Summary

Ferdinand is a partner in our Corporate group and specialises in international debt restructuring, corporate recovery and special situations financing deals. His broad practice encompasses both tailor-made finance deals and insolvency-sensitive transactions or litigation, always in a cross-border context.

Ferdinand is trusted adviser to boards of directors on their corporate governance, fiduciary duties and liability considerations around funding and scenario planning in a more stressed environment.

Ferdinand’s recent work includes advising:

  • Pan-European high street retailer HEMA on its EUR 750 million bond restructuring, including negotiations, court proceedings in UK, US and the Netherlands and a parallel M&A process, resulting in a 60% debt reduction
  • Shareholders to IHC Merwede, one of the Netherlands’ largest shipping companies, on a debt restructuring, new money injection and debt-for-equity
  • Restructuring of ENNIA Caribe, the largest insurer in the Netherlands’ Antilles, including the (unprecedented) recognition of the Curacao emergency regulation (noodregeling) under US Chapter 15
  • Brazilian giant Oi Telecom on its restructuring and Dutch court litigation, including of the EUR 3.8 billion notes issued by its Dutch financing vehicle
  • Isolux Corsán on the consensual restructuring of its debt, including a debt-for-equity swap, using Dutch court proceedings and a US chapter 15 process
  • A variety of debtors in the gaming, casino, theatre and travel sectors on the impact of COVID-19 and closures, including emergency funding, covenant waivers, and liability management
  • Royal Imtech on its restructuring and refinancing, and the strengthening of its balance sheet after the discovery of a massive fraud; the largest Dutch restructuring and bankruptcy in the Netherlands to date

Ferdinand is an unparalleled strategist who always keeps the big picture in mind. His legal and commercial understanding of the most complex situations is more than impressive.

client commentary from Chambers Europe 2023, awarding Ferdinand a top-10 ranking.

Qualifications

  • Profession

    Advocaat, admitted to the Bar in the Netherlands in 2006

  • Languages

    Dutch, English

  • Education

    University of Groningen

    London Business School

    Tufts University

    Chinese University of Hong Kong

  • Additional positions

    Fellow of INSOL International

    Member of INSOLAD

    Reglarly publishes on restructuring and insolvency, leveraged financing and corporate recovery

    Member of De Brauw's Diversity committee

    Heads De Brauw's Africa Practice