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Chris Robson

Special Counsel
About

Chris is a financial services lawyer based in Sydney with over 25 years' experience specialising in superannuation, funds, life insurance and regulatory response.

His broader investment management experience includes ESG fund investing, disclosure, distribution arrangements, licensing, outsourcing and vendor management, M&A, and ASIC and APRA engagement.

Chris has also gained experience in organisations in start-up and rebuild/transformation phases, including changes of ownership, private equity holdings, restructures, acquisitions and disposals of funds and businesses.

Chris has primarily held in-house roles, including General Counsel and Company Secretary of listed and unlisted financial services businesses including Challenger Limited and ClearView Wealth Limited. Chris headed up the Colonial First State legal team during the completion of the sale of 55% of Colonial by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia to KKR in 2022.

He has also previously held senior roles in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Areas of FocusFinancial Services
Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Supreme Court of New South WalesSolicitor of the High Court of Australia

EXPERIENCE

Relevant experience includes advising various clients, including superannuation funds, asset managers and super fund trustees on:

  • offshore/onshore investing for Australian superannuation funds;
  • sustainability and ESG management, disclosure and regulatory engagement;
  • engagement of service providers, outsourcing, including custodians and administrators for fund managers and superannation entities;
  • compliance with disclosure and related regulatory compliance issue;
  • M&A related superannuation issues such as replacing default super fund, successor fund transfers;
  • funds related M&A, including acquisition of domestic fund business;
  • regulatory response for ASIC surveillance activities, risk and compliance management including breach management; and
  • AML/CTF advisory.
Languages
  • English
Education
  • University of Sydney, Master of Laws, 1990
  • Macquarie University, Bachelor of Laws, 1984

Pro Bono

  • Carbon related investing and AFS licensing requirements

Publications and media

  • "Preparing the Super Trustee Board for 2024", DLA Piper, 8 December 2023
  • "Super in the Spotlight", DLA Piper, 15 November 2023

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Law Society of NSW
  • Society of Notaries of NSW

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