Matthew Durward-Thomas

Partner

Areas of Focus

Matthew Durward-Thomas

Partner

Matthew.Durward-Thomas@akingump.com

Areas of Focus

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Biography
  • Represents investment funds as well as domestic and multinational private and public companies in all aspects of corporate tax matters.

Matthew Durward-Thomas represents investment funds as well as multinational private and public companies on a broad range of corporate tax matters, including domestic and international corporate and finance transactions and investment fund structuring. He has a particular focus on UK and EU financial restructurings. These matters often involve the resolution of novel and complex UK and cross-border tax issues. Matthew helps to develop and apply tax-efficient structures while achieving desired commercial outcomes for clients.

Representative Work
  • Represented the ad hoc group of noteholders of Metrocentre’s £485 million of debt in relation to a restructuring involving a transfer of the ownership of the Metrocentre Group, which owns the Metrocentre shopping complex, one of Europe’s largest covered shopping and leisure destinations, in Gateshead, U.K.
  • Advised private placement noteholders of over $2 billion in the global $6 billion financial restructuring of Nordic Aviation Capital Designated Activity Company (NAC), the largest lessor of regional aircraft in the world.
  • Represented an ad hoc committee of noteholders in relation to the further deleveraging and reorganization of commodities trader Noble Group (Noble), involving a consensual restructuring in excess of $1.5 billion of liabilities and the transition of ownership of a significant part of Noble to the noteholders.
  • Advised MFS Africa, the largest pan-African digital payments platform, on the acquisition of Capricorn Digital, owner of Baxi, one of Nigeria's leading super-agent networks processing over $1 billion in transaction annually through a network of more than 90,000 agents.
  • Advised Croatian conglomerate Fortenova Grupa d.d., on the €615 million sale of its frozen food business, the Frozen Food Business Group, to Nomad Foods, owner of Birds Eye and Findus, among others.
  • Advised Fairhold Securitisation Limited in connection with the £1 billion restructuring of its distressed securitisation structure, which included its £443.5 million of debt as well as its swap liabilities. The restructuring resulted in the transfer of the property-owning companies in the Fairhold Group to a new group ultimately owned by Fairhold’s noteholders and swap counterparties.
  • Advised Royalty Pharma plc on its $2.5 billion initial public offering and listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Royalty Pharma is the largest buyer of biopharma royalties and a leading funder of innovation across the biopharmaceutical industry.
  • Advised funds managed by Strategic Value Partners LLC in relation to the restructuring of a US$611 million senior secured credit facility to Dolphin Drilling ASA (formerly Fred. Olsen Energy ASA), an Oslo Børs-listed international drilling contractor.
  • Represented the ad hoc committee of unsecured creditors in the financial restructuring of over US$3.5 billion of debt issued by Noble Group Limited, the SGX listed holding company of a worldwide commodities supply chain and trading business.
  • Acted for a leading U.S. hedge fund and counseled it on the establishment of a novel Luxembourg-based investment structure through which the U.S. hedge fund made high-value and complex investments, including a €690+ million investment in a Spanish residential mortgage loan portfolio and a €180+ million investment in a U.K. mortgage loan portfolio.
  • Advised Global Parametrics in connection with the establishment of NDF (UK) LP, a U.K.-based international disaster relief fund established in conjunction with the U.K. government (DiFID).

"Matthew Durward-Thomas – encyclopedic knowledge and ability to distill significant tax concepts into non-tax language make him a ‘go to’ for all English tax queries."

Legal 500 UK, 2022

Education
  • L.P.C., The College of Law, London, 2012

  • LL.B., University of Warwick, 2011

Bar Admissions
  • Solicitor, England and Wales

Recognitions
  • Chambers Global, Tax 2022.
  • Chambers UK, Tax, 2022 to 2023.
  • The Legal 500 UK, Corporate Tax, 2021-2024.

Insights and Achievements

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      Distinguished by our areas of focus, as a cohesive and integrated firm, we are defined by the caliber of our work, the responsiveness of our service and a culture that is rooted in collaboration and forward-thinking.

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