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On Wednesday morning, Brooks Brothers, which Claudio Del Vecchio purchased in 2001, succumbed to its debts amid the coronavirus crisis and filed for bankruptcy in Delaware.

The company listed both its assets and liabilities as ranging between $500 million and $1 billion.

The filing was not a surprise — WWD reported Tuesday that it was imminent. Brooks Brothers entered the process with $75 million in debtor-in-possession financing obtained from WHP Global, the newly formed brand management firm headed by Yehuda Shmidman that is among the parties interested in acquiring the business.

In addition to WHP Global, sources have said that Authentic Brands Group in partnership with Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners is also interested in buying the iconic brand.

SFNet's 75th Annual Convention featured a fantastic lineup of thought leaders whose insights helped attendees see around corners and make the best decisions for their  business. From leading private debt and equity players and supply chain experts to M&A advisors, ground-breaking economists and the best minds in the legal community, industry authorities shed light on the issues affecting attendees' business now and in the future. The latest data and forecasts including all new studies dimensioning the secured finance market and examining its inter-relationships was also presented. Whether an ABL lender, factor, advisor, intermediary or other, there was something for everyone in our Network.

White Oak Commercial Finance, LLC (“White Oak”), an affiliate of White Oak Global Advisors, LLC, announced that Wes Reagan has joined the Lender Finance Team as Managing Director of Underwriting. He will be responsible for underwriting, sourcing, structuring, and managing lender finance and ABL transactions as part of White Oak’s expanded lender finance and asset-based lending platform. Wes is based in Atlanta and will report to Neal Mulford, the Head of Underwriting and Portfolio Management.

As circumstances are moving rapidly, companies and their lenders are dealing with unprecedented times.  While companies try to determine the full impact of the current economic tailspin on their businesses, lenders are looking to understand their risks and how they can respond to them.

The credit agreement sets out the rules of the road for the relationship between a company and its lenders.  In the list of credit agreement provisions set out below we attempt to provide a map for the secured lender for navigating those rules, anticipating where there may be bumps or wrong turns and providing some guidance for where a lender may go in the credit agreement to determine its path when confronted with a borrower in distress.

The financing was arranged on behalf of project sponsor Idemitsu Renewables (formerly Solar Frontier Americas), a leading solar project developer that has successfully built and sold hundreds of megawatts of utility-scale solar power since 2015. The project will sell power to Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA), a nonprofit electric distribution cooperative based in Sedalia, Colorado.

Wells Fargo Strategic Capital, a division of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC), announced Dr. Rodney Altman as the newest managing director in its Healthcare Group, effective immediately. Altman, also a part-time physician at Stanford University Medical Center, is based in San Francisco and will work alongside the other members of the Healthcare Group, including John Ryan, Christine Guo, and Robert Rein.

Piper Sandler & Co. acted as financial advisor to Banc of California in the transaction and delivered a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors of Banc of California. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP served as legal counsel to Banc of California. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., a Stifel Company, acted as financial advisor to Pacific Mercantile and delivered a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors of Pacific Mercantile. Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP served as legal counsel to Pacific Mercantile.

Capital One has entered into an agreement to acquire KippsDeSanto & Co. a leading investment banking firm focused on serving growth-oriented aerospace/defense, government services and technology companies. Based in Tysons Corner, Va. in the Washington, DC region, KippsDeSanto has a national practice specializing in merger and acquisition advisory services.