A successful purchase depends not just on negotiating a two-party transaction, but rather navigating the applicable process and dealing with all the competing interests successfully to allow a bid to succeed and closing to occur.

Q: Do opportunities exist for asset buyers in times of distress?

Removal of requirement for sanction

Previously under section 165 IA 86, liquidators in a voluntary winding up would have to seek sanction of the company (in members’ voluntary liquidation) or of the court or liquidation committee (in creditors’ voluntary liquidation) in order to exercise their powers to pay debts, compromise claims etc. SBEEA removes this requirement so that liquidators can exercise those powers freely. This will aid expeditious winding up of companies. Equivalent provisions have also been put into place for trustees in bankruptcy.