SYDNEY: The Australian Investment Council has announced the winners of its
2020 Investing for Growth Awards for their outstanding contribution to
growing great Australian businesses and to supporting their local
communities during the course of a very difficult year.
Yasser El-Ansary, Chief Executive of the Council said: “In a year of
unprecedented challenges, we have seen positive results for private capital
investors who have backed a wide range of businesses driving strong
economic activity and job creation across all industry sectors.
“These awards recognise the significant role that Australia’s $33 billion
private capital industry plays in creating new jobs and new industries,
which contributes in a major way towards building a more innovative
Australian economy for the future.
“The Council received a large number of very competitive award nominations
and we thank all firms that took the time to participate in this year’s
awards,” Mr El-Ansary said.
Deal award winners for 2020, listed from early stage to buyout, are set
out below.
Category
|
Firm
|
Investment Deal
|
Venture Capital Investment
|
BioScience Managers
|
Avita Medical
|
Small-Cap Investment Under $100MN
|
Fortitude Investment Partners
|
Sunfresh
|
Mid-Cap Investment $100-$250MN
|
Anchorage Capital Partners
|
Contract Resources
|
Upper Mid-Cap Investment $250- $500MN
|
Quadrant Private Equity
|
Advanced Personnel Management (APM)
|
Click here for more information on the award winners and
their investment deal entries.
Quotes from this year’s Investing for Growth Award winners
BioScience Managers –
Jeremy Curnock Cook, Dr. Mike Perry, Bruce McHarrie, and Victoria Durrans
At Avita Medical, our biggest achievement was the reset of the company’s
approach to the regulatory pathway that eventually led to the US FDA
approval − the first treatment to be approved for severe thermal burns in
over 20 years. The positioning of the company for a successful commercial
launch also depended on significant commitment to training the clinicians,
and their medical staff, in the use of the new ReCell product. The
overnight success took seven years in the making, requiring patience and
persistence from the Board, the management, and loyal shareholders.
Fortitude Investment Partners
Sunfresh’s structural and innovative approach to new product development,
combined with its strong reputation for food safety and quality, gave the
business a competitive advantage to adapt in a rapidly changing consumer
demand environment. The successful exit process during the COVID-19
environment was an attribute to the alignment between each of the founders,
management, Houston’s Farm and Fortitude. The merger which established the
new entity – HS Fresh Food – combines the strengths of the two businesses
and creates a third major competitor in the Australian salad market.
Anchorage Capital Partners –
Callen O’Brien
Operational improvements and major capital investment programs to further
improve the quality of the Contract Resources business were implemented
under the ownership of Anchorage Capital Partners (ACP). This included the
construction of the southern hemisphere’s largest mercury waste treatment
plant, commissioned in July 2018, mid-way through ACP’s ownership. Located
in the regional community of Karratha, Western Australia, the facility can
handle all mercury-contaminated waste produced by the Australian oil and
gas sector, now and into the foreseeable future. The facility sets the
international benchmark for best practice in safe and efficient mercury
waste management and recycling of all elements for alternate use, avoiding
the need for mercury contaminated landfill or further processing, as
required by other technologies. The facility also eliminates the need to
export mercury-contaminated waste from Australia, fulfilling the nation’s
obligations under the Basel Convention, an international treaty designed to
reduce the movements of hazardous waste between countries.
Construction and commissioning of the facility demonstrated Contract
Resources’ commitment to developing new solutions to challenges faced by
the Australian oil and gas industry, utilising private capital investment
from ACP.
Quadrant Private Equity –
Chris Hadley & Alex Eady
Quadrant was attracted to an investment in APM due to its market leading
position in the Australian employment services market, including being the
largest and highest performing participant in the Disability Employment
Services program and a leading participant in the JobActive Employment
Services program. The opportunity to partner with APM founder Megan Wynne
to continue to grow the strong base in Australia as well as leverage this
base to grow into international markets was an attractive investment thesis
for Quadrant.
Editors’ Note:
The Australian Investment Council will announce the winners of the annual
Firm of the Year, Michael Hirshorn and Diversity Awards on Wednesday, 9
December 2020.
For an interview with Yasser El-Ansary please contact:
Robyn Tolhurst
Public Affairs Manager
[email protected]
M: 0436 388 919
About the Australian Investment Council
The Australian Investment Council is the voice of private capital in
Australia. Private capital investment has played a central role in the
growth and expansion of thousands of businesses, which when combined
represents a multi-billion-dollar contribution to the Australian economy.
Our members are the standard-bearers of professional investment and
include: private equity, venture capital and private credit funds,
alongside institutional investors such as superannuation and sovereign
wealth funds, as well as leading financial, legal and operational advisers.
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