Session: 2.40pm  A Game of Hide and Seek: Enforcing a Divorce Award

Mark is a Director in DQ’s Dispute Resolution department, and heads DQ’s Insolvency & Restructuring team. Since qualifying as a Manx Advocate in 2012 Mark has regularly appeared at all levels of the Isle of Man High Court of Justice.

Mark practices a wide range of commercial litigation, but has particular experience in acting in commercial disputes (ranging from complex contractual disputes through to issuing proceedings seeking to secure and recover substantial assets such as private jets, yachts and properties held through Isle of Man companies), fraud & asset recovery, corporate insolvency, claims against directors, the appointment of receivers, applications for injunctive relief, trust disputes, enforcing foreign judgments and assisting with the recognition of foreign trustees in bankruptcy and obtaining of ancillary orders from the Isle of Man High Court.

Mark has been regularly ranked by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK, and is a member of the IFG (previously known as the Fraud Network), which is a handpicked group of specialist fraud lawyers across the world focused on securing injunctions, asset recovery and trust busting remedies in key offshore jurisdictions. Mark is a member of the Channel Islands & Isle of Man Committee of FIRE (Fraud. Insolvency. Recovery. Enforcement).

Recent public examples of Mark’s work include:

1. Zedra Trust Company (Isle of Man) Limited As Trustee of the Eldoriange Trust – Successfully obtaining on an urgent basis the blessing by the Isle of Man High Court of a momentous decision by the trustee (pursuant to section 61 of the Trustee Act 1961) and beddoe relief in respect of responding to related court proceedings issued in the Isle of Man High Court by foreign bankruptcy trustees of the deceased settlor’s Estate (allegedly insolvent to the value of £40 million) seeking information from the trustee concerning an Isle of Man trust.
2. Hannah Davie and Nicholas Stewart Wood (as Joint Trustees in Bankruptcy of Kamal Siddiqi, deceased) – Successfully obtaining the urgent recognition in the Isle of Man of English Joint Trustees in Bankruptcy in order to assist with ascertaining whether the Bankrupt had any interest in an Isle of Man company, suspected of owning English properties with a value of between £5-5.6 million.
3. Fry, Shankland & Hyde (acting as Joint Trustees in Bankruptcy of Olena Tyschenko) v Baker Tilly Isle of Man Fiduciaries Limited – Acting for Baker Tilly in respect of the bankruptcy of a high-profile Ukrainian national. Baker Tilly were added by the English joint trustees in bankruptcy to recognition proceedings before the Isle of Man High Court of Justice, in circumstances where Baker Tilly required a court order in order to compel the production of certain confidential documentation with an ancillary order for the costs of compliance.

Robert is the global head of Ankura’s Asset Tracing and Corporate Intelligence business.

Ankura is a leading provider of expert services across a range of investigative, legal, regulatory and economic issues. With over 2,000 practitioners in 35 offices across 11 jurisdictions, we combine global coverage with local knowledge. The Asset Tracing and Corporate Intelligence practice spans Ankura’s US, UK and UAE offices.

Robert’s clients include banks, investment funds, multinational companies and various international Government agencies. A particular focus of the team is high-value asset recovery cases involving sovereign states and former political leaders as well as collapsed investment funds and non-performing loan portfolios.

Prior to joining Ankura, Robert lead the consultancy asset tracing team at Burford Capital, the world’s largest litigation funder. Robert began his career with eight years working for the British Intelligence Services.

He has post graduate degrees from the University of Bristol and the University of Edinburgh.

Benoît specialises in litigation, including civil, criminal and regulatory litigation before all Swiss courts and authorities.

He frequently acts in both domestic and cross-border commercial disputes and fraud litigation, typically dealing with both the civil and criminal litigation streams. An important aspect of this is formulating an efficient litigation strategy to maximise respective benefits, also providing external communication support when needed.

As Benoît’s cases usually include an international component, he is used to coordinating actions and proceedings across various multiple jurisdictions, involving several legal teams.

Benoît also has a keen interest in asset recovery and insolvency matters as well as enforcement proceedings. He regularly domesticates foreign judgments, awards and orders, particularly in cross-border insolvency matters. Where required, he also advises on asset protection strategies before, during and after litigation.

Recognised by The Legal 500 as a “rising star” “headed for the very top”, and by Who’s Who Legal as a Global Elite Thought Leader for both Asset Recovery and Commercial Litigation, Jon specialises in high-value, complex international commercial disputes with particular expertise in civil fraud, enforcement and asset recovery (including both commercial and sovereign debt), and he has obtained a number of ground-breaking orders in this regard. Chambers & Partners describes Jon as “incredibly impressive” and “an incredible tactician”, recognising him for his civil fraud work. The Legal 500 has called Jon a “bright young gun with a shrewd mind and a calm approach” and states there is “complete trust and faith in Jon’s advice and his expertise”, recognising him as a leading individual for civil fraud, a next generation partner for banking litigation, and recommending him for premium commercial litigation, international arbitration and commodities disputes. Jon has an international practice with clients including states, financial institutions, corporate clients, high-net-worth individuals and insolvency practitioners, and has acted on a number of complex and high value Russian/CIS cases.

David brings more than 16 years of experience in the art world to Winston Art Group.

Before coming to Winston Art Group, he was Senior Vice President of Business Development for nine years at a New York art advisory firm. Prior to that, he was Fine Art Specialist & Appraiser at Chubb in London, and he started his career in the Valuation, Tax & Heritage Department of Sotheby’s London. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Valuation & Estate Management and has a Diploma from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art. David is on the Steering Committee of Professional Affiliates for the Appraisers Association of America, and has served on the Inland Marine Underwriting Association Arts and Records Committee. He lectures extensively around the country at museums, corporations, art fairs, and to private collectors. Additionally, he has taught at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, in New York.