Hannah Biggins

About Hannah Biggins

Hannah is a Partner in the Corporate practice group in Melbourne.

Hannah specialises in mergers and acquisitions. She advises on a wide range of public and private M&A transactions, including share and asset sales, schemes of arrangement, takeovers, demergers, corporate restructures and joint ventures.

Hannah is also a key member of Allens' Corporate Advisory and Governance team, with significant experience advising on corporate governance, risk and compliance and ESG-related matters, and leads Allens' ESG Governance and Disclosures Hub.

Hannah has worked on secondment at BHP, Vicinity Centres, Shell and Tabcorp, advising on a range of significant commercial matters.

Hannah's public M&A experience includes advising:

• Cooke Aquaculture – on its acquisition of Tassal Group, via scheme of arrangement, with the transaction valuing Tassal at $1.1 billion.
• AusNet – on its acquisition by a Brookfield led consortium, via scheme of arrangement, with the transaction valuing AusNet at $10.2 billion.
• KKR, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, PSP Investment Board – on the consortium's acquisition of Spark Infrastructure by way of a trust scheme and creditors' scheme of arrangement, with the transaction valuing Spark at $5.2 billion.
• Vocus – on its acquisition by a consortium comprising MIRA and Aware Super, via scheme of arrangement, with the transaction valuing Vocus at $4.6 billion.
• Bellamy's Australia – on its acquisition by China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited via a scheme of arrangement, with the transaction valuing Bellamy's at $1.5 billion.
• Recall Holdings – on its acquisition by Iron Mountain via a scheme of arrangement, with the transaction valuing Recall at $3.7 billion.
• Ferrovial – on its successful $813 million off-market hostile takeover bid for Broadspectrum Limited (formerly Transfield Services).
• Federation Centres – on its merger with Novion Property Group to create an ASX listed entity (Vicinity Centres) with market capitalisation of over $12 billion.

Hannah's private M&A experience includes advising:

• Polymaster – acting for the founders on their sale of Australian agribusiness Polymaster to US-based Tank Holding Corp.
• QAF Limited – on its sale of Australian primary production business, Rivalea Australia, to JBS Australia.
• Santos – on its sale to SK E&S of a stake in the Darwin LNG plant and pipeline and the Bayu-Undan gas fields in the Timor Sea for US$390 million.
• New Century Resources – on its proposed acquisition of a 95% stake in the Goro Nickel and Cobalt Mine in New Caledonia from Vale S.A.
• Vicinity Centres – on its sale to GIC of a 49% stake in Vicinity's Chatswood Chase Shopping Centre worth $562 million.
• Freudenberg – the German-headquartered global technology company on its acquisition of the Oates business from GUD Holdings.
• Pamoja Capital – on its acquisition of a controlling interest in university accommodation provider, Unilodge Holdings.
• PZ Cussons – on its acquisition of baby food maker, Rafferty's Garden, and its acquisition of yoghurt and dairy company, Five:AM.

Hannah's governance and ESG advisory experience includes:

• Advising various ASX listed companies on corporate governance and advisory matters, including annual and half yearly reporting practices (including climate related financial disclosures), annual general meeting procedures, continuous disclosure matters, best practice board procedures, directors' duties and liabilities, shareholder engagement and ASX Listing Rule compliance.
• Advising large companies (listed and unlisted), institutions and funds on Australia's mandatory climate reporting regime, including on best practice governance practices and other preparatory steps.
• Advising multiple bidders on ESG related considerations during the course of M&A transactions, including ESG due diligence, ESG shareholder activism and ESG related provisions in transaction documentation.
• Advising various public and private companies on general corporate law and commercial matters, including ESG related verification and assurance exercises, corporate governance frameworks, policies and procedures.
• Kilara Capital – advising on its sustainable, ESG impact-focused business investments in Grounded Packaging (a sustainable packaging company) and JET Charge (a leading installer of electric vehicle charging infrastructure).
• Rivalea Australia – conducting a strategic review of its Australian primary production business, including a review of its governance arrangements and risk and compliance matters.
• Top 10 ASX entity – assisting with its response to the ASIC Corporate Governance Taskforce, including interviews with directors and executive team members.

Hannah is an experienced legal project manager who takes a co-ordinated and commercial approach to running matters, managing costs, effective teaming, risk analysis and scheduling.