Department profile
MinterEllison

Private Equity

Asia-Pacific Guide 2026 : Australia


MinterEllison

Rankings

About

Provided by MinterEllison

MinterEllison's M&A Team has extensive, market leading experience in all aspects of M&A, corporate and securities law. The team acts for a large and established client base of international and Australian public and private clients.

MinterEllison's clients are assured of a top-tier offering in the Australian market. Their deal highlights demonstrate the breadth of practice which spans Public and Private M&A, Private Equity spin-offs and demergers, bolt-on acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances.

MinterEllison has a full service capability, including advising on regulatory issues relating to the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA), the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC). 

With a reputation for providing cutting edge advice, experience on complex and novel transactions, and an outcome-focused approach, MinterEllison's clients are able to achieve their objectives in better, more cost-effective and time-efficient ways. 

Over the last 12 to 18 months, the M&A Team has acted on some of the largest and high-profile M&A transactions in Australia such as CIMIC's A$2.2 billion divestment of Thiess, Village Roadshow and the A$760 million takeover proposal by BGH Capital and Cromwell Property on its response to the A$529 million hostile takeover bid by ARA Asset Management. 

Industries (8)

  • Financial Services
  • Health
  • Real Estate
  • Infrastructure
  • Energy & Resources
  • Education
  • TMT
  • Consumer & Retail

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Private Equity - Australia

Band 4

Band 4


What the Team is Known For

MinterEllison offers impressive Australasian coverage, bolstered by offices in China and London, facilitating the support of cross-jurisdictional transactions. It is active on both public takeovers and privatisations and is noted for its adept handling of energy and resources, financial services, and technology and telecommunications mandates. The team advises a significant number of domestic and regional private equity firms on substantial transactions. It is further noted for close attention to client objectives, including assistance in the identification of transactional risk and the development of negotiation strategies.

Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • MinterEllison advised Wee Hur Capital as investment manager for Wee Hur PBSA Master Trust on the sale of its AUD1.6 billion purpose-built student accommodation business to funds managed by Greystar Australia.

  • MinterEllison advised Anglo American on all aspects of the sale of its steelmaking coal business to Peabody Energy for approximately USD3.8 billion.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • MinterEllison provided high value, strategic advice, leveraging a multidisciplinary team with cross-border capability and deep sector knowledge.

    Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
  • They reply promptly, showcase deep expertise and knowledge, show care for their customers and, most importantly, place clients' needs ahead of theirs.

    Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
  • With exacting attention to detail, the team was able to guide us through negotiations and provided sage advice on when to be commercial and when to draw a harder line.

    Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Band 3Bart Oude-Vrielink
    Band 3Bart Oude-Vrielink

    Bart Oude-Vrielink

    Bart Oude-Vrielink is a well-regarded figure in the Melbourne market, noted not only for assisting clients with significant corporate transactions but also for advising on the attendant regulatory issues.
    • He is very experienced and has a brilliant mind.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
  • Band 3Lee Horan
    Band 3Lee Horan

    Lee Horan

    Lee Horan offers over 20 years of experience in the space, working with leading national and international private equity houses on a wide range of transactions. He leads MinterEllison's private equity practice from Sydney.

    • Lee Horan is always available. He is willing to cut through to the important issues but is also able to think of more outside the box solutions to niggly problems.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • Lee Horan is very astute, commercial and great to deal with. He gets to the heart of things quickly and simply.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
  • Band 4Con Boulougouris
    Band 4Con Boulougouris

    Con Boulougouris

    Con Boulougouris is based in Sydney and offers an impressively varied body of public and private M&A experience, covering such diverse sectors as those of agribusiness and food, engineering, and gaming and leisure.
    • Con has provided us with highly tailored, sophisticated advice that is always aligned with our commercial objectives and negotiating style. The level of service from Con has been exceptional.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • Con is a great corporate M&A lawyer. He can see the big picture and has commercial acumen. He is very solutions-driven, practical and pragmatic.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • Con is extremely client-focused. He always considers matters not only from a legal perspective, but also from a commercial point of view. He's very thorough and considered.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
  • Band 4Jeremy Blackshaw
    Band 4Jeremy Blackshaw

    Jeremy Blackshaw

    Jeremy Blackshaw acts on public and private M&A transactions in the consumer brand, financial services, healthcare and other sectors, offering particularly noteworthy expertise where the representation of foreign clients is concerned. He is based in Melbourne.
    • Jeremy is extremely competent, proactive and understanding of the client's needs.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • Jeremy Blackshaw is very commercially minded and his client service is impeccable.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • Jeremy Blackshaw was very personable, always available and was unbelievably helpful to us.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
  • Band 5Joseph Pace
    Band 5Joseph Pace

    Joseph Pace

    Based in Melbourne, Joseph Pace is the co-head of M&A and capital markets at MinterEllison. He is known for advising a broad range of clients on matters pertaining to acquisitions.

    • Joe Pace demonstrated very good commercial acumen and has been excellent in crafting contracts that really give us a lot of strength in dealing with other parties.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • He impressed us with his sharp representation of his clients while navigating deal points fairly and logically, setting up the transaction for success.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • A great person to work with. He’s across all aspects of the deal, smart and commercial.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
  • Band 5Shaun Clyne
    Band 5Shaun Clyne

    Shaun Clyne

    Shaun Clyne is noted for his long experience of acting for domestic and international clients across a comprehensive range of transaction types, as well as his knowledge of the takeover space, enhanced by numerous appearances in Takeovers Panel proceedings.
    • He has an extremely commercial view of the risk that we’re signing up to. He doesn't get stuck and knows what we're after.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific
    • Shaun Clyne is excellent and extremely responsive.

      Private Equity respondentAsia-Pacific

Ranked Individuals at MinterEllison (6)

Australia

Members

Provided by MinterEllison

MinterEllison has rankings in the following guides

What success is built on

Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.

Explore thought leadership