Profile
Simon Venus has more than 20 years’ experience as a corporate and commercial lawyer with a broad practice that includes mergers and acquisitions, in-bound foreign direct investment, investment structuring, foreign investment approvals, due diligence and transaction execution. Simon’s clients come from many different sectors and he advises on a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions for major Australian and international corporations, fund managers, high net worth family offices and private clients.
Many years of working on large pastoral station properties has given Simon a keen interest in agriculture, and the agribusiness sector has become a specific area of focus within his practice. Simon is the National Head of the firm’s Agribusiness Group and is widely respected within the industry. He has been consistently recognised for his knowledge and expertise in legal directories and was named Agriculture and Rural Affairs “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in Australia in 2021.
Simon is a former Director of the peak national industry body, Agribusiness Australia, and was an inaugural member of the South Australian Agribusiness Council. He is also an inaugural member of the Agribusiness Advisory Board at the University of Adelaide’s School of Business and is a director of several private client-owned Australian domiciled holding companies. Simon is the principal author of the ‘Business Structures’ section in the LexisNexis ‘Practical Guidance’ legal publication and has been a speaker at several agribusiness focused investment and legal conferences.
Simon’s charitable and not-for-profit roles include being a director of the rural financial counselling service, Rural Business Support South Australia & Northern Territory, as well as a trustee of several charitable organisations including the Michell Bequest Foundation, (a medical research foundation administered by the University of Adelaide Faculty of Health Sciences), and the University College London Australia Gift Fund.
A trusted advisor to many long-term clients, they appreciate Simon’s knowledge, commitment, expertise, responsibility, and understanding of the agribusiness sector and his prompt, thorough, and commercially sound advice. They value his willingness to gain a deeper understanding of how they operate and to recommend alternative options when delivering legal solutions.
Expertise
Recognition
“We could not have received better legal advice and support than what we received from Simon and his team from Piper Alderman. They were available day and night, replying to all requests and queries in the timeliest of manners and allowed us to progress with confidence and surety of our position at all times.”
Client Testimony: Tourism Company – Chairman
Accolades
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Agriculture and Rural Affairs “Lawyer of the Year” (Adelaide, AU) – 2021 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Commercial Law “Lawyer of the Year” (Adelaide, AU) – 2018 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2012 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Commercial Law (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2017 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Corporate Law (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2018 edition
- Best Lawyers in Australia – Recognised for Mergers and Acquisitions Law (Adelaide, AU) – Since 2018 edition
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Agribusiness Lawyers – South Australia, 2016 to 2023
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Commercial Lawyers – South Australia, 2016 to 2023
- Doyle’s Guide – Leading Corporate Lawyers – South Australia, 2017 to 2023
Case Studies:
- Sunsuper-backed Discovery Parks acquires Top Parks branding and licence rights – April 2018
- Archstone Investment acquires majority interest of Bindaree Beef Group – September 2017
- Consolidated Australian Pastoral Holdings (CAPH) purchases four SAWA cattle stations in the Kimberley region – September 2017
- BBHO consortium all-Australian bid for S. Kidman and Co – October 2016
- Riverland’s innovative wine cluster project 100th Monkey Vignerons – June 2016
- Sundrop Farms pioneering greenhouse run on seawater and solar power – August 2016
- Almondco hulling and shelling upgrade at Lyrup in the Riverland – July 2015
Memberships
- Director, Rural Business Support (incorporating Rural Financial Counselling Service SA/NT)
- Trustee, University College London Australia Gift Fund
- Trustee, Michell Bequest Foundation (University of Adelaide Faculty of Health Sciences)
- Inaugural Member, The University of Adelaide Business School, Agribusiness Advisory Board
- Member, PIRSA Women Influencing Agribusiness and Regions Reference Group
- Member, Agribusiness Australia Ltd
- Member, International Wine Law Association (Australasian Section)
- Member, Rural Media South Australia
Insights
11 June 2020
Major changes on the horizon for Australia’s foreign investment (FIRB) regime
Read More30 March 2020
Significant temporary changes to foreign investment review board (FIRB) requirements
Read More24 February 2015
Agribusiness Alert – Tighter rules for foreign purchases of agricultural land
Read More01 November 2013
What is the current status of FIRB thresholds for purchases of agricultural land?
Read MoreCase Studies
28 October 2019
Advising a horticultural company on the business establishment and strategic plan implementation
Read More10 October 2019
Expansion and growth of an agricultural producer and supplier through mergers and acquisitions
Read More08 October 2019
Commercial and contractual arrangements advice for an agricultural company
Read More08 October 2019