WilliamBettle (Will)

Associate

London + 44.20.7039.5183

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Will Bettle advises on a wide range of finance, restructuring, and insolvency transactions. He also acts on insolvency-related litigation.

Will works for a diverse range of parties including lenders (both banks and credit funds), companies and private equity sponsors, and insolvency officeholders. His experience spans formal and informal restructurings, including the financing and refinancing of distressed debt, distressed acquisitions, and formal insolvency proceedings such as administrations.

Besides UK matters, Will's experience includes complex, cross-border matters across a variety of jurisdictions, in particular the United States and Europe.

Will has been involved with matters across many areas, such as advising: an international infrastructure fund in relation to transactions in the energy and transport sectors; administrators in relation to the rescue of businesses such as regulated financial services and intellectual property development; and various lenders regarding the enforcement, restructuring, and workout of real estate-backed assets.

Experience

  • Aluminium Dunkerque Group obtains $375 million financingJones Day advised the Aluminium Dunkerque Group and its shareholder, American Industrial Partners in the context of the refinancing of the existing indebtedness of the Aluminium Dunkerque group and the financing of its general corporate purpose.
  • Diebold Nixdorf obtains $1.25 billion senior secured exit credit facilityJones Day represented Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated, a multinational financial and retail technology company that specializes in the sale, manufacture, installation, and service of self-service transaction systems (such as ATMs and currency processing systems), point-of-sale terminals, physical security products, and software and related services for global financial, retail, and commercial markets, in connection with a new $1.25 billion senior secured term loan facility as part of it’s emergence from chapter 11 bankruptcy and other domestic and foreign court-supervised restructuring proceedings.
  • Diebold Nixdorf successfully restructures over $2.7 billion in funded debt and completes the first-ever dual proceeding under the U.S. bankruptcy code and Dutch restructuring law in 71 daysIn the first-ever cross border restructuring involving dual main proceedings under chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and a scheme of arrangement (the "Dutch Scheme") under the Dutch Act on Confirmation of Extrajudicial Plans (Wet Homologatie Onderhands Akkoord ("WHOA")), and the first-ever chapter 15 recognition of Dutch Scheme proceedings and a sanctioned WHOA reorganization plan (the "WHOA Plan"), Jones Day represented Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated ("Diebold") and certain of its U.S. and Canadian subsidiaries (the "Debtors") in connection with (i) the prepackaged chapter 11 cases of In re Diebold Holding Company, LLC, et al., (Case No. 23-90602-DRJ) commenced on June 1, 2023, in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (the "Bankruptcy Court"); (ii) the Dutch Scheme, commenced on June 1, 2023 by Diebold Nixdorf Dutch Holding B.V. (the "Dutch Issuer") in the District Court of Amsterdam (the "Dutch Court"), and (iii) the chapter 15 proceedings before the Bankruptcy Court commenced by the foreign representative of the Dutch Issuer, wherein the Bankruptcy Court recognized the Dutch Scheme proceeding as a foreign main proceeding and recognized and extended comity to the WHOA Plan that was sanctioned by the Dutch Court.
  • Macquarie agrees to acquire Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Group for approximately €2.4 billionJones Day advised Macquarie Asset Management in the execution of a put option agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Group for €2.4 billion.
  • AIP acquires Aluminium BelgiumJones Day advised American Industrial Partners in the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Aluminium Belgium BV, the parent company which owns Aluminium Duffel, from Ecnavla 8 UK Ltd.
  • Web Financial Group sells all its technology business to AllfundsJones Day represented Web Financial Group, S.A. in the sale of all its technology business to Allfunds, one of the world’s leading B2B WealthTech platforms for the fund industry.
  • American Industrial Partners Capital Fund VII takes control of Aluminium Dunkerque companiesJones Day has advised American Industrial Partners Capital Fund VII, L.P. in connection with the acquisition of the Aluminium Dunkerque companies through the foreclosure on the shares of Liberty France Industries 1 SA, which were pledged to affiliates of AIP under mezzanine financing arrangements previously provided to Aluminium Dunkerque, due to ongoing payment and other defaults.
  • Wells Fargo provides acquisition and development facility for mixed-use development in LondonJones Day advised Wells Fargo Bank, National Association in connection with the acquisition and development facility relating to a mixed-use development in Covent Garden, London.
  • Joint administrators of Onwatchmultifire Limited (in administration) complete pre-pack sale of company's businesses and assetsJones Day advised Anthony Wright and Phillip Armstrong of FRP Advisory in their capacity as joint administrators of Onwatchmultifire (UK) Limited in connection with the pre-pack sale of the company's security services and fire protection businesses.
  • High profile entrepreneur secures settlement of complex loan note and inter-creditor dispute claimsJones Day acted for a high profile entrepreneur on the successful resolution of claims against a private equity group arising from breaches of investment and inter-creditor agreements, following defaults under a £20 million loan note.
  • Restructuring of significant UK energy supplier and distributorJones Day advised a large integrated energy and commodities company in connection with the complex equity and debt restructuring of a significant UK energy supplier and distributor.
  • Dearman Engine Company enters administrationJones Day advised Geoffrey Bouchier and Benjamin Wiles of Duff & Phelps (the "Administrators") as joint administrators of Dearman Engine Company Limited (in administration) (the "Company") in an expedited and successful rescue of the Company’s business.
  • Leading development bank restructures Moroccan debtJones Day effected the restructuring of Moroccan bonds owed to a leading development bank into a loan note.
  • Landlords compromised by various retailer company voluntary arrangementsJones Day advised several landlords on the intended operation and effect of multiple company voluntary arrangements ("CVA") launched by various high street retailers, including the Arcadia Group, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Homebase, Mothercare and Carpetright.
  • Hi-Level Enterprises secures urgent injunctive relief against former employees for misappropriation of databaseJones Day acted on behalf of Hi-Level Enterprises Ltd., an e-commerce vehicle part supplier, by obtaining urgent without notice injunctive relief in the form of "door-step" preservation and delivery up orders against two former employees who had and misappropriated the intellectual property of, and set up a competing business to, the client.
  • City Financial enters administrationJones Day successfully advised the board of City Financial Investment Company Limited (the "Company") on the Company's entry into administration.
  • Credit fund restructures UK property developerJones Day advised a credit fund in connection with the restructuring of its investments in a significant UK property development and investment company.
  • Boeing agrees to Monarch's CVA proposalJones Day represented The Boeing Company, a major creditor of Monarch Aircraft Engineering Limited ("MAEL"), in the restructuring by way of a company voluntary arrangement of MAEL resulting in a compromise of certain historic balance sheet liabilities and further third party funding, returning MAEL to solvency and the ability to continue to trade.
  • DV4 and Oxford Properties form DOORJones Day advised DV4 Ltd (“DV4”), which is advised by Delancey Real Estate Asset Management Ltd, on the sale of DV4's interests in Get Living, the UK’s leading privately backed residential company, to Delancey Oxford Residential (“DOOR”) a new co-investment platform with initial capital commitments of £600 million; the establishment of DOOR, which includes the joint venture between DV4 and Oxford Properties; and on real estate matters related to the London scheme, Elephant Central in Elephant and Castle which is part of the Get Living portfolio.
  • Blackstone Group provides senior secured facility to Henderson Park for acquisition of Athene PlaceJones Day represented The Blackstone Group in connection with a senior secured facility provided to Henderson Park to finance the acquisition of Athene Place, London.
    • View All

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