![]() ![]() Christian P. GauthierPartner • Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Vancouver gauthierc@bennettjones.com Education Trinity Western University, BBA, 1995, with distinction University of British Columbia, LLB, 2000 Bar Admissions Ontario, 2002 British Columbia, 2014 Overview Christian Gauthier is a Partner and Board Member of Bennett Jones LLP based in Vancouver and Toronto. He advises local and international clients on domestic and cross-border mergers & acquisitions (including management and leveraged buyouts of private and publicly-traded companies), corporate finance, initial public offerings, corporate governance and other capital markets and securities laws matters.
Christian started our Vancouver Office in 2014, which has since grown to approximately 50 lawyers and has been recognized as one of British Columbia's leading law firms (Chambers Partners). Prior to moving to Vancouver, Christian was the Co-Head of Capital Markets and M&A in Toronto where he practiced for over 13 years. Christian enjoys building long-lasting working relationships with clients, often assisting clients through various business growth cycles, from incorporation, seed financings, initial public offerings, follow-on offerings, divestitures, acquisitions, financings, refinancings, restructurings and sales processes, as illustrated by the following examples. Gateway Casinos Entertainment Limited Crius Energy Trust (TSX: KWH.UN) UrtheCast Corp. (TSX:UR) Canaccord Genuity Corp. as lead or co-lead underwriter or agent for capital market offerings Refresh Capital Corporation Helios Wire Corporation Precision Castparts Corp., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. TerraVest Capital Inc.'s (TSX:TVK) VimpelCom Ltd. (NASDAQ: VIP): $300 million sale of the Globalive group of companies (WIND Mobile Canada) to West Face Capital Inc., Tennenbaum Capital Partners et al (2014) TerraPro Inc.: reorganization pursuant to a plan of arrangement and concurrent refinancing for an undisclosed amount (2016) Christian is an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia where he co-teaches the Capstone Business Law course, primarily to third year students with a focus on business law. In 2005, Christian completed a six-month secondment to the Corporate Finance Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission where he was responsible for reviewing and commenting on IPO prospectuses and applications for discretionary exemptions. ,,Christian is always extremely business-savvy, pragmatic and results-oriented in his approach to solving clients' problems.,, Diversified Industries and Technology, Media & Entertainment • Canaccord Genuity as the lead underwriter in DMG Blockchain Solutions' C$17-million offering of units • Cormark Securities, as co-lead underwriter with Canaccord Genuity, in connection with a bought deal financing of common shares of Tantalus Systems Holding Inc. for gross proceeds of approximately C$10-million • Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited in a $200-million loan made available by Canada Enterprise Emergency Funding Corp. (CEEFC) under the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility; the first loan advance of its kind • CG Power Systems Canada Inc., a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Mumbai-based Crompton Greaves Limited, in the sale of its assets to PTI Manitoba Inc. for an enterprise value of C$20 million. • Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited, in its acquisition of the Playtime group of companies for an undisclosed amount. • Precision Castparts Corp., in its agreed acquisition of the business of Noranco from MidOcean Partners and PSP Investments for US$560 million, subject to customary adjustments. • VimpelCom Ltd.'s (NASDAQ: VIP) extensive auction process and $300 million cross border disposition of its debt and equity interests in the Globalive group of companies (WIND Mobile Canada) to a consortium of buyers led by West Face Capital Inc. and Tennenbaum Capital Partners. • The shareholders of Bermuda Telecom Company, in its sale to the Digicel Group for an undisclosed amount. • Royal Host Inc.'s (TSX:RYL) acquisition by Holloway Lodging Corporation by way of plan of arrangement in a transaction valued at approximately $157 million on an enterprise value basis. • Precision Castparts Corp.'s (NYSE: PCC) $300-million acquisition of Aerostructure and Industrial Products from Héroux-Devtek. • Precision Castparts Corp.'s (NYSE: PCC) acquisition of Centra Industries, a leading manufacturer of complex aerostructure components. • The Sterling Group, with its acquisition of Liqui-Box Corporation from DuPont. • General Donlee Canada Inc.'s (TSX: GDI) $114-million cross border sale to Triumph Group, Inc.(NYSE: TFI). • Clarke Inc.'s (TSX: CKI) $100-million sale of its truckload, less-than-truckload and freight logistics businesses to Transforce Inc. (TSX: TFI). • Fiat's US$2-billion purchase of Chrysler's operations. • Bain Capital's $1.985-billion acquisition of Verizon Communications' directory operations in Canada. • Osprey Media Income Fund's $578-million sale by takeover bid to Quebecor Media. • Catalyst Fund Limited Partnership and Cable Satisfaction International in its €465-million sale of Cabovisão-Televisão por Cabo, S.A., to Cogeco Cable. • Mill City Capital LP's cross border acquisition of Havlik International Machinery Inc. from Havlik Holdings Inc. • The Catalyst Group Inc. and Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited, in its US$1.5-billion restructuring of Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Inc. • Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited's $170-million senior note offering as part of a $535-million refinancing. • Bell Canada's $67-million take-over of Nexxlink Technologies. • Minacs Worldwide Inc.'s $196-million acquisition by Transworks Information Systems Ltd. • TerraVest Capital Inc. (TSX: TVK) $54-million acquisition of Gestion Jerico Inc., a Quebec-based commercial and residential tank manufacturing company. • Ontario Teachers Pension Plan's sale of Nexcap Corporation to Element Financial Corporation. • Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited's $200-million high yield note offering in Canada and the U.S. as part of a $550-million refinancing. • Demand Media, Inc.'s Canadian counsel for its acquisition of CoveritLive. • CTV Specialty Television's sale of 50% of the mobile production and distribution business of to Rogers Broadcasting through the formation of Dome Production Partnership. • Newport Partners Income Fund's $22.3-million sale Peerless Garments LP to ComWest Enterprises Corp. • AirBoss of America Corp.'s sale of the operating assets and intellectual property of its railway track fastening products business to Amsted Rail Company. • Alimentation Couche-Tard's US$350 million issuance of senior subordinated notes on a U.S. SEC Rule 144A private placement basis. • Hemosol's reorganization under a plan of arrangement involving MDS.
Natural Resources/Energy/Mining • Crius Energy Trust, in its acquisition by Vistra Energy. • Crius Energy Trust, in its acquisition of U.S. Gas & Electric, Inc. for US$172.5 million and its bought deal offering of C$116.5 million of trust units to fund a portion of the purchase price. • Crius Energy Trust, completes acquisition of remaining interest in Crius Energy, LLC. • TerraPro Group Inc., an Alberta-based provider of environmental, terrain protection and remote access solutions, in its reorganization pursuant to a plan of arrangement and concurrent refinancing. • Crius Energy Trust's $100-million cross border TSX IPO with a syndicate led by Scotiabank, RBC Capital Markets and UBS. • TerraVest Capital Inc., in its bought deal public offering of $25-million aggregate principal amount of 7.00% convertible unsecured subordinated debentures due June 30, 2020. • Dynatec Corporation's $1.6-billion acquisition by Sherritt International Inc. • OneRoof Energy, Inc.'s $50-million TSXV IPO with a syndicate led by Desjardins Capital Markets and Canaccord. • Threshold Power Trust's proposed $140-million TSX IPO with a syndicate led by CIBC Capital Markets. • Scotia Capital and TD Securities with Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.’s $120 million public offering of Cumulative Rate Reset Preferred Shares. • TerraVest Capital Inc.'s acquisition of NWP Industries Inc., a manufacturer of high-quality oil & gas processing equipment based in Western Canada. • TerraVest Income Fund's $19.7-million substantial issuer bid. • Fortis Inc.'s $3.7-billion acquisition of Terasen Inc. from Kinder Morgan Inc. • BHP Billiton's $274-million acquisition of Anglo Potash. • Wheaton River Minerals Ltd.'s $2.4-billion share-exchange take-over bid by Goldcorp Inc. and the defence against Glamis Gold Ltd.'s hostile takeover bid for Goldcorp. • Jinchuan Group Ltd.'s $214-million all-cash takeover of Tyler Resources Inc. • Salamander Energy plc's proposed £124-million hostile exchange offer for Serica Energy. • GeoMegA Resources Inc.'s successful defense of a proxy battle initiated by certain dissident shareholders. • Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited's filing of a US$500-million shelf prospectus. • Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited's $50-million strategic investment in Gold Eagle Mines Ltd. • United Industries Corporation's $192-million acquisition of The Nu-Gro Corporation. • JMB Capital Partners, L.P.'s Canadian counsel in its $50-million investment in Ventana Gold Corp. • China Mining Resources Group Limited’s $10-million investment in Majestic Gold Corp. • Newport Partners Income Fund's $19.8-million acquisition of all of the units of Clearwater Holdings LP and Golosky Holdings LP. • BHP Billiton's sale of Mayaniquel, S.A. to Anfield Ventures. • Newport Partners Income Fund's $15.3-million acquisition of NPC Integrity Energy Services Limited Partnership from Bear Rock LP. • Befesa Medio Ambiante, S.A.'s $10-million strategic investment in an electric arc furnace dust zinc recycling plant in Turkey in a joint venture with Silvermet. • JMB Capital Partners, L.P.'s counsel in its investment in Riva Gold Corp. by way of private placement. • Sudbury Contact Mines Limited's reorganization into TSX-listed Contact Diamond Corporation. • Sudbury Contact Mines Limited's public offering of 2,760,000 common shares and 1,380,000 common share purchase warrants.
Financial/Insurance • Refresh Financial, in connection with its acquisition by Borrowell Inc. in a combined share and asset deal anticipated to close in the first quarter of 2021. • Meridian Credit Union's amalgamation with Desjardins Credit Union to form a combined credit union with $8 billion in assets under management and 263,000 members. • Newport Partners Income Fund's $15-million sale of Newport Partners LP to a group of the principals of Newport Partners LP. • Tuckamore Capital Management Inc.’s $11.25-million sale of Baird MacGregor Insurance Brokers LP and 100% interest in Hargraft Schofield LP to Laurio Management Corp. • GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance Canada's acquisition of the Yamaha Canada dealer finance portfolio from Textron Financial Canada. • The establishment of private equity fund Ironbridge Equity Partners I, LP.
Real Estate • TerraVest Capital Inc., in its acquisition of the assets of Signature Truck Systems, Inc. and Lakeshore Metal Works, Inc. • TrizecHahn Corporation's $3.48-billion restructuring. • IPC US REIT's US$1.4-billion sale of substantially all of its assets to Behringer Harvard REIT I, Inc. • InnVest REIT's $300-million TSX IPO. • Royal Host Inc.'s proposed $157-million acquisition by Holloway Lodging. • Holloway Lodging Real Estate Investment Trust's implementation of its conversion from an income trust structure to a corporate structure. • Holloway Lodging REIT's $7.9-million acquisition of the Holiday Inn Express hotel located in Stellarton, Nova Scotia. |