Andrew Kim

Andrew is an experienced corporate partner with close to 20 years' experience in public M&A and equity capital markets transactions.

Andrew advises listed and unlisted companies, investment funds and financial sponsors on strategic transactions across industries including retail, financial services, real estate, funds management, industrials, resources and liquor & gaming.

His M&A practice spans friendly and hostile takeovers and court-approved schemes. On the capital markets side, Andrew regularly advises clients on IPOs, rights issues, placements, SPACs and regulatory capital securities including AT1 hybrids.

Andrew is also a trusted adviser on Corporations Act, ASX Listing Rules and FIRB matters, bringing deep technical and commercial judgment to sensitive questions. Andrew has acted for various parties in successful Takeovers Panel proceedings.

Fluent in English and Korean, Andrew leads Ashurst’s Australia–Korea cross-border M&A practice enabling seamless execution for Korean corporates, sponsors and financial institutions in cross border transactions.

Andrew is recognised the Legal 500 as a “Next Generation Partner” in Equity Capital Markets. Andrew is a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney (Advanced Corporate Law – Takeovers 1 and 2).

Selected experience

• Soul Patts on its $14bn combination with Brickworks Limited by interconditional members' schemes.
• Woolworths Group on its A$2 billion off-market share buy-back and the A$12 billion demerger of Endeavour Group.
• Oxford Properties on its acquisition of the A$3.4 billion Investa Office Fund by scheme of arrangement.
• Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Limited on its A$1.05 billion acquisition by Wesfarmers.
• Westfield Retail Trust on its restructure and merger to create Scentre Group (with total assets of $28.5 billion as at transaction announcement).
• Novion Property Group on its A$11 billion merger with Federation Centres to create Vicinity Centres.
• Harmony Gold on its $1.6bn acquisition of MAC Copper by Jersey scheme.
• HomeCo Daily Needs REIT on the A$2.8 billion acquisition of Aventus Group by concurrent schemes.
• Energy Resources of Australia on more than $1bn of secondary raisings to fund rehabilitation costs for the Jabiluka mine and on Takeovers Panel proceedings commenced by minority shareholders.
• Innocean Worldwide Inc on its acquisition of 85% of the shares in Wellcom Group by members' scheme.
• POSCO on its exit from Cockatoo Coal Limited by selective capital reduction and the acquisition of outstanding interests in Hume Coal to become 100% holder of the Hume Coal project.
• KEPCO on its acquisitions of additional interests in the Bylong Coal Project and Baralaba Coal Company Limited, including associated corporate and environmental advice.
• Various Korean sponsors on Australian energy projects, including solar hybrid, green hydrogen and green methane pre-feasibility studies in NSW, QLD and WA.
• Crown Resorts on its response to the proposal from Wynn Resorts to acquire all Crown shares for A$10 billion, the proposed demerger of its international businesses, and the proposed IPO of a 49% interest in a new property trust.
• Downer EDI on various transactions to raise equity capital and the $1.1bn off-market takeover bid for the shares in Spotless Group Holdings Limited.
• Sibanye Stillwater on the A$150 million hostile takeover of New Century Resources.
• Kiwa N.V. on its A$300 million acquisition of Intega Group by way of a members’ scheme.