Ferdinand Hengst

Ferdinand has a broad corporate practice with a focus on financing transactions, restructuring and debt management. He advises and represents borrowers and creditors in their cross-border finance deals and the finance aspects of M&A. Most of his practice concerns insolvency-sensitive or liability-driven transactions for multinational companies. Recently, Ferdinand has advised on international debt restructuring, bank negotiations in an unstable or strained setting, redesigning capital structures and contingency planning (Plan B).

Ferdinand regularly advises boards of directors of corporate clients, as well as their shareholders, creditors and investors on fiduciary duties and other typical considerations affiliated with distressed situations or transactions.

Ferdinand is recognised by IFLR1000, the Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms, as a “Leading Lawyer – Highly Regarded” in banking and “Rising Star” in financial restructuring. He is a Fellow of the International Association of Insolvency Practitioners (INSOL International) and completed its pre-eminent advanced educational qualification focusing on international Restructuring. He regularly publishes on leveraged financing, corporate recovery and restructuring.

Ferdinand’s recent work includes advising:

• Shareholders to IHC Merwede, one of the largest shipping companies in the Netherlands, on a debt restructuring and fresh money injection
• A Central Bank on the taking control and resolution of a systemic insurance group, including recognition of emergency regulations under in the US under Chapter 15
• Another insurance group on its resolution and potential M&A to resolve solvency issues
• Three of the largest retailers in the Netherlands on ringfencing, refinancing and divesting business units that were loss-making and weighing down on liquidity
• CB&I on its strained financing and USD 6 billion combination with McDermott International
• A number of sponsors, including BC Partners, Waterland Private Equity and Silverfleet Capital, on numerous acquisition financings, bond issuances, refinancings and debt restructurings on their portfolio companies
• Grupo Isolux Corsán on a suspension of payments of its Dutch subsidiary, Dutch court approval of a restructuring agreement under Spanish law, and recognition of that Dutch court approval through Chapter 15 in the US
• VION Food Group on a large asset-based financing
• A global Dutch retailer on the design and implementation of a pan-European cash pooling and cash management structure