Sushil is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Drew & Napier. He is also the co-head of Drew & Napier’s Corporate Restructuring & Workout practice group. Sushil has been in practice for some 30 years, with 15 of them focused on restructuring. In 2010 and 2019, he was named Singapore’s Insolvency and Reorganisation Law Lawyer of the Year. Sushil’s practice is focused on the Asia Pacific region, with much of it revolving around Indonesia and China, where he has been involved in some of the largest restructuring exercises in Asia.
Sushil chairs the Insolvency Sub Committee of the Law Society of Singapore and is a member of the Insolvency Law Review Committee set up by Singapore’s Minister for Law, which recommended substantial changes to Singapore's insolvency laws. He is also a member of the Committee to Strengthen Singapore as an International Centre for Debt Restructuring, also set up by the Ministry of Law. Sushil sits on the INSOL World Editorial Board.
Sushil has handled a number of significant cross border restructuring exercises. Here are just a few:
- Asia Pulp & Paper Co Ltd - Sushil was the firm’s lead partner in the US$ 16 billion restructuring exercise of this multi jurisdictional conglomerate, one of the largest exercises of its kind in the world. The exercise involved some 150 subsidiaries worldwide, including in Indonesia, China, Europe and the USA.
- PT Berlian Laju Tanker Tbk - Sushil is the firm’s lead partner acting in the US$2.6 billion restructuring exercise of this leading worldwide seaborne liquid cargo transportation specialist, which is the only company listed on both the Singapore and Jakarta Stock Exchanges. It is the largest restructuring exercise in Indonesia for some years. The exercise has involved Court applications in Indonesia, Singapore and the USA. In Indonesia, the company’s debt composition proposal has been approved by the Indonesian Courts with the approval of the vast majority of its creditors, both international and domestic. This deal has been awarded Asian-MENA Counsel: Deal of the Year – Honourable Mention and IFLR Asia Awards 2016: Restructuring Deal of the Year.
- Fibrechem Technologies - Sushil represented the company in corporate rescue efforts that followed its disclosure of difficulties faced by its auditors in the finalization of its audit for the financial year 2008. The Company, which is listed in Singapore but with its assets and operations in China was one of the S-chip listed companies that ran into trouble arising out of difficulties faced by their auditors.
- Tuban Petro Group - Sushil was part of the legal team dealing with the restructuring of this Group, one of the more significant petrochemical players in Indonesia.
- TT International Ltd - Sushil acted for the major shareholders of the company in relation to its $500 million debt restructuring and in resolving their personal liabilities arising out of corporate guarantees they had executed in connection with the debts of the company. The major shareholders were protected from bankruptcy while a Scheme of Arrangement was worked out relation to the company’s debts.
Chambers Asia-Pacific
Restructuring/Insolvency 2019 – Band 1 for 12 consecutive years
Sushil Nair is "highly regarded, top of the game." He is praised as being a "practical, outside-the-box lawyer," as well as "sensible, responsive and approachable." He has experience on a plethora of high-stakes insolvencies.
"He has very good negotiation skills and is able to work through issues and provide solutions."
A client describes Sushil as "an excellent lawyer: strategic, thoughtful and a problem solver." Impressed sources note that Sushil offers "sound advice that addresses and resolves various difficult issues."
"Very responsive and extremely commercial."
Asia Pacific Legal 500
Restructuring & Insolvency 2018 – Leading Individual for 5 consecutive years
Who’s Who Legal
Insolvency & Restructuring 2018 – Leading lawyer for 11 years
Also identified as Thought Leader for Insolvency & Restructuring in 2018
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms
Restructuring & Insolvency 2019 – Highly regarded for 2 consecutive years
Leading lawyer for 7 consecutive years from 2011 to 2017
A client regarded Sushil as “extremely intelligent”, “hard-working” and “creative”.
Best Lawyers International: Singapore
Insolvency and Reorganisation Law 2019 – Endorsed lawyer for 12 consecutive years
Insolvency and Reorganisation Law Singapore Lawyer of the Year 2010 and 2019
Asialaw Leading Lawyers
Restructuring & Insolvency 2018 – Market-Leading Lawyer
Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific
Insolvency 2018 – Dispute Resolution Star
Practical Law Company Which Lawyer?
Restructuring & Insolvency 2012 – Endorsed Individual for 5 consecutive years