Recent Transactions

Adviser to Bendigo and Adelaide Bank on the exit of its investment in the Homesafe Equity Release Joint Venture

Advising JerseyCo, the indirect Holdco of Alpha Auto Group, a Canadian automotive dealership group, on its acquisition of Lookers Plc, a leading UK automotive dealership group

Sole financial adviser to Exponent, one of the UK’s leading private equity firms, on the acquisition of IFF’s Flavor Specialty Ingredients division, a global leader in the base aromas market

Advising Equity Trustees, one of Australia’s leading specialist trustee companies, on the acquisition of Australian Executor Trustees from Insignia Financial

Advising and acting as sponsor to Inchcape plc, the leading independent global automotive distributor, on its proposed Class 1 acquisition of Derco, the largest independent automotive distributor by volume in Latin America

Advising Inchcape plc, the leading independent global automotive distributor, on the acquisition of Interamericana Trading Corporation (“ITC”), a leading independent automotive distributor in the Caribbean region, and Simpson Motors, the leading automotive retailer in Barbados, from the Simpson Group

Advised Kao Data Ltd, which is jointly owned by Legal & General Group PLC and Noé Group subsidiary Hockham, on raising an initial £120m-£130m growth capital commitment from Infratil Ltd with the objective of creating a £500m data centre platform

Advised Australian Unity Funds Management on its successful defence of Australian Unity Healthcare Property Trust, in response to four unsolicited offers from a consortium comprised of NorthWest Healthcare Properties REIT and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund, GIC

Advised Avant Mutual, an Australian member-owned organization providing medical indemnity insurance products to healthcare practitioners, on the exit of its strategic stake in NobleOak Life via IPO

Advised Henkel on its brand divestment program (including the sale of the General, Right Guard and Dry Idea brands)

Advising Bruc OPT Energy Partners (“BROP”), a renewable energy JV owned by OPTrust and Mr. Juan Béjar, on the sale of a 50% stake in Bruc Energy, one of the largest renewable energy platforms in Spain with c.4 GWp of Solar PV assets under operation, construction and development, to funds managed by Universities Superannuation Scheme (“USS”), the largest pension scheme by assets in the UK

Advised Fluor Corporation, a global engineering, procurement and construction company and the majority investor in NuScale, a leading developer of small modular reactor nuclear technology, on the equity capital raise for NuScale

Advised Biogix, Inc., a leader in the development, research and distribution of clinically tested menopause and perimenopause supplements in the U.S. under the flagship brand Amberen, on its sale to Alliance Pharma plc

Advising HUB24 Limited (ASX: HUB), a leading specialist investment platform provider, on its proposed acquisition of up to 40% in Easton Investments Limited (ASX: EAS), a leading provider of wealth and accounting solutions. The transaction also included the divestment of HUB24’s subsidiary, Paragem, to Easton

Advised GlaxoSmithKline plc (“GSK”), the UK listed international pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare company, on the divestiture of the Mexico rights to Hinds, Capent and Eclipsol to Mexico-based Grisi Hnos

Advised Australian Unity, an Australian healthcare, financial services and retirement and living services company, on the formation of a strategic 50:50 joint venture with Keppel for investment opportunities in the Australian metropolitan office property sector

Advised 3i Infrastructure plc on the sale of Wireless Infrastructure Group Limited, a leading independent telecommunications infrastructure provider focusing on mobile towers and indoor connectivity

Advised WH Smith PLC, one of the UK’s leading retailers, on the acquisition of Marshall Retail Group, a market leading US travel retailer with operations across airport, resort and tourist locations, from Brentwood Associates, a consumer-focused private equity firm

Advised Renewi plc, a leading waste to product company, on the sale of its Canadian operations to Convent Capital, an Amsterdam-based investment firm

Advised Lion, an Australian subsidiary of Kirin and one of Australasia’s leading food and beverage companies, on the sale of its Specialty Cheese division to Saputo, one of the top ten dairy processors in the world  

Advised Westpac, the third largest company in Australia by market capitalization, on its exit of BT Advice and the sale of select assets to Viridian Advisory

Advised The Laundress Inc., a laundry and home cleaning products brand, on its sale to Unilever, a British-Dutch consumer goods company

Advised GlaxoSmithKline plc, the UK listed international pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare company, on the divestment of Horlicks and other consumer healthcare nutrition brands to Unilever plc, and on the merger of GSK Consumer Healthcare Limited with Hindustan Unilever Limited

Advised WH Smith plc, one of the UK’s leading retailers, on the acquisition of InMotion Entertainment, the market leading retailer of digital accessories in US airports

Advised and acted as sponsor to Greencore Group plc, a leading international manufacturer of convenience foods based in Ireland, on the disposal of its entire US business to Hearthside Foods Solutions

Advised TAL, Australia’s largest and leading insurance business that is 100% owned by Dai-ichi Life of Japan, on the acquisition of Suncorp Group Limited’s Australian Life Insurance business

Advised Antin Infrastructure Partners and West Street Infrastructure Partners, part of Goldman Sachs’ Merchant Banking division, in connection with the take private of CityFibre Infrastructure Holdings plc, a leading independent provider of wholesale fibre network infrastructure

Advised Lion, an Australian subsidiary of Kirin, on its acquisition of a strategic stake in Remedy Kombucha, Australia’s leading producer and distributer of kombucha beverages

Advised Super Retail Group on the acquisition of Macpac, the New Zealand-based outdoor adventure retailer

Advised Experian plc, the world’s leading global information services company, in connection with the acquisition of a 25% stake in L&C, the UK’s largest fee free mortgage adviser

Advised Equiniti Group plc, a UK based specialist technology outsourcer providing non-discretionary payment and administration services, on the acquisition of Wells Fargo's Shareowner Services business, and acted as joint sponsor to Equiniti's associated £122 million rights issue

Advised Lion (an Australian subsidiary of Kirin), on the sale of its strategic stake in Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory to Canadian-based Saputo, under its all cash takeover offer

Advised LCH.Clearnet Group Limited, a leading multi-asset class European clearing house, on a sale of LCH.Clearnet SA, its French-regulated operating subsidiary, to Euronext N.V. that was ultimately terminated

Advised Greencore Group plc, a leading international manufacturer of convenience foods based in Ireland, on the proposed acquisition of Peacock Foods, a manufacturing partner for consumer packaged goods companies in the US.

Advised Patties Foods Ltd (ASX:PFL), the leading Australian branded frozen food Company, with market leadership in the frozen savoury and frozen dessert segments, on its proposed sale to Pacific Equity Partners via Scheme of Arrangement

Advised 3i Infrastructure plc, a leading UK listed investor in infrastructure businesses and assets, on its acquisition of a 36% economic interest in Wireless Infrastructure Group, the UK’s 2nd largest independent telecommunications tower company

Advised Ladbrokes plc, a leading UK betting and gaming company, on the recommended all-share merger with certain businesses of Gala Coral Limited, including Coral Retail, Eurobet Retail and Gala Coral Online

Advised Kerry Group plc, a global leader in food ingredients and flavor technologies, on the sale of its Australian subsidiary Kerry Pinnacle, an integrated manufacturer and distributor of bakery ingredients and prepared bakery products, to Pacific Equity Partners

Advised Lion, a leading Australasian food and beverage company wholly owned by Japanese conglomerate Kirin, on the sale of its Everyday Cheese business to Warrnambool Cheese & Butter, a listed Australian dairy company controlled by the Canadian dairy player Saputo

Advised NYK Ports LLC, a leading port operating and stevedoring company, on the sale of a 49% stake to Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, a leading Australian infrastructure fund

Advised Solomon Lew in reviewing his strategic options in relation to David Jones and Country Road. Mr Lew ultimately sold his 11.8% stake in the tightly held Country Road to Woolworths Holdings. Woolworths Holdings also acquired David Jones, Australia’s premier department store, in which Mr Lew held a 9.9% stake

Advised LSEG on the proposed acquisition of Frank Russell Company, the number one provider of benchmarks to US-focused equity funds and a leading provider of multi-asset class investment solutions, from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, including acting as Joint Sponsor to LSEG on its $1.6 billion rights issue

Advised Investec Bank (Australia) Limited on the sale of its Professional Finance and Asset Finance and Leasing businesses, its deposit book, and its Australian banking licence to Bank of Queensland Limited (“BOQ”). BOQ is a leading regional Australian bank which provides retail and business banking

Advised the Independent Committee of the Board of Essar Energy plc in connection with possible offers from Essar Global Fund Limited, its 78% shareholder, for the remaining shares it does not already own and $550mm convertible bonds issued by Essar Energy plc

Advised Tesco plc, a listed FTSE 100 retailer, on its acquisition of a significant minority shareholding in Lazada, the leading online general merchandise retailer in South East Asia

Advised Tesco plc, a listed FTSE 100 retailer, on the sale of a substantive part of Fresh & Easy’s operating business to YFE Holdings, Inc, an affiliate of The Yucaipa Companies, LLC

Advised Transpower New Zealand, the state owned owner-operator of New Zealand’s electricity distribution network on the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary d-cyphaTrade Limited to the Australian Securities Exchange. d-cyphaTrade specializes in the design and marketing of Australian electricity derivatives traded on the ASX24 derivatives platform

Advised Goodman Fielder, a leading Australian listed food company, on the sale of its New Zealand flour milling business, Champion Flour, to Nisshin Seifun Group Inc.

Advised the Special Committee of the Conflicts Committee of the Board of Directors of Athene Holding Ltd. in connection with the purchase of non-cash investment assets of AP Alternative Assets L.P.

Advised Lion on the acquisition of Little World Beverages, Australia’s largest listed brewer and one of the country’s leading players in the Craft beer segment

Advised Virgin Money, a financial services provider, on the acquisition of Northern Rock, a UK retail mortgage and savings bank, from UK Financial Investments Ltd, which manages the UK Government’s investments in financial institutions

Advised Minerva plc, a property investment and development company, on a recommended offer from a consortium consisting of AREA Property Partners and Delancey Real Estate Asset Management

Advised CHAMP Ventures on the sale of its portfolio company Retail Apparel Group, an Australian based men’s specialty apparel retailer, to Navis Capital, one of the largest regional private equity business in south-east Asia

Advised CHAMP Ventures on the sale of its portfolio company TSmarine, a provider of subsea services to the offshore oil and gas industry, to Fugro, among the world's leading service providers for the collection and interpretation of data relating to the earth's surface and sub-surface and for associated services

Advised TOWER Australia Group Limited, the largest mono-line life insurance company in Australia, in relation to the offer from The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited to acquire all of the shares in TOWER that it does not already own by way of a scheme of arrangement

Advised GlaxoSmithKline Plc, the UK listed international pharmaceutical and consumer company, on its acquisition of Maxinutrition Group Holdings Limited, a UK based sports nutrition business, from Darwin Private Equity

Advised Elders, a diversified agricultural company on the sale of its 40% stake in Rural Bank to Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, an Australian diversified financial services company

Advised Viridian, one of the leading electricity companies in the all Ireland market, on the sale of NIE, its regulated electricity transmission and distribution businesses in Northern Ireland, to ESB, the state owned vertically integrated utility in Republic of Ireland

Advised Minerva plc, a UK real estate development company, on its successful defence following an unsolicited offer from KiFin Limited, a company that makes investments for the benefit of Mr Nathan Kirsh

Advised United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Non Departmental Public Body, arm of the UK Government, on the sale of UKAEA Limited, its commercial nuclear decommissioning services business, to Babcock International Group plc

Acted as Financial Adviser and Sponsor to Shanks Group plc, a leading European waste management group, on its rights issue

Advised Lion Nathan, a leading brewery in Australia, on the sale of its remaining 54% stake to Kirin Holdings, a leading beverage company in Japan

Advised NewSmith Capital, an independent investment management group, on a strategic agreement with UniCredit whereby UniCredit will acquire NewSmith’s Financial Products credit advisory business, assume a 5% stake in NewSmith Capital and become an investor in NewSmith funds

Advised Kelda Group plc, a leading provider of water and waste water services in the UK, on a recommended cash offer from a consortium of international infrastructure investors

Provided oversight of the process and an informal second opinion to the senior management of Slough Estates plc

Advised an ad hoc committee of bondholders representing over 70% of the debt in Eggborough Power Limited, a UK power station, on (a) the formation of a new company for the purpose of acquiring and holding a controlling interest in the Eggborough CTA Bonds and (b) an associated US$600m financing. The Eggborough CTA Bonds include an option to purchase Eggborough power station in March 2010

Advised Republic Companies Group, Inc., a regional provider of personal and commercial property and casualty insurance products

Advised WH Smith PLC on the demerger of its Retail business