James Tannock
Senior Associate - Corporate, M&A and Private Equity
James has a passion for solving complex problems and applies himself in a considered and commercial manner to reach the best strategic outcomes for his clients. James’s respectful, calm and personable working style helps him deliver high-quality, concise and useful advice to his clients. He has been described by clients as “highly skilled, responsive, professional, hard-working and enjoyable to work with – we always felt we were in very good hands”, a “pure professional” and “a delight to work with”. One client noted that “it has been such a pleasure watching how skilfully [he was] able to move this, and I have learned a good deal on how ‘best-practice’ looks”.
James has significant domestic and international experience advising on a range of M&A transactions, particularly for private equity clients, across a range of industries. He has extensive experience advising clients on matters relating to cross-border and domestic M&A transactions, acquisition and fund structuring, shareholder and partnership arrangements (including management equity plans) and general corporate advisory matters.
James is a key member of Hamilton Locke’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Foreign Desk and New Energy and Carbon Markets team.
Prior to joining Hamilton Locke, James worked in London for six years in the M&A and Private Equity teams at US firms Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Winston & Strawn. James began his career at Gilbert + Tobin in Sydney.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Cross-Border and Domestic Transactions; Private equity; Private M&A; Shareholder Arrangements; Corporate Advisory; Acquisition and Fund Structuring
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor of Laws, University of Technology
- Bachelor of Social Science and Politics, University of New South Wales
- Admitted to practice in NSW and England and Wales
SELECTED REPRESENTATIONS
- Advised Alquemie Group on its $60+ million acquisition of General Pants Co and related holding company equity arrangements and acquisition structuring matters.
- Advised ACTA Capital on its establishment of a retail investment fund.
- Advised Pollination Global Holdings Limited in respect of its strategic partnership with ANZ (and ANZ’s associated $50 million equity investment in Pollination).
- Advised Pollination Global Holdings Limited on its investment in a large-scale international carbon capture project.
- Advised Everlight Radiology on its sale to UK-based private equity firm, Livingbridge.
- Advised the shareholders of Decideware on its sale to Volaris Group, a wholly-owned division of Constellation Software Inc.
- Advised a European private equity firm on the establishment of a ~£100m Jersey/UK fund structure, joint venture arrangements (including shareholder and franchise arrangements) with a Japanese partner and equity arrangements in connection with its minority equity investment in well-known UK and US restaurant chain (and subsequent restructure).
- Advised a large US private equity group on its acquisition of a European industrial carpet manufacturer from another large US private equity group and associated equity arrangements with management, its subsequent syndication to a large UK private equity group, and its development of a revised equity structure.
- Advised a US private equity firm on its majority investment in an Icelandic tech company and subsequent bolt-on acquisition of a Czech-based tech company.
- Advised a US private equity firm on its acquisition of two UK-headquartered, international medical devices groups.
- Advised an Eastern European satellite and telecommunications company and its founder on equity arrangements in connection with the restructure of its business whose security holders included Blackrock, Blantyre Capital, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.