Current practice

Ben is a partner in the Private Equity team of Freehills, which is rated by benchmarking publication PLC Which Lawyer? as a leading private equity law firm in Australia. Ben is also recognised by IFLR1000 in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions.

Industry experience

Private equity investments

Ben has acted on private equity investments ranging from start-ups to large management buy-outs including:

• start-up and early stage investments in Active Concepts, Colloidal Dynamics, Electro Optic Systems, Entelec Systems, ExGenix, Platypus Technology, Red Sheriff, SIRTex Medical, Technico, TeeleOstin, TheraPPy, UDU World and Zoom Systems
• development capital investments, including China Media, Crazy John's, Farley Cutting Systems, Open Software Associates, Portland Orthopaedics, Total Healthcare Enterprises and VOS Industries, and
• management buy-outs and buy-ins, including Accantia Health and Beauty, Australian Pacific Paper Products, Australian Vinyls Corporation, Beston Parks Management, Blue Circle, Brown & Dureau, Envotec, HomyPed, International Energy Services, and Tempo Services.

Private equity funds

Ben has been involved in the establishment of and investment in numerous private equity funds, including the four government sponsored pre-seed funds, ABN AMRO Capital Australia Fund II, Advent V, ANZ Business Equity Fund, Candover 2005 Fund, Hastings Private  Equity Fund II, IFM Australian Private Equity III and IV, IFM International Private Equity I and II, Ironbridge I and II, Paul Capital Top Tier Investment III, Starfish Technology Fund I, LP (the first Australian private equity fund established as an incorporated limited partnership) VenCap 10 and 12 and Wolseley Partners Fund I.

Ben has also been involved in reform and preparing industry standard documents relating to the use of venture capital limited partnerships.

Private equity exits

Ben has a wide range of experience in both public offerings and trade sales including Accantia Health and Beauty, SIRTex Medical, Compumedics, Digital Now, Emitch, Telstra 2 and Your Prosperity.

Professional background

Ben joined Freehills after graduating from the Australian National University with the combined degree of Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biochemistry, and Bachelor of Laws with Honours.

He was admitted to the Freehills partnership in July 2006.