Biography

Matt Benson is a partner in the European restructuring team.
Matt’s practice covers both creditor-side and debtor-side mandates across a number of industries and sectors, including mining, energy and resources, manufacturing, agriculture, financial services, retail and education as well as sovereign debt. He also handles stressed, distressed and special situation financings. Matt’s clients include leading international funds and intermediaries and he has worked on a range of complex multi-jurisdictional restructuring transactions.
Before joining Weil, Matt was part of the restructuring practice of another major international law firm.
Representative Matters:
- Advising an ad hoc group of noteholders in connection with a restructuring consensual process to amend and restate the €300 million 3.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 issued by Norwegian cruise ship operator Hurtigruten
- Advising an ad hoc group of bondholders in relation to the comprehensive recapitalization of OHL
- Advising Ares on the refinancing of TalkTalk Telecom Group
- Advising the ad hoc group of Supporting Creditors in relation to the global restructuring of McDermott International.
- Advising an ad hoc group of noteholders of Ideal Standard’s senior secured notes due 2026 in relation to its Exchange Offer, Consent Solicitation and Scheme Solicitation
- Advising an ad hoc group of bondholders on Worldwide Flight Services (“WFS”) tender offer
- Advising an ad hoc group of noteholders in relation to the consensual recapitalisation and financial restructuring of Frigoglass S.A.I.C and the group of companies formerly controlled by it (the “Frigoglass Group”)
- Scandinavian Airline, SAS on its debt restructuring
- Advising an ad hoc group of secured lenders to the world’s largest regional aircraft lessor, Nordic Aviation Capital, in relation to its restructuring by way of chapter 11 proceedings
- Advising a consortium of minority equity investors in Dream Cruises Holdings Limited, a large cruise ship operator based in Asia, in connection with its and its parents’, Genting Hong Kong Limited, multi-jurisdictional restructuring and recapitalization
- Advising OneWeb on its investment along with Bharti Global to provide more than $1bn to acquire OneWeb and fund the full restart of its business operations
- Construction and Civil Engineering Company, Obrascón Huarte Lain SA by way of English law scheme of arrangement
- Europe’s largest cinema operator, Odeon Cinemas (part of the AMC Entertainment Group), in relation to the Group’s financial difficulties and the refinancing of its European business
- Galapagos Group, a German industrials business, involving a distressed disposal of the group implemented through an enforcement sale in Luxembourg, advising an ad hoc group of senior bondholders*
- Global group of bondholders on the restructuring of The Republic of Mozambique’s Eurobonds*
- Ad hoc group of bondholders on the restructuring of the Norske Skog group, a paper manufacturer with global operations*
- Ad hoc group of senior creditors of Noble, a Singapore listed commodities trader, on the group's new financing and debt for equity swap, involving parallel schemes of arrangement in the United Kingdom and Bermuda, and a "light touch" Bermuda provisional liquidation*
- Ad hoc group of bondholders on the restructuring of Frigoglass, a Greek-listed glass and refrigeration business, involving a new capital injection and debt-for-equity swap implemented through a scheme of arrangement in the U.K.*
- Ad hoc group of bondholders on various aspects of the restructuring and asset disposal program in respect of Norwegian law bonds issued by OSX 3 Leasing BV, a Dutch E&P company with key assets located in Brazil, and associated restructuring of Brazilian listed E&P operator Dommo Energia SA*
* Experience gained at previous firm
Latest Thinking, Firm News & Announcements
Latest Thinking
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Consultation for new Practice Statement for schemes of arrangement and restructuring plans
Blog Post — Weil European Restructuring Watch
— By
Natasha Ayres,
Neil Devaney,
Matt Benson,
Jenny Davidson,
Lois Deasey,
Gemma Sage and
Mark Lawford
— May 20, 2025
A consultation has been issued in relation to a replacement for the current Practice Statement for English schemes of arrangement and restructuring plans under Part 26 and Part 26A of the Companies Act 2006. The draft new Practice Statement, intended to be issued by the end of July 2025, can be found here. Although the ...
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Consultation for new Practice Statement for schemes of arrangement and restructuring plans
Blog Post — Weil European Restructuring Watch
— By
Natasha Ayres,
Neil Devaney,
Matt Benson,
Jenny Davidson,
Lois Deasey,
Gemma Sage and
Mark Lawford
— May 14, 2025
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. ...
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English High Court convenes separate meetings of opposing creditors in two creditor Part 26A restructuring plan
Blog Post — Weil European Restructuring Watch
— By
Neil Devaney,
Natasha Ayres,
Matt Benson,
Lois Deasey,
Jenny Davidson,
Gemma Sage and
Mark Lawford
— May 08, 2025
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. ...
- Weil Private Equity Sponsor Sync - Second Quarter 2025 Publication — By Benton Lewis, Danielle Cepelewicz, Heather L. Emmel, Gabriella Leonovicz, Alex Eagle, Andrew Hagan, Chris McLaughlin, Nicola Noël, Gilles Teerlinck, Adebayo Lanlokun, Corey Chivers, Claudia Lai, Parker D. Collins, Edward Martin, Alexander J. Miachika, Jenine Hulsmann, Chris Chapman, David B. Gail, Luke E. Laumann, Amanda Rotkel, Christopher R. Machera, Brittany Butwin, Arnie Fridhandler, Cassie Kimmelman, Frank R. Adams, Vynessa Nemunaitis, Michael Stein, Ari Anderson, Justin D. Lee, Brendan C. Conley, Courtney S. Marcus, Chase A. Bentley, Trey Muldrow, Abe Rosen, Matt Benson, Tom Richards, Carson Parks and Glenn D. West — PDF — Second Quarter 2025
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The end of equitable subordination of shareholder loans in German insolvencies?
Blog Post — Weil European Restructuring Watch
— By
Matthias Eiden,
Andrew Wilkinson,
Neil Devaney,
Lois Deasey,
Matt Benson,
Natasha Ayres,
Jenny Davidson,
Mark Lawford and
Gemma Sage
— February 25, 2025
The German Federal Supreme Court has submitted questions to the European Court of Justice (the “ECJ”) which will determine whether non-German law governed shareholder loans to German borrowers are subject to the German insolvency law principle of equitable subordination. If the ECJ finds that the governing law of the contract determines the issue, this may ...
Firm News & Announcements
- Weil Honored with Three Awards at 2025 IFLR Europe Awards Firm Announcement — April 04, 2025
- Weil Advises Senior Secured Noteholders on Recapitalization of the HX Group Deal Brief — February 24, 2025