Current Position:

External Consultant

Experience

Banking & Finance

1. CP, TD and MTN Issue of $500 Million Australian Dollars for an Asian Bank in Australia – structuring and documentation.
2. CP Issue of $200 Million Australian Dollars for an Asian Bank in Australia – structuring and documentation.
3. $125 Million Certificate of Deposit Facility – Structuring, negotiating and advising on the raising of a $125 Million offshore facility to an Asian bank based in Australia.
4. Acting for agents and/or lenders in Syndication and Club documentation.
5. Loh Yang Power Project – Advised two lenders on the structure of the acquisition and operation of the Power Station and acquisition financing including Information Memorandum, Coal Procurement Agreement, Infrastructure Services Agreement, syndication loan documentation and security documentation.
6. Westar and Kinetik gas distribution network in Vietnam – Advising a lender on the Information Memorandum, Business Plan, Operating and Maintenance Programme, loan and security documentation.
7. Acquisition of Dampier to Bunburg Natural Gas Pipeline – Advising a lender on loan and security documentation.
8. Hazelwood Power Station-Refinancing – Advised a lender on the due diligence report and on the loan and security documentation.
9. Shipping and Aircraft finance documentation.
10. Other complex loan and security documentation.
11. Film financing.
12. Hotel and other commercial development and acquisition financing.
13. Trade Finance documentation.
14. Letter of Credit advice.
15. Compliance Guides for banks and acting as compliance officer for a bank.
16. Advising and structuring for the establishment of a number of:
    • Commercial banks in Australia
    • Merchant banks in Australia
    • Representative offices of banks in Australia
    • Bank in Fiji
    • Proposed establishment of a bank in New Zealand
17. Advised a financial institution in Australia on Islamic Finance with the view to introducing Islamic Finance Instruments.

International Tax

1. Advised international banks on their tax liability.
2. Advised on Asian Dollar and Offshore Banking Units in a number of countries.
3. Withholding Tax Planning.
4. International trust structures including structures for asset protection.
5. Advising on taxation of shipping operations around the world.
6. E-commerce taxation.
7. Use of holding companies in a number of countries including Netherlands, Luxembourg, Channel Islands, Brunei, Dubai, British Virgin Islands and a number of tax haven countries.
8. Structuring for international manufacturing and distribution.
9. Cross-border leasing.
10. Expatriate and other senior executives remuneration planning.
11. Structuring for investment in a number of countries including USA, UK, France, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan and Sri Lanka.
12. Advising large and medium size companies and investors from Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Germany, France, Japan, Sweden, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, USA, Canada, South Africa on investing in Australia and Asia.
13. Structuring film production and distribution.
14. Structuring for entertainers.

Power, Infrastructure & Government Projects

1. Power Project in China – drafted documents for an Australian Company with Philippine participants.
2. Power Project in India – Acted on behalf of the Australia-India Business Council to negotiate with the Government and structuring to attract investors including consideration of all legal issues relating to the Power Project, electricity generation and distribution, import of coal and drafting preliminary documents. This did not proceed.
3. Power Station in New South Wales – Advising a German company on their contract for the commission of contracts, instrumentation and computer systems.
4. Due diligence, structuring and documentation for takeover of oil wells in Indonesia. This did not proceed.
5. Proposed space station with Russian satellite rocket launch in Australia.
6. Advising on comparative advantages of the establishment of satellite operations in Dubai and Philippines.
7. Supervised the doctorial thesis on BOT with Chinese characteristics at the University of Sydney.
8. Flour Mill Project – Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka.
9. Oceanport – Analysis of the report on Oceanport Sydney and Oceanport Hobart prepared by Intergrowth Property Group and advising the feasibility and structuring joint venture participation. The study included a report on:
   • International Cruise Market
   • Domestic Cruise Market
   • Hotel/Accommodation Market
   • Exhibition/Convention Market
10. Infrastructure – Resort Development on an island in Queensland including roads and docking facility, advising on structuring finance including infrastructure finance and private sector investment and negotiation with financiers and investors on such financing in Japan and Australia.
11. Structuring private sector participation of a commercial property in New Zealand through securitisation of rentals.
12. Tuna Fishing and Canning Project – Structuring private sector participation in a proposed joint venture between the Fijian Government and private sector.
13. International E-commerce project for marketing real estate.

Others

Film Production and Distribution

1. Structuring contracts for a number of films including Superman, Rambo, Angel Heart, etc.
2. Film production contracts.

Large Scale Property Developments and Acquisition

1. 280 units development including building contracts.
2. Subdivision of approximately 200 land parcels.
3. 165 serviced apartments, including managed investment scheme.
4. Acquisition of UOB Building at Martin Place, Sydney.
5. Acquisition of 333 George Street, Sydney.
6. Acquisition of 74 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.

Shipping, Aircraft, Shipbuilding & Shipwrecking Yards

1. Acquisition of ships and aircrafts and financing.
2. Acted for a yacht building operation.
3. Advised on the establishment of a shipwrecking yard.

Intellectual Property & Software Contracts

1. International Licensing.
2. Software Contracts.
3. Registration of Trade Marks.
4. Advising on International copyright implications for publishers.

Takeovers and Mergers

1. Advised banks on mergers and acquisitions and consequent assignments of loans, securities and other financial instruments.
2. Takeovers of listed companies.
3. Due diligence reports on takeover of companies and businesses.
4. Takeover and merger documentation.
5. Acquisition of a number of medical centres with a view to IPO.

European Union Law

1. Advised Australian and Asian clients on European Union law in relation to their business dealings.

Middle East Experience

1. Addressed the delegation to the Middle East on doing business in the Middle East at the invitation of the New South Wales Government.
2. Assisted on the preparation of Taxes and Investment in the Middle East published by the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation.
3. Advised clients on doing business in United Arab Emirates.

Qualifications

Doctorate in Law (International Taxation)
University of Amsterdam
The Netherlands – 1980

Doctorandus in Law - (mainly in European Community Law)
University of Amsterdam - The Netherlands – 1978

Postgraduate Diploma in European Business and Tax Law
Europa Institute
Amsterdam - The Netherlands – 1975

Bachelor of Laws
University of Colombo, Sri Lanka - 1972