Simon is a corporate lawyer with particular expertise in the infrastructure, utilities and real asset sectors.
He advises owners, operators and investors on a wide variety of complex strategic transactions, including public and private M&A, privatisations, equity investment, joint ventures, and funds management.
Simon’s commercial approach and strategic outlook help clients achieve successful outcomes in complex and time-critical matters. They also result in him providing ongoing strategic advice to several financial investors.
Simon has authored a variety of opinion pieces on funds management and corporate law reform, and he lectures on securities regulation at the University of Melbourne and the Melbourne Business School.
Advised Lighthouse Infrastructure's LIFT fund on the $262 million sale of its Specialist Disability Accommodation portfolio to Australian Disability Accommodation Projects Trust 2.
Advised CleanSight on its co-investment arrangements with Tilt Renewables in respect of the 1.2GW Forest Wind project in Queensland.
Advised Macquarie Capital on the sale of its remaining interest in Quantem (formerly ANZ Terminals).
Advised proponents in respect of funding and acquisition structure for Hickory’s data centre platform.
Advised sponsors on the funding and acquisition of solar farms (incl Hughenden, Darling Downs, Swan Hill, Brigalow, Chinchilla, Williamsdale, Mt Majura, Moorebank C&I, and regional 5MW portfolios) and wind farms (Bald Hills, Canunda, Willogoleche, Mumbida, and ForestWind), as well as advising energy transition businesses and battery suppliers on funding and acquisitions.
Advised a bidder on the competitive process to acquire Hume Forests from GPT.
Advised the NSW Electricity Networks consortium on its $10.258 billion acquisition of the TransGrid high voltage electricity transmission network from the New South Wales Government.
Advised AIMCo on its investment in several forestry and agricultural assets, including Great Southern Plantations and Lawson Grains.
Advised on the sale of the freehold estate underpinning the largest almond plantation in the Southern Hemisphere.
Advised Australian Utilities Trust Consortium on its $1.026 billion acquisition of 33.5% of ElectraNet from YTL Power.
Advised a bidder on the fund’s sale of its portfolio of social infrastructure assets.
Advised Ascertain on its investment in Eyetelligence, a Melbourne-based healthtech company which uses advanced artificial intelligence technology and retinal imaging to screen for eye and systemic diseases.
Advised Magnetic Rail Group on the 100% $880m acquisition of the East Coast Rail business from Aurizon.
Advised AnalytiChem GmbH, a portfolio company of Battery Ventures, on its acquisition of the OREAS group.
Advised CleanSight on its acquisition from Siemens, and on-sale to Tilt Renewables, of 50% of the 1.2GW Forest Wind project in Queensland.
Advised Amcor on its merger with Bemis, and associated restructure, to create a US$17 billion packaging leader.
Advised Toll Group on its $6.5 billion scheme of arrangement for acquisition by Japan Post.
Advised the owner of Australian video game developer Tantalus Media, on the sale of an 85% interest in Tantalus to Keywords Studios for a total consideration (comprising cash and scrip) of up to US$46.8m.
Advised Veritas Capital on the Australian aspects of its US$3 billion take-private of Cubic Corporation.
Advised on various fund and capital raising structures across real asset classes.
Advised the $6.3 billion UTA on its manager replacement process – the largest infrastructure portfolio to undergo a change of manager in Australian history.
Advised on the structuring and establishment of wholesale funds to facilitate investment in renewable energy and social infrastructure.
Advised on the structuring and establishment of wholesale funds to facilitate investment in solar electricity generation facilities.
Advised on regulatory, licensing and contractual matters relevant to its listed infrastructure investment business.
Advising investors and fund managers on a variety of institutional fundraisings and platform structures for debt and equity investment in the renewable energy sector.
On 5 August 2022, the Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy (Minister), Chris Bowen, declared six proposed areas in Australian Commonwealth waters off Gippsland in Victoria for offshore...
Australia’s new offshore electricity infrastructure legislative framework goes live on 2 June 2022. Regulations are close to being finalised and Victoria is the first state to announce a large...
In the biggest shake-up of Australia’s antiquated company signing requirements, the Federal Government has temporarily modified the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to allow for companies to...