Heidi Chui, partner, Stevenson Wong & Co
Viola Jing, partner, A&O Shearman

All the developments, cases and trends in the field of restructuring and insolvency that you should be aware of. Leading international names will share their potential implications of these developments, along with their predictions for the rest of the year and for 2027.

Assembling judges from multiple jurisdictions across the region, this session will discuss the latest developments in restructuring. The panel will take a broad look at current landscape and share their advice to help practitioners stay on top of emerging trends.

In Oxford Union style, we will hear teams of debaters argue in favour of, or against, a motion. This interactive session will see our judges voice their opinion on what has been heard, involve the audience, and finally find in favour of a winning side, giving reasons for their decision.

Motion: This House believes that, in a tri‑track corporate reality, where incorporation, listing and substantive operations sit in different jurisdictions, COMI should follow the location of substantive business activity.

Private credit is no longer just a niche alternative, it has emerged as the dominant force in complex financings. Moving beyond basic LME mechanics, this session will examine the deeper structural implications and the frictions emerging across the market.

The panel will discuss:

• Do tailor‑made private credit deals chip away at the protections traditional creditors rely on? Where should we draw the line?
• How do we make sure minority creditors aren’t squeezed out when the majority uses LME tactics to take control?
• When private credit deals stretch across borders, how should parties deal with different local rules and legal conflicts?

Liability management exercises (LMEs) have become a prominent feature of the Asian restructuring landscape, particularly as seen in high-profile cases such as New World. Execution is increasingly complex as capital structures evolve and out‑of‑court solutions expand. Hear from key market participants on how LMEs are structured in practice, and what it takes to deliver workable solutions in stressed situations.

The panel are expected to discuss: 

• Strategies of investment banks in bond‑side liability management with consent‑driven structuring and bondholder coordination
• Private credit rescue financing with existing secured lenders, covering triggers, structure, alignment and pricing
• Role of legal and financial advisors in securing consents and intercreditor alignment for LMEs
• Managing intercreditor terms to minimise conflict and keep outcomes executable

Contentious elements now sit at the heart of Asia’s cross‑border restructuring work. Our panellists will examine the emerging battlegrouns driving disputes across the region, from recognition fights and arbitration interplay to the geopolitical risks shaping outbound distress.

The panel are expected to discuss:

• Impact of the latest Mainland–Hong Kong recognition cases on contentious winding‑up strategies, including emerging trends in recognising Mainland administrators’ actions
• Contentious issues arising under Singapore’s Model Law framework, including interim relief and multi‑jurisdictional procedural conflicts
• Early‑stage dispute risks for outbound Chinese enterprises in the Middle East, Dubai and Latin America 
• The next cross‑border dispute map across Belt and Road and BRICS jurisdictions

Heidi Chui, partner, Stevenson Wong & Co
Viola Jing, partner, A&O Shearman