In this session, the panellists took up the challenge of predicting the post COVID future for directors, and the immediate challenges they will face as a result of the winding back of protections and support provided in 2020.

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COVID-19

Government Intervention Schemes

Current as of 21 May 2021

Government Intervention Schemes

COVID-19 Government Intervention Schemes 2

Countries around the globe are facing unprecedented and rapid change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This guide provides a summary of key government interventions around the globe in relation to: EU State Aid Approvals (for EMEA region), foreign investment restrictions, debt, equity and taxation.

In brief

The Federal Court has ordered that an insolvency professional be appointed to act as a referee and to decide questions of insolvency in relation to a series of alleged unfair preferences, rather than have the judge undertake that task.

Key takeaways

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What is it?

The UK Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 came into force on 26 June 2020. It introduced a new restructuring plan procedure amongst its package of permanent measures. The restructuring plan gives directors another tool when considering restructuring options. Directors faced with financial distress can now weigh up the new restructuring plan, or the existing “tried and tested” scheme of arrangement.

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"Whenever there is change, and whenever there is uncertainty, there is opportunity."Mark Cuban, American businessman and investor

In the current global market, very few things are clear other than that volatility and change are ever-present.

This week’s TGIF examines a recent decision of the NSW Supreme Court which considered whether funds held in certain bank accounts of a failed Ponzi scheme should be returned to investors or paid to creditors of the companies.

What happened?

Since freezing orders were obtained by ASIC in 2017, details surrounding the infamous Courtenay House ‘Ponzi’ scheme operated from a small office at Westfield in Bondi have slowly emerged.

This week’s TGIF considers Wood v Astra Resources Ltd (UK Company No 07620218) [2016] FCA 1192, in which the Federal Court was asked to recognise a foreign proceeding under the Model Law on Cross Border Insolvency.

BACKGROUND

The ability of limited recourse provisions to protect borrowers and financiers against insolvency risks may be weaker due to a recent English court case.

Limited recourse clauses are often used in project and structured finance transactions. Borrowers want to avoid the risk of their directors being liable for trading while insolvent; and financiers may want to avoid the possibility of insolvency clawback actions if they seek to enforce their security documents.