Deal Talk: Australian M&A podcast

Deal Talk EP4: The Star Decision - Lessons for Directors (Part 2)

In this follow-up episode to Part 1: The Star Decision - Lessons for Directors, HSF Kramer Chair and Senior Partner Rebecca Maslen-Stannage [https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/r/rebecca-maslen-stannage] and Partner Carolyn Pugsley [https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/c/carolyn-pugsley], turn to the broader governance lessons from the Star decision — including Justice Lee's pointed observations on AI in the boardroom, the growing problem of board pack overload, and what the case means for general counsel and company secretaries as officers of the company. They also cover the critical role of contemporaneous records and share their top practical tips for directors and officers. A must-listen for boards and governance professionals navigating the evolving duties landscape in Australia.

Deal Talk EP3: The Star Decision - Lessons for Directors (Part 1)

In this episode of Deal Talk, HSF Kramer Chair and Senior Partner Rebecca Maslen-Stannage [https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/r/rebecca-maslen-stannage] and Partner Carolyn Pugsley [https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/c/carolyn-pugsley], break down the Australian Federal Court's landmark decision in ASIC v Star Entertainment — and why a case where the directors were ultimately found not liable may be the most important directors' duties decision in years. They cover what the board was actually asked to decide, why ASIC's reliance on Centro fell short, the role of management in filtering information to the board, and the practical steps directors can take right now to strengthen their position. Essential listening for directors, general counsel and company secretaries.

Deal Talk EP2: Analysing NBIOs in Australian Public M&A

In Episode 2 of Deal Talk, partners Kam Jamshidi and Nicole Pedler explore what the 2025 NBIO market reveals for bidders and targets in Australian public M&A. HSF Kramer has deeply analysed non binding indicative offers in public deals to extract the key lessons for bidders and targets when formulating their M&A strategy. Drawing on this proprietary data, the episode examines when NBIOs most commonly emerge and what that means for listed companies facing major announcements, leadership changes and other market moving events. Kam and Nicole work through the 2025 NBIO landscape, covering: * success rates * disclosure practices and timing * engagement periods * private equity dynamics * pre bid stakes * recent Takeovers Panel developments A practical discussion for boards, management teams and advisers preparing for, advising on or responding to a potential public M&A approach.

Deal Talk EP1: Global M&A Outlook 2026

In the first episode of Deal Talk, our partners, Mia Harrison-Kelf [https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/m/mia-harrison-kelf], Geoff Kerrigan [https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/g/geoff-kerrigan] and Li-Lian Yeo [https://www.hsfkramer.com/our-people/l/li-lian-yeo] discuss the key findings from our latest Global M&A Outlook. The episode reflects on the defining features of the 2025 deal market and explores what they mean for M&A activity in Australia and globally in 2026. Including deal volumes, valuation dynamics, regulatory scrutiny and execution risk. A practical discussion for anyone involved in planning, approving or delivering transactions.