Martin MacDonald
Martin has extensive experience advising borrowers and financiers on a wide range of financing transactions.
Martin has particular expertise in large-scale corporate and project finance, corporate restructuring and turnaround, and acquisition and leveraged finance. He advises some of Australia’s leading banks, sponsors and mining and resources organisation, and is recognised in Chambers, Who’s Who Legal – Australia 2019, Doyle’s Guide in the ‘Leading’ category, IFLR1000 as a ‘notable practitioner’, and Best Lawyers in 2014-2020.
Background
Martin joined Freehills in 2001. From 2004 to 2006, he worked as an associate in the banking department of Linklaters LLP in London, during which time he also undertook a secondment at the London office of JPMorgan Chase Bank.
Martin holds a Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Laws (first class) from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Martin is admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
Acquisition and leveraged finance
- The unitranche financing arrangements for Arrotex (being the group formed by the merger of the Arrow and Apotex pharmaceutical businesses)
- The financing of the management buyout of part of the business of JANA Investment Advisers
- The senior and mezzanine debt facilities provided to the Rivet Group, including to finance the acquisition of SMS Rental
- The restructuring and sale of the Rivet group, including dealings with a consortium led by SC Lowy
- The financing for a potential bidder of the acquisition of the Loy Yang B power station
- The merger financing in connection with the merger of Federation Centres with Novion Property Group to form Vicinity Centres (at the time, Australia’s second largest REIT).
Other experience
- A syndicate of banks in connection with financing and restructuring of a multi-fuel cogeneration plant in Worsley, Western Australia
- An international consortium of sponsors in connection with the US$7.2bn project financing of the Roy Hill iron ore project in Western Australia (Project Finance International Asia Pacific Deal of the Year)
- National Australia Bank and ANZ Banking Group on a range of secured and unsecured financing transactions
- Industry Funds Management in connection with a recent commercial property financing transaction
- The purchaser in connection with its acquisition of National Can Industries
- Toll Holdings on its syndicated, club and United States private placement (USPP) financing arrangements
- OZ Minerals (and, previously, Zinifex) in connection with its financing arrangements.
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