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HSF partner appointed SafetyCulture GC

Software company SafetyCulture has hired a part-time partner at global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills to be its general counsel and vice-president of corporate development.

user iconJerome Doraisamy 27 July 2021 Corporate Counsel
Peter Dunne
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Peter Dunne, who specialises in private capital raisings and M&A in HSF’s corporate group and recently supported SafetyCulture’s funding round that saw it reach a $2.2 billion valuation in May 2021, is set to join the global operations platform as its new GC and VP of corporate development.

He will continue to work as a partner in HSF’s venture capital team, and will work alongside the other co-heads of VC, Clayton James, Elizabeth Henderson and Claire Thompson. He will be responsible for establishing a corporate development team and the acceleration of SafetyCulture’s growing partnership model.

SafetyCulture chief executive Luke Anear said that no one knows the world of venture capital like Mr Dunne does.

“He has been instrumental in some of the biggest tech deals and his contribution to the Australian technology industry is incalculable. This is a strategic move for SafetyCulture,” he said.

“Peter has been advising us for years from the outside, but as our growth has accelerated, so has our need to build out the capability of our in-house team to continue to capitalise on this success. We are excited for Peter to bring his deep experience to SafetyCulture as we continue to grow and expand globally.”

HSF corporate practice managing partner Carolyn Pugsley added: “We’re incredibly excited for Peter to be able to take on the SafetyCulture appointment. The experience he will gain through the SafetyCulture role will further enhance the credibility and insight he brings to his continuing role at Herbert Smith Freehills. Peter has invested over several years in building a market-leading team around him, so going forward his focus will remain on providing strategic support to clients and mentoring our next generation of practice leaders.”

Speaking about his new role, Mr Dunne said that he has been fortunate to work closely with some amazing businesses and incredible founders over the course of his career, and that SafetyCulture was one of the first companies he worked with in the venture capital space.

“Luke and I hit it off from the start. I love his vision and sense of energy; roll the sleeves up, and get going. HSF taught me that. It is the same at SafetyCulture,” he mused.

“I am excited about working with an exceptional senior leadership team. I always respected SafetyCulture’s vision and the big problems the team is trying to solve. I can’t wait to be a part of that.”

Jerome Doraisamy

Jerome Doraisamy

Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly. A former lawyer, he has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. He is also the host of all five shows under The Lawyers Weekly Podcast Network, and has overseen the brand's audio medium growth from 4,000 downloads per month to over 60,000 downloads per month, making The Lawyers Weekly Show the most popular industry-specific podcast in Australia. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of Minds Count.

You can email Jerome at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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