Emma Simmonds

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT EMMA SIMMONDS

I am a partner in the financial restructuring group of Akin\'s London office, with more than 20 years of experience working with financial institutions on complex cross-border restructuring and insolvency matters across various industries and jurisdictions. I am listed as a ranked Restructuring/Insolvency Lawyer in Chambers UK 2024 and as a Leading Individual by UK Legal 50•••24. I was named \"Restructuring and Insolvency Lawyer of the Year\" at the 2021 Europe Women in Business Law awards, and “Outstanding Winner” in the Collaborative Leadership category of the Women, Influence & Power in Law (WIPL) UK Awards 2021.My recent engagements include- Advising VEON in relation to bits bond issuances and its 2023 scheme of arrangement- Advising certain creditors of McDermott International in relation to its restructuring plan and Dutch WHOA- Advising the largest holder of secured bonds issued by Polarcus Limited, a marine seismic exploration business, on the liquidation and transfer of secured assets to a company owned by the bondholders- Advising an ad hoc committee of holders of securitised bonds secured by the Metrocentre shopping centre- Advising holders of private placement notes issued by Nordic Aviation Company 29, an aircraft leasing business- Advising the second lien lenders to Curaeos B.V, a Dutch dental business, on its financial restructuring- Advising the sole senior lender in respect of its loans to a cruise line business impacted by COVID-19- Advising Strategic Value Partners, the largest lender to Dolphin Drilling ASA (formerly known as Fred. Olsen Energy ASA), on its restructuring- Advising an ad hoc committee of holders on exchange offers made in respect of bonds issued by Digicel Group Limited- Representing the mezzanine lenders on the restructuring of Expro Holdings, an oil and gas services provider- Advising Nordic Trustee on behalf of holders of bonds on the restructuring of the Sea Trucks Group. I co-authored the UK Chapter for PLC’s 2022 Cross-Border Restructuring and Insolvency Handbook. I have also co-authored a number of publications on the UK government\'s COVID-19 business support measures. I am a member of the City of London Law Society Insolvency Committee.I am passionate about diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. I established and chair our office\'s Inclusion Council, am co-chair of our firm\'s Women\'s network, and and am a member of the firm\'s Inclusion Council.