Alexandra Bigot Partner MAIN OFFICE: Paris Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP 21-23 rue de la Ville l'Evêque Paris 75008, France T +33 1 53 43 4550 F +33 1 40 06 9606

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Alexandra Bigot is a partner in the Business Reorganization and Restructuring Department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher llp in Paris.  Ms. Bigot is regularly involved in out of court restructuring matters on behalf of debtors and shareholders, especially with respect to troubled leveraged buyout (LBO) cases and sale of underperforming or distressed branches of international groups.  She also advises investors seeking investment opportunities in judicial and out of court insolvency cases.  Ms. Bigot has significant previous experience advising private equity funds in LBO acquisitions with regard to corporate, finance and tax matters.

Ms. Bigot is a member of the French chapter of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA), ARE and Droit et Commerce.

Prior to joining Willkie as a partner in 2003, Ms. Bigot was with Fonds Partenaires-Gestion, the management company of the French private equity funds of Lazard Bank, which focuses on majority LBO acquisitions.  Here she was responsible for managing portfolio companies, and acquired significant experience handling restructuring matters.  From 1991-1999, as a corporate tax lawyer in Willkie’s Paris office, Ms. Bigot specialized in advising private equity funds on an array of corporate, finance and tax matters.

Out-Of-Court Reorganizations of Distressed Groups:

Manoir Industries (cast and foundry) (2007)

• Assisted the company in its negotiation with its private equity shareholder, Sun Capital, in the framework of a sale & lease back transaction (€ 70 M).

International Outsourcing Services (coupon business) (2007) - LBO case

• Assisted IOS LLC and FTI Palladium in the sale of its European business (IOS Europe) in the framework of a mandat ad hoc procedure and a litigation procedure against the manager/founder.

Teksid Aluminum (aluminum foundry, automotive part) (2006-2007) - LBO case

• Assisted Teksid Aluminum (i) in its sale of its non European subsidiaries to Tenedora Nemak S.A. de C.V, (ii) in its European reorganization prior to (iii) the re-sale of the italian businesses to Fiat and the French remaining businesses to a German turnaround fund (Bavaria Industrie Kapital).

Hachette Livres (Books editor) (Since 2006, in progress)

• Assists Hachette Livres in the reorganization of a subsidiary out of its core business. Search of possible buyers vs internal turnaround.

Pragma Capital - DTS (household cleaning materials) (2006-2007) - LBO case  

• Assisted Pragma Capital and DTS in its financial reorganization, including a share capital increase, the rescheduling of its acquisition debt and the setting up of new credit facilities for the operational subsidiaries.

EADS-Sogerma (aircraft maintenance) (2006-2007)  

• Assisted EADS and its subsidiary Sogerma Services in the carving out and sale of one of its French distressed branches, including subsidiaries in Tunisia and United States, to TAT Group.

Almar/Jallatte (security shoes) (2004-2005) - LBO case

• Assisted CVC Capital Partners, the majority financial shareholder, in the global negotiation between the group, its bank lenders (and hedge funds as their successors), its bondholders, and its manager, as well as a minority shareholder. Negotiated the exit of CVC.

Manoir Industries (steel foundry and casting) (2002-2005) - LBO case 

• Assisted the group in its financial and operational reorganization, including a share capital increase, the sale of non profitable business units, and several renegotiations of its acquisition bank debt, its operational debts and letters of credit. (2002-2004)
  
  
• Assisted the group and its shareholders (Fonds Partenaires-Lazard) in the negotiation of the group’s takeover by Fin’Active and the full renegotiation of its debt under theses circumstances. (2004-2005)

Safeguard and Insolvency Proceedings:

Representing debtors:

Valiance (transport of funds) (2003-2004) - LBO case

• Assisted Valiance in opening two separate insolvency proceedings for each of its branch of activity and implementing the two asset deal plans ordered by the court, one of which was to the benefit of Securitas.

Representing investors (equity or debt):

Smoby/Strategic buyer (Sept 2007-January 2008)

• Advising a potential strategic buyer of part of Smoby’s business in the framework of Smoby’s safeguard proceeding followed by its recovery proceedings.

Sintex (2006-2007)

• Advising Sintex (Indian trade buyer) in its purchase of the group Nief Plastic (automotive subcontractor), which included a subsidiary under insolvency proceedings.

Quadrangle (2006-2007)

• Advising Quadrangle as creditor in Eurotunnel safeguard proceeding.

Goldman Sachs International (London trade desk) (2005-2007)

• Assisted Goldman Sachs International trade desk in connection with Eurotunnel work-out, prior to and during its safeguard proceeding (analysis of scenarios).

HBK Investment (2004-2005) 

• Advising HBK Investment LLP (a US-based hedge fund), in connection with its investment in Eurotunnel’s senior debt prior to its work-out.

Caravelle/General Trailers (trailers) (2004) 

• Assisted Caravelle, a French turnover fund, in establishing an asset deal plan in connection with the acquisition of some major branches of General Trailers, under insolvency proceeding prior to its work-out.

Dutch Distributor/Singer Futura France (sewing machine) (2004)

• Assisted a Dutch distributor of sewing machines in establishing an asset deal plan, under insolvency proceeding.

Representing suppliers:

Teksid Aluminum S.r.l. (2006-2007)

• Advising the Italian subsidiary of Teksid in Euralcom safeguard proceedings.

Clarity/Biomega (2006-2007)

• Assisted Clarity (US medical machine manufacturer) in Biomega insolvency proceedings.