Jo Bayes

Special Counsel
    Biography

    Jo is a special counsel in Gilbert + Tobin’s Real Estate + Projects group.

    Jo specialises in major property projects, including property developments, acquisitions and disposals, large commercial and industrial leases and retail leasing. She oversees and conducts legal due diligence for all property aspects of corporate mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and IPOs, and the associated portfolio documentation post completion. 

    Jo has a Diploma in Law (Legal Practitioners Admission Board) and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2005 and is an accredited project manager with AIPM.

    Joanne’s experience includes advising:

    • Quadrant Private Equity on a range of acquisitions including fitness centres, leisure assets, petfood assets.
    • Crescent Capital on the property aspects of a number of acquisitions, including medical / health related businesses and retail portfolios.
    • Bain Capital Credit in relation to the property aspects of the investment structure and M&A roll-up strategy of a series of aged care businesses with in excess of $250 million into one of their global funds platforms. The transaction was highly complex, involving the acquisition of land and aged-care business related assets using an offshore and onshore structure in Western Australia and Victoria.
    • TPG on the property aspects of its acquisition of ASX-listed pets and vets company, Greencross Limited (Greencross), by way of a scheme of arrangement. Greencross is one of Australasia’s leading integrated pet care companies, with over 250 retail pet stores, a fast-growing online business and the largest network of veterinary practices in Australasia.
    • Asahi Group in relation to acquisition of various sites.
    • Snack Brands Industries as tenant and purchaser in relation to a large scale agreement for lease, with the developer landlord to construct a purpose built warehouse and packaging facility within a new industrial estate at Erskine Park, NSW. 
    • Fisher & Paykel in relation to agreements for lease and leases of various sites, including a large scale agreement for lease in Hazelmere, Western Australia, with the developer landlord to construct a purpose built warehouse with office facilities within a new industrial estate.
    • Accolade Wines Australia Limited in relation to a detailed due diligence of its property portfolio (freehold and leasehold).
    • Commonwealth Bank of Australia in relation to various agreements for lease and leaess.
    • Viva Energy on the aspects of its sale and leaseback of over 420 service station sites to form the listed Viva Energy REIT, involving the sale and concurrent lease of property in every State and Territory in Australia and the subsequent IPO - the largest IPO in Australia in four years and the largest non‑government IPO in Australian corporate history.
    • Woolworths SA on the $2.15 billion acquisition of David Jones and acting for Country Road Group on the acquisition of Witchery and Mimco Country Road in relation to the acquisition of the Australian portfolio of Witchery and Mimco stores and the leasing aspects of its acquisition of the Politix clothing portfolio.
    • Oaktree in relation to the sale of its Fitness First Australian business to Quadrant Private Equity, including a detailed vendor due diligence on the lease portfolio and advice in relation to the key commercial aspects of the leases.
    • Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Ltd on its leasing of commercial and office premises in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.
    • Adobe Systems Pty Limited on its leasing of premises in Sydney and Melbourne.
    • Pacific Equity Partners in relation to the real estate component of its acquisition of Spotless Group Limited and the subsequent successful initial public offering of the restructured Spotless Group.