David Li Special Counsel

David is a lawyer in the banking and finance team with expertise in acting for borrowers, sponsors and lenders on a range of domestic and cross border financing transactions.

David has a particular focus on leveraged and private equity transactions, acquisition finance, project financing and general corporate finance.

He is recommended for Banking & Finance law in Asia Pacific Legal 500 (2018).

Experience

Leveraged and acquisition finance

Lineage Logistics

Advising on all Australian aspects of its financing including financing for its acquisition of Emergent Cold and its purchase of five separate cold storage facilities from US private equity group Blackstone and the subsequent refinancing via a financing package including revolving credit and term loan facilities and the issuance of multi-currency notes.

MYOB

Advising Crescent Capital Group (US) as second lien financier supporting KKR’s A$2 billion acquisition the publicly listed MYOB.

Kestrel Coal

Advising senior and mezzanine lenders in relation to the acquisition by EMR Private Equity and Adaro Energy of the Kestrel coking coal mine from Rio Tinto and subsequently advising as Australian counsel to the lenders in respect of the US$860m refinancing of those facilities.

Employment Hero

Advising on its venture debt note facilities (+A$60m) supporting its acquisition of the remaining interests in the KeyPay business not held by it. Employment Hero is an Australian human resources, payroll and benefits software business (EV +A$1bn) which counts a number of reputable venture capital funds as its investors, including Insight Partners, OneVentures, AirTree and Seek Investments.

Panthera Finance

Advising the second largest purchaser of consumer and utilities debt in the Australian market in relation to all financing matters including its senior syndicated facilities and its mezzanine facilities and the subsequent refinancing of those facilities and recapitalisation by way of a new financing facility provided by Brookfield through the group’s global capital investments arm, Brookfield Special Investments.

Potentia Capital

Regularly advises in relation to its acquisition and leveraged finance transactions including in relation to: PC-EFTPOS and Premier Technologies businesses, NewBook and SuperChoice.

Archer Capital

Regularly advises in relation to its acquisition and leveraged finance transactions including in relation to: the Autopact Group (previously the Crick Auto Group), the Illion Group (previously Dun and Bradstreet Group), the Aero-Care Group (acquired by Swissport), the LCR Group, Allity (formerly Lend Lease and ECH aged care businesses) and V8 Supercars.

Bain Capital

Advised in relation to the acquisition of the Only About Children childcare group as well as other confidential bids on Australian upper mid-market unlisted assets.

Corporate, property and project finance

Eagers Automotive Ltd

Advising on all financing matters including its senior bank debt facilities (including in connection with Eagers’ off market takeover of Automotive Holdings Group and Eagers recent bank debt refinancing), its automotive bailment and leasing facilities and its (non-bank) structural debt facilities and transactional facilities.

Mawson

Advising an incorporated JV between Adbri and the Mawson family, on its club facilities supporting its acquisition of the quarry and concrete assets of Milbrae Group and the JV’s working capital requirements.

MH Premium Farms

Advising Australian agricultural producer and landholder business established by Sir Michael Hintze, on all aspects of its debt funding requirements, including the acquisition financing for certain agricultural assets and the refinancing of its bilateral debt facilities with structured syndicated and working capital facilities.

Taurus

Advised the five Foundation Dealer Groups (including Eagers Automotive Limited) in relation to a new dealership financing platform developed and being provided by Taurus Financial supported by Metrics Credit, Credit Suisse and Grant Samuel.

Oak Tree Group

Advising in relation to all finance matters including the senior financing and equity investments by Aware Super (previously First State Super) in the Oak Tree Group.

GFG Alliance

Advising on the addition of A$650 million in credit lines for working capital management and planned growth opportunities involving a secured term syndicated borrowing base facility from White Oak and a secured revolving credit and supply chain financing facilities from Greensill.

Suez

Advising in relation to the refinancing of the Prospect Water Plant.

Lancini Property Group

Advising in relation to its property financing arrangements, including in respect of its Chatswood Central, Fairfield Central and 420 Flinders regional shopping centres.

Recognition

Career & qualifications

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws, University of New South Wales
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), University of New South Wales