Greg Blewitt

Greg builds and maintains strong client relationships and has done so for the past 40 years of his commercial law career. His work centres on mergers and acquisitions and corporate law. He also regularly advises clients on effective ways to minimise the impact of competition law issues.

Greg keeps his clients’ needs and security top of mind at all times and clients often seek his advice on large and complex projects. His deep understanding of the way the Competition and Consumer Act can impact on commercial transactions and relationships means he takes a conservative but commercial approach to legal advice.

Over many years Greg has worked with businesses in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry, particularly in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, and has acted on transactions involving some of the best known international and local brands. He has also acted for public and private companies in the Australasian automotive industry, including vehicle importers and distributors, vehicle converters, motor dealerships and motor vehicle financiers.

Qualifications/Memberships

• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Macquarie University)

• Member of Law Society of NSW

• Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors

• Commercial Law Association

A word from Greg  

"One of my proudest moments was helping a client to salvage a major project when it thought there was no hope. The client believed difficulties with the project partner would inevitably lead to protracted expense and litigation and damage to its investment. We worked out a legal strategy for making sure the project was completed despite ongoing efforts by the project partner to frustrate. The result was a landmark city building that exceeded the client’s expectations and was delivered without the need for litigation and to the original budget."

 

Career highlights

• Sitting on the FMCG Institute Forums providing legal guidance on competition law observance. The FMCG Institute represents the major suppliers to the Australian and New Zealand grocery sector.

• For FMCG clients:

  • acting on the acquisition of companies and businesses, including cross border transactions

  • resolving governance issues, advising Boards and representing clients in investigations conducted by the ACCC

  • advising on local and international distribution agreements.

• Acting for clients in the motor vehicle industry on:

  • acquisition of vehicle distribution rights to the Australian and New Zealand markets, including for electric vehicles

  • acquisition and disposal of interest in motor dealerships

  • advice on competition law affecting the industry

  • the establishment of start-up motor dealer financiers

  • lending transactions and recovery actions for some of Australia’s largest motor vehicle financiers.

• Assisting a client transform its business over a number of years from one reliant on a declining market to new and growing markets, including by way of divestiture and acquisition.

• Acting for the developer of a 5-star Sydney CBD hotel on a disputed contract with a construction company.

• Advising the CEO of a national industry body on an ACCC investigation into alleged cartel conduct.

• Advising suppliers to Coles and Woolworths on an ACCC investigation into alleged market abuse by retailers.

• Negotiating the exit of a family from a third generation motor dealership and property conglomerate without the need to resort to litigation.

• Backdoor listing of an IT company on A.I.M. exchange.

• Advising on sale by significant shareholder of their interest in Australia’s largest smallgoods company.

• Negotiating complex IT divestment, development and licensing agreements ensuring client maintained long term cash flows.

• Series of capital raisings for Australian based App developer with funds raised in Australia and the United States.

• Sale of shares in three companies with overlapping shareholdings to a listed company.

• Sale of shares in a pharmaceutical group to a UK listed company.

 

Specific areas of focus

• Mergers, amalgamations and acquisitions

• Corporations law

• Competition law

• Major contract negotiation and management

• Complex contracts (legal project management)