Alexander St John
Annabel Ryan
Thu Vo
Lawyer
Lachlan Stagoll
Lily Clements-Markham
Marni Riley
Special Counsel
Emily Wang
Tasmin Cilliers

James Delesclefs

Partner

With a forward-thinking approach, and enthusiasm for collaboration and relationship building, James learnt early in his career that ‘you’re only as good as your next deal’. Bringing that mantra and passion to each transaction, James is committed to finding innovative solutions and pragmatically implementing clients’ commercial goals. James is a hands-on practitioner, with clients describing him as ‘savvy, technical and business minded, with a flair for meeting all deadlines, getting the right commercial outcome and cutting through the complexity’ (Chambers).

James in a specialist in complex private M&A transactions, inbound investment, fundraisings, management incentive arrangements, corporate governance, joint ventures, international business (re)structures and the decarbonisation industry (including Project development, TCFD/ISSB reporting, policies and charters).

James has more than 20 years’ domestic and international private practice experience in leading firms in London, New York and Sydney, counselling corporations, private equity sponsors, founders and management, in all forms of corporate activity, with ranked recognition (individually and with Hamilton Locke’s M&A team) in leading independent global publications including Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. James’s principal practice areas include advising on sell side and buy side private M&A, inbound investment regulation (including Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB)), director duties, the full acquisition/sale transaction lifecycle (with ongoing operational matters), shareholder arrangements (including management equity plans), group restructurings, employee share schemes, recapitalisations and fundraisings. In addition to his leading role in the firm’s private M&A practice, James’ leads the firm’s Foreign Desk, Executive Compensation (complex equity plans) and New Energy & Carbon Markets groups.

James is bilingual (French native speaker) and dual qualified (England & Wales and New South Wales). He was previously a partner at PwC, Corrs Chambers Westgarth and Kirkland & Ellis.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Private Equity; Private M&A; Shareholder Arrangements; Management and Employee Share Schemes; Inbound M&A advice (FIRB and structuring); Director Duties; Decarbonisation.

AWARDS
  • Chambers Asia Pacific Guide, leading individual, Private Equity
  • Legal 500, Corporate M&A, 2022

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Admitted to practice in New South Wales and England & Wales

SELECTED REPRESENTATIONS
  • Acted for the shareholders of Climate Friendly on their transaction with Adamantem Capital and Mitsui..
  • Acted for J.C. Flowers & Co. on the acquisition and subsequent sale of tier 1 market operator Chi-X.
  • Acted for Calix Limited on the investment by Carbon Direct in its Co2 ‘LEILAC’ business.
  • Acted for Pollination Capital on its fundraise and collaboration arrangement with ANZ Bank.
  • Acted for Pemba Capital Partners on its acquisition of various companies and related group structuring, including management incentive arrangements.
  • Acted for Egis Group on its acquisition of the Indec consulting business.
  • Acted for Evergen on various capital raises and operational matters.
  • Acted for J2 Global Inc on its acquisition of Fonebox, sale of Web24 and other matters.
  • Acted for Real Petfood Company Group, Pepper Group and numerous other global groups on multi-jurisdictional management incentive plans.
  • Acted for CVC in connection with the debt-for-equity swap in Nine Entertainment.
  • Acted for PPB Advisory on the sale of Darrell Lea (in administration).
  • Acted for management of software company MYOB on the acquisition by Bain Capital.
  • Acted for global private equity funds Oaktree Capital Management, Summit Partners, Bain Capital, ICV Partners, H.I.G, Apax Partners, Lion Capital, Apollo Global Management, Sun Capital Partners, Marlin Capital, Cobalt Capital and others on various Australian acquisitions and management incentive arrangements.
  • Acted for domestic private equity funds Pacific Equity Partners, Archer Capital and Colinton Capital Partners and others on various acquisitions and management incentive arrangements