BGN is Main Sponsor of INSOL Conference in Cape Town

BGN was delighted to be a Main Sponsor of INSOL International’s hugely successful annual conference, held this year in Cape Town.

BGN was delighted to be a Main Sponsor of INSOL International’s hugely successful annual conference, held this year in Cape Town. Nearly 450 delegates representing 38 different countries attended the first restructuring and insolvency meeting ever held in Africa.

BGN Executive Chairman, Nick Hood was the Co-Chairman of the conference, which took place over four days between 17-20 March 2007.

He and fellow Co-Chairman, Bessie Bester of Cape Trustees (Pty) presided over a technical programme, which covered a wide range of key issues for the international insolvency community.

Nearly 100 speakers contributed to 30 sessions, with a particular focus on the increasing globalization of business and the ways in which professionals and business stakeholders were having to adapt to cross-border aspects.

Emerging markets were a key topic, ranging from the rapidly-growing jurisdictions in Brazil, India, Russia and China (the “BRIC” group) to New Europe and Africa.

The role of private equity houses and hedge funds was subjected to considerable scrutiny. Delegates debated how their high levels of liquidity and different investment criteria are changing behaviours and acting as catalysts for change in a wide range of business sectors. Their increasing involvement in emerging markets are providing them with considerable challenges.

The lack of expert professional resources and specialist judicial capacity outside the developed world was also examined as potential critical factors if and when the next world economic correction happens.


Nick Hood, Executive Chairman of BGN, said:

“It was thrilling to see so many of the top professionals, academics, judges and bankers in the restructuring market assembled in one place to discuss the many issues we face in dealing with struggling and distressed businesses. The quality of the technical programme and the involvement of the delegates was exceptional.

I firmly believe that the insolvency community is being brought ever closer together thanks to the efforts of INSOL International in promoting successful conferences such as Cape Town.

The world economy can only be a safer place with the development of greater cross-border co-operation when businesses run into difficulties, with experts from around the world working together to maximise outcomes for stakeholders and to minimise the risk of systemic failures in hard times.”


Enquiries to:

Nick Hood
Executive Chairman
Begbies Global Network

(Tel) +44 20 398 3800
(Cell) +44 7967 658 296