Allen & Overy (A&O) has been appointed to handle the wind-up of internet venture CityReach International, bagging the firm’s respected insolvency team an instruction on one of the most high-profile business failures in the new economy.

The firm was appointed by KPMG last week, less than a year after it had advised a number of banks, including JP Morgan and Merrill Lynch, on raising £84.1m in bank debt to finance the venture.