Biography
Ben Smits is a transactional lawyer based in Sydney. His focus is on complex, cross-border and domestic acquisitions, mergers, financings, divestments and corporate restructures.
He has a particular interest leading private equity buyouts and exits; infrastructure and energy (particularly renewable projects) and technology driven transactions.
Ben regularly advises clients on corporate law aspects of commercial negotiation and strategy, due diligence; corporate finance; fund establishment, restructuring; corporate governance and advisory, general commercial, corporate and employment matters; private investment and intellectual property commercialisation.
Ben is recognised by his clients and peers as a leading Australian transactional lawyer in external directories. Praise for Ben includes “quality of work and service”, “very responsive…understands our business" and “hard-working, proactive and a good negotiator”. Clients further note his ability to "absorb everything, reflect on things and deliver good advice."
Professional experience
Collapse all- Supreme Court of NSW
- Denham Capital on its acquisition of Enersis/NPP wind portfolio through OneWind and its investments in Fotowatio Renewable Ventures and Auctus Minerals
- Logos Property on its logistic property fund ventures with Australian and foreign institutional investors
- Technology Crossover Venture on its investment into Siteminder
- Macquarie on its investment into Mathletics and Australian equipment finance business
- Thorn on its acquisition of Cash Resources Australia
- Accel’s investment into Invoice2Go
- AMP on the establishment of, and investment by, its New Ventures program
- Appen Limited (back by Anacacia Capital) on its IPO
- Columbia Capital on its Cloud Sherpas rollup
- CHAMP Ventures on its acquisition of Road Safety Equipment Australia and Lorna Jane and exit of TSMarine
- APN on its investment in BrandsExclusive
- Alinta in respect of its interest in the Port Hedland Power Station
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation on its investment in Scholz AG
- Apex Capital Partners on their establishment of BetaShares exchange traded fund platform
- AGL on its divestment of the Hallett 5 Wind Farm and Meridian’s sell down of the Macarthur Wind Farm
- AGL on its operations at the Torrens Island power station
- Ozforex on its investment by Accel, Carlyle and Macquarie
- Salesforce.com on its investment in a prominent Australian cloud business
- Pepper as underbidder for Lloyds (CFAL / BOSI) assets
- Florida Mezzanine Fund on its establishment of the Australian Margaritaville franchise
- Stafford Timberland on the establishment of several of its seven forestry fund-of-funds
- ARENA on its renewable energy funding arrangements
- RHO Ventures and SXVP on their investment into Effective Measure.
- Anacacia on its investments into Appen Butler Hill, Muir Engineering and Norwest Productions
- Archer Growth on its CURA day hospitals rollup
- AMP Capital on its investments in United Equipment, National Fire, Jeminex and One Group
- ANZ Capital on its buyout and divestment of several Australian household name businesses including API Security, Expo Hire, IBIS Aged Care, Netti Atom, Autocad, OTE, Bush’s Pet Foods, Centaman, Central Innovation and others
- English
Insights
Foreign investment reforms: Key changes
Publication | May 27, 2024
Australian public and private M&A outlook report 2024
Publication | February 22, 2024
Australian public M&A deal trends report 2023
Publication | February 22, 2023
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