In the latest edition of Going concerns, Stephenson Harwood's restructuring and insolvency team touches on the extent of the automatic stay arising from the recognition of a foreign main proceeding under the Singapore Model Law cross-border recognition regime, the requirements for a pre-pack scheme of arrangement under the recent Singapore Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018, and the importance of Environmental, Social and Governance ("ESG") in the restructuring context.
Contents
Despite the Supreme Court’s rejection of a structured dismissal in 2017,[1] there is a growing trend of bankruptcy courts approving structured dismissals of chapter 11 cases following a successful sale of a debtor’s assets under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code.
An important decision for employers and administrators has been handed down by the High Court in the case of R (Palmer, Forsey) v Northern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court [2021] EWHC 3013. The Judgment acts as a stark reminder to employers and company personnel about the criminal liability they can face for failing to notify the Secretary of State of proposed collective redundancies as well as confirming that that an administrator can be prosecuted personally.
Background
海航集团有限公司（于中国内地重整） [2021] HKCFI 2897（裁决日期：2021 年 9 月 16 日）
前言
海航集团有限公司（一家总部设在海南的大型企业，下称“公司”）的内地重整程序最近在香港获得认可。这是香港法院首次向 内地重整程序的破产管理人颁发认可令的案例。
Grand Peace Group Holdings Limited [2021] HKCFI 2361 (Date of Decision: 24 August 2021)
Up Energy Development Group Limited [2021] HKCFI 2595 (Date of Decision: 31 August 2021)
Introduction
The vast majority of listed companies in Hong Kong are incorporated offshore, with a corporate structure that the operating and asset owning subsidiaries in Mainland China are held through intermediate subsidiaries incorporated in offshore jurisdictions such as BVI and Cayman Islands etc.
The primary investment thesis of a private credit lender is simple — get the loan repaid at maturity. Private credit lenders do not make loans as a means to acquire their borrower’s business. There are circumstances, however, where private credit lenders must be prepared to take ownership when the borrower is distressed and there is no realistic prospect of near-term loan repayment. Becoming the owner of a borrower’s business may very well be the loan recovery option of last resort.
The High Court has, for the first time since the introduction of the legislation in June 2020, refused to sanction a cross-class cram-down restructuring plan under Part 26A of the Companies Act. In In the matter of Hurricane Energy Plc [2021] EWHC 1759 (Ch), the court rejected a plan supported by bondholders because it had not been shown that the opposing shareholders had no better alternative prospects (i.e., the ‘no worse off condition’ had not been met).
Samson Paper Company Limited (In Creditors' Voluntary Liquidation) [2021] HKCFI 2151(date of decision: 20 July 2021)
China All Access (Holdings) Limited [2021] HKCFI 1842 (date of decision: 21 June 2021)
Introduction