
 Shares are to be offered to the public on the terms set forth in the
 Prospectus.

     4.  Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Shares shall be made to the
 Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City
 against delivery of such Shares for the account of the Underwriter at 10:00
 a.m., New York City time, on April 8, 1999, or at such other time on the
 same or such other date, not later than April 15, 1999, as shall be
 designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are
 hereinafter referred to as the "CLOSING DATE."

      Certificates for the Shares shall be in definitive form and registered
 in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not
 later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date. The
 certificates evidencing the Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing
 Date with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the
 Shares to the Underwriter duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price
 therefor. 

     5.  Conditions to the Underwriter's Obligations. The obligations of
 the Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriter and the obligation of the
 Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are
 subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall be effective
 on the Closing Date and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
 Registration Statement shall be in effect and no proceedings for that
 purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission. 

      The obligation of the Underwriter is subject to the following further
 conditions: 

         (a)  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement
      and prior to the Closing Date:

              (i)  there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall
           any notice have been given of any intended or potential
           downgrading or of any review for a possible change with negative
           implications, in the rating accorded any of the Company's
           securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
           organization," as such term is defined for purposes of Rule
           436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and

             (ii)  there shall not have occurred any change, or any
           development involving a change, in the condition, financial or
           otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the
           Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set
           forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or
           supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement)
           that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes
           it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the
           terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

         (b)  The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date a
      certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer
      of the Company, to the effect set forth in the first paragraph of this
      Section 5, in Section 5(a), and to the effect that the representations
      and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and
      correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with
      all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part
      to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

           The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon
      the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened. 

         (c)  The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date an
      opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, outside counsel
      for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

              (i)   the Company has been duly incorporated and is
           subsisting and in good standing under the laws of the State of
           Delaware;

             (ii)   the Company has the corporate power and authority to
           conduct its business and own its properties, in each case as
           described in the Prospectus;

            (iii)  the authorized capital stock of the Company conforms in
           all material respects as to legal matters to the description
           thereof set forth in the Company's Registration Statements on
           Form 8-B, dated May 22, 1969, Form 8-A, dated September 21, 1987,
           as amended by Amendments on Form 8, dated September 18, 1990 and
           February 19, 1991 and Form 8-A dated October 10, 1997, taken
           together with the statements in the Prospectus under "Description
           of Capital Stock"; all such statements taken together have been
           reviewed by such counsel and, to the extent they constitute a
           summary of legal matters or documents referred to therein, they
           fairly present in all material respects the information called
           for with respect to such legal matters or documents;

             (iv)  the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued
           and delivered to the Underwriter in accordance with the terms of
           this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
           non-assessable, and the sale of such Shares will not be subject
           to any preemptive or similar rights of any stockholder of the
           Company arising under the Certificate of Incorporation, the By-
           Laws, Applicable Laws or any agreement filed as an exhibit to any
           of the Incorporated Documents;

              (v)  this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
           delivered by the Company;

             (vi)   no Governmental Approval is required for the
           registration of the Shares by the Company or the consummation by
           the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
           each in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, except such
           as have been made or obtained and except those which are not
           required to be obtained, made or taken prior to the date hereof;

            (vii)  the Company is not required to be registered or
           regulated as an "investment company" as such term is defined in
           the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

           (viii)  the statements in the Prospectus in the sections
           entitled "Plan of Distribution" and "Underwriter", to the extent
           that they relate to this Agreement, have been reviewed by such
           counsel and fairly summarize the provisions described in all
           material respects;  

             (ix)  (a) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, in
           each case excluding the documents incorporated by reference
           therein, as of their respective effective or issue date, complied
           as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
           Securities Act and (b) the documents incorporated by reference
           into the Registration Statement, as of their respective dates of
           filing with the Commission, complied as to form in all material
           respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act (excluding in
           the case of both clause(a) and (b) the financial statements,
           financial statement schedules and other financial or statistical
           data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
           in each case including the documents incorporated by reference
           therein); and

              (x)  such counsel shall state that no facts have come to
           their attention that have led them to believe that (except for
           the financial statements, financial statement schedules and other
           financial or statistical data included or incorporated by
           reference in the Registration Statement or excluded therefrom or
           the exhibits thereto, as to which such counsel need not express a
           belief) the Registration Statement, at the time the Registration
           Statement became effective, contained an untrue statement of a
           material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
           stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
           misleading, or that  the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the
           date hereof, contained or contains an untrue statement of a
           material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact
           necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
           circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

      For purposes of the foregoing opinion, the term "APPLICABLE LAWS"
 means the Delaware General Corporation Law and those laws, rules and
 regulations of the State of New York and the United States of America that,
 in the experience of such counsel, are normally applicable to transactions
 of the type contemplated by this Agreement (but without such counsel having
 made any special investigation concerning any other laws, rules or
 regulations), provided that the term "Applicable Laws" does not include (1) 
 any federal or state securities or blue sky laws or (2) any anti-fraud
 laws.  The term "GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES" means any New York or federal
 executive, legislative, judicial, administrative or regulatory body under
 Applicable Laws and the term "GOVERNMENTAL APPROVAL" means any consent,
 approval, license, authorization or validation of or filing, recording or
 registration with, any Governmental Authority pursuant to Applicable Laws.  

      In giving the opinions set forth in paragraphs (ix) and (x) above,
 such counsel may state that they do not assume any responsibility for the
 accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
 Registration Statement or Prospectus and have made no independent check or
 verification thereof except as set forth in paragraphs (iii) and (viii). 
 In addition, in giving the opinion set forth in paragraph (x) above, such
 counsel may state that they have participated in conferences with officers
 and other representatives of the Company, counsel for the Company,
 accountants for the Company, the Underwriter and Underwriter's  counsel
 discussing the Registration Statement and Prospectus and have reviewed, but
 did not participate in the preparation of, the documents incorporated by
 reference therein and discussed the business and affairs of the Company
 with officers and other representatives of the Company. 

         (d)  The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date an
      opinion of Gregory F. Van Gundy, general counsel for the Company,
      dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

              (i)  the Company has been duly qualified as a foreign
           corporation for the transaction of business and is in good
           standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in which it owns or
           leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such
           qualification, other than where the failure to be so qualified or
           in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the
           Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;

             (ii)  each Significant Subsidiary of the Company has been duly
           incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
           standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation,
           with corporate power and authority to own its properties and
           conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and, except
           as described or incorporated by reference in or contemplated by
           the Prospectus, all the issued shares of capital stock of each
           Significant Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly
           issued, are fully-paid and non-assessable, and, except for Class
           B Common Stock of Putnam Investments Inc., are owned by the
           Company, directly or indirectly, free and clear of all liens,
           encumbrances, equities or claims;

            (iii)  the performance by the Company of its obligations under
           this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions
           contemplated herein will not conflict with or result in any
           violation of any order of any court or governmental agency or
           body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
           Significant Subsidiaries or in a breach of any of the terms or
           provisions of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or
           instrument required to be filed as an exhibit to a form under the
           Exchange Act pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K, in each case
           to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a
           party or by which the Company or any of its Significant
           Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets
           of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject,
           except for any such violations, breaches, conflicts or defaults
           which individually or in the aggregate would not have a material
           adverse affect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
           whole;

             (iv)  other than as set forth or contemplated or incorporated
           by reference in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
           governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of such
           counsel, overtly threatened to which the Company or any of its
           Significant Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of
           the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is or may be
           subject which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably
           be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business,
           operations or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company
           and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and such counsel does not
           know of any contracts or other documents of a character required
           to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or
           required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
           Prospectus which are not filed or described as required;

              (v)  except for the J&H Agreement, such counsel does not know
           of any right to require the Company to register any securities
           for offering and sale under the Securities Act by reason of the
           filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the
           sale of the Shares by the Company; and 

             (vi)  the statements in or incorporated by reference into the
           Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
           December 31, 1998 under "Regulation", "Legal Proceedings" and
           "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions", insofar as such
           statements constitute a summary of legal matters, documents or
           proceedings referred to therein, fairly present in all material
           respects the information called for with respect to such legal
           matters, documents or proceedings. 

      In rendering the opinions set forth in paragraph (d) above, such
 counsel may state that the opinion is limited to the General Corporation
 Law of the State of Delaware, the laws of the State of New York and the
 federal laws of the United States.  In rendering the opinions described in
 paragraphs (c) and (d) above, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact,
 to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
 officers of the Company and certificates or other written statements of
 officials or jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the
 corporate existence or good standing of the Company.  

         (e)  The Underwriter shall have received on the Closing Date an
      opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell, counsel for the Underwriter, dated
      the Closing Date, covering the matters referred to in Sections
      5(c)(v), 5(c)(viii), 5(c)(ix) and 5(c)(x) above.

           With respect to Section 5(c)(ix) and 5(c)(x) above, Skadden,
      Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Davis Polk & Wardwell may state
      that their opinion and belief are based upon their participation in
      the preparation of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any
      amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the
      contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification,
      except as specified. 

           The opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP described
      in Section 5(c) above shall be rendered to the Underwriter at the
      request of the Company and shall so state therein. 

         (f)  The Underwriter shall have received, on each of the date
      hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the
      Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory
      to the Underwriters, from Deloitte & Touche LLP and Pricewaterhouse
      Coopers LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and
      information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort
      letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and
      certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement
      and the Prospectus;

     6.  Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the
 agreements of the Underwriter herein contained, the Company covenants with
 the Underwriter as follows:

         (a)  To furnish to you, without charge, two signed copies of the
      Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to furnish to
      you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York
      City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this
      Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(c) below, as
      many copies of the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments
      thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably
      request.

         (b)  Before amending or supplementing the Prospectus to furnish to
      you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to
      file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably
      object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period
      specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus
      required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

         (c)  If, during such period after the first date of the public
      offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the
      Underwriter the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in
      connection with sales by the Underwriter or any dealer, any event
      shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to
      amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements
      therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is
      delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of
      counsel for the Underwriter, it is necessary to amend or supplement
      the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare,
      file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the
      Underwriter and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will
      furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on
      behalf of the Underwriter and to any other dealers upon request,
      either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the
      statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not,
      in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to
      a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or
      supplemented, will comply with law.

         (d)  To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under
      the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall
      reasonably request.

         (e)  To make generally available to the Company's security holders
      and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering the
      twelve-month period ending June 30, 2000 that satisfies the provisions
      of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
      of the Commission thereunder.

         (f)  Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this
      Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or
      cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its
      obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees,
      disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and the Company's
      accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the
      Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in
      connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration
      Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and amendments
      and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs
      associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof
      to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove
      specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and
      delivery of the Shares to the Underwriter, including any transfer or
      other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing
      any Blue Sky memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the
      Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with
      the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state
      securities laws as provided in Section 6(d) hereof, including filing
      fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the
      Underwriter in connection with such qualification and in connection
      with the Blue Sky memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable
      fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriter incurred in
      connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the
      Shares by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (v)
      all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of
      the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock
      and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New
      York Stock Exchange, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Pacific Exchange
      and the London Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost of printing certificates
      representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer
      agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the
      Company relating to investor presentations on any "road show"
      undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the
      Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the
      production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any
      consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations
      with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of
      the representatives and officers of the Company and any such
      consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with
      the road show, (ix)  fees and disbursements of counsel for the
      Underwriters, and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the
      performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which
      provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood,
      however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 7 entitled
      "Indemnity and Contribution", and the last paragraph of Section 9
      below, the Underwriter will pay all of its costs and expenses, stock
      transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by it and any
      advertising expenses connected with any offers it may make.

     7.  Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify
 and hold harmless the Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls the
 Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act
 or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses,
 claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal
 or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or
 investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or
 alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
 Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or the
 Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished
 any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by 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 or liabilities are caused by any
 such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission
 based upon information relating to the Underwriter furnished to the Company
 in writing by you expressly for use therein and except, that with respect
 to any Preliminary Prospectus, such indemnity shall not insure to the
 benefit of the Underwriter (or the benefit of any person controlling the
 Underwriter) if the person asserting any such losses, liabilities, claims,
 damages or expenses purchased the Shares that are the subject thereof from
 the Underwriter and if such person was not sent or given a copy of the
 Prospectus at or prior to confirmation of the sale of such Shares to such
 person in any case where such sending or giving is required by the Act and
 the untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in such
 Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus.

    (b)  The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
 its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each
 person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either
 Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the
 same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Underwriter,
 but only with reference to information relating to the Underwriter
 furnished to the Company in writing by you expressly for use in the
 Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any
 amendments or supplements thereto.

    (c)  In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
 shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may
 be sought pursuant to Section 7(a) or 7(b), such person (the "INDEMNIFIED
 PARTY") shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be
 sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing and the indemnifying party,
 upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably
 satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party
 and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and
 shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such
 proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the
 right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel
 shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the
 indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to
 the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such
 proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying
 party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the
 same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing
 interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall
 not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in
 connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
 jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate
 firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties
 and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are
 incurred. Any such separate firm for the Underwriter and such control
 persons of the Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the
 Underwriter in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a);
 and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section
 7(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any
 proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such
 consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
 party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss
 or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying
 party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party,
 effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of
 which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity
 could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such
 settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from
 all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.

    (d)  To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 7(a) or
 7(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party in respect of any losses,
 claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying
 party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party
 thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
 indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
 liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
 relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
 Underwriter on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if
 the allocation provided by clause 7(d)(i) above is not permitted by
 applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
 the relative benefits referred to in clause 7(d)(i) above but also the
 relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriter on the
 other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in
 such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant
 equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on
 the one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand in connection with the
 offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective
 proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before
 deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting
 discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter, in each case as set
 forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate
 Public Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on
 the one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand 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 to state a
 material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the
 Underwriter and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
 information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
 omission.

    (e)  The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just or
 equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro
 rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take
 account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(d). The
 amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
 claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding
 paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth
 above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
 party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or
 claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Underwriter
 shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
 which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and
 distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of
 any damages that the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by
 reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
 omission. 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 such fraudulent
 misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not
 exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be
 available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

    (f)  The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this
 Section 7 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the
 Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full
 force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii)
 any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or any person
 controlling the Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers
 or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of
 and payment for any of the Shares.

     8.  Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination by
 notice given by you to the Company, if (a) after the execution and delivery
 of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall
 have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, any
 of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National
 Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., the Chicago Board of Options
 Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade,
 (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on
 any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium
 on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by
 either Federal or New York State authorities or (iv) there shall have
 occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in
 financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is
 material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of the events specified in
 clauses 8(a)(i) through 8(a)(iv), such event, singly or together with any
 other such event, makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the
 Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

     9.  Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall
 become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties
 hereto.

      If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriter because of
 any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms
 or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason
 the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this
 Agreement, the Company will
  reimburse the Underwriter for all out-of-pocket expenses reasonably
 incurred by such Underwriter in connection with this Agreement or the
 offering contemplated hereunder. 
  
    10.  Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more
 counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as
 if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

    11.  Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
 in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without
 giving effect to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof.

    12.  Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been
 inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part
 of this Agreement.
                          Very truly yours, 
  
                          Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. 
  
  
  
                          By: /s/ Frank J. Borelli 
                             ---------------------------------    
                             Name:  Frank J. Borelli 
                             Title: Senior Vice President and  
                                    Chief Financial Officer 
  
 Accepted as of the date hereof 
  
    
  
 /s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.
 -------------------------                 
 Goldman, Sachs & Co. 

  

                                  Schedule A
  
    Significant Subsidiaries of Marsh & McLennan
 Companies, Inc. 
  
  
     1.  J&H Marsh & McLennan, Inc.

     2.  Putnam Investments, Inc.

     3.  Mercer Consulting Group, Inc.





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