Ferdinand Hengst

Restructuring & Insolvency, Corporate Advisory & Corporate Governance, Private Equity, Banking, Finance & Debt Capital Markets, and Insurance

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.

- Fellow of INSOL International

- Member of INSOLAD

- Regularly publishes on restructuring and insolvency, leveraged financing and corporate recovery

- Member of De Brauw's Diversity committee

- Heads De Brauw's Africa Practice

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.