Mark Vanderneut advises his clients on corporate transactions including schemes of arrangement, takeovers, private M&A, joint ventures and restructures. Mark has extensive experience advising private capital clients, including Australian superannuation funds, and expertise in raising capital and restructuring and insolvency work. Mark is a senior member of the KWM superannuation and pension fund investments practice. His sector experience includes financial services, food & agribusiness, energy & resources and industrials.
Mark is a key part of the KWM team that is focused on helping shape public policy on corporate law matters, including submissions on law reform, advocacy with regulators and industry positions on complex areas of law. He is a member of the Corporations Committee of the Law Council of Australia.
Mark has acted for a number of clients in proceedings before the Australian Takeovers Panel, including Healius in Healius Limited [2023] ATP 6, Taurus Funds Management in Finders Resources Limited 03R [2018] ATP 11, Noble Group in Gloucester Coal Limited 01 [2009] ATP 6, and Origin Energy in Origin Energy Limited 02 [2008] ATP 23.
Mark’s recent work highlights:
- A2B: acquisition A2B by ComfortDelGro by way of scheme of arrangement
- Healius: defence of a hostile reverse takeover bid made by Australian Clinical Labs
- Woolworths Group: counter-bid for Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
- Brookfield Capital Partners: acquisition of Healthscope by way of scheme of arrangement and simultaneous takeover bid
- Innovation Holdings: acquisition of iSelect by way of scheme of arrangement
- Steadfast: off-market takeover bid for IBNA
- EagleView (a portfolio company of Vista Equity Partners): acquisition of Spookfish by way of scheme of arrangement
- EMR Capital: sale of the Martabe gold and silver mine
- EMR Capital and 29 Metals: initial public offering and listing of 29 Metals on ASX
- EMR Capital: subscription for convertible notes issued by ASX-listed Highfield Resources
- EMR Capital: establishment of its Zambian joint venture with KoBold Metals
- Washington H. Soul Pattison: advising Washington H. Soul Pattison as investor in convertible bond issued by TSX/ASX listed NexGen
- Flight Centre: institutional placement and accelerated pro rata non-renounceable entitlement offer in rapid response to the impact of COVID-19 on travel
- Jervois: convertible note issuance to Millstreet Capital Management
- Lion Group: acquisitions of the Fermentum Group and Four Pillars and sale of its Australian dairy and drinks business & specialty cheese business
- Granicus (a portfolio company of Vista Equity Partners & Harvest Partners): acquisitions of Bang the Table and OpenCities
- Greater Bank: merger with Newcastle Permanent Building Society by way of statutory transfer to create Newcastle Greater Mutual Group
- Farmcove: acquisition of St Andrew’s Insurance from
- St Andrew's Insurance: acquisition of Hallmark Insurance
- Westpac: sale of its general insurance business
- Australian Ethical: acquisition from Australian Unity of the Altius Asset Management business
- administration of Clough (including sale of core business to Webuild and proposed sale of RUC to Murray & Roberts)
- the receivership of Basslink (including sale to APA Group)
- the receivership of the New Wilkie Energy Group
- Woolworths Group’s exit from its Home Improvement business (including the sale of Home Timber & Hardware to Metcash, the inventory liquidation and closure of the Masters business and the sale of Hydrox Holdings Pty Limited (the owner of freehold and leasehold property assets used in the Masters business) to the Home Consortium)
- administration of Disability Services Australia (including sale to Scope)
- administration of Jewel Fine Foods (including sale to Chef Fresh Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Coles Group)
- Tiger Resources: restructuring of its secured debt facilities by way of creditors’ scheme of arrangement
