December 2, 2019

By Lynda Kiernan

Sydney-based agricultural asset manager Gunn Agri Partners has announced the firm’s expansion with the establishment of independent subsidiary Oxley Capital Partners.

Structured as a corporate advisory and investment firm, Oxley Capital will operate directly with family owned and corporate food and agribusiness operations situated along the entire supply chain that are looking to gain access to alternate growth and transformative debt, and equity capital.

Founded in 2013 by Bill Gunn, Alan Hoppe, Daniel Hough and Bradley Wheaton, Gunn Agri has traditionally targeted investment strategies that are supported by strong economic fundamentals, such as increasing demand for beef, grains, oilseeds, and almonds, and that are attractive due to the potential to improve efficiency and productivity of assets.

Upon this foundation and its core principles of alignment and transparency, Gunn Agri has built out its flagship fund, the Gunn Agri Cattle Fund, into a portfolio of approximately 2.5 million acres of Australian assets consisting of five aggregations spread across Northern Australia, managed under the fund’s operating arm, Cunningham Cattle Company.

In April of this year, Gunn Agri announced the fourth and final close of the Gunn Agri Cattle Fund with assets under management valued in excess of A$200 million (US$136.4 million). Although the fund’s mandate focuses on owning assets and production on-farm, it is positioned to benefit from steady demand from the main markets of the U.S., Japan, and Korea, with increasing growth from China and other Asian nations.

When asked in November 2018 if the firm had plans to branch out through a possible new fund, or expansion into new geographies, Wheaton told GAI News, “We have achieved a strong track record in generating asset value growth in excess of the market uplift from strategic improvements and transformation of land use in Australia. We see a scalable opportunity with less reliance on market growth to achieve attractive risk adjusted returns.”

“The team has had experience in other major agricultural regions including South America, Europe, and North America. However, the focus for Gunn Agri is Australia as it is in the sweet spot for the institutional investors we work with considering its macroeconomic growth prospects, export market access, transparent and stable regulation, openness to foreign investment, and proximity to growing markets in Asia.”

Today, Oxley Capital Partners will be a new channel for expansion for Gunn Agri, and a provider of alternative capital for Australian operations looking to increase liquidity.

Running Oxley will be Ben Craw, who will be joining the firm in the role of partner and managing director. Formerly a partner with PwC’s Mergers & Acquisitions, Food & Agribusiness division, Craw was responsible for deal advisement to private and public companies, along with domestic and global investors across the agribusiness supply chain. Prior to his time with PwC, Craw was director for an advisory boutique where his focus was on M&A’s, and restructuring large scale food and ag operations.

“Ben is a highly experienced operator across M&A and operational agribusiness, who has an extensive network and ability to generate deal flow,” said Bill Gunn, chairman, Gunn Agri Partners.

Craw added, “Partnering with a highly experienced team within Gunn Agri Partners provides an independent corporate advisory platform in the marketplace, to facilitate much needed growth and transformation debt and equity capital, for the benefit of local farming and agribusiness operators”.

– Lynda Kiernan is Editor with GAI Media and daily contributor to the GAI News and Agtech Intel platforms. If you would like to submit a contribution for consideration, please contact Ms. Kiernan at lkiernan@globalaginvesting.com.