Nicholas Dunstone

Primary Focus & Experience

Mr Dunstone’s practice focuses on cross border financial restructuring and distressed debt investment for a broad range of major international clients, including substantial experience advising creditor steering committees in both contentious and non-contentious situations. His expertise encompasses liability management transactions and rescue finance both inside and outside of formal restructuring processes. Nicholas’ career spans 19 years as a restructuring lawyer, and recently, 11 years as an investment professional at a leading credit fund (and has been based in London, Hong Kong, Sydney and Singapore.)

Selective significant engagements include:  

• Advising the bondholder committees in the restructurings of Altice France (Lux, France), Altice International (Lux, Portugal), Waldorf Energy (UK, Norway), VNET (China, Cayman)
• Advising the Lender syndicate on the English Law Restructuring Plan for Ambatovy
• Advising the sponsors of the Inspire Group (Korea), Food Union (China, Europe)
• Advising the major creditor in the Petrofac restructuring (Singapore, UAE, UK)
• Advising secured lenders in restructurings / enforcement of Williams Holdings (NZ) and Rise Korea
• Lead steering committee member of bondholder / lender groups in the restructurings of Floatel, Oro Negro, Noble Group, Covalent, Bassdrill, Niko Resources, and Songa Offshore.
• Lead bondholder in Premier Oil (largest creditor in a contentious UK Scheme of Arrangement).
• Significant investor in pan Asian stressed situations including Vedanta, TEPCO, TMT, Arrium, Seadrill, NADL, DAPL, Toshiba, and Korean Lines  
• Lead investor in loan to own restructuring with Goldman Sachs of Denon & Marantz (Japan), including serving as board member post restructuring.
• Board member of a number of shipping companies owning significant fleets of chemical tankers and bulk carriers (Tiger Bulk and Tiger Chem)
• Lead counsel to special situations funds investing / creditor committees in Australian connected restructurings from 2002 to 2012, including I-Med, Freightlink, Henry Walker Eltin, Southland Coal, Sons of Gwalia, Cubbie Station, Australia Japan Cable, Brandrill, Colorado, Centro, Alinta, Babcock & Brown, Nine Media, Lane Cove Tunnel, Cross City Tunnel, Lynas, Loy Yang and Nexus Energy.

Recognition & Accomplishments

Mr. Dunstone obtained a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Adelaide, Australia. He was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia, a Solicitor of the High Court of Australia and as a Solicitor in England & Wales. Nick has been a speaker at INSOL and other conferences relating to distressed investing and has served as a board member of the TMA in Australia.

He is recognised by Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Leading Partner for his work in Restructuring and Insolvency in Singapore and is featured in The Best Lawyer in Singapore 2026 Edition.