Private Equity
Asia-Pacific Guide 2024 : Australia
Band 1
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+61 2 9230 4000About
Provided by Allens
With emphasis on quality, innovation and timeliness, Allens delivers highly successful outcomes in mergers and acquisitions for leading companies in Australia and around the world. We are one of only a few firms with a large number of public and private M&A specialists with the expertise to be able to advise on Australia's largest and most complex deals. This is evidenced by our consistent strength in the M&A league tables year after year. The depth of our firm means we are able to provide the large M&A teams and expert specialist advice required on these significant transactions, including major privatisations, cross-border acquisitions, significant telecommunications transactions and major global transactions.
Our highly regarded private equity team has significant experience advising global and domestic private equity sponsors across the investment lifecycle, from establishment, complex buyouts, distressed investments, minority stakes, bolt-on acquisitions, take-privates, leveraged and syndicated financing, through to eventual exit, whether that be through initial public offering or divestment.
Our strong and enduring relationships with leading financial advisers and regulators, including the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, the ACCC, the Takeovers Panel and the Australian Securities Exchange, enable us to play an effective part in any advisory team.
Chambers Review
Allens offers a richly resourced and versatile group, handling some of Australia's highest-value and most significant cross-border and global public M&A transactions for a blue-chip, international clientele. The firm also acts for prominent private equity houses across the full spectrum of transactional issues and is able to draw on talent in capital markets, banking, funds and tax departments to provide a comprehensive offering, covering the full private equity life-cycle. It is active across a diverse range of industry sectors, including large-scale infrastructure and telecommunications, and is especially prominent on major takeovers and privatisations. Through its collaboration with its global alliance partner Linklaters, the firm offers fully integrated services across Asia and Australasia to advise on highly sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional transactions. Notable clients include Sydney Airport, Morrison & Co and Blackstone.
Work Highlights
- Allens advised AusNet on its acquisition by a consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management, with a deal value of around AUD10.2 billion.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"We are very happy with their performance and feel comfortable and confident in the advice we receive."
"The Allens team is first class. They are highly professional with significant capacity and a deep pool of subject matter experts to cover all required aspects of a transaction."
"They are highly responsive and very commercial, with the right level of reactivity depending on the situation."
"We are very happy with their performance and feel comfortable and confident in the advice we receive."
"The Allens team is first class. They are highly professional with significant capacity and a deep pool of subject matter experts to cover all required aspects of a transaction."
"They are highly responsive and very commercial, with the right level of reactivity depending on the situation."
Notable Practitioners
Guy Alexander operates from Allens' Sydney office and frequently assists clients on multibillion-dollar public M&A transactions.
"We received highly competent commercial and legal advice from him during an acquisition process."
Tom Story maintains a market-leading profile in both the public M&A and private equity areas, advising some of the largest multinational private equity houses and investors. He is based in Sydney and is head of Allens' corporate practice and co-head of the private equity team.
"Tom is highly respected by the private equity community in Australia – very experienced, good judgement and highly commercial."
"Tom is a highly sophisticated, calculated and experienced lawyer who approaches complex situations with a level of calmness that instils confidence in his clients. He's one of our first picks."
"He is a high-quality lawyer who is extremely easy to work with and is commercial in his approach."
Vijay Cugati maintains a versatile and varied corporate practice from the Sydney office, offering over two decades' experience in the management of a comprehensive range of deal types, including public takeovers, carve-out transactions, schemes of arrangement and private acquisitions and disposals.
"Vijay is an incredibly smart, commercial and efficient lawyer who consistently impresses us."
Kylie Brown is a well-regarded partner in the M&A space whose Sydney-based practice is oriented towards the media and infrastructure industries, where she regularly acts on substantial transactions.
"She provides great client service and commercial acumen."
Richard Kriedemann offers an impressive breadth of expertise in the M&A space, including public takeovers, joint ventures and share acquisitions and disposals, and is also notable for his experience assisting on matters relating to Papua New Guinea from his base in Sydney.
Christopher Blane is based in Sydney and is active on some of Allens' most prominent private and public M&A deals and schemes of arrangement.
"Chris provides wonderful service and understands our business intimately. He is always helpful and eager to assist us in solving problems and achieving a successful outcome."
Emin Altiparmak is a Melbourne-based private equity specialist who frequently supports private equity firms with substantial acquisitions, disposals and takeovers.
"What I like about him is his interpersonal skills with various parties – a good facilitator."
Kounny Rattley practises principally in the private equity space, offering experience of work for both global and domestic private equity houses from her base in Allens' Sydney office.
"I have had very good experiences with Kounny. She provides high-quality, sensible advice and is effective in seeking a path through more challenging issues."
"She is an excellent practitioner who knows how to get deals done."
Mark Malinas acts principally on private equity transactions from the Melbourne office and is frequently instructed by prominent private equity outfits.
"Mark is very positive, works very hard and provides top-notch advice."