ABI to Co-Host International Corporate Recovery Forum in Brazil

ABI to Co-Host International Corporate Recovery Forum in Brazil

Contact: John Hartgen
             [email protected]
             703-739-0800

ABI TO CO-HOST INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE RECOVERY FORUM IN BRAZIL

June 25, 2007, Alexandria, Va. — The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) is co-hosting the Fifth Annual International Corporate Recovery Forum taking place Sept. 24-25 at the Renaissance Sao Paulo Hotel, Brazil. The local host is IBGT, the Brazilian turnaround association. The forum, which also includes the special collaboration of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ), brings together over 40 of the most distinguished Brazilian and international experts to discuss issues related to crisis prevention and corporate recovery and renewal. It is the largest event in Brazil for organizations and professionals interested in change management, corporate restructuring, structured finance, business and reorganization law, risk management and distressed investment.  

Program sessions include:

Judge Boris Kauffmann (São Paulo Bankruptcy Court of Appeals) will moderate the “Judicial Role in Complex Reorganization Cases: View from the Bench” session featuring Judges Louise DeCarl Adler (S.D.Calif.), Robert D. Drain (S.D.N.Y), Chief Judge Marcia Cunha Silva Araujo de Carvalho (Rio de Janeiro Bankruptcy Court–2nd District) and Chief Judge Alexandre Alves Lazzarini (São Paulo Bankruptcy Court- 1st District).

The “A View from the U.S. Bench: Key Structural and Practical Issues of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code–Critical Success Factors” session moderated by Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth S. Stong (E.D.N.Y.) includes Bankruptcy Judges Thomas B. Bennett (D.Ala.), Charles G. Case (D.Ariz.), Barbara Houser (N.D.Texas) andJeffrey P. Hopkins (S.D.Ohio).

Bankruptcy Judge Sidney B. Brooks (D.Colo.) and Adolfo Rouillon, Insolvency Specialist and Legal Vice President for The World Bank (Washington, D.C.) will participate in the “Cooperation, Direct Communication and Coordination of Cross-Border Cases between United States and Brazilian Courts” Session.

“A View from Brazil’s Bench: Key Structural and Practical Issues of Brazil’s New Corporate Bankruptcy and Recovery Law” will feature Judge Manoel de Queiroz Pereira Calças (São Paulo Bankruptcy Court of Appeals) and Chief Judges Carlos Henrique Abrao (São Paulo Court–42nd District), Luiz Roberto Ayoub (Rio de Janeiro Bankruptcy Court–1st District), Maria Lucia Pizzotti Mendes (São Paulo Court–32nd District) and Carlos Magno Rocha da Silva (Goiania–11th District). 

The moderator for the “Lenders’ View: Key Concerns, Relevant Aspects, DIP, Cash Collateral, Prerequisites” session is Dr. Jorge Queiroz, IBGT Chair, Managing Principal Alliance Partners–Corporate Transformation and Turnaround CEO, CRO, Creditors’ Representative (São Paulo). Joining him on the panel are Wagner Albuquerque de Almeida, Executive Director, Credit Management of ABN AMRO Real Bank (São Paulo), Marcia Maria Freitas de Aguiar, Legal Director of UNIBANCO (São Paulo),  David S. Kurtz, Managing Director of Lazard Frères & Co. LLC (New York), Salvatore Milanese, Director, Financial Advisory Services at KPMG (São Paulo), James H.M. Sprayregen, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs & Co. (New York) and Roberto Luis Troster, Partner at Integral Trust (São Paulo).  

“The Funds: What About the Required Capital?” session, moderated by Antonio Toro, Partner in the Business Recovery Services division of PricewaterhouseCoopers (São Paulo), will be joined by panelists Andre Barbierato, CEO of Buffalo Investments (São Paulo), Luis Leonardo Cantidiano, Board Member of the Brazilian Association of Private Equity and Venture Capital and partner at Motta Fernandes Rocha Advogados (São Paulo), Cristiana Ferraz, Vice President of Emerging Markets, Fixed Income Division, at Lehman Brothers (São Paulo),  Felix Hofmann, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley (United Kingdom) and David Martens, Director at ABN-AMRO Bank (New York).

Lionel Zaclis of Barretto Ferreira, Kujawski, Brancher e Gonçalves– Sociedade de Advogados (São Paulo) will moderate the “Financial Institutions and Hedge Funds in Debt Restructurings–Their Own, as Well as Their Role in Corporate Reorganizations” session with panelists Luiz Fernando Valente de Paiva, Partner at Pinheiro Neto Advogados (São Paulo), Brian E. Greer, Counsel at Linklaters LLP (New York), Laura Hatfield, Partner at Solomon Harris (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) and Christopher A. Jarvinen of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (New York)  and U.S. Representative to the IBGT.

The “International Perspective: Key Issues” session, moderated by Luis Laboissiére, Partner at Lefosse Advogados in cooperation with Linklaters LLP (São Paulo), will feature panelists Brock J. Edgar, Partner and Head of the Latin American Restructuring Group at PricewaterhouseCoopers (Toronto), Simon Freakley, CEO of Kroll Inc. (New York), Otto Lobo of Sócio, Motta Fernandes Rocha Advogados (Rio de Janeiro).  

“Oversight and Administration of Restructuring Cases (judicial administrators, trustees, examiners)” will be moderated by Josefina Fernandez McEvoy, Partner at K&L Gates LLP (Los Angeles), featuring panelists Trustee Vanio Cesar Pickler Aguiar (São Paulo), Judge Luciana Laquimia of the São Paulo Court, Salvatore Lobiondo of Kroll Inc. (New York)  and Bankruptcy Judge Maureen A. Tighe (C.D.Calif.).

Fabio Rosas, Partner of Tozzini Freire Teixeira e Silva Advogados (São Paulo) will moderate “A View from Practitioners: Creditors’ Concerns, including Issues Regarding Creditor Committees, Legal Advisors, Turnaround Professionals, Financial Advisors, Trustees, Successor Liabilities, Asset Pooling and More.” Panelists for the session include Laura Bumachar, Head of Restructuring at Barbosa Mussnich & Aragão Advogados (Rio de Janeiro), Felipe Ribeiro Da Luz Câmara of Tozzini Freire Teixeira e Silva Advogados (São Paulo), Gilberto Deon Correa, Head of Restructuring at Veirano Advogados, Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul), Luiz Eugênio Araújo Müller Filho, Partner at Lobo e Ibeas Advogados (Rio de Janeiro) and Paulo Penalva Santos, Partner at Motta Fernandes Rocha Advogados (Rio de Janeiro).

“Fraudulent Conveyances,” moderated by Martin S. Zohn, Partner at Proskauer Rose LLP (Los Angeles), will include panelists Jeffrey N. Rich, Partner at K&L Gates (New York), Bankruptcy Judge Barry Russell (C.D.Calif.) and Digital Forensic Accounting Consultant Jack Seward (New York).

Moderator Eduardo Gomide, Managing Director of Financial Advisory Services at Kroll, Inc (São Paulo) and  panelists Edward E. Davis Jr., Partner at Astigarraga Davis LLP (Miami), Antenor Madruga, Brazil’s former National Secretary of Justice and Director of Brazil’s Department of Assets Recovery and International Cooperation (São Paulo) and Andrew Witts, Head of the Commercial Fraud Group at Lawrence Graham LLP (London) will participate in the “Corporate/Financial Frauds, Tracing, Freezing and Recovery of Estate’s Assets—Brazilian and International Perspective: Case Discussions” session.

The closing speech will be delivered by Hon. Celso Limongi, President of the Superior Court of the State of São Paulo. The conference will also feature luncheon speeches by Rafael Guedes, Managing Director at Fitch Ratings (São Paulo) and Gunther Rudzit,  Ph.D. in political science- professor of international relations at the Superior School of Diplomacy, Rio Branco Institute and FAAP. A special performance by Brazilian pop singer Luciana Mello is featured on Monday, Sept. 24.

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ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes more than 11,500 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abiworld.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abiworld.org/conferences.html.