Allens Arthur Robinson has acted as Australian counsel for the underwriters, Deutsche Bank AG Sydney branch, JP Morgan Australia Limited and UBS AG Australia Branch, of ANZ’s A$2.5 billion (approx US$1.9b) institutional share placement. The transaction is expected to provide ANZ with greater financial flexibility to pursue growth opportunities and strengthen its capital position. Partner and Co-Head of Equity Capital Markets Robert Pick led the Allens team. Legal firm Sidley Austin acted as US counsel for the underwriters, whilst ANZ received Australian legal advice from Blake Dawson and US legal advice from Sullivan & Cromwell. Allens Arthur Robinson has also acted for Charter Hall Group (CHG), an Australian property funds management and development company, in respect of its A$118 million (approx US$93.5m) raising with strategic investment from property investment group Gandel Group. Sydney-based partners Stuart McCulloch and Anna Lenahan led the Allens team. Amarchand Mangaldas has advised Indiabulls Real Estate (IRE) on its completed QIP transaction valued at over US$550 million. In addition to its real estate business, IRE has various power projects in development which it runs through its subsidiaries. Amarchand Mangaldas was responsible for drafting the entire offer document. Minter Ellison has assisted Japan’s largest housing developer, Sekisui House Ltd (Sekisui), in respect of its joint venture with Payce Consolidated Limited (Payce), an Australian Stock Exchange-listed company. Sekisui has chosen to expand into the Australian property market because of the country’s legal framework, demographics and stable housing market. The firm advised both Sekisui and Payce with respect to the transaction, with Martin Bennett and Nicole Green leading the team for Sekisui, and Victoria Mathewson leading the team...

Ali Budiardjo, Nugroho, Reksodiputro (ABNR) has represented Samsun Logix Corporation (Samsun) in the District Court of Central Jakarta against PT Jaya Karunia Samudera Shipping, in a dispute regarding a vessel charter. The claim against Samsun was dismissed by the court. Partner M. Husseyn Umar led the team from ABNR. Allen & Gledhill LLP has advised FCT MTN Pte Ltd (FCT) in respect of its S$500 million (approx US$342.7m) Multicurrency Medium Term Note Programme. FCT is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Institutional Trust Services (Singapore) Limited (HSBC), which is trustee of the Frasers Centrepoint Trust. In its capacity as trustee, HSBC will unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee the notes issued under the programme. Partner Au Huey Ling was involved in advising FCT. The firm also advised HSBC in relation to this matter, through partner Jerry Koh. Allen & Gledhill LLP has also advised Merrill Lynch Far East Limited as placement agent in respect of KCC Corporation’s issuance of US$58.3 million Zero Coupon Exchangeable Bonds due 2014. The bonds are exchangeable into shares of common stock of Hyundai Mobis which carry a par value of Won 5,000 (approx US$4 dollars) per share and are listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. Partner Tan Tze Gay advised on Singapore law in respect of the issuance. Finally, Allen & Gledhill LLP has advised Tang UnityThree LLP in relation to its proposal to seek a voluntary delisting of C K Tang Ltd (CKT) from the Official List of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. The terms of the proposal stipulate that Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited, for and on behalf of Tang UnityThree, will...

Allen & Overy LLP has advised the Republic of Indonesia (ROI) on the issue of its first global Shari’ah-compliant bond or sukuk. Structured around a sale by the Republic to a special purpose vehicle, Perusahaan Penerbit SBSN Indonesia I, and lease-back of some sixty-six state-owned properties in Jakarta and Bandung, the issuance, valued at US$650 million, was several times oversubscribed. The joint lead managers for the issuance were Barclays, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank. Assegaf Hamzah & Partners advised the ROI as to Indonesian law. The Allen & Overy team was led by Singapore-based consultant Hooman Sabeti-Rahmati and also involved Singapore-based partner Ken Aboud, Hong Kong-based partner David Johnson (who advised on disclosure and US aspects), and New York-based partner Jack Heinberg (who advised on US tax aspects). The ROI now joins several other sovereign nations who have issued US dollar international sukuk, including Malaysia, Qatar, Bahrain and Pakistan, and the transaction re-opens the public cross-border sukuk market, which had not seen an issuance since the summer of 2008. Allen & Overy has also advised joint bookrunners and joint lead managers Deutsche Bank, HSBC and J.P. Morgan on a Rule 144A/Reg S $1.5 billion bond offering for Hutchison Whampoa. Closed on 9 April 2009, the deal constitutes the largest global bond issued by an Asian corporate in 2009 to date. Partners David Johnson and Mark Roppel formed part of the firm’s advisory team. Allens Arthur Robinson has had a busy month. The firm has advised The GPT Group (GPT) on a capital raising to raise a minimum of A$1.2 billion (approx US$921m). The transaction comprises a non-renounceable 1 for...

Allens Arthur Robinson is advising Aberdeen Asset Management PLC (Aberdeen) on the acquisition from Credit Suisse Group AG of certain fund management assets and businesses across Europe, Asia and Australasia. The first closing of the acquisition represents assets, valued at £7.1 billion (approx US$10.7b), under management of businesses across the Asia Pacific (ex Japan). Following the final closing towards the end of June, which will involve the remainder of the target business, Aberdeen will issue up to 24.97 percent of its share capital to Credit Suisse, making the financial services group Aberdeen’s largest shareholder. Aberdeen will reportedly become one of Britain’s largest fund managers. Partner Jeremy Low led the Allens team, with Maclay Murray & Spens LLP (UK counsel for Aberdeen) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (UK counsel for Credit Suisse) also involved in advising on this multi-jurisdictional M&A transaction. Davis Polk & Wardwell has advised Citigroup Global Markets Inc as dealer/manager in relation to a cash tender offer by ProMOS Technologies Inc, a leading provider of memory solutions including high performance memory chips. Partner William F. Barron from Davis Polk was involved in advising Citigroup on the offer by ProMOS to purchase any and all of its outstanding US$350 million zero coupon convertible bonds due 2012. Dechert LLP has advised Nanostart AG, the world’s leading nanotechnology investment company, in respect of the launch of its first Venture Capital Fund in Singapore together with Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF). The fund has a first closing volume of SGD$20 million (approx US$13.5m) after the first closing was held in Singapore on 21 April 2009. The fund, Nanostart AG’s first privately...

Allen and Gledhill LLP has advised GE Pacific Private Limited on the acquisition of a 51 percent stake of Teleflex Holding Singapore Pte Ltd in Airfoil Technologies Internationals – Singapore Pte Ltd (ATI-S). GE Pacific now wholly owns ATI-S as a result of the US$300 million deal. Partner Michele Foo was one of the advisors from Allen and Gledhill involved in the transaction. Allen and Gledhill LLP has advised PTT International Company Limited (PTTI) and its wholly owned subsidiary Lints Limited (Lints) on a sale and purchase agreement for the acquisition of 60 percent of the issued shares in the capital of Straits Bulk & Industrial Pty Ltd, an Australian incorporated entity which holds 47.1 percent of the issued shares in the capital of Straits Asia Resources Limited (SAR). Following the acquisition, Lints is required to make a mandatory conditional cash offer for all of SAR’s shares excluding those already owned, controlled or agreed to be acquired by Lints. Partners Prawiro Widjaja and Song Su Min from Allen and Gledhill were involved. Allens Arthur Robinson has advised Aristocrat Leisure Limited on its recent institutional placement, which raised A$200 million (approximately US$145.4 million). Equity raised will be used to strengthen the company’s balance sheet in light of the current economic environment. Sydney-based partner Victoria Poole led the team from Allens. AZB & Partners has advised the International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank, in respect of its equity financing in Jain Irrigation Systems Limited (JISL) through subscription of equity shares. The firm also advised the IFC on reviewed authorisations, board resolutions and Indian regulatory matters. A public...