Liam Hickey

Liam's practice focuses on advising institutional investors - including pension and superannuation funds, sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds and global asset managers - on a range of complex transactions globally. These include: [1] corporate transactions (including mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, venture capital and growth equity investments, and minority investments); [2] fund transactions and investments (advising both general partners / managers and limited partners); and [3] joint ventures, including complex consortium governance arrangements between institutional investors.

Since commencing at Baker McKenzie in 2021, Liam has worked on the following transactions:

M&A / Private Equity

• Acting for OTPP on a substantial minority investment in GreenCollar, an Australian carbon markets project developer alongside KKR.
• Acting for OTPP on a strategic partnership with Mitolo Family Farms, one of Australia’s largest vertically integrated horticulture companies.
• Acting for OTPP on its investments in Pomona Valley, a platform of horticulture assets.
• Acting for Norwest, a US based private equity fund, on the acquisition of a strategic interest in Poolwerx, an Australian franchising business with business activities in Australia, the US and NZ.
• Acting for Norwest on a strategic investment by Poolwerx in a pool supply retail business.
• Acting for Norwest on a debt refinancing with an Australian direct lender.
• Acting for Norwest on various ongoing portfolio company matters.
• Acting for EQT, a leading European private equity fund, on the disposal of its material minority investment in GPA to a Canadian pension fund through a competitive auction process.
• Acting for PSG, a US-based private equity fund, and SchoolStatus in respect of its add-on acquisition of Operoo, an Australia software company with operations in Australia, the US and the UK.
• Acting for a Canadian pension fund on its bid for an ASX and NZX dual-listed renewable energy platform.
• Acting for Canadian pension funds on various bids for Australian forestry assets.
• Acting for Australian-based global asset manager in connection with its bid for a portfolio of digital infrastructure assets.
• Acting for portfolio companies of various US-based private equity funds on ongoing portfolio matters for Australian subsidiaries.

Venture Capital

• Acting for Hysata, an Australian hydrogen technology company on (i) its Series A financing / capital raising (AUD 42.5 million), (ii) various SAFE investments, and (iii) various ongoing commercial advice.  
• Acting for a Singapore-based investor on its participation in a Series A financing transaction in an Australian business.

In prior roles, Liam has previously worked on over 25 venture capital investments in the technology (principally software) and healthcare sectors in the United States utilising the NVCA standard form documentation.

Joint Venture Transactions 

• Acting for a leading Australian based renewable energy developer on its joint venture investment with a leading European renewable energy developer to bid for an offshore wind feasibility licence in Victoria, Australia.
• Acting for OTPP on its joint venture investment in Spark Infrastructure, a holding vehicle with interests in various Australian electricity transmission and distribution companies (focus on complex consortium governance arrangements).
• Acting for Macquarie Asset Management in connection with consortium governance arrangements in respect of AirTrunk.

Fund transactions - manager roles

• Acting for a UK venture capital manager on the establishment of two separate co-investment mandates (utilising a fund of one structure) for Australian industry superannuation funds.
• Acting for an Australian-based property manager on the establishment of a listed social infrastructure property fund.

Fund transactions - limited partner roles

Liam has substantial expertise in limited partner / investor fund review matters.  This includes extensive expertise advising on review of offshore limited partnership agreements, including Delaware, Luxembourg and Cayman vehicles.

Acting for an Australian superannuation fund in respect of:

• the establishment of a fund of one private debt platform (Australian vehicle) focused on the Australian corporate loan market, including with respect to arrangements with respect to the transfer and assignment of seed loans for the platform.
• its investment in global renewable energy infrastructure fund (Delaware vehicle).
• its investment in a global private equity fund focused on industrial assets.
• its investment into an all-weather multi-strategy hedge fund.

Acting for an Australian institutional investor in respect of:

• its investment in a global private equity fund (flagship buyout fund).
• its investment in a global property fund (flagship opportunistic mandate).
• its investment in a club property investment (multi-family residential property) in the United States, including in connection with the acquisition of seed assets by the club.
• its investment in a club property investment (industrial property) in the United States
• its investment in a club property investment platform (industrial property) in Europe
• in respect of its investment in a global property fund (opportunistic mandate across various sectors globally).
• in respect of its investment mandate with a global forestry manager.