
A weekly look at current Australian business finance issues and events, as seen through the eyes of corporate and commercial “special situations”, “workout” and industry experts.
Nick Samios hosts a panel comprising Australia’s leading restructuring, capital raising and industry sector specialists for views and analysis from these practitioners who have “skin in the game” – either as hard currency or through their PI policies!
Fund Manager Nick Samios is the Managing Director of Hermes Capital, a wholesale fund specialising in event-driven funding.
This podcast was formerly Lunch Money, rebranded as Hermes Ledger.
Episodes

Feb 19, 2021
Feb 19, 2021
45 min
What do you need to prioritise when you are engaged as a turnaround chief executive?
This week, host Nick Samios was joined by Michael Milward (Managing Director at Lyreco UK and Ireland) and Neil Cussen (Partner at Cor Cordis) to discuss. PLUS a look at the latest corporate restructuring and capital raising headlines.

Feb 12, 2021
Feb 12, 2021
48 min
Never mind the death of insolvencies over the past 12 months – insolvencies have collapsed in Australia over the past 5 YEARS, in line with global trends. To discuss, host Nick Samios is joined by Warren Hogan (Principal at EQ Economics, Economic Advisor at Judo Bank).

Feb 5, 2021
Feb 5, 2021
37 min
This week's focus is on "right-sizing business assets in a transition". Host Nick Samios is joined by Ian Hyman OAM (CEO at Hyman's Valuers & Auctioneers) and Marcus Derwin (Managing Director at R Cubed Group) to discuss; along with insights into the latest special situations and corporate restructuring headlines.

Jan 29, 2021
Jan 29, 2021
40 min
Imagine that you are a business owner who has woken up to find that their largest client has appointed administrators - what now? Plus, a look at the latest corporate restructuring and capital raising headlines.
Join host Nick Samios and special guests Sule Arnautovic (Partner at Hall Chadwick) and Aaron McDonald (Managing Director at Pragma Lawyers) as they discuss on this week's Lunch Money.

Dec 4, 2020
Dec 4, 2020
37 min
Restructuring in 2021: what’s just noise, and what demands our attention?
This week, host Nick Samios is joined by Stephen Hathway (Director at Helm Advisory, President of the AIIP) and Daren Anderson (Managing Director at ERA Legal) as they share engaging insights for "cutting through the noise" in 2021.

Nov 27, 2020
Nov 27, 2020
40 min
Two narratives dominate the corporate landscape heading into 2021: the “insolvency cliff”, and “money on the sidelines”. Corporate distress will be up – it's just a question of by how much.
And with official interest rates approaching zero, funds bursting with cash are yield hungry and looking for opportunities – what happens when these two narratives intersect?
Joining us this week to discuss are Richard Hughes (Partner at Deloitte) and Tean Kerr (Partner at Lander & Rogers).

Nov 20, 2020
Nov 20, 2020
38 min
Looking into the crystal ball of insurance markets – what’s on the cards for the near future? When insurers pull cover on risk categories or industry segments, we should ask: what do they know that we don’t? Plus, a look at the current wine industry. It is a manufacturing, exporting, agricultural and marketing business all rolled into one – what successful strategies are transferable to other industries? What are the developments in Australian import/export markets?
Joining us this week to discuss are Tony Sykes (Owner of General Insurance Brokers Australia, GIBA) and Peter McAtamney (Principal at Wine Business Solutions).

Nov 13, 2020
Nov 13, 2020
36 min
What's your "talent stack" going into 2021? If you are building your professional services/ finance career - or planning on pitching to raise capital for a business deal or to land a whale - do you have the goods?
Join host Nick Samios as he puts these questions to special guests Alex Wilcox (Managing Director at Human Solutions Group) and Liam Bailey (Partner at O'Brien Palmer).

Nov 6, 2020
Nov 6, 2020
39 min
An economic twilight zone is upon us. The RBA says we are out of recession. Corporate insolvencies have declined sharply. Yet unemployment is up sharply year on year, and the RBA has seen the need to set official interest rates at historical lows.
Something is seriously amiss, and the explanations we are receiving from our politicians and mainstream economists do not sit right.
So this week we have social media’s go to economics analyst and philosopher - Principal of Digital Finance Analytics, Martin North, who will share his recent consumer and SME research and set this in the context of current monetary policy and future expectations. He says we need to stand back and really understand what is going on…

Oct 30, 2020
Oct 30, 2020
41 min
The temporary COVID-19 safe harbour defence for directors from civil insolvent trading liability expires on the 31st of December. Ditto the temporary changes to the compliance period for statutory demand and bankruptcy notices.
But what does that mean exactly? Must the directors of an insolvent business place the company into external administration before 31/12 in order to benefit from these protections?
There are opposing views in the corporate restructuring community as to what the law says, what the law intends, and what is best for the broader business community.
Does it even matter to SME owners who are “all in” one way or the other? What about middle-market firms where professional directors have everything to lose?
Regardless, what will safe harbour look like in the 2021 - and what strategies should businesses start adopting now in preparation? How should “good companies” protecting themselves from “zombie” contagion assuming there is a “wall of insolvencies” coming? What will the role of voluntary administrator be in 2021?
Join host Nick Samios as he puts these questions to special guests Ginette Muller (Partner at Hall Chadwick) and Warren Jiear (Partner at HWL Ebsworth).
