Quentin Digby

Senior Adviser

Sydney, Australia

Quentin advises ASX-listed companies on corporate governance matters.

Quentin advises Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)–listed companies on corporate governance matters. He acts as a trusted adviser to his clients’ chairs, company secretaries and general counsel.

Having established Herbert Smith Freehills’ Head Office Advisory Team (HOAT) in 1998, Quentin has an unparalleled reputation for providing client-focused advice and guidance on legal and regulatory requirements, as well as market practice and emerging trends.

HOAT advises 60% of ASX 20 companies and approximately 40% of the ASX 100 on their corporate governance issues.

Quentin works with the company secretaries and general counsel of listed company clients to support and advise their board chairs and committee chairs on governance matters, such as directors’ duties, director and CEO appointments and succession issues, and executive remuneration.

He is also a market disclosure specialist, helping clients with their continuous disclosure obligations, investor relations, analyst briefings, and shareholder reporting and engagement.

Quentin is consistently ranked in external guides as one of Australia’s leading corporate governance lawyers. He was nominated and selected by clients as Australia’s most client-focused lawyer (and jointly, the most client-focused professional services adviser) in the 2016 Australian Financial Review Client Choice Awards.

Prior to establishing HOAT, Quentin practised in the mergers and acquisitions, and equity capital markets areas. He brings to clients an in-depth understanding of the key regulatory and structural issues relevant to the board in the implementation of major corporate transactions.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

on the corporate governance and executive remuneration aspects of various ASX initial public offerings and ASX 100 demergers, including the South32 demerger from BHP Billiton, the Recall demerger from Brambles, and the Orora demerger from Amcor
the Recall directors in relation to a scheme of arrangement with Iron Mountain including the market disclosure aspects
on the separation arrangements of the CEOs of various ASX 100 companies, and the appointment and employment agreements of their successor CEOs
on the sensitive retirements of numerous ASX-listed company directors, and assisting boards with respect to difficult conflict-of-interest or board dynamics issues
various ASX-listed companies on Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASX and Australian Federal Police enquiries and investigations; shareholder activist campaigns; preparations for potential change of control; responses to first strike votes; and proxy adviser and investor engagement