Toby Smyth

Partner in the Firm’s Restructuring Practice, Toby Smyth has extensive experience acting for a wide range of stakeholders including debtors, creditors, distressed investors, officeholders and other key parties involved in complex cross-border restructuring and insolvency mandates.

Toby has been recognized as a leading restructuring lawyer by Legal 500 and Chambers where he is described by clients as a “rising star in the industry” and “standout performer on his team who is fully aligned with delivering the best outcomes for his clients”.

Prior to joining Simpson Thacher, Toby served as legal counsel, on secondment, at Sculptor Capital Management.

Toby's recent work highlights include:

• KKR and the company on the restructuring of the Accell Group
• Matches Fashion on its refinancings and subsequent sale to the Frasers Group
• Goldman Sachs on its 50% ownership of the Flint / ColourOz group in relation to its comprehensive restructuring and debt-for-equity swap
• KKR on its majority ownership of the Telepizza / Food Delivery Brands group in relation to its comprehensive restructuring and debt-for-equity swap
• Toucan Energy group, the U.K.-based solar park business, on its corporate structure, almost £1bn of debt and restructuring options going forward
• Joint administrators of Avanti Communications, the U.K. satellite company, on its debt-for-equity swap implemented through pre-pack administration
• Joint administrators of the Global Brands Group, including on the pre-pack and subsequent disposals of key international brands and U.K., Hong Kong and U.S. joint venture interests

Toby's experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes:

• Steinhoff Europe on the structuring and implementation of return of value to its creditors owed approximately €7 billion
• Arcadia in connection with its multiple CVAs, pensions liability restructuring, subsequent administration and disposals
• Getronics group on its financial restructuring, bridge financing and eventual sale of its global business through a Dutch pre-pack sale by a “silent” administrator
• House of Fraser on its leasehold, leveraged loan and bond restructuring by way of U.K. CVAs and schemes of arrangement and the pre-packaged sale to Sports Direct
• Monarch Airlines on its refinancings, relicensings and administration
• The special managers of Carillion in respect of its compulsory voluntary liquidation
• The pension trustee in respect of the restructuring of Interserve

Toby is an active participant in the international restructuring community, is a member of the Insolvency Lawyers Association, has lectured at the Queen Mary University on corporate restructuring and has spoken on the distressed panel at the Reorg London Credit Seminar.

Toby received his law degree from The University of Bristol. He received his LPC from BPP Law School and is admitted to practice in England and Wales.