Daily Compliance News: April 7, 2025, The Whistleblowers Awarded Edition
As Hong Kong listed Bermuda and Cayman Islands exempted companies approach their annual results season, many may be considering paying their shareholders a dividend, whether due to a profitable financial year or as a gesture...more
The Case of Changyou.com Ltd v Fourworld Global Opportunities Fund Ltd and 7 others 2025 UKPC 12 - In a judgment handed down on 11 March 2025, the Privy Council has upheld the amendments made to sections 238(2)-(5) of the...more
The BVI and the Cayman Islands both have regimes in place to address unfair prejudice suffered by shareholders, although each jurisdiction approaches the issue differently. The threshold for successfully bringing an...more
On 4 February 2025, Martin J handed down judgment in Glendina Pty Limited & Ors v NKWE Platinum Ltd (2025) SC (Bda) 15 Civ. It is the first “fair value” appraisal claim on a merger or amalgamation under the Companies Act 1981...more
A Segregated Portfolio Company (SPC) provides for the protection of the assets held under one portfolio by ring-fencing them from the liabilities of other portfolios in the same company. SPCs were introduced in the Cayman...more
The Cayman Islands (“Cayman”) is recognised as a leading international financial centre and well regarded as a creditor-friendly jurisdiction (with the absence of debtor-friendly insolvency such as Chapter XI in the United...more
In an unprecedented turn of events, two recent proceedings in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands considered the same complex legal issues just one week apart. Both In the Matter of HQP Corporation Limited (assigned to...more
A Cayman Islands scheme of arrangement is a court approved compromise or arrangement between a company and its creditors or shareholders (or classes thereof). A scheme of arrangement is frequently used to implement a...more
The Companies (Amendment) Act, 2024 (the "Amendment Act") has been passed by the Cayman Islands Parliament. The Amendment Act is not yet in force. It will come into force by the making of a subsequent Cabinet order. ...more
Many high-net-worth individuals and families use a private trust company (PTC) when looking to structure their family wealth. Given that settlors of trusts are sometimes reluctant to relinquish control over the assets...more
The successful appeal by dissenting shareholders in Trina Solar provides key insights into the importance of establishing a robust merger process, the company’s burden to make all relevant information available in appraisal...more
What is a scheme? A compromise or arrangement between a company and any class or classes of its creditors (and/or shareholders). The process broadly mirrors an English scheme of arrangement thereby providing legal...more
On 20th December 2022, the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal (“CICA”) delivered its second judgment in the matter of Changyou.com Limited v Fourworld Global Opportunities Fund Ltd & others (“Changyou.com case”). The CICA...more
Following the implementation of the recent amendments to the Companies Act to remove the head count test for shareholder schemes of arrangement, Conyers has assisted two Hong Kong listed companies (China Vast Industrial Urban...more
In the matter of Avivo Group (Cause No. FSD 145 of 2022 (RPJ)), Walkers, instructing Ms Clare Stanley KC of Wilberforce Chambers, acted as Cayman Islands counsel to Avivo Group (the "Company") in respect of its successful...more
In a recent judgment in the case of Re Changyou.com Limited, CICA (Civil) Appeal 6 of 2021, delivered on 16 September 2022, the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal has applied the interpretative provisions of section 25 and...more
Once upon a time, long, long ago, the Queen of Hearts would proclaim in a fanciful way: “Off with their heads!” at the slightest sign of difficulty with her subjects in Wonderland. Over one-and-a-half centuries after...more
Conyers partner Jonathon Milne and associate Rowana-Kay Campbell in the Cayman Islands, and partner Anna Lin in Hong Kong, explain why the new Cayman restructuring regime is likely to be a welcome addition to the legislative...more
M&A lawyers can let out two cheers for the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2021 (“Bill”) which was recently gazetted in the Cayman Islands. If enacted in its current form Bill will, amongst other things , abolish the...more
In Bestway Global Holdings Inc. (FSD 208 of 2021 – unreported), Doyle J gave a comprehensive and helpful review of the principles to be applied by the Court when considering whether to sanction a scheme of arrangement and...more