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Michael Orban

Senior Associate
About

Michael has a broad range of international corporate and commercial experience, with a focus on advising on mergers & acquisitions, foreign investment regulation, joint ventures and  negotiation of strategic commercial arrangements. 

Michael has experience acting on a range of cross border private M&A transactions, joint ventures with an emphasis on foreign investment in the resources sector and a variety of strategic commercial arrangements across a number of industries. Michael has particular interest in the consumer goods, food and retail, energy and natural resources and technology sectors.

Michael has honed a commercially-minded solution focussed approach through extensive in-house legal experience, including at the Tokyo headquarters of Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co., Ltd.; NBN Co (a Government Business Enterprise established to build and operate Australia’s broadband network); Kellogg Australia (FMCG) and most recently as legal counsel at ASX-listed Coca-Cola Amatil Limited.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising Coca-Cola Amatil on its strategic acquisition of independent craft beer brewer, Feral Brewing Company (Australia’s 5th largest independent craft brewer).*
  • Advising Japanese resource company on the acquisition and disposal of its earn-in joint venture interest in ASX-listed gold producer’s Western Australian gold project.*
  • Advising global reinsurance provider on the disposal of its Australian commercial insurance business.*
  • Advising Japanese trading houses on a range of strategic Australian business acquisitions.*
  • Advising consortium on corporate aspects of restructure and assumption of control from private equity firm of leading regional industrial goods distributor.*
  • Assisting with advising ASX-listed PMP Limited (now Ovato) on its merger with print/digital services provider IPMG Group.*
  • Advising Japanese trading houses on a range of resources joint ventures, including Sumitomo Metal Mining / Sumitomo Corporation on their joint venture rights and associated sale process for Rio Tinto's majority stake in the Northparkes Mines.*
  • Advising Coca-Cola Amatil on the negotiation of strategic long term distribution agreements in its non-alcoholic drinks portfolio.*
  • Advising leading regional FMCG company on a strategic long-term toll manufacturing agreement.*
  • Advising on a wide range of commercial arrangements and strategic issues as in-house legal counsel: Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Tokyo); NBN Co; Kellogg Australia; Coca-Cola Amatil Limited.*

(* - Experience gained while at a previous firm)

Languages
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
Education
  • University of Sydney, Bachelor of Laws (Hons), 2008

  • Wesleyan University, Bachelor of Arts (East Asian Studies, Chinese language and literature)

Awards

Winner, Member of FMCG Team of the Year - Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, Lawyers' Weekly Corporate Counsel Awards (2019)  

Prior Experience

Michael has honed a commercially-minded and solution focussed approach through extensive in-house legal experience at:

  • Coca-Cola Amatil Limited - Legal Counsel
  • NBN Co - Strategy and Technology Legal Team
  • Mitsui & Co., Ltd. - EMEA Legal Team (Tokyo, Japan)
  • Kellogg (Aust.) Pty Ltd - Legal Team

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Law Society of New South Wales

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