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Ferrier Hodgson absorbed into KPMG
Ferrier Hodgson has finalised a merger with big four professional services firm KPMG.
Grace Ormsby
Firm: Norton Rose Fulbright (Ferrier Hodgson), Jones Day (KPMG)
Value: Undisclosed
Area: Professional services, M&A
Key players: Norton Rose Fulbright’s Melbourne-based team was led by corporate partner Jeremy Wickens and financial restructuring and insolvency partner Steve Palmer.
Graduate Ellen Laughton and special counsel Lee Pascoe provided support, alongside NRF colleagues from the real estate, IP and financial restructuring and insolvency teams nationwide.
Deal significance: According to a statement from Norton Rose Fulbright, the merger of Ferrier Hodgson’s restructuring, forensics and forensics IT business with KPMG has resulted in one of Australia’s largest restructuring and forensic advisory businesses.
The result is a business with 27 partners and more than 200 specialists, it was noted.
Ferrier Hodgson was created in 1976, Norton Rose Fulbright said, and was one of Australia’s first independent firms specialising in restructuring, forensics, performance improvement and financial advisory.
It was reported that under the terms of the deal, KPMG acquired Ferrier Hodgson’s business located in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. In addition, under a separate transaction, KPMG acquired the Ferrier Hodgson business located in Adelaide.
Commenting on the deal, partner Jeremy Wickens has congratulated both Ferrier Hodgson and KPMG on the successful completion of the merger “which has created a high-quality and well-resourced restructuring, forensics and forensics IT business in Australia”.
He said “it was pleasing to be able to support Ferrier Hodgson with a diverse team of talented lawyers from our Melbourne corporate and M&A and restructuring and insolvency practices and other practices around the country.”
“In particular, we’d like to thank them for placing their trust in us for this very important transaction,” Mr Wickens continued.
