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Peter McDonald

Partner

Email

peter.mcdonald@aoshearman.com

Phone

+612 9373 7582

Offices

Sydney

V-CARD
Peter leads and coordinates the A&O Shearman competition team in the APAC region.

Peter specialises in challenging competition law, consumer and regulatory issues. His expertise encompasses transactional advice, merger clearances, joint ventures and collaborations, access to infrastructure, and enforcement responses and defence.

Peter has extensive experience in a wide range of sectors, and has advised leading organizations such as 21st Century Fox, Equinix, PEXA, BHP, Dulux Group, Air Asia, Caltex, Graincorp, BUPA, Energy Australia, Asahi, North West Shelf Venture, Chevron, George Weston Foods, Wesfarmers, Vale, Orica and Reckitt Benckiser. 

Peter is recognized as a leading individual in all major directories, including, Who's Who Legal, Chambers Asia Pacific, Asia Pacific Legal 500 and IFLR 1000. Prior to joining the firm, Peter worked as a senior officer at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Experience

Representative matters

  • Asahi Beverages on its proposed acquisition of CUB.
  • 21st Century Fox on its proposed sale to The Walt Disney Company.
  • Woodside on responding to ACCC gas industry inquiries in Eastern Australia and associated investigations.
  • Alinta on responding to the ACCC electricity and gas industry inquiries.
  • PEXA on a range of ongoing ACCC and market regulatory issues.
  • Illyria/Lachlan Murdoch in the proposed acquisition of the free to air TV network Ten.
  • Bradken on its takeover by Hitachi.
  • Allnex and Advent in its acquisition of resin manufacture Nuplex (including merger control analysis across the APAC region).
  • Tullett Prebon in its acquisition of the inter-dealer broking business of ICAP (including clearances in Australia and Singapore).
  • Chinese SoE StateGrid in its bids for large scale energy infrastructure assets in Australia.
  • Reckitt Benckiser in ACCC Federal Court and High Court Proceedings alleging misleading and deceptive conduct, and in the follow-on consumer class action.
  • A leading digital platform and technology company in the ACCC digital platform market inquiry.

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Law Council of Australia – Competition and Consumer Committee

Recognition

“Very highly regarded and great to work with” applaud sources who commend his “strong technical skills.”
WWL Competition 2019
“Highly articulate, practical advice on complex competition law”, and clients say he is “a pleasure to work with.”
IFLR100

Awards

  • Global Elite Law Firm – Global Competition Review 2019 (Ranked 3rd out of the top 25 Global Law Firms)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales
Registered foreign lawyer in the UK SRA

Academic

Bachelor of Laws, University of Melbourne
Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne
Graduate Diploma in Economics, Australian National University
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.