Profile
Rupert Cheetham has a broad practice involving restructuring, insolvency and general finance transactions. Rupert advises on fully consensual work-out refinancing transactions, restructuring procedures such as UK schemes of arrangement, restructuring plans and company voluntary arrangements (CVAs), and formal insolvency proceedings. Rupert acts for banks, funds and other financial institutions, as well as sponsors, corporates, directors and insolvency practitioners.
Rupert is recognised for Restructuring & Insolvency in the 2024 edition of The Legal 500 UK, where he is described as “very experienced and solutions-oriented” and lauded for being “a good leader to the team.”
Concentrations
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Loans and credit facilities
- Acquisition finance
- Private equity
- Capital markets
Capabilities
Experience
- Prezzo Restaurants, representation of a large UK casual dining chain in its landmark Part 26A restructuring plan involving the compromise of landlord claims, tax and local authority debts and other secured and unsecured creditor claims.
- Advised the super senior lender to Smile, the African telecommunications and internet services provider, in relation to Smile's restructuring plan under Part 26A of the Companies Act.
- Advised an investor in relation to the acquisition of the debt and equity issued by the Prezzo restaurant chain and a subsequent pre-pack administration sale.
- Advised 3 U.S. landlords in the CVA of AllSaints, the high street clothing retailer.
- Advised the purchaser in relation to the acquisition of Knotel's non-U.S. businesses in a Chapter 11 restructuring.
- Advised an operator and developer of co-living residential accommodation in Europe and the United States, in relation to its c.£400m financial restructuring.
- Advised a private equity firm in relation to the acquisition of the management rights of certain private equity funds previously managed by Abraaj.°
- Acted for the senior creditors in the restructuring of a US$750m borrowing base facility for Aegean.°
- Acted for Sea Trucks Group Limited in its c.US$575m financial restructuring.°
- Acted for the senior creditors in relation to the potential enforcement of a secured term loan facility for an English premier league football club.°
- Acted for Metinvest in relation to its c.US$2.3bn financial restructuring involving four pre-export bank debt facilities and three series of notes.°
- Acted for the security agent in relation to the collection of c.US$700m secured receivables of the OW Bunker group, the insolvent global shipping fuel oil trading business.°
- Acted for a strategic investor in the financial restructuring of BorsodChem.°
- Advised a lending syndicate on security enforcement options in relation to loan facilities for a Polish steel manufacturer.°
- Advised a distressed debt investor in relation to its proposed investment in various loan facilities for a student housing group in administration.°
- Advised a security agent/facility agent in respect of a debt sale and partial disposal programme in relation to a PIK facility for a group of portfolio companies involved in the health technology sector.°
- Acted for a leading UK washroom services and office facilities group in relation to a c.£950m financial restructuring.°
- Acted for a co-ordinating committee of junior lenders on a c.£1.4bn restructuring of Barchester Healthcare.°
- Acted for a swap provider on a c.£800m restructuring of National Car Parks.°
- Acted for the co-ordinating committee of second lien creditors on a c.€4.1bn restructuring of eircom.°
- Acted for the security agent on a c.€1.8bn restructuring of WIND Hellas.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Cheetham prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Legal 500 United Kingdom, 2023-2024
- Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency, 2023-2024
- Member, Insolvency Lawyers Association
Credentials
Education
- Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Monash University
- Bachelor of Commerce, Monash University
Admissions
- England and Wales
- Victoria, Australia