A recent pair of decisions of the Hong Kong Companies Court (the “Court”) has immense potential significance for debtor companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (“HKEx”) and their Hong Kong creditors.

Facts

Re Lamtex Holdings Ltd [2021] HKCFI 622 and Re Ping An Securities Group (Holdings) Ltd [2021] HKCFI 651 both involved a familiar factual scenario:

This week’s TGIF considers the decision of the Supreme Court of New South Wales In the matter of Gearhouse BSI Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 98. In this case, one of the joint venture parties obtained an order to wind up the joint venture on the basis that the underlying purpose of the business had failed.

Key takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers an application to wind up a company on just and equitable grounds. The Court declined to make the order, finding the suggested deadlock had an air of artificiality and the application was infused with self-interest.

Key takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers the decision in Nikitins v EncoreFX (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] FCA 27, where the Federal Court found that funds paid into a holding account for the provision of foreign exchange services were held on trust and were not property of the liquidation.

Key takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers a recent decision of the NSW Supreme Court which determined an application to extend the time to bring voidable transaction claims, where the potential defendants were themselves insolvent, deregistered or bankrupt and the prospect of returns from the proceedings unclear.

Key takeaways

The natural and most appropriate jurisdiction in which to wind up a company is its place of incorporation. The Hong Kong Companies Court, however, routinely deals with winding up petitions against companies which are incorporated outside Hong Kong, but listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (“HKEx”). Given recent economic difficulties, the number of such petitions has been on the rise.

1. Introduction 

This week’s TGIF considers a recent decision of the NSW Supreme Court by which two DOCAs were terminated with the deed fund transferred to liquidators for the ultimate benefit of the secured creditor and, indirectly, the proponent of the deeds.

Key Takeaways

This week’s TGIF considers the Federal Court’s decision in Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Merlin Diamonds Limited (No 3)[2020] FCA 411, in which, consequent on finding a number of contraventions of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), the Court ordered the winding up of that company.

Background

This week’s TGIF considers a decision of the Federal Court which enabled administrators of Virgin to send electronic notices, conduct electronic meetings and absolved them from personal liability for leases for four weeks due to COVID-19.

Background

On 20 April 2020, administrators were appointed to Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd and 37 of its subsidiaries (together, the Virgin Companies).