Grant Thornton

Standout junior explorers are finding investors for their mining projects, while others are cutting back on exploration and development to counteract a tough corporate finance market and increased government fees.

Demand for Western Australian agricultural property assets is expected to run hot throughout 2015, with offshore buyers not expected to be deterred by new rules for foreign investment in farmland.

Courtney Gibson has joined Grant Thornton as a partner in the advisory team.Mr Gibson was previously a director, forensic at KPMG and has also held forensic positions at the WA Corruption & Crime Commission and the WA Royal Commission. 

An independent expert’s report has found private equity group Auctus Chillagoe’s takeover bid for Mungana Goldmines to be both unfair and unreasonable, saying the 13.5 cents a share price was opportunistic and undervalued the business.

Rutila Resources and Lemur Resources have both received ticks of approval by independent experts for their respective off-market takeover offers by foreign bidders.

The private equity group seeking control of Mungana Goldmines has lifted its takeover bid to 17 cents per share, above recent trading levels but below the valuations of the company’s independent expert.

Recent annual meetings have failed to resolve long-running divisions at two of WA’s most important Aboriginal corporations.

Troubled steel and mining group Arrium has been placed in voluntary administration, following discussions with its lenders.

Peter Cockcroft has resigned as a director of Kairiki Energy. Steven Wood has resigned as a joint company secretary of WHL Energy. 

Grant Thornton has appointed two partners and two principals in WA. Marcia Fitzmaurice has been promoted to partner in the private advisory division, while Chris Jenkins has been promoted as a partner specialising in indirect taxes.

Commercial landlords in West Perth are coming under increasing pressure to retain tenants, as the near-city suburb’s office vacancy rate hits all-time highs.

Liquidators have been appointed to Crawford Property Group, with the firm becoming the second Pilbara-focused real estate player to run into strife in 2016.

Local gold and lithium explorer Berkut Minerals has enjoyed steady gains on its first day of trading on the ASX after completing a $3.5 million initial public offering.

The last 10 days of 2016 were a busy period for WA corporate deals, with the Rae family attracting a bumper price for its Gull New Zealand business, Chinese group MMG selling the Golden Grove mine, Diploma Group going into receivership and seven new listings on the ASX.

Former Grant Thornton partner Matthew Donnelly and former Perth Airport executive Fiona Lander have brought to seven the number of external recruits to join Deloitte’s Perth partnership in the past five months, offsetting moves by other partners such as Jenn Morris, who has retired from the firm.

QEU&S appoints Perth Partner

FirmAppointee/Solicitor

Diploma Group has been granted a two-week lifeline to finalise its plan to provide a return to creditors of the collapsed building and development firm.

UPDATE: Diploma Group boss Nick Di Latte says the company will continue to push forward with its proposal to revive the company and provide a return to creditors, after provisional liquidators were appointed to 20 Diploma-related entities today.

Change of guard at ATCO

Legal appointments

FirmAppointee/Solicitor

Grant Thornton has appointed Matthew Hingeley head, audit and assurance. Mr Hingeley has served as a partner of the firm for 11 years, and transferred from the Melbourne office to Perth in March last year. He replaces Michael Hillgrove in the role.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes James Tranter, Cameron Morse, Shaun Duffy, Shane Murphy, Grant Thornton, Ben Suda and Mike McKenna.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes Joanne Esterhuizen, Chris Massey, Virginia Withers, Matthew Lenhoff, James Marzec, Cassandra Bailey, Michael Henderson and Luke Randazzo.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes Kirstin Stewart, Rebecca Tomkinson, Chales Altshuler, Clive Brown, Jason Giltay, Adam Stubbings, Lewis Otton, Jim Beyer, Avril Fahey and Tom Percy.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes Keren Paterson, George Varma, Rowan King, Kim Hayman, David Hodgson, Jane Johnson, Daisy Pearce, Michael Prior, Varun Ghosh and Patrick Dodson.