Mergers & Acquisitions

Australia is a sought after market for both domestic and international investors.

Its ability to offer attractive investment opportunities is driven by a political and legal system that is robust and transparent, as well as consistent long-term growth in the local economy. However, with tightening regulatory scrutiny, technology-led disruption, and fierce competition for assets, our clients are faced with a number of investment challenges.

How we can help

With an emphasis on quality, innovation and efficiency, we deliver highly successful outcomes for leading companies and financial sponsors in Australia and around the world.

Our experience includes advising in relation to acquisitions and divestments of listed companies (whether by scheme of arrangement or takeover bid), takeover defence mandates, competitive sale processes, joint venture arrangements, private share and asset acquisitions and divestments, consortium bids, cross-border transactions, and governance issues arising out of M&A activity. Our market leading M&A team is consistently recognised as among the best in Australia and the Asia region.

Trusted advisers on reputationally significant deals

Our market-leading experience in public company takeovers and schemes of arrangement has seen us play a crucial role on some of the largest and most complex deals in Australia's corporate history.

Public company transactions attract heightened attention from shareholders, regulators, boards and the media. Our clients have confidence in our ability to advise them on their most reputationally significant and technically complex transactions, trusting in our ability to deliver tailored and commercially astute advice, and to help them navigate complex regulatory and boardroom issues.

Managing large scale cross-border transactions

We are well versed at managing large scale, complex cross-border transactions involving the co-ordination of large teams across different jurisdictions and liaising with local counsel. Our global network enables us to play an effective role on transactions of this nature.

Supporting your ordinary course investment activity

While we are often involved in significant and novel transactions, we also regularly support our clients on smaller-scale ‘business as usual’ acquisitions, divestments and joint venture arrangements.

A transaction team focused on your business and your sector  

We are known for our ability to pair market leading M&A capability with relevant sector expertise to ensure our clients are in the strongest position possible when executing their investment strategy. Our advice is tailored to our clients' business needs, commercially astute, and prepared with knowledge of industry specific drivers and risks. We also work closely with financing, tax and regulatory specialists to deliver an integrated service to our clients.

Helping you navigate complex regulatory issues

Our strong and enduring relationships with leading financial advisers and regulators, including the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, the Takeovers Panel, the Foreign Investment Review Board, the Australian Securities Exchange, and the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority, enable us to play an effective part in any advisory team.

We are at the forefront of major reforms recently introduced to Australia's foreign investment regime. We have been leading the Law Council of Australia's response to these changes and have brought our expertise to shape multiple submissions on these reforms.

We have considerable experience advising on approvals for pension funds, private equity funds, state owned enterprises, sovereign wealth funds and other foreign investors on complex foreign investment approvals. Learn more.