David Gray

Partner

Perth, Australia

David Gray advises on mergers & acquisitions and equity capital markets matters.

David Gray is a senior partner in Herbert Smith Freehills Corporate group in Perth. David’s practice covers takeovers & schemes, equity capital markets and general corporate acquisitions, reconstructions and disposals.

David regularly advises companies and their boards facing complex reconstruction issues, including a number of mining services contractors and project owners.

David has deep experience over more than twenty five years acting on both sides of private equity led transactions. In recent times he has advised a number of specialist equity houses on competitive sales processes in the resources space, including roles for Tembo Capital, Appian Capital and Ibaera Capital.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) on its successful joint scheme/bid with Hancock Prospecting for emerging lithium explorer Azure Minerals Limited in a market defining transaction. The deal was structured to successfully defeat competing interests at the height of lithium M&A activity. The deal featured innovative joint bidding structures, bespoke ASIC relief and complex FIRB negotiations
IGO Limited on its acquisition of 49% of Tianqi’s stake in the Greenbushes Lithium mine and Kwinana processing facility, including the associated AUD 800 million equity raise
Wesfarmers on numerous acquisitions and capital management initiatives including its demerger of the Coles supermarket business and its bid for Lynas Corporation. David also advised Wesfarmers on all aspects of the expansion of its Flybuys and OnePass programmes including complex joint venture negotiations with its partner Coles Group. David leads the HSF relationship with the Wesfarmers group
Tattarang group on numerous acquisitions and equity transactions including investments in Camilla Group, FibreconX and other undisclosed acquisitions. Ongoing advice to Tattarang’s Wyloo Metals, Squadron Energy and Harvest Road business divisions
Spartan Resources Limited (formerly Gascoyne Resources Ltd) on its complex reconstruction and relisting following its entry into voluntary administration as well as ongoing M&A and capital markets transactions
Woodside Energy on its proposed deal with Oil Search Limited and on the Shell divestment and associated capital management initiatives
Austal Limited on its response to a takeover proposal from Korean shipbuilding conglomerate, Hanwha
on the creation of Evolution Mining; a three way merger between Catalpa Resources, Conquest Mining and Newcrest Mining
on many takeovers and schemes primarily in the mining and energy areas including numerous contested Takeovers panel applications. Recent transactions include advising Red 5 Limited on its acquisition of Silver Lake Resources
numerous boards facing solvency and regulatory challenges including Mineral Resources Limited; Mt Gibson; Forge Group, Quintis Limited and Great Southern Limited
on key capital markets transactions including the IPOs of Australian Finance Group and Little World Beverages and many secondary raisings including Woodside, Iluka Resources and many local gold and other mining companies