Michael Pearson is a highly experienced independent director, liquidator, trustee and advisor. He specialises in providing independent governance and dispute resolution advice to companies, partnerships, trusts and other financial structures. He currently acts as a director and liquidator to a number of hedge fund and other investment holding company boards, both offshore and onshore.
With over 20 years’ experience in the financial services sector, Michael occupied various senior roles in the insolvency teams of Big Four accounting firms. He has significant experience with wind downs, restructurings and other complex situations such as communication or relationship break downs due to unanticipated events, causing liquidity issues and often disputes and litigation.
Michael’s background includes realising complex and illiquid assets, resolving service provider issues, dealing with valuation, redemption and side letter disputes, in addition to investigations regarding fraud, legal claims, regulatory issues, disputes, restructurings, indemnification practices, claw backs and litigation.
This level of experience makes him ideally placed to provide board level guidance and to enhance corporate governance for offshore and onshore funds and other investment vehicles.
Michael has also been involved in some of the highest profile investment fund closures in recent years and is regularly sought out for his pragmatic and straightforward approach. He is currently involved in litigation in several countries including ground-breaking proceedings relating to the Cayman liquidation of a Madoff feeder fund. Recently he has also been involved in the transition to a new manager of a complex onshore/offshore structure, the hostile takeover of some US domestic funds, a several hundred million dollar mediation, various trust disputes, US Bankruptcy matters and other structured finance and holding company restructurings.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and a UK licensed and Cayman qualified Insolvency Practitioner. He is a member of INSOL International and is the founding chairman of the Restructuring and Insolvency Specialists Association in the Cayman Islands, which has over 350 members. He is also registered with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority as an Approved Director.