image of David WilkieDavid Wilkie

Clayton Utz Partner , Sydney T +61 2 9353 4000 https://www.claytonutz.com

With over 30 years' experience, David Wilkie is a leading lawyer whose expertise spans public and private mergers and acquisitions, equity investments, joint ventures, foreign investment and general corporate advice.

David has been acting for some of the world's largest private equity funds including Blackstone on its last three transactions. David has deep expertise in a number of industries including real estate, infrastructure and healthcare. Many of the transactions David works on are highly structured and involve complex financings including key mezzanine debt financings by sovereign wealth funds and private equity.

He has first-rate experience in advising large multinational clients, including inbound investors, on transactions in the infrastructure, real estate, funds management and financial services sectors, and domestic and international real estate funds work.

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Expertise

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Corporate / M&A

CIC International Co. Ltd: advised on its A$1.4+ billion acquisition of the Investa Property Trust.

Blackstone Funds: advising on three separate industrial warehouse acquisitions totalling A$2 billion.

Veda and Computershare: advised on their bid for the ASIC registry business.

US Corporate: advised on a proposed merger of equals in Australia.

Mitsubishi Estate: advised on its investment in Lend Lease's A$1.4 billion Circular Quay Tower.

Bright Ruby: advised on its A$442 million acquisition of the Sydney Hilton Hotel.

Sunshine Insurance: advised on its acquisition of Sheraton on the Park, Sydney.

Frasers Hospitality: advised on its acquisition of the Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney.

Mirae Asset: advised on its acquisition of the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney. a local investor on the acquisition of the Justice Precinct buildings in Parramatta, Sydney.

A bidder in relation to RBS's sale of its interests in the Royal North Shore Hospital Sydney PPP.

The financiers of a bidder for the East West Link, Victoria.

A bidder in relation to RBS's sale of its interests in the Victorian Schools PPP.

The acquirer of interests in the Victorian Desalination project.

Galaxy S.a.r.l.: advised Galaxy on the sale of its 37.5% shareholding in Flinders Ports.

InfraRed Capital Partners: advised UK-based InfraRed on the acquisition of interests in the Victorian Desalination Project. Also advised InfraRed on the proposed acquisition of 100% of the Victorian Schools PPP.

Consortium: advised Hastings, UniSuper, MLC Private Equity, STC and RREEF on the sale of 49.8% of Hancock Victorian Plantations.

Palisade Investments: advised on its bid to acquire the equity interests in Royal North Shore Hospital PPP. 

RREEF: advised on its bid to acquire the Port of Brisbane concession.

See Corporate / M&A

Mergers & Acquisitions

CIC International Co. Ltd: advised on its A$1.4+ billion acquisition of the Investa Property Trust.

Blackstone Fundsadvising on three separate industrial warehouse acquisitions totalling A$2 billion.

Veda and Computershare: advised on their bid for the ASIC registry business.

US Corporate: advised on a proposed merger of equals in Australia.

Mitsubishi Estate: advised on its investment in Lend Lease's A$1.4 billion Circular Quay Tower.

Bright Ruby: advised on its A$442 million acquisition of the Sydney Hilton Hotel.

Sunshine Insurance: advised on its acquisition of Sheraton on the Park, Sydney.

Frasers Hospitality: advised on its acquisition of the Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney.

Mirae Asset: advised on its acquisition of the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney. a local investor on the acquisition of the Justice Precinct buildings in Parramatta, Sydney.

A bidder in relation to RBS's sale of its interests in the Royal North Shore Hospital Sydney PPP.

The financiers of a bidder for the East West Link, Victoria.

A bidder in relation to RBS's sale of its interests in the Victorian Schools PPP.

The acquirer of interests in the Victorian Desalination project.

Galaxy S.a.r.l.: advised Galaxy on the sale of its 37.5% shareholding in Flinders Ports.

InfraRed Capital Partners: advised UK-based InfraRed on the acquisition of interests in the Victorian Desalination Project. Also advised InfraRed on the proposed acquisition of 100% of the Victorian Schools PPP.

Consortium: advised Hastings, UniSuper, MLC Private Equity, STC and RREEF on the sale of 49.8% of Hancock Victorian Plantations. 

Palisade Investments: advised on its bid to acquire the equity interests in Royal North Shore Hospital PPP. 

RREEF: advised on its bid to acquire the Port of Brisbane concession. 

See Mergers & Acquisitions

Real Estate

Blackstone Funds: advising on three separate industrial warehouse acquisitions totalling A$2 billion.

Mitsubishi Estate Asia: provided strategic legal advice to Mitsubishi Estate Asia on its 30% stake in a landmark development project based in Circular Quay, with a forecast total project value exceeding A$1.2 billion.

Morgan Stanley: advised Morgan Stanley on a range of transactions on behalf of its MSREFVII and MSREFVIII funds, including on its:

  • A$350 million bid for various NSW Government buildings.
  • acquisition of Australian Childcare Projects.
  • joint venture arrangements with Unilodge.
  • acquisition, re-capitalisation and refinancing of Orchard Funds and the subsequent internalisation of the management of the Arena listed funds.
  • advised Morgan Stanley on behalf of its Prime Property Fund Asia on its co-investment with Charter Hall Office Fund to acquire a Sydney office tower from Brookfield Property Partners for A$525 million.

Invesco Real Estate: advised on the acquisition of a Sydney office tower from Keppel REIT Asia for A$160 million.

Sunshine Insurance: advised Sunshine on the first Chinese Life company investment into Australia on its A$470 million acquisition of the Sheraton on the Park Sydney.

Frasers Hospitality: advised on its A$200 million acquisition of the Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney.

Mirae Asset: advised on its A$350 million acquisition of the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney.

Hyundai Securities and the Industrial Bank of Korea: advised on their A$200 million proposed acquisition of the Geoscience Building, Canberra.

Korea Post and POBA (through Invesco): advised on their A$150 million acquisition of 50% of Swanston Square Melbourne (ongoing development).

Korea Post (through Invesco): advised on its A$100 million acquisition of 15 Spring St, Melbourne (ongoing development).

Aligned FM: advised on behalf of various Malaysian investors on various hotels in NSW.

A Singaporean Office Fund: advised on its A$175 million acquisition of Australia Post’s offices in Strawberry Hills Sydney.

Hyundai Securities (through Hine): advised Hyundai on its A$650 million bid for 700 Bourke Street, Sydney.

Various Korean pension funds (through Eureka and AXA Securities): advised on their A$200 million acquisition of the Justice Precinct buildings in Parramatta, Sydney.

Mandarin Oriental and other Hong Kong investors: advised on their bid to redevelop the Sydney Government buildings known as the “Sandstones” (ongoing).

Brunei Investment Agency: advised on various Northern Territory acquisitions.

Eureka Funds Management: advised on behalf of various Australian Superannuation funds on various development transactions.

EG Funds Management: advised on:

  • behalf of a number of local investors on the joint venture development of a property in Fivedock Sydney with a Japanese investor/developer.
  • behalf of various local investors on the joint venture development of 3 properties with Forte (ongoing).
  • behalf of various local investors on an aborted joint venture development of a property with PAG.

Aquasia and LJ Hooker: advised on a development transaction in the Northern Territory (ongoing).

GWH and Henshall Capital: advised on their proposed bid to develop a Mercure Hotel at Sydney Olympic Park.

Goldman Sachs: advised on the acquisition by Goldman Sachs fund of A$1.6 billion distressed loan book from Suncorp.

Goldman Sachs: advised on the acquisition by Goldman Sachs fund of A$156 million distressed loan book from Bank of Queensland.

See Real Estate

Government Services

NSW Government: Advising RMS on the WestConnex Project, the largest integrated transport and urban revitalisation project in Australia. David acted as lead partner for Stage 1 and 2 of WestConnex and is currently acting for RMS on Stage 3 of the Project. Stage 3 is the A$7 billion link between the M4 and M5 motorways and will be the central spine of Sydney’s future motorway network by providing connections to the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel and the F6.

NSW Health:

  • advised on the development and operation of the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse Cancer Centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
  • advising in relation to the development of a private hospital at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital campus.

Roads & Maritime Services (RMS): advised on the Auditor General’s audit of WestConnex and also advised on its proposed corporatisation (ongoing).

Transport for NSW: advised on the Gateway Review of the WestConnex project.

Office of Environment & Heritage: advised on the sale of the long term leasehold interest in Charlotte’s Pass (ongoing).

See Government Services

Construction and Major Projects

NSW Government: advising RMS on the WestConnex Project, the largest integrated transport and urban revitalisation project in Australia. David acted as lead partner for Stage 1 and 2 of WestConnex and is currently acting for RMS on Stage 3 of the Project. Stage 3 is the A$7 billion link between the M4 and M5 motorways and will be the central spine of Sydney’s future motorway network by providing connections to the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel and the F6.

Mitsubishi Estate Asia: provided strategic legal advice to Mitsubishi Estate Asia on its 30% stake in a landmark development project based in Circular Quay, with a forecast total project value exceeding A$1.2 billion.

Transport for NSW: was part of the Gateway Review of the WestConnex Project.

Roads & Maritime Services (RMS): on its development of the Sydney Gateway Project.

NSW Treasury/WSN Environmental on the proposed privatisation of WSN Environmental Solutions.

NSW Health: advised on the following:

  • Buyback of Port Macquarie Hospital PPP.
  • Negotiations to develop a private hospital with Macquarie Health at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital by way of concession.

Morrison & Co: advised on its bid to acquire the Mactan Cebu International Airport Philippines concession.

Bilfinger Berger: advised on its sale of its interests in the following projects to Bilfinger Berger Global Infrastructure fund:

  • Peninsula Link PPP.
  • Northern Territory Secure Facilities PPP Project.

Various ECA and other banks: advised on a bid to acquire the Toowomba By-pass PPP and East West Link. 

InfaRed Capital Partners: advised on the acquisition of interests in the Victorian Desalination Project and the proposed acquisition of the Victorian Schools PPP.

The financiers of a bidder for the East West Link, Victoria.

Arrow Energy: advised Arrow Energy on its upstream water treatment contracts and plant construction.

Lyonnaise des Eaux: advised Lyonnaise des Eaux on various operating agreements for cogeneration facilities in Australia.

Lifehouse Cancer Centre: advised on development and concession agreements with NSW Health to develop and operate the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse Cancer Centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. 

See Construction and Major Projects

Knowledge

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