Introduction
Benefits of Jersey companies
Debt-for-equity swaps
Structuring issues
Comment

Introduction

Why use debt for equity swaps?
Why use Jersey?
What key initial issues must be considered in respect of a new Jersey holding company?
Rise of debt for equity swaps in Jersey

Jersey continues to be the offshore jurisdiction of choice for restructurings involving debt for equity swaps (particularly restructurings of UK and international corporate groups). But what makes Jersey so attractive for this type of transaction?

This briefing first appeared in the June 2020 edition of South Square Digest.

Executive Summary

In February 2020 the British Virgin Islands Commercial Court (the "BVI Court") sanctioned a creditor scheme of arrangement, which was part of a much larger cross boarder restructuring. This scheme of arrangement, which as a creditor scheme was itself rare for the BVI, was preceded by the BVI's first ever "soft touch" provisional liquidation (in linked proceedings), which commenced in December 2018.