Career
Damien is a partner based in our Sydney office. Damien advises our Japanese clients on cross-border acquisitions, joint venture operations and energy/infrastructure projects in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Damien helps our Japanese clients realise real value from their international investments. He does so by sharing his extensive experience in Australia, Japan and the regions in which both countries invest, and by offering industry-leading Japanese language and business fluency. Throughout a career focused heavily on Japan, Damien has assisted many of this country's leading trading houses, manufacturers, energy companies, service providers and infrastructure players pursue growth and resilience in Australia and a variety of offshore jurisdictions amongst ever-diverse market conditions. Based in Tokyo from 2011 before relocating back to Sydney in 2021, Damien leads a cross-border Australia-Japan team to support our clients and their other professional advisers on strategic investments, joint venture operations and long-term project developments. His accumulated knowledge spans a broad range of sectors important to Japan, and he regularly advises on matters in the manufacturing, machinery, food, consumer goods and healthcare sectors – in addition to guiding clients on a range of energy and large-scale infrastructure projects (including road, rail, airports and water). Damien has formerly served as an Executive Councillor for the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan and actively supports a number of key initiatives of the Australia-Japan Business Cooperation Committee. Leveraging his insights, together with colleagues throughout the firm's global network he plays a core role in further developing the firm's Japan-focused investment corridors to deliver end-to-end legal support for our Japanese clients and their business partners in Australia and beyond. Damien has held a Level 1 JLPT certification in Japanese (日本語能力試験) for over 25 years, and is a NAATI-accredited interpreter.
For additional information on Damien's professional background, please visit: https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/our-people/d/damien-roberts
