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Darren Pereira

Partner - Sydney

Areas of Expertise

Corporate & Commercial Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Finance

Contact Darren

+61 2 8083 0487 darren.pereira@holdingredlich.com Connect

Expertise

Darren is a corporate partner with over 20 years’ experience (including 5 years in London) in all aspects of a range of corporate and finance transactions, including:

  • mergers and acquisitions – private acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, partnerships, off-market takeovers, schemes of arrangements, capital reductions, restructures and share buy-backs
  • equity capital markets – IPOs, delistings, placements, convertible notes and rights issues
  • financing and securitisation – senior and mezzanine debt, refinancing, insolvency, debt structuring and security structures (including sub-ordination and priority arrangements)
  • funds management – advising on and establishing managed investment schemes (including registered and unregistered schemes)
  • corporate advisory – corporate governance (including directors duties), issues relating to share capital (including financial assistance), capital raising and financial services regulation.

Darren has been listed in the The Best Lawyers in Australia since the 2021 edition for Corporate Law.

Experience

Darren’s recent experience includes:

Mergers and aquisitions

Private mergers and acquisitions:

  • advising Kollaras Group on the sale of its domestic brands beverages business to Independent Liquor Marketing, a subsidiary of Metcash Group
  • advising LifeWorks by Morneau Sheppell on the acquisition of two employee assistance and well-being businesses, SMG Health and Optum Australia
  • advising Randstad Australia on the acquisition of an IT recruitment business, Aurec Group
  • advising Tokio Marine Insurance on the acquisition of two insurance businesses from IAG
  • advising FRV, a global renewable energy solutions provider and leading solar developer, on the acquisition of Sebastopol solar farm
  • advising US owned Hunter Industries on the acquisition of Lumascape, an Australian based global manufacturer of lighting products
  • advising the owners of WGC Cranes on the sale of a cranes business to the Australian subsidiary of US conglomerate, Marmon, Inc.
  • advising Frasers Property on the sale of a commercial property and hotel development at its landmark Central Park development in Chippendale
  • advising the owners of a grains business on the sale to Agrocorp, a Singapore based agribusiness group
  • advising the owners of Huon IT on the sale of an IT business to Japanese owned Kyocera
  • advising SKY UK on the sale of Australian News Channel to News Corporation.

Public mergers and acquisitions:

  • advising Blake Education Limited on its proposed merger with 3PL Limited
  • advising a number of companies listed on the Singapore Exchange in relation to 7 off-market fully scrip takeover bids for ASX listed companies
  • advising the bidder on an off-market takeover, compulsory acquisition and delisting of ASX listed Everest Funds Management.

Joint ventures/restructures:

  • advising UK listed Hilton Foods Group on its Australian joint venture with Woolworths Group
  • advising a UK listed software business on an Australian corporate restructure
  • advising a Chinese company (listed on the Shenzhen Exchange) on an Australian joint venture and distribution arrangement
  • advising a US owned global chemical business on its Australian corporate restructure
  • advising Spirits Platform on the establishment of a premium spirits distribution business formerly conducted by Beam-Suntory.

Equity Capital Markets (ECM)

  • advising US registered, ASX listed PinchMe.com on the delisting of its CDI securities from the ASX, including buy-back
  • advising an institutional investor on a private placement of 51% in Oldfields Holdings Limited
  • advising LionGold Corp Ltd and Blumont Group Ltd on a number of placements in ASX listed companies.

Funds Management

  • advising Bensons Funds Management in relation to its portfolio of unregistered wholesale managed investment schemes
  • advising CHAMP Private Equity Group in relation to restructures of its funds
  • advising Goldmate Funds Management on the establishment of unregistered wholesale managed investment schemes for property development projects
  • advising Avari Capital on the establishment of unregistered wholesale managed investment schemes for property development projects
  • advising Mandala Group in relation to the establishment of an unregistered managed investment scheme for the purposes of acquiring various hotel properties, including regulatory advice under the financial services and managed investment scheme provisions the Corporations Act
  • advising an ASX listed entity on the establishment of a $70 million property fund with a stapled security structure, including the acquisition of various businesses and assets of management and operating companies of coastal resorts in NSW and Queensland
  • advising on the establishment of an unregistered managed investment scheme for the members of a strata scheme in relation to the ownership and leasing of a car parking business.

Financing

  • advising an Australian based property developer on a $110 million senior debt facility with a Chinese institutional investor
  • advising the Australian subsidiary of UK listed Hilton Foods Group in relation to a group financing facility with Royal Bank of Scotland
  • advising LSH Credit Australia in relation to various lending commercial lending facilities secured against real property
  • advising Acure Funds Management in relation to senior debt facilities for property acquisitions
  • advising an Australian food and beverage business on a cash advance facility from UOB
  • advising a national catering business on a $35 million senior debt financing facility with Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Publications

01 February 2023 - Knowledge

A guide to deregistration and members’ voluntary liquidation in Australia

#Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency, #Corporate & Commercial Law

If you’re thinking about tidying your corporate structure, now is the time to do it. In this article, we outline how solvent Australian companies can wind up entities they no longer require.

25 August 2021 - Knowledge

Striking the right balance: Permanent changes to Australia’s continuous disclosure laws

#Corporate & Commercial Law

The Federal Government has made permanent changes to Australia’s continuous disclosure regime. We examine the changes that are here to stay and their implications on companies and their officers.

Upcoming Seminars

31 May 23

IBAC and the Victorian Ombudsman | Victorian Local Government Series 2023

IBAC and the Victorian Ombudsman have investigated a number of complaints in relation to Victorian local councils and produced a series of reports. In this presentation, partner Joseph Monaghan, will provide a basic overview of IBAC and the Victorian Ombudsman, their respective roles and functions under their establishing legislation and an overview of recent IBAC and Ombudsman investigation reports involving local councils.

Register now

05 Jun 23

Emergencies, flooding and legal liability | Victorian Local Government Series 2023

The recent extreme flood events raise a series of legal issues including the liability of local councils for decisions that expose residents and businesses to greater risk from flooding events, and remedial steps to address past decision-making. In this webinar, partner Joseph Monaghan and lawyer Jacob Atkinson will discuss these topics.

Register now

14 Jun 23 - Canberra

Seminar | Challenges in the workplace series: Absenteeism

In the third and final seminar of the series, partner Andrew Klein and senior associate Natasha Jones, explore the legal risks associated with returning absent employees to work. This includes ill and injured workers, chronic absenteeism, Comcare issues, 'work from home' related issues and COVID 'return reluctance'. In the course of the seminar, our speakers will work through hypothetical scenarios with reference to relevant regulatory APS frameworks and recent case law.

Register now

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