Protecting your business from exposure to supplier and customer insolvency

As we move through Q1 of 2023, significant shifts are occurring in the Global financial and economic landscape which are of significant consequence for business. The marked upward shift in the cost (and reduced availability) of finance, largely unseen for over a decade, combined with high energy and natural resource/raw material costs and challenges and currency fluctuations has the potential to sharply to expose financial distress in businesses in many countries and global supply chains.

UK Restructuring A YEAR IN RETROSPECT 2 Contents Introduction Birmingham London North West Yorkshire UK team UK Restructuring Employment UK Restructuring Section Header Section Header Contents 3 Robert Russell UK Head of Restructuring +44 (0)161 235 4147 [email protected] 2022 – Unpredictable circumstances It would be fair to say that 2022 was not an easy year.

We have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic amidst war, political instability, strikes and double-digit inflation rates that haven’t been seen since the early 1980s. With interest rates likely to continue to rise during the first half of 2023 and pay increases falling short of inflation, consumer confidence remains low. Companies’ margins are being squeezed by rising interest rates and when combined with increased debt burdens, supply chain difficulties and labour shortages it is no surprise that the number of insolvencies across the UK is increasing.

Introduction

When a company encounters financial difficulty, one of the ways to restructure its debts is by entering into a scheme of arrangement with its creditors. Under section 673 of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), the Court may sanction a scheme of arrangement. The sanctioned scheme will be binding on the company and the creditors or class of creditors with whom the arrangement is proposed to be entered into.

簡介

一間公司陷入財政困難時，其中一個重組債務的方法是與債權人訂立債務償還安排（scheme of arrangement）。根據香港法例第622章《公司條例》第673條，法院有權認許債務償還安排。經法院認許的債務償還安排將對公司及擬訂立該安排的債權人或類別債權人具有約束力。

最近在Re Hong Kong Airlines Limited(香港航空有限公司) [2022] HKCFI 3792一案中，法院需考慮是否認許香港一間大型航空公司提出的債務償還安排計劃。

案情

香港航空有限公司（「該公司」）是一間提供客貨空運以及其他航空相關服務的香港公司。由於新冠病毒疫情對航空業界造成嚴重打擊，該公司的現金流周轉不靈，合共欠債約490億港元。除非該公司能將現時債務重組，否則很可能清盤。

简介

一间公司陷入财政困难时，其中一个重组债务的方法是与债权人订立债务偿还安排（scheme of arrangement）。根据香港法例第622章《公司条例》第673条，法院有权认许债务偿还安排。经法院认许的债务偿还安排将对公司及拟订立该安排的债权人或类别债权人具有约束力。

最近在Re Hong Kong Airlines Limited(香港航空有限公司) [2022] HKCFI 3792一案中，法院需考虑是否认许香港一间大型航空公司提出的债务偿还安排计划。

案情

香港航空有限公司（「该公司」）是一间提供客货空运以及其他航空相关服务的香港公司。由于新冠病毒疫情对航空业界造成严重打击，该公司的现金流周转不灵，合共欠债约490亿港元。除非该公司能将现时债务重组，否则很可能清盘。

The end of 2022 and the start of 2023 has seen a steady uptick in restructuring activity, not only for companies with complex capital structures but also small-to-medium sized enterprises seeking to take advantage of powerful restructuring tools (such as the UK’s Part 26A Restructuring Plan or Super Scheme).

The case of Goodbox Co Labs Limited (in administration) (Goodbox) is the first example of an individual creditor unilaterally seeking to access the Super Scheme.

The restructuring of Hong Kong Airlines has been approved. It is the first time that a parallel English Restructuring Plan and Hong Kong Scheme of Arrangement have successfully been used to restructure Hong Kong, PRC and English law-governed debts.

For the background to the restructuring and details of the plan and scheme, please see our article here.

Introduction

The UK Supreme Court has recently delivered a landmark decision in the case of BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana S.A. [2022] UKSC 25. The decision is of great importance as the Supreme Court considered in detail whether the trigger for the directors’ duty to consider creditors’ interest is merely a real risk, as opposed to a probability of or close proximity to, insolvency.

Background

簡介

英國最高法院最近在BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana S.A. [2022] UKSC 25一案中頒下了重要裁決，其重要之處在於最高法院深入探討了董事考慮債權人權益的責任，是只需出現真正的無力償債風險便已觸發，還是在相當可能或瀕臨無力償債時才觸發。

背景

本案的第二及第三答辯人為AWA公司（「該公司」）的董事。於2009年5月，他們安排該公司向該公司唯一股東（「第一答辯人」）派發1.35億歐元的股息（「該股息」），以抵銷第一答辯人結欠該公司的債務。該公司在支付該股息時，其資產負債表及現金流均處於具償債能力的狀況。然而，該公司有一項與污染相關而金額未定的長期或然負債，導致該公司產生未來可能無力償債的真正風險。