The Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited judgment in BTI 2014 LLC v. Sequana S.A. [2022] UKSC 25 (Supreme Court - BTI v Sequana) concerning the fiduciary duty of directors to act in good faith in the interests of the company.

The long awaited Sequana Supreme Court judgment[1] has provided some welcome clarity around the duties of the directors of a company in the "twilight zone" – i.e. where the company is facing financial difficulties.

A recent Supreme Court decision serves as a reminder for directors to take specialist legal advice at an early stage to avoid potential liability

Managing a company’s business and making strategic and operational decisions is increasingly the subject of considerable internal and external pressures.

On 5 October 2022 a judgment was handed down by the Supreme Court in the case of BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana SA (Sequana) and others.This judgment relates to an insolvency dispute between BTI, the assignee of AWA’s claims, and Sequana. Principally, it concerns which entity should make the payment for an outstanding liability incurred by AWA, arising out of the National Cash Register Company’s (NCR) pollution of the Fox River in Wisconsin. Through a series of restructurings, AWA became liable to indemnify British American Tobacco (BAT) for these costs.

Summary

The Supreme Court held that when directors know, or ought to know, that the company is insolvent or bordering on insolvency, or that an insolvent liquidation or administration is probable, they must consider the interests of creditors, balancing them against the interests of shareholders where they may conflict. The greater the company’s financial difficulties, the more the directors should prioritise the interests of creditors.

Background

Howard Morris and Sonya Van de Graaff, Morrison & Foerster LLP and Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

This is an extract from the third edition of GRR's The Art of the Ad Hoc. The whole publication is available here.

Scope of the chapter

1. はじめに

新型コロナウイルス禍により業績が悪化した中小企業の資金繰りを支えた実質無利子・無担保融資（いわゆるゼロゼロ融資）が 2022 年 9 月末で終了した。コロナ禍における各種の危機対応については、企業の倒産を歴史的な低水準に抑えた一方で、慢性 的な経営不振企業を延命させているといった声もあるが、ともあれ出口に向かうこととなる。かかる出口を見据え、2022 年 3 月 4 日、中小企業の事業再生等に関する研究会より「中小企業の事業再生等に関するガイドライン」（以下「本ガイドライン」という。） が策定・公表され ¹²、同年 4 月 15 日より適用が開始されている。

For a decade or more, restructuring professionals have predicted the coming of a bankruptcy boom. This may be the year those predictions finally come true. Inflation, interest rates, supply chain issues, global conflict and domestic politics have created a challenging macro environment. At the same time, dry powder abounds, with new distressed debt funds cropping up daily. Will this result in a bankruptcy tidal wave, or an increase in workouts and distressed M&A? Perhaps all of the above.

The Judgment of the Supreme Court in BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana SA was handed down on 5 October 2022.

The Supreme Court considered the circumstances in which company directors must exercise their duties under s.172 Companies Act 2006 (CA06) with regard to the interests of the creditors and affirmed the position reached by the Court of Appeal.

Comment

Former One Nation senator, current Great Australian Party Leader and self-styled ‘senator in exile’ Rod Culleton has vowed to fight charges that he knowingly provided false or misleading information to a Commonwealth entity.

The basis of the allegations