Oliver Steeple

Commercial Litigation

• Representing Société Générale, a global investment bank, in the English Court defending declaratory proceedings brought by Clifford Chance following Société Générale’s EUR 500m professional negligence claim for alleged mishandling of a dispute with Turkish jewellers, Goldas Kuyumculuk Sanayi Ithalat Ihracat AS, and other companies in the same group.
• Representing the liquidators of the China Evergrande Group in a USD 7.7 bn claim against its former Chairman, former CEO, and others involving breach of fiduciary duty, conspiracy, and proprietary proceedings with a USD 7.7 bn freezing injunction in Hong Kong and USD 350m freezing injunction and passport seizure order in England.
• Representing the liquidators of companies involved in a high-profile scandal concerning a sophisticated investment fraud scheme in a claim for GBP c.200m against two major international banks for breach of mandate and breach of the Quincecare duty.
• Representing a Middle Eastern HNW individual in a USD 120m claim against two Chinese conglomerates in relation to misappropriation of property and company shares. The case involves allegations of sanction busting and breaches of international money laundering regulation.
• Representing a Middle Eastern HNW individual in a multi-million USD claim against a Middle Eastern oil & gas engineering and construction company concerning unlawful misappropriation of assets.
• Representing a Middle Eastern HNW individual in multi-million GBP proceedings brought by a Middle Eastern oil & gas engineering and construction company involving conspiracy claims and issues concerning the beneficial ownership of assets.
• Representing telecommunications company Telefonica UK Limited (O2) in a collusion claim brought by Phones 4u Limited (In Administration) against EE, Vodafone, Telefonica, and their parent companies (at the relevant time) in the English High Court (Competition List) (Phones 4u Limited v EE Limited & Ors [2023] EWHC 2826 (Ch)).
• Representing the liquidators of a formerly SGX-listed water treatment company in Singapore court proceedings against the company’s former CEO and auditors.
• Representing the liquidators of a formerly HKEX-listed food and beverage company in Hong Kong court proceedings against the company’s former auditors.
• Representing Watchstone Group PLC in an auditors’ negligence action against KPMG LLP in the English High Court (Commercial Division), which was successfully compromised.
• Representing UK subsidiaries of Bonnier AB, a privately owned Swedish media group, in an auditors’ negligence action against haysmacintyre LLP, which was successfully compromised.
• Representing a group of investors in claims brought under s.90 and s.90A FSMA in the English High Court (Commercial Division, Financial List) against Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC and Indivior PLC. The claims were brought by way of representative proceedings pursuant to CPR 19.8.

International Arbitration

• Representing an oil exploration company in enforcing a USD 50m LCIA arbitration award in England against a Middle Eastern company and in bringing proceedings against the parent company for fraud. The underlying dispute concerned misappropriation of oil drilling equipment.
• Representing a NASDAQ Helsinki-listed Finnish O&M provider in an ICC arbitration relating to a power plant in Pakistan, which was successfully compromised.
• Representing a German online food delivery company in a DIFC arbitration arising from a shareholder dispute.
• Representing a publicly-listed junior mining company in an ICSID arbitration under the US-Panama Bilateral Investment Treaty relating to a mineral concession investment in Panama.
• Representing a NASDAQ-listed healthcare company in an ICDR arbitration against Hong Kong-based individuals regarding civil fraud and breach of restrictive employment covenants.

Compliance and Regulatory Investigations

• Advising listed multi-national companies on their compliance frameworks.
• Advising financial institutions and individuals involved in criminal and civil investigations led by regulatory bodies including the SFO, FCA, DOJ, and CFTC.