Introduction

Introduction – the framework

The first half of 2019 continues a long growth rally for the fund finance market, with fund finance deal volume at Mayer Brown significantly up from last year. This growth occurred despite a three-year decline in the number of final fund closings.1 This apparent contradiction can be explained both by the penetration of traditional subscription credit facilities into a broader range of fund types and the diversification of fund finance product offerings in the market (including a notable uptick in the number of hybrid facility and net asset value credit facility closings).

^{"Whenever there is change, and whenever there is uncertainty, there is opportunity."Mark Cuban, American businessman and investor}

In the current global market, very few things are clear other than that volatility and change are ever-present.

This week’s TGIF examines a recent decision of the NSW Supreme Court which considered whether funds held in certain bank accounts of a failed Ponzi scheme should be returned to investors or paid to creditors of the companies.

What happened?

Since freezing orders were obtained by ASIC in 2017, details surrounding the infamous Courtenay House ‘Ponzi’ scheme operated from a small office at Westfield in Bondi have slowly emerged.