Introduction

PwC, the administrators in the Lehman Brothers administration in the UK, have made several applications to the Court seeking directions on their approach to the distribution of clients’ money and assets. On 29 February 2012 the Supreme Court gave judgment on issues that are central to the interpretation and application of the rules for the protection of client money made by the Financial Services Authority. The issues raised are ones that have divided judicial opinion.

On 6 January 2011, the European Commission (the “Commission”) published a consultation paper on the technical details of a possible EU framework for bank recovery and resolution (the “Consultation Paper”).1 The paper follows the communication from the Commission dated 20 October 2010 on an EU framework for crisis management in the financial sector (the “Communication”).2

The European Commission (EC) yesterday approved the restructuring plan of Northern Rock plc. The plan will split the company into two separate companies. The new Northern Rock plc will consist of a new savings and mortgage bank that will hold and service all customer savings accounts and some existing mortgage accounts.

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) has updated public companies’ disclosure obligations concerning bankruptcy. The regulations create a new sanctions regime for non-compliance that improves the OJK’s enforcement capacity. The changes are relevant to investors and others with an interest in Indonesia’s capital markets. They came into effect on 22 June 2017.

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has issued the first regulation on the dissolution, liquidation and bankruptcy of insurance companies. On 11 December 2015, enacted Regulation No. 28/POJK.05/2015 on Dissolution, Liquidation and Bankruptcy of Insurance Companies, Syariah Insurance Companies, Reinsurance Companies and Syariah Reinsurance Companies (POJK 28). Before the enactment of  POJK 28 there was no regulation within the vicinity of the insurance law on matter.

As part of the IMF/EU bailout, Ireland will need to put draft legislation before the Dail to facilitate the creation of a legal framework for dealing with financial institutions on the verge of collapse. This legal framework is known as a Special Resolution Regime (SRR).

The FSA has published a short update on Lifemark S.A. (Lifemark). The FSA reports that on 11 February 2010, the Luxembourg financial services regulator, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (the CSSF), applied to the Court in Luxembourg to extend the appointment of Eric Collard of KPMG as provisional administrator in respect of Lifemark.

This case considered the validity of the appointment of administrators in circumstances in which the administrators had not received consent from the Financial Services Authority (the FSA) to act.   

The UK Supreme Court's decision in Re Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (In Administration) caps the extensive litigation which developed in the aftermath of the collapse of Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (Lehman Brothers) almost four years ago.

It all began on 15 September 2008 when Lehman Brothers went into administration following what the Courts have referred to as its performance failures on 'a truly spectacular scale', foremost of which was the failure to protect its clients' monies.