Stibbe represents ABN AMRO Bank

Matter
NL Law
Stibbe represented ABN AMRO Bank in a major cross-border dispute.

The dispute concerned the redemption of hybrid securities, for a total value of approximately EUR 2.5 billion. These securities had been issued by Ageas (formerly named: Fortis) to partially finance the acquisition of ABN AMRO in 2008. After ABN AMRO had subsequently been nationalised by the Dutch State in the wake of the credit crisis, Ageas claimed that ABN AMRO should pay for the redemption of the securities. After the Stibbe team had secured several favourable decisions from the relevant courts, the matter was settled with Ageas. However, various US hedge funds, in their capacity of holder of the securities, claimed a 20-year extension of the maturity date of the securities, potentially resulting in several billions of additional interest coupons becoming due. The Stibbe team succeeded in getting the claims from the hedge funds rejected in first instance, and in February 2019 on appeal. In May 2020, the Supreme Court also dismissed the hedge funds claims.