As Managing Partner of the firm, Tony is responsible for driving the firm’s strategy, leading the firm’s partners and staff, managing the firm’s relationships with its key clients and representing the firm publicly. Tony is passionate about the firm, its clients and its people. During Tony’s tenure as Managing Partner the firm has experienced considerable growth and success. Tony won the LIV 2009 Presidents Award - Managing Partner of the Year.
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Current PracticeAs a practising lawyer, Tony has represented clients on a number of substantial merger and acquisition, private equity and corporate transactions. He has also advised on the establishment and operation of numerous managed investment schemes and other collective investment vehicles. His practice is extensive and includes:
- public and private capital raisings, including initial public offerings;
- mergers, acquisitions and divestments;
- managed investment scheme establishment, disclosure document preparation and financial services regulation;
- private equity transactions, including fund establishment, capital raisings, acquisitions and divestments;
- commercial transactions, including incorporated and unincorporated joint ventures; and
- business structuring and restructuring.
ExperienceAs Managing Partner, Tony plays an important relationship role with most of the firm’s key clients and referrers.
Tony has acted for a wide range of both public and private companies including Admiralty Resources; APN Property Group/APN Funds Management; Apple and Pear Australia Limited; AXA Asia Pacific; Bendigo and Adelaide Bank/Sandhurst Trustees; Grocon Property Trust Australia; Marriner Theatres; and The Victor Smorgon Group. Tony also has strong relationships with a number of corporate advisory and accounting firms.
Matters in which Tony has been the lead partner include:
- acting for APN Funds Management in the IPO and ASX listing of the APN/UKA European Retail Trust and the Trust’s two subsequent non-renounceable accelerated rights offers. Tony has also acted for the trust in respect of a wide variety of related matters;
- acting for APN Property Group in its IPO and ASX listing;
- acting for the APN Property Group in numerous other fund establishment, capital raising and corporate transactions;
- acting for Tony and Maureen Wheeler (founding shareholders) and interests associated with John Singleton/Mark Carnegie in the initial sale of a 75% interest in Lonely Planet Publications to BBC Worldwide and subsequent sale of the remaining 25% interest;
- acting for AXA Asia Pacific in the establishment of the “North” ordinary money capital guaranteed product;
- acting for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank in numerous commercial transactions, including wealth business acquisition and community bank transactions;
- acting for AXA Asia Pacific in a number of corporate and acquisition transactions;
- acting for Grocon Property Trust Australia in its establishment and initial capital raising;
- acting in relation to the establishment of and capital raising by numerous wholesale and retail funds, including Sequoia Fund (hedge fund), Ceres Fund (agricultural fund), Bellwether Fund (hedge fund/private equity fund) and Hamton Development Fund (property development);
- acting for the Marriner Theatre Group in relation to its restructure and refinancing;
- acting for the Mathis Group in its sale of its interests in the Transport and Upper/Lower House restaurant businesses in Melbourne; and
- acting in a number of private equity transactions, including the Plantmark and National Medical and Imaging Group MBIs and the Homyped secondary buy-out.
QualificationsTony has a Masters of Laws and Bachelors of Laws (Hons) and Commerce from the University of Melbourne. He became a partner on 1 July 2000 and Managing Partner on 1 July 2007.
Tony is a fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia and a member of the Law Institute of Victoria, the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Australian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association and the Law Council of Australia (Business Law Section). Tony is actively involved in the firm’s pro bono and community program, including leading the firm’s involvement in Australian Business & Community Network (ABCN).
Tony was previously a board member and chairman of goodcompany, a not-for-profit organisation that facilitates skilled volunteering in and for the community section. |
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