MERIDIAN GLOBAL FUNDS MANAGEMENT ASIA LTD V SECURITIES COMMISSION

Abstract

This case concerned an attempt by predators based in New Zealand, Malaysia and Hong Kong to gain control of, and strip assets and cash from, a publicly listed New Zealand company (ENC). The predators included a New Zealand businessman, a Malaysian stockbroking firm and two gentlemen referred to throughout the case as ‘Koo’ and ‘Ng’. Koo and Ng were employed by the appellant company, Meridian Global Funds Management Asia Ltd (Meridian) and were, respectively, its chief investment officer and a senior portfolio manager. The appellant company was a Hong Kong investment management company with an Australian parent company, and although Koo was at the relevant time under the appellant's managing director in the corporate hierarchy of Meridian, in practice the evidence showed that he was given a very free rein in the conduct of the business of the company. The group of predators intended ultimately to finance their purchase of a controlling interest in ENC by using its own assets but interim finance was needed in order to buy the shares which would give them control of ENC's monies and assets. This was provided by Koo and Ng out of funds managed by Meridian as they improperly used their authority to act on behalf of Meridian and bought and re‐sold shares in various Asian companies (using the Malaysian stockbrokers who were also involved in this asset‐stripping raid on ENC). However, the plan went awry at the final stage when independent directors of ENC frustrated the predators' use of ENC's funds to repay Meridian. The result was that Meridian's Australian parent had to make good the losses suffered by the managed funds' beneficial owners.