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Introduction

The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (“Companies Law”) provides for companies, protected cell companies (“PCCs”), incorporated cell companies (“ICCs”) and cells of PCCs and ICCs to be placed into administration and for an administrator to be appointed to manage that entity's affairs whilst the administration order remains in force.

Reverse cross border mergers could become a popular device for UK companies seeking to maintain and preserve “passporting” or other EU rights.

The mechanism of a reverse cross-border merger (in this context whereby a UK parent company merges with their continental European subsidiary) has not historically been permitted under English law. However the provisions of an EU directive implemented in the UK in 2007 changed that position giving UK company groups that option.

In September 2012, Grant Thornton were appointed by the Royal Court of Guernsey as joint administrators of a Guernsey company called Montenegro investments limited (MIL) - a Guernsey property Investment Fund..  The joint administrators then appointed Ogier.

Current Status of MIL

On 13th August 2013, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and attorneys general from six US states and the District of Columbia filed suit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia to block the merger between US Airways and American Airlines. Days before, a group of American Airlines customers filed a claim that the merger would violate Section 7 of the Clayton Act.

This client briefing provides a general overview of schemes of arrangement for Guernsey companies under the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (the Companies Law).  A scheme of arrangement can involve almost any kind of corporate reorganisation, merger, acquisition or restructuring so long as the appropriate approvals and court sanction are obtained. In the context of restructurings, there is limited precedent in Guernsey, although such schemes of arrangement can be used to assist in insolvent/quasi-insolvent restructurings. 

Alan Roberts (the Liquidator) was the liquidator of both Kingston Management (Guernsey) Limited (KMGL) and Amazing Global Technologies Limited (AGTL).  He was appointed on 27 May 2009 and 31 May 2010 respectively. 

Introduction

If a company is insolvent, it is either not able to pay its debts as they fall due, or its assets are less than its liabilities.  An investor/creditor will have the ability to put the company into a formal insolvency procedure and, in most cases, appoint an independent third party to take control of the assets and investigate the conduct of the company’s directors, managers and other controlling functionaries.  Defined terms in this article are the same as the terms which were defined in the potential causes of action article.