The deal facilitates the creation of a "truly national broadcast network," lead partner says
King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) has advised media and entertainment company HT&E Limited on its acquisition of Grant Broadcasters’ radio and digital operations for $307m.
The deal facilitates the creation of what co-lead partner Tim Sherman described as “a truly national radio broadcast network” comprising 58 radio stations and 46 DAB+ stations in 33 markets. The acquisition also drives HT&E’s expansion into regional Australia.
Following the completion of the sale in January, RadioInfo reported that Grant Broadcasters CEO Alison Cameron would take a seat on the HT&E board. In line with media ownership rules, she stepped down as executive and vacated her seat on the Grant Broadcasters board.
Sherman led KWM’s team on the transaction alongside senior associate Wendy Miller, with assistance from Jim Zovaro, Stuart Courtney and Michael Evans. Partner Jessica Wallis and Tracey Jordan pitched in on the property aspects.
KWM has also adopted corporate structure modelling platform Jigsaw for its offices in Australia and Singapore.
“Communicating with clarity and impact is critical to providing KWM’s clients with effective, efficient and engaging legal advice. Visual aids, diagrams and flow charts are essential pieces in many advices, pitches, presentations and reports delivered by KWM, and Jigsaw makes the complex, simple,” said Michelle Mahoney, executive director of innovation at KWM Australia.
The rollout of the platform is in line with the firm’s Transformation Programme, which was developed to provide lawyers with the necessary skills, knowledge and tools to bolster client service in a dynamic environment. The firm decided to implement Jigsaw after what it described as “a detailed and competitive evaluation process and extensive experimentation.”
“We are thrilled to be a crucial part of KWM’s Transformation Programme,” Jigsaw’s Alice Danes said. “We are incredibly proud to continue working alongside such a forward-thinking firm who are committed to improving the way legal services are delivered - we are excited to see what can be achieved together over the coming years.”
