I have broad industry experience across the full range of investment funds, investment structures and investment products. My broad Australian and international experience allows me to help clients reach their commercial goals within Australia’s complex framework of financial services and corporations regulations. Thanks to several years specialising in investment funds and funds management at Clifford Chance and BlackRock in London, I am also able to offer clients international market knowledge and insights.

Career highlights

• Helped Australian and international fund managers of all sizes establish and promote a range of investment funds across all assets classes.
• Guided fund-based and funds management–related merger and acquisition transactions, including acquisitions, disposals and restructures.
• Worked with Australian and international fund managers to implement new regulatory reforms, including those related to product disclosure documents (RG 97), hedge funds (RG 240), custody (RG 133), registering funds (RG 134), attribution managed investment trusts, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act 2010 and the Common Reporting Standard and DDO.
• Helped clients launch new products and distribution channels such as ETFs; credit funds; private equity funds; hedge funds; infrastructure funds; property funds; real estate investment trusts (REITs); active and passive exchange traded funds (ETFs); listed investment companies (LICs); listed investment trusts (LITs); mFunds; and SMAs.
• Worked with and number of international fund managers and financial institutions to establish their Australian businesses and operations and to distribute their products to Australian investors.

Education
B.Com (Finance), LLB, LLM

• Michael speaks on a regular basis on funds management and investment funds related topics in the Masters of Laws programs of University of Sydney and University of Melbourne

• Foreign financial service providers must hold Australian licence
  

  ASIC has released its proposals in relation to current exemptions for foreign financial service providers.

• FINsights | How to navigate the Australian investment and alternative funds landscape
  

  We explore domestic and international investor trends and drivers.

• A welcome development (but room for refinement): Submission on the draft FFSP Bill
  

  Our views on the proposed reforms

• Creating opportunities with Australia’s globally emerging pension funds
  

  In our first Australian Market Opportunity Insight Series piece, we explore the commercial risks, legal issues, opportunities and potential for doing business with Australia's globally emerging pension funds.

• The New World for FFSPs
  

  Our detailed overview of the measures in the draft FFSP Bill, now open for consultation, is below

• Financial services survey
  

  Our second annual Financial Services in Focus survey explored some of the short and long term issues facing the financial services community. We discuss the six key findings and what they tell us about the industry going forward.

• The FFSP logjam breaks
  

  ASIC extends current FFSP relief and separately, Treasury has re-released draft legislation for the future regime for FFSPs.  Here’s what you need to know.

• Australian Federal Budget 2016 - 2017: New collective investment vehicles
  

  The Government has announced the introduction of two new types of collective investment vehicles (CIVs) as a tax-effective alternative to current Australian pooled investment trusts.

• ASIC is 'ready and willing' to use its new product intervention powers
  ASIC has deployed its new product intervention power for the first time to target a specific short term lending model that it considers causes 'significant consumer detriment' to vulnerable customers.
• Wholesale and overseas exemptions under review
  
• Where is the line between general and personal financial product advice?
  Case note | Australian Securities and Investment Commission v Westpac Securities Administration Limited [2019] FCAFC 187
• Financial services institutions need to increase focus on cyber security
  

  How does cyber risk affect the financial services industry? We explore in our new report, Perspectives on Cyber Risk 2021.

• Government delivers FFSP to Parliament
  

  Bill introduced to implement changes to Australia's FFSP licensing exemptions – with some key modifications to the earlier exposure draft.

• Order up! ASIC expands its menu of product intervention orders
  

  ASIC made a product intervention order on 22 October that imposes conditions on the issue and distribution of contracts for difference (CFDs) to retail clients. We've summarised the key aspects of the order and provide our take on the implications.

• How customers are driving financial services’ technology transformation
  

  Financial institutions are reorienting to become sleeker and smarter. But how can they move at the pace the community requires, while still managing risks and protecting customers? Our team explores these issues.

• MinterEllison advises Metrics Credit Partners on $190+ million equity raise
  

  MinterEllison recently advised Metrics Credit Partners ("Metrics") on the successful $190+ million institutional placement undertaken by its ASX-listed MCP Master Income Trust (ASX:MXT).

• ASIC's first insights from the Reportable Situations Regime
  

  ASIC has published its first insights into the reportable situations regime which came into effect on 1 October 2021.