About Matthew Whittle
Matthew specialises in both restructuring & insolvency and disputes & investigations.
He advises creditors and debtors in relation to complex corporate restructuring and workouts. He also advises lenders and insolvency practitioners in relation to formal insolvencies, including receiverships, administrations, deeds of company arrangement and liquidations. Matthew has acted for clients in some of Australia's most significant workouts and insolvencies across a broad range of industries. He is recognised for combining deep technical expertise with a strategic and commercial mindset in order to deliver outcomes for clients facing complex, distressed situations.
Matthew also has broad experience advising companies and financial institutions in relation to commercial litigation and regulatory investigations. He frequently represents clients in significant shareholder and investor disputes, as well as disputes arising from supply arrangements (including manufacturing, logistics and warehousing contracts).
Having practiced in both Australia and Japan, Matthew frequently advises offshore lenders and investors on Australian and cross-border restructures, administrations and disputes. He is currently Co-Head of Allens' Japan Group.
Matthew's recent experience includes acting for the following.
Restructuring & Insolvency
- Ernst & Young – in their capacity as voluntary administrators of the Rivet Mining Services and its parent company.
- OCP Asia and McGrathNicol – in relation to the ongoing receiverships of both the Caydon Group and the Steller Group, two large Melbourne-based property developers.
- Ernst & Young – in their capacity as voluntary administrators of the Basslink group of companies, which operated one of the world's largest undersea electricity interconnectors.
- McGrathNicol – in their capacity as administrators of the Tristar Medial Group, which operated a group of over 20 medical clinics across Australia.
- Deloitte – in their capacity as receivers and managers of Royal Express (a freight forwarding business) and ODFA (an organic dairy business)
- International lending syndicate – in relation to their exposure to a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project in Melbourne.
- US Bondholders and McGrathNicol - in relation to the receivership and complex restructure of the Quintis Group, an Australian based sandalwood producer.
- Standard Chartered Bank - in relation to the administration of OM (Manganese) Pty Ltd and the cross-border restructuring of the OM Group.
Disputes & Investigations
- Bendigo & Adelaide Bank – in relation to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.
- National Australia Bank - in numerous State, Federal and Appellate proceedings, including class action proceedings, arising from the enforcement of their security interests.
- Bluescope – in relation to disputes arising from key supply and customer contractual arrangements.
- General Mills – in disputes relating to food manufacturing supply arrangements.
- Mondelez – in disputes relating to food manufacturing supply arrangements.
- Nissan – on regulatory issues and disputes relating to its dealership, warehousing and finance arrangements.
- Retail Employees Superannuation Trust – in proceedings in the Federal Court arising from disputes between shareholders in a billion dollar public company.
- Japanese trading houses – in relation to disputes arising from their investment in Australian mining and mining services companies.
Matthew is a member of the Turnaround Management Association, the Law Council's Insolvency and Reconstruction Law Committee and the Federal Court's insolvency user group.
He is currently ranked as a 'Band 2' restructuring and insolvency lawyer in the Chambers 2022 Asia – Pacific Guide. He is also ranked by Doyle's Guide as a Leading Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyer.