昨今、ケイマン諸島の判決で、債権者との間のスキーム・オブ・アレンジメントを取り扱ったRe In the Matter of E-House (China) Enterprise Holdings Limited [1]において、セガル裁判官が米国、英国、ヨーロッパにおける制裁措置がスキーム・オブ・アレンジメントにどのような潜在的な法的影響をもたらすか、また、当該スキームが国際的にどのような法的効果を有するのかを明確にする判断を示しました。
現在のマクロ経済環境およびグローバル市場の激動状況に照らせば、誠実な企業再建実施後も継続した企業の事業活動が可能となるような方策を模索することにつき、柔軟で積極的な役割を果たす意思が裁判所にあることを確認したものです。
なお、ケイマン諸島が企業再建における最先端の法域であることは、裁判官による会社債権者との調整案策定のために会社を代理するリストラクチャリング・オフィサーの選任にかかる第一号事例からも示されています。この事例については「ケイマン諸島における新たな企業再建の幕開け」をご参照ください。
背景およびスキーム・オブ・アレンジメントの提案
Many businesses continue to experience unprecedented pressure on their cash flow given, among other things, the continued fall-out from the global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, rising interest rates, the end of cheap debt and the expected global downturn.
To mitigate their exposure to personal liability, it's important that directors of insolvent companies or companies in the zone of insolvency comply with their duties to act in the best interests of the company as a whole. This includes the interests of creditors as a whole.
In a recent judgment, Justice Doyle considered the principles applicable in agreeing to adjourn the hearing of a winding up petition. He granted only a short adjournment to allow opposing experts time to prepare a joint memorandum to assist the Court in determining issues related to the standing of the petitioner and issues in relation to its debt. The debtor's application for a longer adjournment was dismissed.
In the recent Cayman Islands case of Re In the Matter of E-House (China) Enterprise Holdings Limited[1], dealing with creditors' schemes of arrangement, Justice Segal gave a helpful decision that provided judicial clarity on, among other matters, the potential impact of the recent sanctions regimes in the US, UK and Europe on the scheme, and the international effectiveness of the scheme.
Introduction
In the recent decision of Re Ascentra Holdings Inc.(in Official Liquidation), the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands has once again confirmed the significant scope of its sanction jurisdiction in the context of official liquidations under section 110(2) of the Companies Act.
Introduction
Facts
Decision
Comment
On 11 November 2022, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands heard the first petition to appoint restructuring officers under the new Cayman Islands restructuring regime that came into force on 31 August 2022.
On 11 November 2022, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands heard the first petition to appoint restructuring officers under the new Cayman Islands restructuring regime that came into force on 31 August 2022.
The UK Supreme Court handed down its decision in BTI v Sequana on 5 October 2022, unanimously dismissing the appeal from the 2019 Court of Appeal decision and confirming how directors duties ought to be applied when a company is in the zone of insolvency. Although decisions of the UK Supreme Court are not binding upon the jurisdictions in which Ogier practises law, it will nevertheless be highly persuasive and influence the approach taken in the offshore jurisdictions that Ogier advises upon.
Reports last week of the significant increase in corporate insolvencies and voluntary liquidations in England and Wales for Q2 demonstrate the combined impact of government COVID-19 support being withdrawn, soaring energy and fuel costs, and weakening demand – and are being reflected in the nature of the instructions coming into our global jurisdictions from distressed companies across the globe.
The Grand Court of the Cayman Islands (Court) has confirmed that the Court has the jurisdiction to grant declaratory relief within winding-up proceedings (In the Matter of Polarcus Limited (In Official Liquidation) (Unreported, Justice Kawaley, 23 June 2022 Cause No: FSD 31 of 2021 (IKJ)).
This is welcome clarity for insolvency practitioners and other stakeholders in winding-up proceedings where such declaratory relief may be required and the relief cannot for some reason be included in a standard sanction application.
Background