Ian has an excellent reputation among clients and peers for his work on high profile and complex corporate and property finance transactions. He specialises in the areas of property and structured finance, general corporate finance and capital markets. His impressive client list includes major financial institutions, corporates and top tier property development and investment companies.
In recent times, Ian has successfully led and completed a number of transactions that have involved both the reorganisation and restructure of complex corporate and finance arrangements involving the careful co-ordination of a significant number of external parties and stakeholders. Ian is applauded by stakeholders for his technical excellence and transactional efficiencies.
Ian is named in each edition of Chambers Global between 2009 and 2021 as a "World's Leading Lawyer" for Banking and Finance (including over 10 years as Band 1), in which he was recognised in 2010 for his "high-level problem-solving ability", in 2012 for his "ability to thoroughly manage complex matters" and in 2015 for his "broad perspective and industry understanding". Most recently, in 2021 Chambers Global noted that Ian is "a distinguished practitioner in the property finance space and is particularly relied upon for complex transactions".
Ian's work highlights over a long-standing career with King & Wood Mallesons have included acting for:
- Telstra Corporation on an on-going basis in relation to its multi-billion dollar senior debt financing arrangements;
- Various New York and London based financial institutions (including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers) in relation to structured finance transactions including equity repurchase, debt repurchase option arrangements and limited partnership structuring;
- A number of Australian State Airport Entities (including Perth Airport, Darwin Airport and Alice Springs Airport) in connection with integrated, multi-creditor debt financing arrangements, shareholder and governance arrangements, property investment and equity investment arrangements and operational matters;
- A number of leading Australian financial institutions (including Goldman Sachs, National Australia Bank, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited and Commonwealth Bank of Australia) in connection with:
i. Major property development and property investment transactions, including the financing of the Oracle Project in Broadbeach Queensland, the on-going financing and strategic divestment of the Bribie Island Project in South East Queensland, the Sheraton Hotel in Melbourne, the Victoria One Project in Melbourne and the Martha Cove Project; and
ii. Significant corporate finance arrangements, including on an on-going basis the financing of the Smorgon Steel Group, the Skilled Engineering Group, the MacMillan Shakespeare Group, the Transpacific Group and the David Jones and Country Road Groups;
- The Grollo and Grocon Group of Companies in connection with major property development and property investment transactions, including amongst others the financing of the QV Project, the AXA Project, the Media House Project, the Swanston Square Redevelopment, the Castlereagh Street Project, the Ribbon Project and the Central Barangaroo Development and, in connection with the innovative Build-to-Rent sector, the financing of the Parklands Project in South East Queensland and the establishment and financing of the "Home" Build-to-Rent assets;
- The Gandel Group in connection with major property and equity investment transactions, including the financing on an on-going basis of the iconic Chadstone Shopping Centre, and aircraft financing transactions; and
- A number of leading Melbourne based private property development companies (including the Caydon Group and the Welsh Group) in connection with the reorganisation of complex group corporate, investment and financing arrangements, the restructure of complex group financing arrangements and the financing of the development of a number of iconic Projects including the redevelopment of the Alphington Mill Site and the Nylex Silo Precinct.
Ian graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1994 with a First Class Honours Degree in Law and Commerce and was a member of the Editorial Board of the Melbourne University Law Review from 1993 to 1994. In 1997, Ian completed a Master of Laws Degree at the University of Cambridge with First Class Honours; on graduation, he was awarded the Title of Scholar of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.
Ian is a Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust and is currently the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Foundation of Trinity College, Melbourne and a member of the Board of Governance of Trinity College, Melbourne.
