Roger Dobson

Of Counsel

Sydney + 61.2.8272.0534

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Roger Dobson offers clients his extensive experience working on large, complex restructuring and insolvency matters in Australia and has been involved in most of the major restructuring and insolvency matters in Australia over the last 20 years. He represents main creditor groups, offshore funds holding a substantial debt position, companies experiencing financial distress, liquidators, administrators, and receivers. His experience covers a diverse range of industries, including energy and resources, mining services, construction, engineering services, media and communications, investment banking and financial services, retail, manufacturing, and infrastructure.

Recent matters include advising the largest creditor in Virgin Australia Airlines restructure; acting for a global bank in the Forum Group liquidation, Australia's largest fraud; representing a consortium that provided a recapitalization proposal for Arrium Limited; acting for the administrators of TopShop; acting for the administrators of the Payless Group; advising the major creditor of Paladin Energy Limited; and acting for the European and U.S. lenders and the receivers to the failed Australian satellite company, NewSat Limited.

Prior to joining Jones Day in 2016, Roger advised a group of mostly U.S. funds as creditors in the financial restructuring of the Nine Entertainment Group Limited and advised the senior banking syndicates in the restructure of Babcock & Brown and the collapse of ABC Learning Centres, one of the largest and most high-profile collapses in Australian corporate history. From 2012 to 2014, he acted for the liquidators of Hastie Group, a significant player in the construction industry, and 44 of its subsidiaries.

Experience

  • Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation successfully sues fraudster Bill Papas and related companies for largest banking fraud perpetuated in AustraliaJones Day represents Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation ("SMBC") and its commercial leasing and finance subsidiary, SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., in federal court proceedings commenced against Bill Papas and his Forum group of companies regarding the largest banking fraud perpetuated in Australia against SMBC L&F, Westpac Banking Corporation, and Société Générale.
  • PRP Diagnostic Imaging and PRP Group Investments sold to Crescent Capital PartnersJones Day advised PRP Diagnostic Imaging (PRP) and PRP Group Investments (PRPG) on the sale of PRP to private equity fund Crescent Capital Partners (Crescent).
  • Sasser Family Holdings sells CF Asia Pacific to Anchorage Capital PartnersJones Day represented Sasser Family Holdings, Inc. (SFH) in the sale of CF Asia Pacific to a company controlled by one or more entities managed or advised by Anchorage Capital Partners.
  • Ad hoc group of senior secured lenders advised in landmark restructuring of the syncreon groupJones Day acted for the ad hoc group of senior secured lenders in the landmark restructuring of the global logistics syncreon group which was implemented via English Schemes of arrangement, with chapter 15 recognition in the U.S. and CCAA recognition in Canada.
  • KPMG Australia acquires Ferrier HodgsonJones Day advised KPMG Australia in its acquisition of Ferrier Hodgson, a leading independent restructuring, turnaround and insolvency firm in Australia.
  • ICWA and JN Taylor Finance (in liquidation) challenge liquidator's decision to review or re-adjudicate a proof of claim admitted over 20 years agoJones Day is acting for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia ("ICWA") in proceedings commenced by JN Taylor Finance Pty Ltd (in liquidation) and ICWA in the Supreme Court of Western Australia seeking to reverse a liquidator's decision to review or re-adjudicate a proof of claim that was admitted in the liquidation of The Bell Group Limited in the amount of approximately $291 million over 20 years ago.
  • ICWA protects its interests as creditor and funder in Bell Group liquidationsJones Day is acting for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia ("ICWA"), a Western Australian government entity, in proceedings commenced in the Supreme Court of Western Australia concerning the distribution to creditors of over $1.8 billion in the liquidations of the Bell Group.
  • Centuria Industrial REIT (CIP) unsuccessful takeover proposal from PropertylinkJones Day advised Centuria Industrial REIT (CIP) in the attempted A$755 million ($548.3 million) unsolicited indicative and non-binding proposal from Propertylink Group to acquire all of the units in Centuria Industrial REIT by way of an agreed off-market takeover offer.
  • Maritimo Offshore enters into Deed of Company Arrangement and files for Chapter 15 reliefJones Day acted for the administrators and subsequent deed administrators appointed to Maritimo Offshore Pty Ltd, an Australian yacht manufacturer, with global operations and dealerships.
  • PAG invests in Key Safety Systems to finance acquisition of global assets of Takata CorporationJones Day represented PAG Asia Capital Ltd. and PAG Asia II LP in connection with its investment in Key Safety Systems, a subsidiary of China-based Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corporation, to finance the acquisition of substantially all of the global assets of Takata Corporation out of bankruptcy in the U.S. and Japan and certain non-bankruptcy transactions elsewhere in the world.
  • NewSat Limited sues its CEO and Chairman for breaches of directors' dutiesJones Day is acting for NewSat Limited, a formerly publicly listed Australian satellite company, on the instruction of its receivers from McGrathNicol in relation to a claim against NewSat's CEO and Chairman for breaches of directors' duties. 
  • Senior officers of ICWA and State Solicitors Office of Western Australia obtain orders setting aside liquidator examination summonses and production ordersJones Day acted for the CEO and General Counsel of the Insurance Commission of Western Australia ("ICWA"), and the State Solicitor and a senior lawyer of the State Solicitors Office of Western Australia, in a successful Federal Court of Australia application to set aside examination summonses and production orders obtained by the liquidator of Bell Group NV (in liquidation).
  • Topshop liquidates assets in administration saleJones Day provided labor and employment advice to the administrators of Topshop in relation to all aspects of the administration and liquidation of Topshop, including in relation to the sale and assignment of various assets of the Topshop Group to Sir Philip Green's Arcadia Brands.
  • Payless Shoes appoints voluntary administrators and enters into Deed of Company ArrangementJones Day acted for and advised the voluntary administrators appointed to Payless Shoes Pty Ltd, including in relation to a sale of business campaign, the wind-down of the company's operations including with respect to employee affairs and claims, the entry into a deed of company arrangement, investigations into potential claims, and associated court applications.

    • The following represents experience acquired prior to joining Jones Day.

    Acted for the syndicate of lenders at the headstock level in the Babcock & Brown group, which involved 400 operating entities across 26 countries, with total group debt of $66 billion.

    Acted for two of the largest bank creditors in relation to the $1.2 billion debt restructuring of Allco Finance Group.

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    March 2024 Alert

    Singapore Court Issues Landmark Decision Recognizing Indonesian Restructuring Plan

    March 2024 Newsletters

    Business Restructuring Review Vol. 23 No. 2 | March–April 2024

    March 2023 Commentary

    Australian High Court: No Statutory Set-Off Against Unfair Preference Claims

    March 2023 Commentary

    Stick to the Statute: No "Peaking" Around in Australia

    February 2023 Commentary

    Fraud, Electronic Data Sources and Claims to Privilege in the United Kingdom—Lessons From Brian Glasgow v David Ames

    August 2022 White Paper

    An Update on Insolvency in the Australian Construction Industry

    June 2022 Commentary

    Stopping the Phoenix From Rising: Australian Court Provides First Guidance on Creditor-Defeating Dispositions

    January 2022 Commentary

    Set Aside: Australian Creditors Unable to Rely on Statutory Set-Offs to Defend Unfair Preference Claims

    July 2021 Commentary

    After a Peak Comes the Fall: Australian Federal Court Rejects "Peak Indebtedness Rule"

    March 2021 Newsletters

    Business Restructuring Review | March–April 2021
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