About Greg

Greg is a corporate and mergers and acquisitions lawyer who has extensive experience advising Australian manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, as well as international companies who export to Australia and the Asia Pacific region. He has unique expertise in planning and establishing business structures for the operation of channel distribution networks via trusts, companies, partnerships, joint ventures, franchises and other forms of licence arrangements. This includes advising in relation to pricing, supply and market conduct issues and intellectual property licensing and protection. He is regarded as one of Australia’s leading retail and franchise lawyers, holding more than 20 years of experience practising within the sector.

More broadly, Greg acts in private equity transactions for both founders and investors, raising venture and expansion capital and assisting entrepreneurs and investors with exit strategies.

Greg’s clients include the owners of major brands within the automotive, telecommunications, fashion, cosmetics, hair and beauty, consumer finance and food and beverage industries.

Greg has been recognised for Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Commercial Law and Franchise Law in Best Lawyers, Licensing and Franchising in Asia IP Experts and in the International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers. He is recommended by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023) guide for his work in Corporate and M&A.

Experience

• Founder exits and investment

  Advising Zoë Foster Blake and the co-founders of Go-To Skincare on their $89 million sale of 50.1% of their business to beauty and wellness company BWX; the Hair and Beauty Group on its sale of Australian Skin Clinics to Silk Laser Australia Ltd; Australian retail brand Clark Rubber, on the company’s sale to a group of investors; and Sushi Sushi, on the strategic investment by Odyssey Private Equity.

• CPE Capital

  Advising on various bolt on acquisitions, including for its Fine Food Holdings/Max Foods business and Dutton Garage.

• McDonald's Australia Limited

  Providing strategic advice regarding franchisee exits and performance management, regulatory compliance (including compliance with the Franchising Code of Conduct), draft of franchise documentation and disclosure documents, and sale structures.

• Optus

  Advising on the introduction of a new national retail partner franchise agreement and conversion of the existing retail network to a new commission model. Further, developing with the Optus legal and business teams the new suite of documents for the retail network, and provided strategic support to assist the negotiations with the network advisory council.

• Nissan

  Advising in relation to the development and implementation of a new dealer agreement to comply with the Amendments to the Franchising Code of Conduct and to align with the Nissan global template.

• Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific

  Acting on the development and implementation of a new Agent Model known as "Retail of the Future" including drafting of new dealer agreements and disclosure documents as well as competition and regulatory advice. Further, acting in relation to the group Federal Court proceedings brought by dealers resisting the implementation of the new model.

• NRMA

  Advising on the negotiation and drafting of an international master franchise agreement with Sixt SE and conversion of the Thrifty rent a car network in Australia to the Sixt brand.

• Automotive industry
  • Mercedes-Benz Australia – advising on the development and implementation of a new Agent Model known as "Retail of the Future“. Greg has advised on the regulatory and competition issues both in the transition of the reseller network to an agent model, as well as the legal and commercial structure of the new model. Greg has also advised on dealer terminations and Franchising Code compliance for the Daimler truck and bus dealer networks and passenger cars.
  • Advising on the legal and regulatory issues in relation to the introduction and distribution of the EQC (Electric Vehicles) into the Australian market including drafting the necessary contracts to be entered into with various suppliers and the existing vehicle dealer network.
  • Kingmill (NRMA’s car rental division, formerly operating as Thrfity Car and Truck Rental Australia) – advising on a significant international master franchise agreement with Sixt Car Rental Australia, as well as the conversion of the Thrifty rent-a-car network in Australia to the Sixt brand, as well as assisting in a mediation with the franchisee representative council and individual franchisees who were alleging breach of the Competition and Consumer Act.
  • Nissan – advising on the development and implementation of a new dealer agreement to comply with the amendments to the Franchising Code of Conduct and to align with the Nissan global template.
  • IVECO – advising on the roll out of the new dealer agreement across their network and management of dealers during this process.
  • Stratton Finance – providing ongoing advice on the establishment and operation of its franchise network, including Franchising Code compliance, as well as a number of acquisitions and restructuring of their network.