In a comprehensive judgment published on 23 April 2020, the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, comprising Moses JA, Martin JA and Rix JA, has provided welcome clarification of the interplay between a contractual agreement to arbitrate disputes arising between shareholders and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court to determine whether a company should be wound up on the just and equitable ground.
As many readers will know, Guernsey has recently approved a significant set of reforms to our insolvency legislation, to bring it in line with comparable jurisdictions such as England. A rules committee is also working on a set of corresponding rules to deal with the finer procedural points that affect a Guernsey insolvency. You can read Ogier's briefing on the new reforms here.
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.
During the course of the most recent bull market, merger and acquisition (M&A) activity generally remained robust. We increasingly saw competitive auctions for desirable companies, some of which also had the ability to pursue an initial public offering instead of a sale. In the years since the 2008 financial crisis, many acquisitive companies have become accustomed to pursuing target companies with solid balance sheets and bright prospects.
How does one go bankrupt? Two ways — gradually and then suddenly.
(Paraphrase of Hemmingway, by way of CFTC Chairman Heath Tarbert)
Usual Luxembourg security package
Luxembourg is one of the leading domiciles worldwide for international investment portfolio acquisition vehicles.
Acquisition financing are usually secured against the assets and cash flows of the target company as well as of the buyout vehicle.
In practice, given that a Luxembourg holding company generally does not have any operational activities, shares, receivables and cash on bank are the most important assets to cover.
Private wealth structures are not immune from insolvency. Here we examine the Jersey and Guernsey position from the trustee's perspective and consider the issues with which a trustee needs to be familiar.
Test for insolvency