The Turnaround Podcast with Stephen Phillips, Episode 25

In this episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks with Christian Schmehl, Managing Partner at Hypax, a specialist investment firm with offices in London and Berlin.

Tune in to the episode to hear about:

* Christian’s career path that led him to founding Hypax in early 2023

* Hypax’s specialization in complex corporate carve-outs of underperforming “corporate orphans”

* How and why Hypax buys equity and typically avoids standard LBO leverage

* Carve-outs enabling digital leapfrogging by replacing legacy tech stacks

* Hypax’s use of an evergreen structure to allow longer transformations

* Best practices across holdings without over-integration

* Hypax business acquirement since its founding in 2023

Learn more about Christian Schmehl:

* Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-schmehl-3a311a13

* Visit Hpax’s website: https://www.hypax.com/about

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About The Turnaround Podcast:

In each episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks to experienced practitioners who discuss their careers, key moments, challenges, and lessons learned in financial turnarounds and business restructuring. Tune in as they unravel the secrets to turning struggling businesses into successful ones.

Watch more episodes of The Turnaround Podcast::

* FreiLibertas Law’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWzwWr13TM2692SYEJc-U3g/

Connect and learn more from your host, Stephen Phillips:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-phillips-85034324/

* Website: https://www.freilibertas.com/founders-experience

The Turnaround Podcast with Stephen Phillips, Episode 24

In this episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks with Kevin Heverin, Kunal Shah, Matthew Prest. Kunal Shah is founder and CIO of PVTL Point, a European opportunistic credit launch. Kevin Heverin is  a partner in the Banking and Finance group in London and a member of the Global Restructuring and Insolvency team at Baker Mackenzie. Matthew Prest is Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe at Moelis & Company.

Tune in to the episode to hear about:

* Notable restructuring cases from 2025, such as Thames Water and Petrofac

* The evolving landscape of liability management exercises (LMEs)

* The impact of the current permissiveness of debt documentation on the market

* The importance of building and maintaining trust among stakeholders

* The increasing role of advisor-led strategies

* Coss-border restructuring with an evaluation of recent cases involving international companies utilizing English law processes, assessing jurisdictional effectiveness

* 2026 Predictions — sustained capital availability, increased stress in credit markets, and more strategic private deals focused on avoiding public processes.

Learn more about Kevin Heverin, Kunal Shah, Matthew Prest:

* Read Kevin’s profile on Baker Mackenzie’s website: https://www.bakermckenzie.com/en/people/h/heverin-kevin

* Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-heverin

* Read Matthew’s profile on Moelis’s website: https://www.moelis.com/our-team/matthew-prest

* Connect with Matthew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-prest-ab149294

* Read Kunal’s profile on Pvtl Point‘s website: https://www.pvtlpoint.com/our-people/kunal-shah

* Connect with Kunal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunalpvtlpoint

***********************************

About The Turnaround Podcast:

In each episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks to experienced practitioners who discuss their careers, key moments, challenges, and lessons learned in financial turnarounds and business restructuring. Tune in as they unravel the secrets to turning struggling businesses into successful ones.

Watch more episodes of The Turnaround Podcast::

* FreiLibertas Law’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWzwWr13TM2692SYEJc-U3g

Connect and learn more from your host, Stephen Phillips:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-phillips-85034324

* Website: https://www.freilibertas.com/founders-experience

The Turnaround Podcast with Stephen Phillips, Episode 23

In this episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks with Matt Meehan, the founder of Lyford Partners, a specialist credit provider focusing on liquidity challenges for individuals, families, and businesses.

Tune in to the episode to hear about:

* Key moments in Matt’s career in specialist finance with early days of distressed credit markets, notable deals like the Cape Cod potato chips acquisition

* Matt's recent ventures, including DIP financing and matrimonial funding

* Complex distressed opportunities since the 1980s

* Matt’s perspectives on the evolving credit landscape

* Potential market challenges related to private credit and equity

* Insights into how technology, including AI and blockchain, is changing the financial sector

Learn more about Matt Meehan:

* Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mameehan

* Visit Lyford Partners’ website: https://www.lyfordpartners.com

***********************************

About The Turnaround Podcast:

In each episode of The Turnaround Podcast, Stephen Phillips speaks to experienced practitioners who discuss their careers, key moments, challenges, and lessons learned in financial turnarounds and business restructuring. Tune in as they unravel the secrets to turning struggling businesses into successful ones.

Watch more episodes of The Turnaround Podcast::

* FreiLibertas Law’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWzwWr13TM2692SYEJc-U3g

Connect and learn more from your host, Stephen Phillips:

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-phillips-85034324

* Website: https://www.freilibertas.com/founders-experience