Jamie A. Benson is a U.S. corporate and securities lawyer with more than 15 years' experience in international capital markets and cross-border M&A transactions. Mr. Benson is head of Duane Morris & Selvam's U.S. securities law practice and is the co-head of the firm's India practice desk.

Mr. Benson's experience includes advising on equity private placements (such as Rule 144A, Regulation D, Section 4(a)(2) and Regulation S offerings); SEC-registered equity and debt offerings; mergers and acquisitions of both U.S. and non-U.S. public companies; high-yield convertible and investment-grade bond offerings and debt private placements. He also advises on SEC reporting obligations, compliance with US broker-dealer laws and general corporate law matters.

Mr. Benson is one of the leading international legal counsels on securities offerings by Indian issuers, having worked on more than 30 deals by Indian issuers in the last eight years, including equity offerings by TBZ, Dhanlaxmi Bank, ING Vysya Bank, Ashoka Buildcon, Ramky Infrastructure, DEN Networks, IBN18 Broadcast, Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Jagran Prakashan, Andhra Bank, HT Media (Hindustan Times), PVR Limited, IDFC, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Allahabad Bank and Yes Bank.

Mr. Benson has also worked on a number of high-profile transactions in Australia, including large securities offerings by Qantas, BHP Billiton, Foster's, Optus, Macquarie Bank, Macquarie Infrastructure Group, CSL and Promina Group, and the UK, including securities offerings by Lonrho and SKIL Ports & Logistics.

Mr. Benson has represented almost all of the major global and Indian investment banks.

Mr. Benson has a wide range of industry experience, including working on deals involving companies in the following industries: aviation; banking; beer and wine; business process outsourcing; cable television; construction; film; jewelry; gambling; infrastructure; insurance; mining; oil and gas; print media; property; telecommunications; and television broadcasting.

Mr. Benson studied law at the University of Cambridge (Trinity College), where he was a fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, and was awarded a B.A. and an M.A. He was awarded a Henry Arthur Hollond Travelling Scholarship in Law by Trinity College and received his Master of Laws from the University of Virginia. He is admitted to practice law in New York, USA and Tasmania, Australia.

Representative Matters

Indian Public Offerings

• Advised IDFC Capital and Avendus Capital and the other underwriters on the sale of Rs. 2,000 million (US$38 million) of shares in Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri Limited in an initial public offering ("IPO") in India and concurrent private placements outside India and the U.S.
• Advised Enam Securities, IDFC Capital, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors, Sharehkan and Motilal Oswal Securities on the sale of Rs. 2,250 million (US$51 million) of shares in Ashoka Buildcon Limited in an IPO in India, including concurrent private placements outside India and the U.S.
• Advised Deutsche Equities (India), Antique Capital Markets and Antique Stock Broking on the sale of Rs. 3,645 million (US$76 million) of shares in DEN Networks Limited in an IPO in India and in concurrent private placements outside India and the U.S.
• Advised Citigroup Global Markets India, IDBI Capital Market Services, Enam Financial Consultants, ICICI Securities and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company and the other underwriters on the sale of Rs. 8,160 million (US$200 million) of shares in Central Bank of India in an IPO in India and in concurrent private placements outside India (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.).
• Advised DSP Merrill Lynch, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, JM Morgan Stanley, HSBC Securities and Capital Markets (India), SBI Capital Markets, Karvy Investor Services, Enam Financial Consultants and the other underwriters on the sale of Rs. 16,330 million (US$380 million) of shares in Bank of Baroda in a follow-on public offering in India and in concurrent private placements outside India (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.).
• Advised DSP Merrill Lynch, ICICI Securities and the other underwriters in the Rs. 3,694 million (US$86 million) sale of shares in Jagran Publications Limited in an IPO in India and in concurrent private placements outside India (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.).
• Advised ICICI Securities, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company and the other underwriters in the Rs. 1,733 million (US$40 million) sale of shares in PVR Limited in an IPO in India and in concurrent private placements outside India (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.).
• Advised Kotak Mahindra Capital Company and the other underwriters in the Rs. 4,076 million (US$95 million) sale of shares in HT Media Limited in an IPO in India and in concurrent private placements outside India (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.).
• Advised DSP Merrill Lynch, Enam Financial Consultants, Karvy Stock Broking and the other underwriters in the Rs. 3,150 million (US$73 million) sale of shares in Yes Bank Limited in an IPO in India and concurrent private placements outside India (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.).
• Advised ICICI Securities, DSP Merrill Lynch, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Citigroup Global Markets India and Bajaj Capital and the other underwriters in the Rs. 13,630 million (US$317 million) sale of shares in Oriental Bank of Commerce in a follow-on public offering in India and in concurrent private placements (including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S.).

Indian Qualified Institutional Placements

• Advised Enam Securities, IDFC Capital and JM Financial Consultants on the sale of Rs. 9,700 million (US$175 million) of shares in ING Vysya Bank Limited in a QIP in India, including concurrent private placements outside India and the U.S.
• Advised IDFC Capital and JM Financial Consultants on the sale of Rs. 3,807 million (US$85 million) of shares in The Dhanalakshmi Bank Limited in a QIP in India and in concurrent private placements outside India and the U.S.
• Advised JM Financial Consultants, HSBC Securities and Capital Markets (India) and Antique Capital Markets on the sale of Rs. 1,140 million (US$25 million) of shares in ibn18 Broadcast Limited in a QIP in India, including concurrent private placements outside India and the U.S.

Global Depository Receipts

• Advised the underwriters on a proposed US$100 million GDR offering by an Indian company and the listing of the GDRs on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

American Depository Receipt Programs

• Advised Virotec International on the establishment of its Level 2 American Depositary Receipt program.

AIM Listings

• Advised Biofutures International plc (now called Graphene NanoChem plc), an AIM listed company, on its £32.5 million placing of shares. Part of the proceeds of the placing were used to fund the reverse takeover of Platinum NanoChem Sdn. Bhd, a Malaysian company. The underwriter for the placing was Panmure Gordon.
• Advised Haywood Securities (UK) in its role as broker on the sale of £8.6 million of shares in Bioenergy Africa Limited, including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S., the sale of which was in connection with Bioenergy Africa's admission to trading on AIM.
• Advised SKIL Ports & Logistics Limited on the sale of £76 million of its shares, including a Rule 144A offering in the U.S., and its admission to trading on AIM.

Other Equity Offerings

• Advised Panmure Gordon, as underwriter, on the sale of £29.6 million of shares in Lonrho plc, a London Stock Exchange listed company, in a firm placing and placing and open offer, including a concurrent private placement in the U.S.
• Advised Bradken Limited on its A$245 million IPO on the Australian Stock Exchange ("ASX") and U.S. private placement.
• Advised Goldman Sachs JBWere and Macquarie Bank as underwriters of an A$190 million rights offering by Oxiana Limited.
• Advised Promina Group and Royal & SunAlliance on Promina Group's A$1.9 billion IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement.
• Advised Qantas Airways on A$720 million private placement and entitlement offer of its ordinary shares.
• Advised Macquarie Bank and UBS on A$1.7 billion private placement and entitlement offer of stapled securities of Macquarie Infrastructure Group (MIG).
• Advised Qantas Airways on A$456 million private placement of its ordinary shares.
• Advised Deutsche Bank in connection with A$145 million renounceable rights issue by BRL Hardy and related underwritten offer of "shortfall" shares.
• Advised Macquarie Equities and JPMorgan on A$500 million private placement of ordinary shares by Macquarie Bank Limited.
• Advised Merrill Lynch on A$320 million private placement of ordinary shares by CSL Limited.
• Advised Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and JBWere on A$550 million private placement of ordinary shares by Suncorp-Metway.
• Advised Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse First Boston and Macquarie Bank on A$334 million IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement by Austereo Limited.
• Advised ABN AMRO Rothschild and Citigroup on A$59 million IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement by Commander Communications Limited.
• Advised Deutsche Bank, Citigroup and JBWere on A$350 million IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement by Uecomm Limited
• Advised Frucor on its NZ$94 million IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement.
• Advised Merrill Lynch and UBS on A$360 million private placement of ordinary shares by CSL Limited.
• Advised Citigroup and JPMorgan on A$60 million IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement by IBA Technologies Limited.
• Advised Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank on NZ$350 million IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement by Tower Limited.
• Advised Citigroup on A$129 million IPO on the ASX and U.S. private placement by Programmed Maintenance Services.

Debt Offerings

• Advised Citigroup and JPMorgan on the sale of US$850 million of BHP Billiton's 4.80% Senior Notes due 2013 in an SEC-registered offering.
• Advised Jupiters Limited on its US$135 million 8.5% Senior Notes due 2006 in a follow-on SEC-registered exchange offer.
• Advised ABN AMRO on the US$44 million private placement of Fixed Interest Rate Interest Only Converting to Escalating Annuity Bonds by JEM US Bonds (No. 1) Pty Limited.
• Advised Merrill Lynch and Chase Securities Inc. on US$500 million private placement of 8% Notes due 2010 by Cable & Wireless Optus.
• Advised Crane Group on its US$70 million private placement of notes.
• Advised Citigroup on the A$250 million private placement by ERG Limited of convertible notes.

SEC-Registered Deals

• Advising an Australian company on the proposed listing of its shares on NASDAQ.
• Advised Citigroup and JPMorgan on the sale of US$850 million of BHP Billiton's 4.80% Senior Notes due 2013 in an SEC-registered offering.
• Advised Ilion Technology on its proposed IPO in the United States and listing on NASDAQ.
• Advised Lehman Brothers in connection with the proposed IPO in the United States and dual listing on NASDAQ of Libertyone Limited, a then ASX listed company.
• Advised Jupiters Limited on its US$135 million 8.5% Senior Notes due 2006 in a follow-on SEC-registered exchange offer.
• Advised Apex Silver Mines Limited on its US$55 million SEC-registered IPO and listing on the American Stock Exchange.

M&A Deals

• Advised Lend Lease Corporation on its proposed A$7.5 billion merger (via stapled securities) with General Property Trust.
• Advised Deutsche Bank as financial advisor to AngloGold in its A$3.2 billion take-over bid for Normandy Mining.
• Advised Foster's on its US$1.5 billion acquisition of California-based Beringer Wine Estates as well as the related A$700 million equity funding and US$400 million debt funding.
• Advised Pacific Lithium on its proposed acquisition of a U.S. public company.
• Advised KPMG Peat Marwick on an asset purchase.

Other Advice

• Advised JBWere on the U.S. regulatory requirements (SEC, NASD and NYSE) for its sale of a 45% interest in itself to Goldman Sachs.
• Advised Ilion Technology on U.S. securities and Delaware corporate law matters in connection with its conversion from a New Zealand company (formerly Pacific Lithium) into a Delaware corporation.
• Advised UCMS on U.S. securities and Delaware corporate law matters in connection with its conversion into a Delaware corporation and its proposed listing on the ASX.
• Advised Chip Application Technologies Limited on its restructuring as a Delaware corporation (Catuity Inc.) listed on the ASX.
• Advised Vapotronics on its restructuring as a Delaware corporation.
• Advised the Australian Stock Exchange on establishing Australian Stock Exchange World Link, which enables Australian investors to trade shares listed on NASDAQ and NYSE

Areas of Practice

• Securities Law
• International Capital Markets
• Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions Transactions
• Corporate Law

Admissions

• New York

Education

• University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 1996
• University of Cambridge (Trinity College), B.A. (Law), 1994
• University of Cambridge (Trinity College), M.A., 1998

Other Experience

• Duane Morris & Selvam LLP, Singapore
  - Director, 2012-present
• Dorsey & Whitney LLP, London and Sydney
  - Special Counsel, 2008-2012
  - Senior Consultant, 2007, 2005-2006
• Coudert Brothers, Sydney
  - Senior Associate, 2003-2005
• Jones Day, Sydney
  - U.S. Corporate and Securities Associate, 1999-2003
• Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP, New York
  - Associate, 1996-1999

Publications

• "US Regulatory Reforms in a Time of Global Financial Crisis," Client Note, April 6, 2009
• "Company Reporting: Topping Up Annual UK Reports for the US," PLC's US Special Report, November 17, 2008
• "Ongoing Reporting Obligations: Requirements for Foreign Private Issuers," PLC's US Special Report, November 17, 2008

Speaking Engagements

• Gave a one-day seminar on contemporary commercial contracts, May 22, 2013, Singapore. Seminar was organized by CrimsonLogic Pte. Ltd.

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In Singapore, Duane Morris Singapore LLP and Selvam LLC operate a Joint Law Venture serving clients throughout Asia, Duane Morris & Selvam LLP, pursuant to Licence 2/2010 granted by the Attorney General of Singapore. Selvam LLC lawyers may provide services to clients of Duane Morris & Selvam under secondment from Selvam LLC pursuant to Licence 2/2010.