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  • Andrew Deszcz

    Partner
    Melbourne
    T: +61 3 9643 4484
    M: +61 448 299 614
 

 Professional Biography

 
  • Andrew Deszcz is a partner in the Melbourne office where he specialises in project financing, leveraged and acquisition financing, resources and resources financing. He has spent two years at Freshfields in London and has been with Mallesons for over twelve years.

    Andrew has advised Australian and international clients on complex and significant resources and infrastructure transactions, both in Australia and elsewhere. His experience in resources and infrastructure has been widely recognised. Andrew has also advised on private equity and leveraged acquisition finance transactions over the last few years, including several work-out and restructuring situations.

    Andrew recently acted for financiers in an ECA supported participation in the senior financing of the Victorian desalination project (one of the only Australian Law ECA supported project financings successfully completed). The overall financing for the project won PPP Deal of the Year and Global Deal of the Year at the 2009 Infrastructure Journal awards; Winner for Financial Excellence at the 2010 Infrastructure Partnerships Australia National Infrastructure Awards; and PPP Deal of the Year at the 2009 Project Finance International Awards.
    He is a lecturer on infrastructure and project finance in the resources sector at Melbourne University's masters level infrastructure course and has contributed significantly to the Resources and Energy Law Association (AMPLA), as both a speaker and a reference Committee member in the development of its model documentation.
 

 Experience

 
  • 1997: BComm, Monash University
  • 1997: LLB (Hons, 1st class), Monash University
  • 1998 - 2001: Articled Clerk / Solicitor, Mallesons Stephen Jaques
  • 2001 - 2003: Associate, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, London
  • 2004 - 2007: Senior Associate, Mallesons Stephen Jaques
  • 2008 - present: Partner, Mallesons Stephen Jaques
  • Publications and speaking engagements

    Andrew has lectured on mining infrastructure for Melbourne University's masters level infrastructure course for a number of years.

    He presented a paper on effective security over mining joint venture interests at the 2007 AMPLA National Conference. The paper was published in the 2007 AMPLA Yearbook. He has also been involved as a reference Committee member in the development of AMPLA model documentation for joint venturers.

    Andrew has also authored a paper entitled "Petroleum Project Papua New Guinea", published in 2006 in the Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law and the Australian Resources and Energy Law Journal.

 

 Recent Matters

 
  • Mining and mining projects
  • Acted for Benaris International Pty Ltd in its exercise of pre-emptive rights to increase its' stake in the Otway Gas Project
  • Acted for the purchaser in relation to the acquisition of an interest in the Foxleigh Coal Mine
  • Acted for the Japanese participants in the Robe River Joint Venture on the Pilbara Iron rail, port and power infrastructure arrangements and iron ore blending arrangements with Rio Tinto and on the Cape Lambert port expansion
  • Project financing for acquisition of 20% interest in Queensland Alumina, advising the arranger and underwriter on the bridge facility and take-out facility
  • Project financing of the acquisition by a subsidiary of the State of Papua New Guinea of an interest in the Moran Oilfield in Papua New Guinea, advising the borrower
  • PPP / PFI (Australia and UK)
  • Acted for the ECA financiers in the Victorian Desalination Plant
  • Advised one of the bidders in the tender for Royal Childrens Hospital
  • Advised one of the bidders in the tender for Southbank TAFE
  • Leveraged acquisition finance
  • Leveraged acquisition financing of American Stock Transfer Company, advising the senior arranger and underwriter
  • Advised the arranger and underwriter on Australian aspects of leveraged recapitalisation of Carter Holt Harvey
  • Workouts and restructuring
  • Advised Société Générale in the restructure of its facilities with the OZ Minerals Group pending their sale of assets to China Minmetals Group (winner of Energy & Resources Deal of the Year - ALB Australasian Law Awards 2010.)
 

 Professional Memberships

 
  • Australian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association
  • Law Institute of Victoria