M&A

The ACCC will not oppose the Omnicom Group’s planned $21 billion acquisition of The Interpublic Group of Companies, with the regulator finding the transaction was not likely to substantially lessen competition.

Abacus Storage Kings has a received a $2.2 billion takeover offer from a consortium of Ki Corporation, the family office of South African businessman Nathan Kirsh, and New York Stock Exchange-listed Public Storage, after rejecting a $1.9 billion offer in May.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not oppose an acquisition by Lactalis of assets of New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra if the French multinational is successful in its bid.

Australian building services provider Johns Lyng Group has agreed to be acquired by a subsidiary of private equity group Pacific Equity Partners in a $1.3 billion deal.

Private equity real estate firm AsheMorgan has snapped up two industrial properties, paying a reported $33.5 million for a logistics hub in Melbourne and $20.5 million for another in Brisbane.

Baker McKenzie has poached a banking and finance partner from Norton Rose Fulbright.

HWL Ebsworth has acquired Adelaide law firm Botten Levinson Lawyers, boosting the firm's environment and development law offering in the region.

Troubled casino operator Star Entertainment says it will have to repay $36.5 million to its Queen's Wharf partners if an agreement  on a plan to buy out its stake in the Brisbane entertainment project is not reached by the end of the month.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has given the green light to DP World's proposed acquisition of Silk Logistics, after finding it was not likely to substantially lessen competition.

US private equity firm KKR will acquire agriculture infrastructure firm ProTen from superfund Aware Super, in a deal valued at around $1.3 billion.