Six years ago, Eliot & Luther did not exist.
In early 2020, I had just completed a mandate as CEO of a
private equity-backed financial services group. I took a short
break — a ski trip in February — before turning to the next
stage of my career. By the time I returned, COVID-19 had
reshaped the world.
For the first time in my professional life, I found myself
unexpectedly idle and reached out to a handful of former
clients. One invited me to his office, opened a bottle of
Macallan, and explained that the banks might not be in a
position to refinance an upcoming US dollar bond maturity. A few
glasses in, I ventured that if he could fund a small retainer to
hire two key team members, we would handle the situation.
A handshake at the bottom of that bottle was followed by frantic
calls, a hastily constructed website, and the formation of Eliot
& Luther.
From the outset, we described ourselves as “Strategic Advisory.”
This was deliberate. We did not want to define ourselves
narrowly as corporate finance or legal. Our work integrated both
— and over time expanded to include tax, technical and
environmental expertise — into a practical, solutions-driven
approach that is not constrained by traditional professional
boundaries.
We implemented that first mandate through a Singapore Scheme of
Arrangement. Formally, we acted as Strategic Adviser,
Information Agent and Scheme Manager. In practice, we managed
the process end-to-end, working alongside exceptional counsel.
The bond was successfully restructured with over 90% bondholder
support, without the client missing a single payment.
In our first year, we advised on more than one billion dollars
of M&A, restructuring and fundraising transactions —
delivered by a team of five professionals across two countries
who, due to lockdown restrictions, had never met in the same
room.
