Corporate & Financial Advisory · Australia
Advising the businesses building Australia's future economy
Senior corporate and financial advisory for complex transactions, capital decisions and major projects. We lead mandates, work alongside existing advisers or embed within management - from strategy through completion.
Who we are
The judgement of a senior adviser. The ownership of an internal team.
Fairwater Partners advises boards, management teams, governments and investors on strategic transactions, capital decisions and major projects across energy, infrastructure, real assets and resources.
Clients engage us as lead financial adviser, co-adviser, an embedded corporate development partner or the senior lead for a defined finance, commercial or transaction workstream. In every model, the senior adviser remains directly accountable for the work and its execution.
Why Fairwater
Direct senior accountability
The senior adviser you appoint leads the judgement, client dialogue and execution from start to finish. The work is not passed through successive layers.
Embedded where it adds value
We can operate as part of management, own defined workstreams and work seamlessly with internal teams and existing advisers.
Flexible by design
Engage Fairwater to lead the full mandate, co-advise, add targeted senior capacity or provide ongoing portfolio coverage. Specialist capability is added only where it strengthens the work.
Where we focus
Focused sector expertise
Deep experience in sectors where commercial structure, capital and delivery are tightly connected.
Energy & Renewables
Generation, storage, transmission and energy platforms - strategy, offtake, capital formation, project finance, partnerships and M&A.
Infrastructure
Transport, utilities, social infrastructure, PPPs, concessions and major projects - from commercial and financial structuring through procurement and financial close.
Real Assets
Property and asset-backed platforms - portfolio strategy, acquisitions, divestments, capital partnerships, sell-downs and capital recycling.
Resources
Mining, critical minerals, engineering and industrial services - corporate development, capital strategy, joint ventures and transaction execution.
What we do
Corporate and financial advisory, delivered flexibly
Fairwater can lead an end-to-end mandate, co-advise alongside an existing adviser or internal team, embed within management, or take responsibility for a defined workstream.
Strategic Advisory
Growth strategy, portfolio review, capital allocation, market entry, partnerships and strategic alternatives - supported by rigorous financial and commercial analysis and a clear path to decision and execution.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Lead and co-advisory support for acquisitions, divestments, minority sell-downs, joint ventures and strategic partnerships - from origination and valuation through diligence, negotiation, approvals and completion.
Capital & Debt Advisory
Equity and debt raising, capital structure, project and acquisition finance, refinancing and strategic capital. We develop the funding case, engage investors and lenders, run the process and negotiate terms through close.
PPP & Bid Advisory
Commercial and financial leadership for PPPs, concessions and major bids - covering bid strategy, consortium and governance arrangements, risk allocation, financial evaluation, financing, approvals and transaction management.
Embedded Corporate Development
Senior corporate development, finance and commercial capability operating as part of the client team. We can take responsibility for a defined priority or workstream, or provide ongoing coverage across a portfolio - spanning opportunity screening, business cases, modelling, capital strategy, approvals, partner engagement, diligence and negotiation. Support can begin with a targeted need and extend into full transaction execution.
How an engagement works
From strategic decision to transaction completion
Clarity
Define the decision, value at stake, critical workstreams, stakeholders and route to approval. The output is a clear scope, decision framework and execution plan.
Readiness
Build the analysis and materials required to proceed - valuation, integrated financial model, business case, funding strategy, board or investment committee papers, investor materials and data room.
Execution
Lead the process and coordinate advisers, stakeholders, negotiations, approvals and financing through to completion - working alongside management and remaining accountable for momentum.
Engagements can begin with a defined workstream, an embedded period of support or a full advisory mandate. Fairwater mobilises the senior lead first and scales the team as the work requires.
Track Record
Selected experience
Selected transactions and mandates involving Fairwater and its principals, including experience gained in prior corporate and advisory roles. Roles have included lead financial adviser, co-adviser and commercial lead, together with senior in-house transaction roles.
Transaction record
Selected examples from more than A$30 billion of aggregate transaction experience across energy, infrastructure, transport, real assets and resources.
Advised on a cornerstone investment in Octopus Energy
>A$1bn
Advised on the divestment of the Darling Downs Solar Farm to APA Group
A$100m
Advised on the proposed acquisition of Whitehaven Coal
Indicative A$4.5bn
Advised a leading consortium on major transmission and REZ infrastructure
Adviser
Advised the State on the landmark IPO of QR National / Aurizon
A$4.6bn
Strategic adviser on M&A and equity capital initiatives
Adviser
Strategic adviser on the takeover by the Qube / Brookfield consortium
A$9bn
Advised on pumped hydro and strategic joint venture initiatives
Adviser
Advised on a proposed industry-consolidating merger of regional sugar millers
Adviser
Advised on the consolidation of the Welspun joint venture
A$110m
Strategic adviser on M&A and capital partnerships
Adviser
Advised on construction debt and equity capital raising
AdviserAdvised on the divestment of the Darling Downs Pipeline to Jemena
A$392m
Advised the consortium on landmark offshore wind transmission infrastructure
c.A$1.5bn
Advised on the long-term lease of the Abbot Point Coal Terminal
A$1.8bn
Trusted adviser across multiple major transactions
ConfidentialAdvised on the divestment of strategic terminal infrastructure to AusNet
A$110mAdvised the State on the long-term lease of the Port of Brisbane
A$2.3bn
Advised on the cross-border sale of John Holland to CCCC
A$1.2bn
Advised on the acquisition of the Wagners construction materials platform
A$173mAdvised on the landmark amalgamation of Townsville, Thuringowa and NQ Water
Adviser
Advised on the strategic acquisition of OC Energy
A$80m
Strategic adviser on M&A and capital partnerships
Adviser
Advised on renewables platform strategy and investment
Adviser
Advised on the strategic acquisition of Eroc Mining Services
A$463m
Advised on funding and partnership strategy for major development projects
Adviser
Advised on funding strategy for greenfield energy projects
Adviser
Strategic adviser on corporate and portfolio positioning
Strategic adviserAdvised on the strategic acquisition of WINconnect
A$45mAdvised the State on the privatisation of Queensland Motorways
A$3.1bn
Advised on the landmark divestment of Lattice Energy to Beach Energy
A$1.6bn
Advised the State on the divestment of the Ergon and Energex retail portfolios
A$1.2bn
Advised on its landmark initial public offering
A$856m
Strategic adviser on infrastructure and capital structuring
Adviser
Advised on the landmark joint venture with Apollo Global Management
A$700m
Advised on capital structuring and equity solutions
Adviser
Advised on the divestment of the Mortlake Pipeline to SEA Gas
A$245m
Strategic adviser on real estate and corporate transactions
Adviser
Advised on the acquisition of the Yanco solar and storage development from ib vogt
A$99m
Adviser to the delivery consortium - major transmission and REZ infrastructure
Adviser
Advised on capital and partnering strategy for major generation assets
AdviserAdvised on the divestment of Acumen Metering to intelliHUB
A$267mAdvised on the acquisition of strategic intermodal terminals from Toll
A$70m
Advised on funding strategy for major transmission infrastructure
AdviserAdvised on the divestment of the Stockyard Hill Wind Farm to Goldwind
A$110mAdvised the State on the privatisation of Forestry Plantations Queensland
A$0.6bn
Advised on cross-border banking acquisitions across the Pacific
Adviser
Advised on the divestment of the Cullerin Range Wind Farm to EDL
A$72mOur Team
Senior leads, supported by specialist capability
Fairwater adds experienced M&A, project finance, capital markets, energy, modelling and transaction specialists where they strengthen the engagement. Clients receive direct senior access and a team shaped around the work - not a pre-set hierarchy.
Luke Sullivan has more than 25 years' experience across corporate advisory, corporate development, energy, infrastructure and transport. His career spans KPMG Deal Advisory and senior roles at Origin Energy, CIMIC Group and Asciano, giving him both external adviser and in-house transaction experience. He has led and advised on more than A$30 billion of M&A, privatisations, project financings and capital raisings.
More than 25 years leading M&A origination, valuation, structuring, due diligence and execution across energy, infrastructure and resources. Former Big Four corporate finance partner and Chartered Accountant with extensive buy-side and sell-side experience.
More than 25 years across generation, energy contracting, renewables and storage, advising on offtake, revenue strategy and the commercial bankability of generation, storage and transmission assets.
Former chief executive of a Commonwealth infrastructure financier and energy-sector chair, with deep experience in greenfield project finance, concessional and government capital, PPPs and availability-based delivery.
Former institutional investment banker with more than A$10 billion of renewable energy and infrastructure financing experience across senior debt, subordinated capital and equity.
Professionals with experience at Citi, J.P. Morgan, HRL Morrison & Co, TransGrid, EnergyCo, PwC, Grant Thornton, the National Reconstruction Fund and Baringa - providing valuation, financial modelling, commercial analysis, due diligence and transaction execution.
Contact us
Every enquiry is handled personally by the principal, and treated with strict confidence.