The following sets out examples of the type of work undertaken for private sector clients by industry sector:

Agricultural/Farming

• Business plan.
• Review of financial position and strategies of shareholders in a major primary processing business. Assessment of current and future profitability levels and potential acquirers. Negotiation of divestment. (Total turnover in excess of $250 million per annum.)
• Assisting a high growth agribusiness/technology company to obtain new equity funds. Assistance with financial structuring.
• Assessment of the potential market value for a new plant variety.
• Analysis of supply and demand for Australian winegrape varieties.
• Market research and business case for CSIRO Land & Water to assist in evaluating alternative strategies to commercialise a novel fertiliser.
• Market research and development of a strategy to commercialise a unique soil testing method for CSIRO based on mid-infrared spectroscopy.
• Marketing and trade finance advice.
• Review of the viability of an investment into a pig farming venture and structuring advice to the investor.
• Design and initial implementation of management information and reporting systems for a large diversified farm in Papua New Guinea.

Aquaculture

• Facilitation of the development of a project.
• Export Award submission.

Automotive

• Development of a business plan, information memorandum and equity investment raising to facilitate growth of an Australian automotive industry R&D corporation.

Automotive Parts

• Research acquisition opportunities.

Banking & Finance Industry

• Litigation support for a dispute involving Protected Geared Equity Portfolios and the ability to fund interest charges from writing call options over a portfolio of Australian equities.
• Critique, for the Australian Taxation Office, of a valuation undertaken by a major Australian accounting firm for a financial services company as a prelude to a more detailed review of a valuation in excess of $1 billion.
• Strategic review of a mortgage processor and administrator.
• Target search and screening on behalf of a US corporate seeking an Australian corporate in Financial Services/Transaction Processing.
• Member of the advisory team to counsel and solicitors engaged in the State Bank Royal Commission.
• Preparation of an Independent Expert's Report on banking practice and interest rate risk management techniques.
• Litigation support review of the corporate advice provided by the advisory arm of a merchant bank.
• Assessment of the needs and development of a management and reporting system for top level management of a Bank.
• A series of working papers describing certain financial intermediaries, certain operations and their significance in Australia.
• Valuation of a financial planning company for a potential acquirer.
• Advice on organisational structure and functions for the Board of Management of a supplier of retail banking services.

Biotechnology

• Valuations of biotechnology projects and companies.
• Commercialisation of R&D projects and start-ups.

Building Societies

• Divestments

Building Materials

• Valuation review of a group involved in quarrying
• Technology valuation

Chemical

• Research acquisition opportunities.
• Negotiation of trade finance lines.
• Submissions to Austrade for Export Awards.

Coal

• Australian market research for an overseas multi-national company.
• Valuation of process technology.

Communications

• Valuation, structuring and negotiation advice for the acquisition of a radio station.

Construction

• Valuation

Consumables

• Review of operations and divestment advice to a leading exporter of consumer durables.

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Co-operatives

• Divestments
• Debt structuring
• Review of present and likely future financial position. Review of issues relating to stakeholder interests and their juxtaposition with their roles as clients and funders of the organisation. Advice to the Board on alternatives.

Energy

• Preparation of a Reasonably Equivalent Value opinion relating to the proposed divestment of the Multinet Energy Group by Aquila, Inc.
• Valuation of energy generation technology.
• Project management and integration of financial models for a new gas pipeline and power generator in South Australia for the Department of Industry and Trade.

Engineering

• Diagnostic reporting
• Export Award submissions

Financial Planning

• Valuation and appraisal of a financial planning company for possible acquisition. Advice on contract and due diligence.

Food

• Valuation of technology and advice/negotiation support to facilitate allocation of Trade Mark value for transfer of technology licence agreement. Detailed negotiation support to develop new licensing terms for significant technology with global sales of US $200m.
• Preparation of an Information Memorandum for the Asset Management Task Force for the divestment of SAMCOR ["South Australian Meat Corporation"].
• Review of the purchase of a company trading under severe difficulties in the food industry in Victoria.
• Coordinating and leading the strategic planning sessions of a major bakery group. Review of long term objectives and plans and the actions required to achieve those objectives.
• Review of the operations of a Frozen Food Factory, assessment of the prospects of the potential purchaser of the facility and evaluation of the viability of the proposed combined operations.

Forestry

• Valuation of the Canopy Lidar Initiative for CSIRO, being remote sensing technology used in forest inventory measurement.
• Project management for CSIRO Office of Space Science and Applications and Earth Observation Centre to commercialise Vegetation Canopy Lidar technology.
• Assessment of value drivers and valuation parameters for the State Forests of South Australia.

Funds Management & Trustee Companies

• Liaison with international funds manager seeking to establish a presence in Australia.
• Preparation of overview, review and broad valuation of an entity engaged in trustee and funds management activities.
• Valuation review for statutory reporting purposes of Executor & Trustee Australia Limited (a subsidiary of Austrust Limited (now part of Tower Limited)). A subsequent assignment included a valuation of the Wills Bank of Tower.

Gaming

• Performance audit of the valuation methodology used in the float of the New South Wales TAB.

High-technology

• Commercialisation advice to CSIRO.
• Research of merger partners.
• Evaluation, negotiation and acquisition of Eden Technology in NSW on behalf of the US defence corporation, Space Mark.
• Valuations, structuring and assistance with due diligence on the purchase of AWA Defence Industries by British Aerospace Australia Limited for $54m.
• Investigation of issues and the potential acquisition of a major defence contractor.
• Investigation and recommendations on financial structure and appropriate funding mechanisms for a company engaged in providing high technology services.

Hospitals and Health

• Renegotiation of banking facilities.
• Advice on interest rate risk management techniques.
• Project management of fund raising.
• Base-line costing for outsourcing.

Human Resources

• Analysis and valuation of several companies.
• Identification of potential acquisitions.
• Negotiation of acquisitions.
• Identification and review of potential purchasers for divestment.
• Negotiation of divestments.

Import

• Review of the potential for a management buy out. Advice to the major shareholder and to the General Manager of issues to be considered.

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Information Technology

• Independent Expert's Report in respect of the compulsory acquisition of options of eFinancial Capital Limited by Challenger Life Limited.
• Assisting a high growth agribusiness/technology company to obtain new equity funds. Assistance with financial structuring.
• Search for potential investors.
• Valuation of a scheduling software solutions provider to establish an appropriate carrying value of the business.
• Valuation of medical practice improvement process and software.
• Valuation of an Australian licence to use a computer software programme for a Singaporean company seeking to establish a local subsidiary.
• Financial sponsoring and mentoring of Strategic E-commerce Pty Ltd (electronic procurement).
• Valuations of several companies and technologies.
• Industry search for acquisition targets for a US Fortune 100 corporation. Analysis, review and negotiation of acquisition, including structuring advice.
• Research and evaluation of target companies in New Zealand for a company entering New Zealand following successful acquisitions in Australia. Negotiation of a preferred acquisition candidate.

Insurance

• Valuation review of a captive insurance company.

Law Firms

• Preparation of working papers to be used in the valuation of a medium sized legal partnership and issues relating to the admission and exit of partners.
• Assisting a major legal group with the reorganisation of funding, including the development of complex financial models analysing concurrent merger and taxation issues.

Manufacturing

• Assistance with the preparation of two Independent Expert's Reports on the acquisition of Rib Loc Ltd shares by First Process Ltd. This included updating an existing template, reviewing discount rates, capitalisation multiples, forward exchange rates and industry and economic outlooks.
• Review of financial information and corporate structure of a tooling company.
• Development of tender process for the divestment of Ottoway workshops and business units (machine shop, steel fabrication, foundry). Evaluation of bids and negotiations with individual tenderers.
• Review of the viability of, and negotiation for, the acquisition of a major supplier to a manufacturing business to create an enlarged merged entity.
• Identification of a party to examine the establishment of a major ($80m) tooling facility. Subsequent work involved development of innovative corporate structures to accommodate the needs of the parties involved.
• Corporate and general management advice to a manufacturing company (approximately 100 employees); consulting services provided in relation to overall corporate direction, management systems, organisation structure, financing and market direction.
• Selection of business partner for an international manufacturing joint venture.

Medical Products

• Valuation of intangible assets as part of a purchase price allocation assignment pursuant to US Accounting Standards as a result of an acquisition by Sonic Innovations Inc.
• Independent Expert's Report for Laubman & Pank Holdings Ltd to assess value in response to a takeover bid by Hancock & Gore Ltd.
• Advice on the sale of an SA medical imaging company.
• Mergers
• Strategic Reviews
• Review of the industry, financial position and prospects of a group involved in animal embryo transfer and genetics. Development of plans for progress.
• Review of management information system requirements for the Institute of Medical & Veterinary Science and subsequent guidance and assistance in upgrading systems.
• Quantification of funding needs of Glyzinc Pharmaceuticals Limited and arrangement of a merger with Bellara Medical Products Limited.

Mineral Processing

• Audit the financial model prepared by financiers of the SAMAG magnesium smelter project and provide financial advice to the State Government Committee of Review.
• Valuation of Queensland Kaolin Limited.

Motorcycle manufacturing

• Business plan & international fund raising.

Non-bank financial intermediaries

• Review of funding alternatives.

Oil

• Expert report for price arbitration.
• Export Award submission.

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Pharmaceutical

• Commercialisation of early stage biotechnology through a joint venture, Austech Medical Products Pty Ltd.
• Business plan & international marketing of product.
• Commercial feasibility study for a new product.
• Development of a business plan for Glyzinc Pharmaceuticals Limited.
• Critical overview review of development potential for a new vaccine; assistance with Cabinet submission.
• R & D Syndicate.

Printing Companies

• Valuation of a minority holding of a development capitalist in the printing business (special rights attached to the class of shares held together with collateralised lending).

Publishing

• Acquisition search and negotiations.

Quarrying

• Valuation review.

Retail

• Valuation of a supermarket chain.

Shipping/Ports

• Debt-restructure.
• Evaluation of the financial requirements of a ship builder on behalf of a potential investor.
• Review and development of methodologies to be employed by a port authority in revaluing its non-current assets. Preparation of a detailed working paper and advice and liaison with the Auditor-General and Treasury Department.
• Development of an asset valuation framework for the Department of Marine and Harbors and subsequent work on the valuation and strategic issues relating to the potential sale of six Bulk Loading Plants owned by SA Ports Corporation.
• Valuation, advice and negotiation of the acquisition of a container terminal.
• Development of a model for a port authority to enable complex decisions regarding tariffs and charges to be made quickly and easily.
• Coordinating and review of due diligence investigations prior to the acquisition of a container terminal.

Sporting Clubs

• Valuations

Transport

• Advice on appropriate tender pricing for re-financing the junior debt of a major infrastructure company.

Wine & Brewing

• Preparation of valuation background papers on values to be attributed to brand names and labels for a major wine group.
• Valuation of a major liquor wholesaler/distributor.
• Negotiations on behalf of the vendor shareholders in a major winery MBO.
• Review of the investment feasibility of a brewery located in Darwin and advice to prospective investors. Restructuring of the investment opportunity and advice to shareholders.
• Review of the capital structure of a major winery. Advice to the Directors on equity funding needs and alternatives thereto, including different types of debt and equity instruments.
• Analysis of supply and demand for Australian grape varieties.
  
  

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