This is Allens
Dominic Anderson
Dom is a partner in our Technology, Media and Telecommunications team in Sydney and co-Head of the Allens Accelerate practice. He specialises in mergers and acquisitions, private capital raisings, joint ventures, commercial contracting and advisory and corporations law issues.
It's the evolving nature of the work in the technology space that draws me in. I'm very interested in where society is going and how technology will enable and change that. My day-to-day work is constantly evolving.
It sounds clichéd, but digital transformation has impacted every sector. We're not just working with tech sector clients or private capital investors, we're also working with major banks on fintech investments and acquisitions, and helping corporate clients as they decarbonise and work towards energy transition goals. We're seeing a lot of focus on AI and generative tools which are already changing the broader economy and commercial landscape.
I'm fortunate to work with investors, but also both major established corporations and emerging companies through my work with the firm's start-up practice Allens Accelerate. It's often the connection between those established corporate clients and earlier-stage technology companies where we see the opportunity for real disruption and meaningful change.
By way of example, I've been involved since the early stages of Westpac's transformational Banking-as-a-Service project, from their initial investment and partnership with 10X, to a number of their fintech ecosystem investments like Society One, to their acquisition of MoneyBrilliant. I think it's a great example of effective collaboration between an incumbent and tech-enabled disruptors. It's been really rewarding to watch that project evolve over time.
When working with clients, I like to really get to know the commercial drivers behind a transaction, how it fits into the client's overall strategy and what the end goal is. Setting that foundation early on really helps. The obvious marker for success in a matter is reaching a signing or completion milestone, and that our clients are pleased with the outcome, but it really gives me a kick to know that we've been in the trenches with our clients and that they've enjoyed the experience.
The top 3 trends that have shaped my career
Digital transformation
When I started my career as a corporate lawyer, I cut my teeth on deals spanning a very wide variety of sectors. From specialty chemicals, fast-moving consumer goods and mining to financial services, telco and tech. I was ultimately drawn to the excitement of tech sector transactions and technology's promise of a futuristic, more efficient and more advanced society. But with digital transformation now genuinely impacting all sectors, I feel as though my career has come full circle.
The rise of growth capital in Australia
When I left Australia in 2013 to pursue a stint in London, there wasn’t really an established venture capital market in Australia. Nor had the term 'startup' really proliferated. By the time I returned to Australia in 2018, the landscape had changed – dramatically!
Internationalisation of law firms
The early to mid-2010s saw a huge shift in the domestic legal market, with international law firms entering the frame in a big way. I have Linklaters' global alliance with Allens to thank for one of the most exciting times in my career. Shortly after joining Allens as a graduate lawyer, I upped sticks and took up a one-year secondment with Linklaters in London. That one-year secondment ultimately turned into a nearly six-year stint.
