Advisory

Aura has an advisory capacity focused on the underserviced small to medium sized enterprise (SME) market and their owners, managers and other stakeholders. We have experience in the areas of corporate debt and equity arranging, corporate restructurings, corporate turnarounds and revitalising underperforming businesses, involving a combination of strategic, operational and financial reorganization.

We offer the expertise and access to debt and equity capital our clients need to grow successfully in today's complex and fast changing markets. We understand the banking markets having experience as both providers and users of debt and equity capital. In addition to corporate financing we undertake detailed due diligence of potential acquisition targets and market soundings for divestitures on behalf of our clients.

In 2009 Aura has been involved in:

• valuation of direct investment portfolios (including investments in corporate debt, structured debt, private equity) managed by one of Australia's largest absolute return investment managers;
• the restructure of a special purpose vehicle with minority stakes in two hinterland ports in Europe;
• the restructure of a private railcar leasing businesses in the USA and Europe;
• the ongoing debt restructure of Australia's largest manufacturer of poker machine bases;
• refinance and restructure of the debt facility secured against a $40 million dollar portfolio of commercial and investment properties in Sydney;
• negotiations with senior banks for a hospitality business in New Zealand;
• the restructure of a private Australian conglomerate with interests in hotels, property, finance leasing and car dealerships with an enterprise value in excess of $100 million;
• the negotiation, documentation and implementation of international distribution agreements for a niche Hong Kong based greeting card and design company; and
• the potential sale of Australia's largest outsourced photographics business.

Our independence as a corporate advisory boutique enables us to deliver the best strategic solutions and sources of finance for our clients without internal or external conflicts.