Chris Clarke

I am an experienced corporate partner in our Sydney office. I specialise in mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets, corporate advisory and securities law.

I have over 20 years' of ECM and M&A expertise, in both public and private transactions, with a strong technology and financial services focus. In equity capital markets, I have extensive experience advising both issuers and brokers on initial public offerings and secondary raisings in Australia.

Private capital raisings, particularly for earlier stage technology companies, also regularly cross my desk. In mergers and acquisitions, many clients trust me to support them, whether they are involved in public regulated transactions or in private M&A transactions.

My practice also extends to advising on general corporate matters. The ASX listing rules, corporate governance, executive remuneration, disclosure matters, shareholder activism, fiduciary duties and other general corporate and securities law issues are all fields where I can assist. My work also extends to financial services matters in general, building on tech as a driver for corporate deals. I have extensive experience in liaising with Australian regulatory bodies, including the Australian Securities Exchange, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Foreign Investment Review Board.

What inspires me is making a difference for clients, working in partnership with them, providing technically sound advice relevant to their commercial objectives and needs. In my work, I never lose sight of the importance of excellent communication, and being personable and approachable.

• Acting for Sirtex Medical Limited on its sale (through a public regulated transaction) to CDH Genetech Limited and China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings Limited for A$1.9 billion, as a late competing transaction to a proposed sale to Varian Medical Systems, Inc. for A$1.6 billion.
• Acting for IPH Limited on is IPO on the ASX, subsequent secondary raisings and all acquisitions, including the recent acquisition of Canadian firm Smart & Biggar for CAD348 million, the acquisition (through a public regulated transaction) of ASX-listed Xenith IP Limited for ~A$200 million, the acquisition of New Zealand firm AJ Park and multiple other private acquisitions and disposals in various jurisdictions.
• Acting for Qube Holdings Limited on its IPO (initially as an externally-managed fund), its restructure into an internally-managed company and on over 30 private treaty acquisitions ranging from ports and stevedoring facilities and operations to landside logistics facilities and operations.
• Acting for the owners of Bay Audio, a retail supplier of hearing aid devices and audiology services, on its sale (following a private competitive sale process) to Amplifon for A$550 million.