Partners

Mohan Gopalan

Director, Corporate Restructuring & Workouts

Key Practices

Qualifications

  • LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore
  • LL.M. (Banking and Finance Law), London
  • Admitted to the Singapore Bar (2011)

Mohan specialises in insolvency and debt restructuring and regularly advises debtors, creditors and insolvency office-holders on transactional and litigation aspects of insolvency and debt restructuring matters.

Mohan has been involved in several landmark court cases in the field of insolvency and restructuring, including Media Development Authority of Singapore v Sculptor Finance (MD) Ireland Ltd [2014] 1 SLR 733, BNY Corporate Trustee Services Ltd v Celestial Nutrifoods Ltd [2014] 4 SLR 331 and Re Pacific Andes Resources Development Ltd [2018] 5 SLR 125.    

Debt restructuring matters that Mohan has been involved in include:

  • Hin Leong Trading – Advised the informal steering committee of lenders in the insolvency of Hin Leong Trading, formerly one of Asia’s top oil traders.
  • Pacific International Lines – Advised Heliconia Capital Management (part of Temasek Holdings) on its US$600m investment as part of the restructuring of Pacific International Lines, the largest shipping carrier in Southeast Asia and 12th largest in the world.
  • Hyflux – Advised the Public Utilities Board and the National Environment Agency on Hyflux-related desalination and waste-to-energy plants in the context of Hyflux’s insolvency.
  • Floatel – Advised Keppel on the restructuring of its associated company Floatel, which owns and operates floating hotels for the offshore industry.
  • Berlian Laju Tanker – Advised the Indonesian shipping company PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk in a restructuring of over US$2 billion of debt, implemented using the scheme of arrangement process in Singapore as well as PKPU proceedings in Indonesia, Chapter 15 process in the United States and consensual arrangements with certain creditors. This transaction was named the Restructuring Deal of the Year at the IFLR Asia Awards 2016 and Insolvency Deal of the Year at the Asian Lawyer Emerging Markets Awards 2016.
  • Pacific Andes – Advised the debtor companies on a US$2.5 billion worldwide restructuring involving scheme of arrangement proceedings in Singapore. This transaction was named Finance Deal of the Year (Restructuring and Insolvency) at The Asian Lawyer Asia Legal Awards 2017 and won the Asialaw Asia-Pacific Dispute Resolution Award 2017 – Matter of the Year at the Asialaw Asia-Pacific Dispute Resolution Summit 2017.

Chambers & Partners
Restructuring/Insolvency 2024 – Leading lawyer for 7 consecutive years

Chambers noted that Mohan “has a broad practice acting for a full range of clients on debt restructuring and investments.”

"He provides excellent advice and representation in assisting companies achieve their restructuring goals successfully."

"He is good in execution and delivering results."

"He is an excellent lawyer who is an important member of the team."

Mohan is noted by sources for his experience of both transactional and contentious mandates in this space. “He's a very, very good lawyer, one of the up-and-coming guys in the restructuring space.”

He has a broad practice acting for a full range of clients on debt restructurings. A source praised Mohan, saying he “has done very well and is working on big deals.”

Asia-Pacific Legal 500
Restructuring and Insolvency 2024 – Next Generation Partner for 8 consecutive years

"Blossom Hing, Chan Wei Meng and Mohan Gopalan – I always have been impressed with the first-rate quality of their work and their dedication to helping their clients work through and emerge from difficult times."

A “rising star with a lot of depth.”

“Highly recommended.”

A “great and highly dependable counsel” that is “technically very knowledgeable.”

He has a broad practice acting for a full range of clients on debt restructurings. A source praised Mohan, saying he “has done very well and is working on big deals.”

IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms
Restructuring and Insolvency 2023 – Rising Star Partner for 3 consecutive years

Previously a Rising Star for 3 consecutive years

Who's Who Legal
Restructuring & Insolvency 2023 – Leading lawyer for 3 consecutive years
Southeast Asia: Restructuring & Insolvency 2022 – Recommended lawyer

Asialaw Leading Lawyers
Restructuring and Insolvency 2023/2024 – Rising Star for 5 consecutive years

Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific
Insolvency 2023 – Future Star for 5 consecutive years

Best Lawyers International: Singapore
Insolvency and Reorganisation Law 2024 - Endorsed lawyer

IFLR Asia Future Leaders
Identified as one of the next generation influential lawyers working within Corporate Finance in 2021

Singapore Business Review
Singapore’s most promising legal luminaries aged 40 and under in 2017 – Listed lawyer

Global Restructuring Review
‘40 Under 40’ – Listed lawyer (2016)

IFLR Asia Awards 2016
Rising Star, Restructuring

  • Member, Insolvency Practice Committee, Law Society of Singapore
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Legal Skills Programme, National University of Singapore Faculty of Law