Matt Benson

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 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