McDonald will lead the Australia office alongside David Jenaway
APAC competition team head Peter McDonald has been announced as A&O Shearman’s Sydney managing partner and co-managing partner of the Australia office alongside Perth-based David Jenaway.
McDonald took on the leadership mantle today 1 July. He succeeds Jason Denisenko, who led the Australia office for 13 years.
“Australia sits at the intersection of some of the most significant regulatory and transactional trends shaping the Asia-Pacific region. I look forward to working closely with David to build on our success here in Australia and across APAC”, McDonald said.
He practises from Sydney, concentrating on competition law, consumer and regulatory matters. He has tackled matters involving merger clearances, joint ventures, access to infrastructure, and enforcement responses.
McDonald’s clients have included Equinix, PEXA, BHP, Dulux Group, Air Asia, Caltex, Graincorp, BUPA, Energy Australia, Asahi, North West Shelf Venture, Chevron, George Weston Foods, Wesfarmers, Vale and Orica. He guided 21st Century Fox on its proposed divestment to The Walt Disney Company and advised Illyria/Lachlan Murdoch on its proposed pickup of television network Ten.
He has appeared before the Federal Court and the High Court for Reckitt Benckiser in ACCC proceedings involving alleged misleading and deceptive conduct. He was also involved in the consumer class action that followed.
McDonald has handled matters involving the ACCC, including gas industry inquiries in Eastern Australia, electricity inquiries and the digital platform market inquiry. He has also tackled regulatory issues.
He has assisted on acquisitions, takeovers and bids for large-scale infrastructure assets in Australia. He logged a stint as partner at Herbert Smith Freehills before he moved to Allen & Overy.
McDonald once worked with ACCC as a senior officer. Presently, he sits on the competition and consumer committee of the Law Council of Australia.
“Peter is one of the top competition and regulatory lawyers in Australia and brings a wealth of experience and client focus to this role. Together with David, they will continue to advance our strategic priorities in the Australian market and grow our practice further”, said Hervé Ekué, A&O Shearman’s global managing partner.
Ekué also praised the contribution of Denisenko, who will remain with the firm as an FSR partner.
