About Jessica Choong
Jessica is a partner in the Corporate/M&A group.
She is a highly experienced corporate lawyer, specialising in M&A, joint ventures and consortium arrangements. Her practice is focused on advising private capital clients (superannuation and pension funds, fund managers and sovereign wealth funds), including on competitive sales processes, and in the core and core-plus infrastructure sectors. She has advised across a range of high-profile and cross-border transactions and is experienced in advising on foreign investment (FIRB) regulation. She is also experienced in corporate advisory and corporate governance matters, including for ASX-listed entities.
Jessica spent three years on secondment in Singapore, where she worked closely with a range of Australian and foreign clients on their inbound and outbound investments across the Asia-Pacific region. She has participated in the CEW Leaders Program of Chief Executive Women and is a current member of the CEW Connect Committee (Victoria).
Jessica's experience in advising private capital clients includes:
- AustralianSuper: on its acquisition of a 70% stake in Optus Towers for $1.9bn; on its acquisition (through its joint venture with Singtel, Australia Tower Network) on its $3.58bn acquisition of Axicom; and on its investment in Syrah Resources Limited by way of convertible notes.
- Keppel Infrastructure Trust: on its acquisition of chemicals business Ixom for $1.1bn, and a subsequent bidder for Ixom.
- Bingo Industries: a co-investor in the take-private of Bingo Industries by a consortium led by Macquarie Asset Management.
- Rest, Hostplus and other investors: on a strategic review of their investment in Campus Living Villages.
- Rest: on its acquisition of a one-third stake in Sydney's Quay Quarter Tower redevelopment for approximately $900m.
- ISPT: on its investment in the Fort Street Real Estate Capital Property Fund, including its initial acquisition of a 75% interest in the manager of the Fund, and subsequent buyout of the remaining 25% minority interest.
- Future Fund: on a strategic review and exit of its investment in DP World Australia.
- Aware Super: on its acquisition of an interest in Two Melbourne Quarter (jointly with Lendlease's Australian Prime Property Fund Commercial) and on its acquisition of a 90% interest in Lendlease Public Infrastructure Investment, which holds a 50% interest in the New Bendigo Hospital, Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct PPP projects.
- Equilibrium Capital-led consortium: on their investment in a majority interest in agribusiness Perfection Fresh.
- Kilara Capital: on various investments, including those in JET Charge, Wattwatchers, Grounded Packaging, Tasman Environmental Markets and Wilan Wind Farm.
- Green Peak Energy: on the investment by CBRE Investment Management.
- North East Link PPP: a member of the Spark consortium on its equity participation in the North East Link PPP project.
- JANA Investment Advisers: on the initial management buyout of a 55% majority stake in the JANA asset management business from NAB and subsequent acquisition of the remaining 45% stake.
- NSW Land and Property Information: the financiers of a consortium bidder for the NSW LPI privatisation.
- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board: on its $3.4bn take-private of Intoll Group, its $7.5bn take-private of Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group and its proposed take-private of Transurban Group.
- Standard Chartered Private Equity: on its acquisitions and divestments of a number of Asia-Pacific and international investments.
- OpenSpace Ventures: on its investment in ASX-listed cloud platform provider Whispir.
Jessica's other M&A and Corporate experience includes advising:
- Experian plc: on its $820m acquisition of illion from Archer Capital.
- Bapcor: on the takeover approach by Bain Capital; advising on its divestment of MTQ Engine Systems.
- Cleanaway Waste Management: on its proposed $110m acquisition of Citywide Waste from the City of Melbourne.
- BlueScope Steel: on its acquisition rights under its coal supply arrangement relating to South32’s Illawarra Metallurgical Coal division.
- Perpetual: a bidder for the wealth management and corporate trustee business of Perpetual Limited.
- Ingersoll Rand: NYSE-listed Ingersoll Rand on its acquisition of industrials business CAPS Australia.
- ANZ: on the simplification of its Wealth Australia business, including the sale of its life insurance business to Zurich for $2.85bn.