Liz Osborne Restructuring Market Q&A Published by 9fin

Akin financial restructuring partner Liz Osborne participated in the Q&A series “9Questions” published by leveraged finance news platform 9fin.

The feature highlights Akin’s financial restructuring practice, London as the go-to restructuring destination for foreign corporates in Europe and the increasing scrutiny and criticism of whitelists.

Takeaways from the Q&A:

• What distinguishes Akin’s restructuring practice? “We are a very partner-led and collaborative team so clients get the benefit of significant experience and partner focus on all deals from the beginning right through to the end.”
  
  
• How healthy is Akin’s distressed pipeline? “There are a number of companies with upcoming maturities and some very large capital structures in the European market that are getting a lot of attention from both existing par investors and secondary distressed investors. Interest rates and over-levered balance sheets will continue to make refinancing difficult for a number of European companies and alternative solutions for dealing with upcoming maturities will be needed.”
  
  
• Where will the biggest opportunities arise in the distress market over the next 12 months? “The debt collectors have fallen out of favour with investors and are a key area of focus. European real estate continues to provide opportunities as do the healthcare, chemicals and telco sectors.”
  
  
• With increasing scrutiny and criticism of whitelists, what’s your view on them? “My own view is that they are bad for the market and are creating zombie companies in Europe. In terms of challenges to the whitelists, we are aware that certain investors are highly focused on the issue so this is clearly something to watch in 2024.”

Read the full Q&A here.