WongPartnership LLP

Restructuring & Insolvency; Special Situations Advisory

Stephanie Yeo is a Partner in the Restructuring & Insolvency and Special Situations Advisory Practices.

Her main area of practice is restructuring and insolvency with a focus on formal and out-of-court cross border restructurings.

Stephanie was seconded to the Restructuring Group in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis over the course of 2018 and 2019.

Work Highlights

Matters of significance in which Stephanie has been involved in include:

Acting as lead counsel for the Japanese bankruptcy trustee in Re Opti Medix (in liquidation) and another matter [2016] SGHC 108, a landmark decision recognizing the trustee’s appointment over two British Virgin Islands companies that was nominated for Most Important Recognition Decision in the Global Restructuring Review Awards 2017. Acting as one of the lead partners in the US$3.3 billion restructuring of Pacific International Lines which involved a combination of an in-court restructuring of over US$1 billion through one of the largest and most complex schemes of arrangement to be sanctioned by the Singapore court since the implementation of the new restructuring regime in Singapore as well as an out-of-court restructuring of the company’s remaining debts. The restructuring also involved a US$600 million investment by Heliconia Capital Management through a combination of debt and equity instruments. Acting for the ad hoc committee of bondholders in respect of the cross-border restructuring of Noble Group Limited. Acting for and advising the judicial manager of Altus Shipping & Logistics Pte Ltd, an international conglomerate which involved a novel credit-bid structure for the acquisition of the assets. Acting for the former shareholders of a public-listed multinational pharmaceutical company, in an application to set aside an arbitration award granting damages amounting to more than US$500 million against them: [2018] SGHC 275. Acting for Indian Senior Advocate, Mr Harish Salve, in the first application ever made to the Singapore courts for ad hoc admission of an Indian Senior Advocate: [2017] SGHC 28.

Publications & Legal Updates

“Opportunity for corporate restructuring amid pandemic” – The Business Times (22 June 2021) “The Swift, Silent Restructuring of Pacific International Lines” - The Business Times (15 June 2021) Capital Markets Intelligence International Insolvency & Restructuring Report 2021/22 – Singapore chapter  The Insolvency Review 8th edition – Singapore chapter LexisNexis Practical Guidance Commercial Module: Financial distress, bankruptcy and insolvency 2019 South Square Digest (March 2017) - “Navigating Singapore’s restructured restructuring and insolvency framework”

English

She is a member of INSOL and has been a facilitator for the Insolvency Law Practice Sessions in the Preparatory Course leading to Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations since 2015. Stephanie was selected to be part of the 2021 International Insolvency Institute's NextGen Leadership Programme which recognises the most prominent young lawyers, insolvency professionals and academics in the world.

Singapore Management University (LL.B., Hons.)