Raji Azzam
Raji has over 25 years of experience working on high-profile, complex transactions across various sectors, including financial services, consumer, technology, healthcare, manufacturing and business services.
Raji has worked on matters involving most major private equity firms in Australia, including Advent Partners, BGH Capital, EQT Partners, Navis Capital, Quadrant and TPG Capital. He is also the client relationship partner for some of these funds and other significant clients, including National Australia Bank, Coles, Allianz, Mondelez, CIMIC and Integral Diagnostics.
Raji is ranked as one of Australia’s leading Private Equity and M&A lawyers in numerous publications, including Chambers Asia-Pacific, Best Lawyers, IFLR1000 and MergerLinks. He holds, and has held, various leadership positions within HSF Kramer and is currently a member of our Global Council (the firm’s global board).
Experience & capabilities
Selected matters
- Advent Partners: various investments including Junior Adventures Group, Efex, Integrated Packaging Group, Integral Diagnostics, Gourmet Garden, Frosty Boy, Compass Education, Medtech, MySite and RMS Global
- BGH Capital: various matters including CyberCX, Hazeldene’s Chickens, Virtus Health, ForHealth and Navitas
- EQT Partners: various matters including the $2.4 billion acquisition of Icon Cancer Group and the acquisition of Pharmaxo
- Navis Capital: various investments including MotorOne, Modern Star, National Lifestyle Villages and Guardian Childcare & Education
- Quadrant Private Equity: various matters including the acquisition of Evolution Surgical
- TPG Capital: various matters including Healthscope, Alinta Energy, Inghams, Petbarn, Funlab and SE Asia Healthcare
- Allianz: $750 million acquisition of Westpac’s general insurance business (including a 20-year exclusive distribution agreement), $640 million acquisition of RAA Insurance (including a 20-year exclusive distribution agreement) and the sale of Hunter Premium Funding
- CIMIC: $1.15 billion sale of John Holland
- Coles: sale of its Spirit Hotels portfolio for $248 million and associated regulated joint venture with Australian Venue Co.
- Dimension Data: acquisition of Oakton Group by way of scheme of arrangement
- George Health: sale of George Clinical to Hillhouse Capital
- Integral Diagnostics: various acquisitions including Lake Imaging, South Coast Radiology, Imaging Queensland, Peloton, Horizon Radiology and Exact Radiology, and takeover defence against a bid from Capitol Health and the subsequent merger with Capitol Health
- Macquarie: a transaction involving the centralisation of management of Macquarie Airport, the acquisition of a stake in Macquarie Airport, and associated arrangements
- Mondelez: acquisition of Gourmet Food Group from CPE Capital and the subsequent sale of Gourmet Food Group’s chilled seafood business
- National Australia Bank: acquisition of Citi’s Australian consumer business (with a loan book of approximately $13 billion), $3.2 billion sale of MLC Life to Nissay, $1.5 billion sale of MLC Wealth to Insignia Financial, sale of Ausmaq, sale of NAB’s mortgage broking businesses and the sale of JANA Investment Advisers
- Optal: sale of travel financial technology businesses Optal and eNett to WEX Inc. for US$1.7 billion, and subsequent COVID-19-related M&A litigation and settlement
- Swisse Wellness: various matters including the sale of 83% of Swisse to H&H Group for $1.67 billion (and the subsequent sale of the remaining 17%)
Sectors
Background
Raji has a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting major) from the Flinders University of South Australia.
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