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James specialises in all areas of mergers and acquisition, private equity, corporate fundraising, debt and equity restructures and foreign investment into Australia.

Over the course of his career, James has managed a range of complex transactions, including Chapter 6 takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, schemes of arrangements, capital raisings (including IPOs), as well as registered MIS registrations and wind-ups.

James’ general private sector experience includes advising on and negotiating the establishment of project and corporate structures, together with the drafting of venture documentation including shareholders’, unit holders’ and joint venture agreements, company constitutions and trust deeds. He has also been involved in the preparation of intellectual property licensing agreements, business and asset sale agreements, share sale agreements, unit / share redemption and subscription and joint ventures.

Specific experience examples

• Acciona Energy – Acted in regards to its Australian business demerger of renewables business and assets.
• AutoCo – Acted for this automotive group in respect of its sale of business assets to the ASX-listed AMA Group Ltd.
• Bastion Collective Australia Pty Ltd – Advised communications agency, Bastion, on various acquisitions and corporate matters, including its acquisition of leading New Zealand creative and digital agency, Shine, to form Australasia’s largest locally owned independent creative agency.
• Capita Plc – Advised this LSE-listed company on its acquisition of Australian training and education business and assets.
• Civica Pty Ltd, global EdTech and GovTech leader (a Blackstone Inc company) – various acquisitions including Asset Edge Pty Ltd, Arborsafe Holdings, Medical I.T. (Dox), Booka, Linkfsafe Pty Ltd.
• Cyan Stone Group & ASX: BHL – Acted in relation to various restructuring and asset disposals (>$500m total assets).
• Digital Pacific Group – Advised on its sale of business to NASDAQ listed, Deluxe Group (>$60m).
• DORMAKaba Australia – Acted in its Australian merger, including conducting legal due diligence on Kaba Australia and preparing transaction documents.
• Energizer Group – Acted in relation to the Australian elements of its business demerger of the electrical and personal care brands.
• Fleet Space Technologies Pty Ltd – Acted on its Series A and Series B (US$25m) capital raising.
• Founders of Ampcontrol Limited – Advised the founders of Ampcontrol Limited, the country’s largest privately owned electrical engineering company, in relation to the divestment of a majority stake in the company to Washington H Soul Pattinson.
• Founders of ONCG Systems in relation to their exit to Evergreen (Alpine).
• Founders of Vintrace Holdings in relation to their exit to E+O Encompass (Cove Hill Partners).
• Founders of Auto-IT in relation to their exit to Perseus (Constellation Software (TSE:CGU)
• Kyocera – Acted in relation to the acquisition of Huon IT.
• Naked Brands Group Limited – Matters including:
  • Advised on its divesture of the Bendon lingerie range.
  • Advised the Board of Directors of Naked Brands Group Limited on the divestment of subsidiary Bendon Limited to Management.
• The Citadel Group Ltd (ASX:CGL) – Acted in relation to the acquisition of Gruden Pty Ltd.
• 360 Data Centres Pty Ltd – Advised on the sale of entire share capital in Australia Pacific Data Centres Pty Ltd to ASX: 5GN.
• 4D Medical (ASX: 4DX) – Matters including:
  • Acted in relation to all series of fundraising.
  • Advised on its $55.79m initial public offering and its listing on the ASX in August 2020.
  • Advising on the corporate advisory elements of a $40m institutional placement and a share purchase plan in relation to a joint venture project with the Australian Lung Health Initiative (ALHI), which was successful in receiving nearly $29m in funding from the Federal Government through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Frontier Health and Medical Research Program;
  • Various subsequent capital raisings;
  • Acquisition of US based, Imbio Inc.