CH-2024-000151 - [2025] EWHC 2604 (Ch)

The ownership and control of the various entities involved in this case is an important aspect of part of the abuse of process part of this appeal, so it will be useful at this point to identify the persons and controlling interests which are relevant. They were not the subject of findings by the judge below, but as bare facts they are not disputed, at least for present purposes.

Mr Simon Halabi is a central player in this story. He is said by Mr Gaymer, in effect, to be the real principal behind the two claimants for relief and some of their predecessors in the story. As director of Greenland he represented that company at the hearing before HHJ Murch, Greenland’s solicitors having come off the record on the morning of the hearing.

Greenland is a company registered in Jersey. Its directors are Mr Halabi, and a Mr Frederic Deflorenne. The sole member of Greenland is Mentmore Estate Ltd, a company of which Mr Halabi and Mr Deflorenne are again directors. Mentmore Estate Ltd is ultimately beneficially owned by Ironzar VII Trust, constituted under Jersey law, which was settled by Mrs Inistar Nouri, Mr Halabi’s late mother. The beneficiaries under that trust have not been disclosed. Mr McGhee’s supplemental skeleton argument states that “it may be that Mr Halabi is a beneficial object or beneficiary” but other factors “strongly indicate that he is not the only one”.

Investments is another Jersey company. Its directors are a Mr Tobias Reinmann and a Mr Rodney Hodges. The sole shareholder is Athenee Nominees Ltd, a BVI company, of which Mr Reinmann and Mr Hodges are again directors. The sole shareholder of Athenee is Geneva Trust Company (GTC) SA and in evidence Athenee was said to be the nominee of Geneva Trust. The beneficial owner of Investments is said on the Jersey Register of Members to be Ironzar III Trust, and the settlor of that trust was again said to be Mr Halabi’s mother. Again, the beneficial interests have not been disclosed. In his oral submissions for Greenland at the hearing below Mr Halabi said that the beneficiaries were the same under this trust and the Ironzar VII trust, and there was a suggestion (unclear) that the beneficiaries were his children.