The Asia Pacific Restructuring Review 2019

The Restructuring Review, edited by Christopher Mallon of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, seeks to help general counsel, government agencies and private practice lawyers understand the conditions prevailing in the global restructuring market with a view to the coming year, and to highlight some of the more significant legal and commercial developments and trends that are expected to be significant in the future. As tensions in the Middle East, South East Asia and Russia remain unresolved, and the political implications of Brexit and mass immigration continue to be worked out in Europe and beyond, the realisation is dawning on many that a turn in the economic cycle may be approaching and that the severe economic crisis of 2008-9 may not be an isolated event. This book aims to outline the impact of developments like this on the global restructuring market, with in-depth looks at the issue from local experts in 28 jurisdictions. Contributors include: France - Joanna Gumpelson and Philippe Dubois, De Pardieu Brocas Maffei; Hong Kong - Tom Pugh, Mayer Brown JSM; Japan - Nobuaki Kobayashi and Yosuke Kanegae, - Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu; Netherlands - Paul Kuipers, Linklaters LLP; Singapore - Kenneth Lim, Allen & Gledhill LLP; Spain - Alberto Nunez-Lagos, Uria Menendez

This book provides an in-depth analysis of 4 economically significant Asian jurisdictions: Mainland China, India, Hong Kong and Singapore. These jurisdictions have recently either reformed – or are considering reforming – their corporate restructuring laws to promote regimes conducive to restructuring financially distressed, but otherwise economically viable, companies. Mainland China, India, Hong Kong and Singapore continue to adhere to a framework that requires the court's final approval but draw references from Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code 1978 in the United States and/or the schemes of arrangement in the United Kingdom. However, the institutional and market structures are very different in Asia; in particular, Asia has a far higher concentration in shareholdings among listed firms, including holdings by families and the state, and a different composition of creditors. The book explains how, notwithstanding the legal transplantation, corporate restructuring laws in these Asian jurisdictions have adapted and evolved due to the frictions in shareholder-creditor and creditor-creditor relationships, and the role of the state in resolving non-performing loans and financial distress of state-owned enterprises which are listed, or which issue public debt. The study argues that any reforms must go beyond professionalising the insolvency professionals and the judiciary but must be designed to address fundamental issues of corporate governance, bank regulation and enforcing non-bankruptcy rules. It offers invaluable insights for academics and policy makers alike.