John Sheehy, CEO

I advise private and public sector clients in relation to strategy, M&A, risk, innovation and management. I have a deep interest in cross-cultural, cross-border business development, strategy and transactions, having advised on M&A, joint ventures, strategic growth assignments and other commercial projects in over 40 countries, spanning 6 continents, with a combined value of over $50 billion.
 
I am part executive, part consultant, part banker, part lawyer, and draw on the qualities of each of these roles when providing commercial advice to senior leaders. I have lived and worked in Sydney, London, Moscow and New York City.

I drive commercial transactions and projects with strategic rigour and insight, common sense, and an approachable and professional manner. I am adaptable across a variety of sectors and geographies having advised clients in the government, energy, mining, industrials, utilities, healthcare, luxury, aerospace and retail sectors in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Above all, I am a determined and well-natured individual who inspires confidence in clients and colleagues alike.

Contact me at: [email protected]
+61 2 9225 8015

Prior to joining Pottinger, I was a member of the market-leading corporate/M&A team of Linklaters LLP, one of the largest premium global law firms, in London and New York. This included a secondment within the corporate legal team of FTSE 100 utility National Grid plc.

Examples of experience:

• The Australian Banking Association on an independent review of the Banking Code of Practice  
• The National Farmers' Federation on its on-farm financial risk management products project 
• Photon Energy on the sale of the Brewongle large scale solar farm in NSW  
• RACT on strategic development matters relating to its insurance business 
• A leading ASX-listed property developer on its strategy to commercialise various technology-driven initiatives  
• GWA Limited on its global innovation programme
• Photon Energy on the sale of the Suntop 1 and Gunnedah large scale solar farms in NSW
• A leading global data analytics company on a new business growth strategy and business case 
• Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation on its ownership model feasibility study
• The Pharmacy Guild of Australia on the strategy for Australia’s community pharmacy sector
• Cochlear on its strategic joint venture planning relating to China
• An ASX 200 industrials company on its domestic and international growth strategy
• Pegasus, a UK-based environmental and social impact fund, on Australian acquisition opportunities
• Photon Energy on its strategic joint venture with Canadian Solar Inc.
• Servcorp Limited in relation to various cross-border strategy and transactional matters
• Australia’s Export Finance and Insurance Corporation on its long-term strategy
• RFG in relation to its US growth strategy and joint venture planning
• Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation on strategic and operational matters
• The Federal Department of Treasury on foreign investment policy matters
• Enov8 on its proposed Series A growth round and US growth strategy
• NSW Government-owned Hunter Water Corporation on its sale of a wastewater treatment scheme to Water Utilities Australia
• Foxtel on its hybrid satellite and broadband streaming video strategy 
• A large US services company on core and non-core strategic growth pathways for its Australian business
• ACT Inc. on its international growth strategy in fourteen countries
• Cochlear Limited on its joint venture with Macquarie University and the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children 
• Hunter Water Corporation on its proposed sale of KIWS to Itochu Corporation
• Novartis AG on the SEC requirements of its three transformational and inter-conditional transactions with GlaxoSmithKline plc
• Industrie De Nora on its acquisition of its joint venture partner’s stake in the global water purification business of
  ​Severn Trent plc
• Sojitz Corporation of America on its cross-border investment in two Peruvian solar PV projects with a Spanish counterparty 
• J Sainsbury plc on its acquisition of the remaining 50% of Sainsbury’s Bank plc from Bank of Scotland plc
• De Beers Group on various matters including the migration of its rough diamond sales operations from London to Botswana
• Air France S.A. on a cross-border investment in a newly formed joint venture 
• McKesson Corporation on the disposal of its European healthcare IT business
• Vesuvius Holdings Limited on the disposal of its European precious metals business
• Various clients on cross-border joint ventures in the Russian industrials and mining sectors

John's perspective

On joint ventures...

On multi-perspective teams...

On cross-cultural M&A...