Media Release: Clayton Utz advises Oaktree Capital on innovative Marlin Brands buyout

Clayton Utz has advised global alternative investment management firm Oaktree Capital Management (Oaktree) on its acquisition of consumer brands owner Marlin Management Services (Marlin Brands).

Clayton Utz advised Oaktree on all aspects of this innovative and multijurisdictional deal, which involved a combined debt and equity transaction agreed between Oaktree and Marlin Brands. The deal involved the implementation of new debt facilities provided by various financiers.  This was complicated by Marlin Brands' existing debt structure, with facilities having been provided by a range of international and domestic lenders that were either refinanced or restructured as part of the transaction.  The deal also involved the restructure of the equity in Marlin Brands, with the replacement of certain investors and the implementation of new arrangements between the remaining and incoming investors. 

Clayton Utz Restructuring and Insolvency partner Timothy Sackar led the firm's team, with specialist input from partners Rory Moriarty (Corporate), Alex Schlosser (Finance), and Jonathan Donald (Tax). Other team members included special counsel Sidney Tang, senior associates Ashleigh Kable, Kate O'Donovan, Jillian Robertson, Anne-Marie Cropley, Seema Sandhu and Lara Solomons, and lawyer Madeleine McCloy.

Marlin Brands owns and manages various consumer durable businesses including Décor, Willow, Albi homewares, Independence Studios and Pacific Optics.