“What separates leaders is how you handle uncertainty. I operate in high-stress situations, which makes it imperative to listen to yourself and others, and offer a calm and clear path forward.”
Robin Chiu began her career in debt capital markets before pivoting to restructuring during the financial crisis. Today, as a managing director at Portage Point Partners, she advises companies, creditors and investors in complex situations, specializing in capital structures, liquidity management and value-maximizing business strategies.
A major career turning point was serving as chief restructuring officer (CRO) of Ezra Holdings, a cross-border restructuring involving a Singapore-listed company. In her first officer role, she navigated Chapter 11, negotiated an asset sale and mastered the challenge of aligning stakeholders across geographies. While proud of managing these intricate dynamics, she finds the deep relationships she builds with colleagues, clients and opposing parties alike to be the most rewarding part of her career.
Among her most impactful engagements, Chiu recently served as CRO for Luminar Technologies during its accelerated Chapter 11 cases, leading creditor negotiations and cross- advisor coordination to secure a $110 million subsidiary sale alongside a parallel sale of the core business. On a personal level, she guided the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club through a difficult restructuring to preserve its mission— a partnership that extended well beyond the engagement.
What sets Chiu apart is her ability to blend emotional intelligence with technical analysis. By pairing analytical insights with an innate ability to listen and earn trust, she effectively aligns competing agendas and guides diverse parties toward unified, workable solutions.
Chiu encourages women early in their careers to consistently step outside their comfort zones. Whether that means taking on more responsibility, speaking up in a meeting or showing up to an event, she views these as essential moments that build long-term confidence and momentum.
