Many businesses are—or soon will be—unable to meet their obligations. Not all businesses in distress are unsuccessful; sometimes, as in the economic circumstances arising from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the governmental directives tailored to address the related public health issues, even successful businesses must confront closures and steep declines in demand that could not have been anticipated, and may find it necessary or desirable to restructure their existing debt obligations.

Saudi Arabia recently published a new Bankruptcy Law. This is the latest development of a string of reforms under Vision 2030 to further encourage the participation of foreign and domestic investors by structuring the business legal framework. This article provides a general analysis of the new bankruptcy law and its implications for businesses operating in the Kingdom.