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Banking and Finance
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners: Advised Danish fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) on the establishment of the Australian parallel fund established as part of CIP's Copenhagen Infrastructure IV - the largest dedicated greenfield renewable energy fund globally. This is the first Danish, Luxembourg and Australian parallel fund structure in the world.
Blackstone: Advised Blackstone in respect to the proposed formation of a fully integrated, internally managed real estate investment trust, which on completion was expected to be the largest Australian logistics REIT by market capitalisation and the only internally managed logistics REIT in Australia. This process was run as part of dual-track process, with the asset sale ultimately being successful.
Large foreign insurer: Advised one of the largest US based insurance groups in respect to the establishment of an Australian business focussing on the distribution, underwriting and claims handling of general insurance contracts issued to automobile manufacturers and automobile inventory finance companies.
Russell Investments: Advised in respect of a revolutionary and innovative superannuation investment solution, called GoalTracker, which uses mass personalisation and proprietary algorithms to help deliver a personalised superannuation experience for members.
Barrenjoey: Advised in relation to all financial services aspects of the creation of Barrenjoy Capital Partners, a new investment bank whose entry into the investment banking market has been seen as a major disruption to the banking and finance landscape in Australia.
US based fund manager: Advised a US based fund manager in respect of their bid to acquire MLC. Vanessa advised this US based fund manager (since the start of their interest in MLC) navigating through the fallout of the Royal Commission and advising on what it meant for the MLC business and providing strategic advice in relation to conflicts arrangements within a vertically integrated wealth business.
Partners Group: Advised in respect of the establishment of a $550 million listed investment trust, including advising in respect of all aspects of the establishment of Partners Group's presence in Australia, including applying for an appropriate Australian financial services licence for Partners Group.
Large foreign life insurer: Advised a large foreign life insurer in respect of its bid to acquire Westpac's life insurance business. Our advice was essential to understanding the proposed post-transaction distribution model and embedded sales model, having regard to complex legislative requirements relating to the provision of financial product advice and the receipt of remuneration by advisers and distributors, together with recent Court decisions relating to these complex issues.
ANZ: Advised ANZ on aspects of the sale of its Wealth arm to IOOF and Zurich Insurance Group. The complexity of the sale required an in-depth review of all disclosure documents of ANZ Wealth's products (including its core super and pension, life insurance and investment products).
PSP Investments: Advised PSP Investments in relation to the syndication of its interests in Forth Ports out to co-investors being GLIL Infrastructure, First State Super and Cbus. The syndication followed the initial sale of Arcus European Infrastructure Fund 1 LP's interest in Forth Ports to PSP Investments.
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers): Advised Ontario Teachers in relation to the negotiations to sell 30% of its stakes in both Bristol and Birmingham airports to Australia's New South Wales Treasury Corporation (TCorp) as trustee of TCorpIM Direct Investment Fund E and Sunsuper Pty Limited as trustee of Sunsuper Superannuation Fund (Sunsuper)..
Standard Life PLC: Advised Standard Life PLC in relation to its merger with Aberdeen Asset Management PLC (Aberdeen) which involved Australian wholly owned asset managers. This project involved extensive advice on aspects of Australian financial services laws (including advice on financial services licensing issues and various required notifications to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)) which affects the merger between the entities and, also extensive negotiations between Standard and Aberdeen in relation to the proposed operation of the Australian entities.
CBA: Advised on the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. In particular, advised CBA in relation to financial services issues relating to the second and fifth round of hearings on financial advice and superannuation (respectively).
ANZ Wealth: Advised ANZ Wealth in the material outsourcing of its platform administration to a third party service provider.
Westpac / BT Panorama: Advised BT on the establishment of BT Panorama, an integrated SMSF solution, which allows for the establishment of an SMSF and provides ongoing administration services to customers.
OnePath/ANZ Wealth: Advised OnePath in respect of the establishment of a "white labelled" platform offering, "ANZ Self Managed Super", which enabled ANZ customers to access an integrated digital product for the purposes of establishing and managing their SMSF needs.
AMP Capital: Advised AMP Capital Investors in connection with the $2B restructure of AMP Capital's joint venture arrangements with the Westfield Group. This included advising AMP Capital in connection with the $864M equity capital raising from two foreign investors, the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board and Abu Dhabi Investment.
Attachment 1 TA Associates: Advised global private equity fund TA Associates on its acquisition of Goldman Sachs Funds Management.
AMP Limited: Advised AMP Limited in relation to its A$14.6 billion merger with AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited and the separation and sale of its Asian businesses to AXA SA.
See Banking and Finance
Funds Management
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners: Advised Danish fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) on the establishment of the Australian parallel fund established as part of CIP's Copenhagen Infrastructure IV - the largest dedicated greenfield renewable energy fund globally. This is the first Danish, Luxembourg and Australian parallel fund structure in the world.
Partners Group: Advised in respect of the establishment of a $550 million listed investment trust, including advising in respect of all aspects of the establishment of Partners Group's presence in Australia, including applying for an appropriate Australian financial services licence for Partners Group.
AMP Capital: Advised AMP Capital Investors in connection with the $2B restructure of AMP Capital's joint venture arrangements with the Westfield Group. This included advising AMP Capital in connection with the $864M equity capital raising from two foreign investors, the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board and Abu Dhabi Investment.
ANZ Trustees: Advised ANZ Trustees in respect of the replacement of ANZ Trustees as the trustee and responsible entity of a number of managed investment schemes, arising from the $150 million acquisition of ANZ Trustees by Equity Trustees Limited.
AMP: Advised the AMP group in relation to various financial product manufacture and distribution issues, including in relation to its establishment of numerous AMP Capital Investors managed investment schemes.
Centro Retail Limited and Centro Retail Trust: Advised CER (an ASX-listed and stapled group) in relation to its restructure and recapitalisation process including the $5.4 billion complex reconstruction and merger of Centro Group's Australian interest. This restructure resulted in the creation of a new ASX-listed quadruple stapled entity, Centro Retail Australia, by the aggregation of the assets of CER, Centro Australia Wholesale Fund and Centro DPF Holding Trust (a subsidiary trust of Centro Direct Property Fund).
The Trust Company / Perpetual: Vanessa regularly advises The Trust Company / Perpetual in respect of its role as outsourced trustee / responsible entity for a number of retail and wholesale funds.
See Funds Management
Superannuation and Pensions
Russell Investments: Advised in respect of a revolutionary and innovative superannuation investment solution, called GoalTracker, which uses mass personalisation and proprietary algorithms to help deliver a personalised superannuation experience for members.
AMP: Advised AMP Wholesale Office Investments Pty Limited as trustee for the AWOF Wynyard Investment Trust and UniSuper Limited in its capacity as trustee of the complying superannuation fund known as UniSuper in relation to the purchase of half of Brookfield's investment in the Wynyard Place development.
NT Government Superannuation Scheme: Vanessa advised the NT Government in respect of the successor fund transfer of accumulation accounts to Statewide Super.
NT Government Superannuation Scheme: Regularly advise NT Government Superannuation Scheme in respect of various superannuation related matters, including in respect of the outsourcing of its administration and custody services to NAB in respect of its superannuation fund.
OnePath/ANZ Wealth: Advised OnePath in respect of the establishment of a "white labelled" platform offering, "ANZ Self Managed Super", which enabled ANZ customers to access an integrated digital product for the purposes of establishing and managing their SMSF needs.
Westpac / BT Panorama: Advised BT on the establishment of BT Panorama, an integrated SMSF solution, which allows for the establishment of an SMSF and provides ongoing administration services to customers.
Australian Ethical: Regularly advise Australian Ethical on various superannuation-related matters affecting Australian Ethical, including PDS disclosure matters, advertising, remediation matters and strategic and operational implications of compliance with the SIS Act.
Major industry fund: Advised in respect of the superannuation aspects relating to a member complaint.
Various Univerisites: Advised a number of univeristies in respect of a superannuation remediation project.
Various clients: Regularly advise various clients (including foreign clients) in respect of employment related superannuation matters.
Various clients: Regularly advise various clients in respect of the superannuation aspects of mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructures, including where complex defined benefit fund arrangements are involved.
See Superannuation and Pensions
Financial Services Regulatory
Barrenjoey: Advised in relation to all financial services aspects of the creation of Barrenjoy Capital Partners, a new investment bank whose entry into the investment banking market has been seen as a major disruption to the banking and finance landscape in Australia.
US based fund manager: Advised a US based fund manager in respect of their bid to acquire MLC. Vanessa advised this US based fund manager (since the start of their interest in MLC) navigating through the fallout of the Royal Commission and advising on what it meant for the MLC business and providing strategic advice in relation to conflicts arrangements within a vertically integrated wealth business.
Partners Group: Advised in respect of the establishment of a $550 million listed investment trust, including advising in respect of all aspects of the establishment of Partners Group's presence in Australia, including applying for an appropriate Australian financial services licence for Partners Group.
Large foreign life insurer: Advised a large foreign life insurer in respect of its bid to acquire Westpac's life insurance business. Our advice was essential to understanding the proposed post-transaction distribution model and embedded sales model, having regard to complex legislative requirements relating to the provision of financial product advice and the receipt of remuneration by advisers and distributors, together with recent Court decisions relating to these complex issues.
ANZ: Advised ANZ on aspects of the sale of its Wealth arm to IOOF and Zurich Insurance Group. The complexity of the sale required an in-depth review of all disclosure documents of ANZ Wealth's products (including its core super and pension, life insurance and investment products).
CBA: Advised on the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. In particular, advised CBA in relation to financial services issues relating to the second and fifth round of hearings on financial advice and superannuation (respectively).
Macquarie ‒ Prime: Advised on all aspects of the establishment of its online trading platform, Prime, including marketing and distribution documentation and the subsequent transition of the platform to Bell Direct and the white label and distribution of that trading platform.
Large wealth management arms of financial institutions: Regularly advises some of Australia's largest financial institutions including CBA, Westpac and NAB on financial services regulatory matters (including ASIC investigations).
Various foreign financial service providers: Regularly advises various foreign financial services providers in respect of the Australian financial services licensing regime including in respect of structuring their cross border investments.
See Financial Services Regulatory