Scott is recognised as one of Australia’s pre-eminent mining and resources lawyers, and plays a valuable role as a leader in KWM’s mining/projects team.
Scott has over 35 years’ experience advising some of the largest mining and resources companies in Australia and the world, including BHP, Rio Tinto, Anglo American, Newmont, AngloGold, St Barbara, Alumina, and Glencore. Scott has worked on a very wide range of significant transactions and projects in the sector, including public markets transactions (takeovers, mergers and IPOs), joint ventures, project development, and asset/business sales and acquisitions.
Scott has advised extensively over his career on the legal and regulatory requirements attaching to the development of minerals and other natural resources projects, both within Australia and globally. He is also an experienced corporate lawyer with a close understanding of legal and governance issues in the natural resources sector, having also been General Counsel and Company Secretary at Newcrest Mining Limited during 2012 and 2013.
Chambers & Partners highlights Scott's "impressive track record advising on mining transactions including takeovers, joint ventures, divestments and acquisitions as well as IPOs and investments.” One client comments: "Scott has a deep understanding of mining M&A issues and delivers quality, thoughtful and comprehensive legal advice."
Scott’s work highlights include:
- Newmont Corporation: advising longstanding KWM core client, Newmont, on a range of commercial and transaction matters in relation to its Australian and global business, and in particular as one of the lead partners on Newmont’s successful takeover of Newcrest Mining Limited by scheme of arrangement. The landmark acquisition constituted Australia’s biggest M&A deal of 2023, valuing the acquired company (Newcrest) at A$26 billion and expanding Newmont’s market capitalisation to over A$65 billion. The transaction reinforced the position of Newmont as the world’s pre-eminent gold mining company.
- BHP Limited: led the KWM mining/resources advisory team on the close out of BHP’s acquisition of OZ Minerals Limited by scheme of arrangement, including as lead partner on all DD aspects, and then as lead/responsible partner of the KWM team advising on the various integration aspects flowing from of the transaction. Scott and a large KWM team advised BHP on all legal aspects of the development of the integrated copper mining province created by the acquisition, centred on BHP’s iconic Olympic Dam mine and processing facility in northern South Australia.
- Alumina Limited: key adviser to Alumina on its participation in the 40/60 AWAC global JV with Alcoa Corporation – AWAC is the world’s largest integrated bauxite and alumina production business. Scott is also one of the key partners in the KWM team advising Alumina in relation to Alcoa’s recently-announced proposed acquisition of Alumina by scheme of arrangement.
