Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

HK Type 4 license through Ballingal Investment Advisors Ltd. 

I'm a highly experienced sell-side analyst with in excess of 22 years of covering Asia Pacific equities, the past 19 years immersed in event strategies encompassing M&A risk arbitrage, directional long/short, stub trades and restructuring.  

My background also includes accountancy (liquidation/bankruptcy/receivership) earlier in my career and as a chief financial officer of a global commodity company based in the US and Mexico.

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Allied Prop (56 HK): In High Court Today ...

SHK (666 HK): Allied Group Further Cleans House With Scheme Offer

SHK (666 HK): Scheme Doc Out, IFA Says Fair

Allied Props (56 HK)'s Scheme Document Despatched

Allied Props (56 HK). Stalled At The Finish

Allied Prop (56 HK): Scheme Done. AGL Next?

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

After the sanctioning of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/allied-properties-h-k-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19953:1" rel="noopener">Allied Properties (H.K.) (56 HK)</a>'s (<a href="https://skr.ma/vN7NF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">APH) Scheme (Allied Prop (56 HK): Scheme Done. AGL Next?</a>) was thrice delayed by the High Court and further updates from the company shed no light on the issues faced, what was inconceivably feared became apparent last Friday night when the Court <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2020/1005/2020100502577.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declined to sanction</a> the Scheme.
This afternoon, the High Court<a href="https://legalref.judiciary.hk/lrs/common/ju/ju_frame.jsp?DIS=131280&amp;currpage=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> judgment</a> appeared on the Hong Kong Judiciary website. 
It is ultimately a frustrating read, one in which some of the Offeror's (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/allied-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4387:1" rel="noopener">Allied (373 HK)</a>) preparatory work was sloppy or poorly prepared.
But the great double-take in this ruling is a large portion of the judgment devoted to the headcount test at the Scheme vote.
APH is incorporated in Hong Kong. S674(c) of the <a href="https://www.hklii.hk/eng/hk/legis/ord/622/s674.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hong Kong Ordinance</a> says “subject to subsection 2(a)…”.  Subsection 2(a) replaced the headcount rule with the 10%-of-float veto. The headcount test was abolished in 2012 after a decision was reached on a <a href="https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr10-11/english/bc/bc03/papers/bc030530cb1-2019-2-e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Companies Bill</a>.
It is not clear why Allied's counsel did not raise this abolishment; but instead, butchered an attempt to show a majority in number had occurred, and as a result of this off-piste analysis, negatively influenced the court on sanctioning the Scheme.
I expect Allied to appeal. I do not expect shares to resume trading during an appeal. 
Unfortunately for shareholders who approved the Scheme, payment under the offer appears some way off.

After the sanctioning of Allied Properties (H.K.) (56 HK)'s (APH) Scheme (Allied Prop (56 HK): Scheme Done. AGL Next?) was thrice delayed by the High Court and further updates from the company shed no light on the issues faced, what was inconceivably feared became apparent last Friday night when the Court declined to sanction the Scheme.
This afternoon, the High Court judgment appeared on the Hong Kong Judiciary website. 
It is ultimately a frustrating read, one in which some of the Offeror's (Allied (373 HK)) preparatory work was sloppy or poorly prepared.
But the great double-take in this ruling is a large portion of the judgment devoted to the headcount test at the Scheme vote.
APH is incorporated in Hong Kong. S674(c) of the Hong Kong Ordinance says “subject to subsection 2(a)…”.  Subsection 2(a) replaced the headcount rule with the 10%-of-float veto. The headcount test was abolished in 2012 after a decision was reached on a Companies Bill.
It is not clear why Allied's counsel did not raise this abolishment; but instead, butchered an attempt to show a majority in number had occurred, and as a result of this off-piste analysis, negatively influenced the court on sanctioning the Scheme.
I expect Allied to appeal. I do not expect shares to resume trading during an appeal. 
Unfortunately for shareholders who approved the Scheme, payment under the offer appears some way off.

Allied Properties (H.K.)

Allied Properties (56 HK): Amateur Hour