About us
Who we are
We help organisations looking for practical guidance on how to create and unlock sustainable business value.
Through our global advisory, M&A and investment expertise, from London to Sydney, our specialty is helping business owners realise their full potential.
We use our unique strategies to uncover key business issues and identify their root cause.
From there we focus on what to do and when to do it in the most practical way possible that gets the best result for your business.
“We create your pathway to sustainable value and stick with you every step of the way.”
Sydney
London
Servicing Australia and the U.K.
We bring our clients more than 35 years of advisory, M&A and investment experience. With over 500 transactions spanning Asia, North & South America, Europe and Australia, we manage business transactions across a plethora of industry sectors. Our global presence helps us effectively leverage international relationships to source the best opportunities for your business.
Oasis Partners operates Australia-wide from our head office in Sydney, frequently travelling to clients businesses in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, regional WA & NSW, New Zealand and beyond.
Oasis Europe operates out of our London headquarters, with additional offices in Falmouth and Reading representing clients acquiring and divesting across the U.K.
“I know what it feels like to be outgunned by a larger corporate acquirer and frankly, there is no need to be.”
Mike’s story
In 1987 Mike started one of the first pizza home delivery chains in the UK. The business grew rapidly and by 1990 became the number two in the market with 84 outlets and 15% market share in the growing delivery and take away sector.
In 1992, Mike was approached by the market leader ‘Perfect Pizza’ with a view to acquiring his business. Mike entered negotiations with his small internal team and without any specialist M&A support. A deal was agreed, due diligence completed and contracts were signed that same year. Mike was 28.
With the benefit of hindsight and after engaging Oasis Europe for representation in a later business sale, Mike learned that he had made some important mistakes in his first business exit.
His apprehension that the number one in the market must therefore be the best (or only) acquirer was misguided. Similarly his concern that staff, franchisees and others did not discover his intentions was valid, but prevented him from approaching other potential acquirers and leveraging competitive tension to secure the best offer.
“The Oasis proven formula of going to the widest possible market whilst maintaining our anonymity would have been key for us in the early 90s. There were several key players in the US at the time who would likely have paid based on our strategic footprint in the UK which would have saved them five years. We never even spoke to Dominos, the largest pizza chain globally at the time.”
“The other key mistake was doing my own negotiating and not securing representation. Though I had a proven ability to rapidly expand a chain of pizza outlets in a growth market, when it came to selling a business I was completely out of my depth back then.”
After working with Oasis Europe, Mike became passionate not only about how to create value through an enterprise, but how best to unlock that value at the business exit. Mike proceeded to build and successfully sell a number of businesses in the following years before establishing the Oasis Partners brand in Australia in 2009. Today, Mike and his team specialise in representing the shareholders of private companies wishing to increase then unlock value at the growth and exit phases of the business lifecycle.
Our purpose
The persistent pursuit of value
“To help where many don’t, to fix what most can’t, to offer hope where others won’t.”
Meet the team
We are problem solvers who thrive on being useful. With decades of experience across the team, we know what it’s like to be in the trenches – but our specialty is in helping you get a bird’s-eye view of your business so you can take it to new heights.
A career entrepreneur, Mike draws on over 30 years of real-world experience across global markets and multiple sectors to advise company boards and owners navigating growth and exit phases of business.
Mike McGrath
Warwick is a qualified lawyer and Chartered Accountant with over 20 years’ experience in both large financial institutions such as J.P. Morgan and KPMG through to entrepreneurial private companies advising SME’s.
Warwick Pearce
Simon has enjoyed a successful corporate career and is currently non-executive Chairman of Genesis IT&T. MBA-qualified, he provides corporate advice in areas including Technology, Healthcare, and Professional Services.
Simon Voysey
Hayden has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Gonzaga University in Washington State, USA and has worked as an Equity Research Analyst focusing on micro and small-cap equities.
Hayden Smith
Don has been working as an entrepreneur, senior executive and Non-Executive Director for over twenty years. He has started, built and sold his own companies, as well as worked in senior roles for the likes of Disney, MGM, Viacom, GSK and RBS across Australia, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.
Don Hunton
Derrick has been a consultant to businesses for over fifteen years in finance, accounting, taxation, banking, and M&A. He is currently a director to several private companies in Australia and is currently a non-executive director with an ASX-listed company called Timah Resources Limited (TML).
Derrick De Souza
Glenn is an experienced CFO and business advisor, he currently acts as CFO to several private companies in various sectors and has a very strong manufacturing background. He has previously worked as CFO for both multinational corporations as well as venture capital.
Glenn Myhill
For over 25 years’ Chris has been working across EMEA and Australia in senior executive roles. He has expertise in manufacturing, agtech, mining, financial services, healthcare, and consulting. He has experience working with multinational corporations and as an entrepreneur, having founded several successful businesses.
Chris Venter
James has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Macquarie University in Sydney. He works at Oasis as a research analyst supporting the Corporate Advisory team. His focus is small cap equities and mid and large private acquirers seeking growth through strategic bolt-ons.
James McGrath
Matthew began his technology career in stock control and logistics, and over the past ten years has become a specialist in digital operations. Matthew manages Oasis Partners technology and systems including the collection and dissemination of real-time M&A data from around the world.
Matthew Smith
Testimonials
What our clients say
"In late 2010 we set out to attract a majority investor for our professional and technical services business. Though we understood the need for an exit strategy, we did not understand the process of attracting an investor or selling the business. Oasis M&A was selected on the basis of their well-defined approach, track record and openness. Mike and the Oasis team’s professional approach and level of effort in identifying, gating and meeting potential buyers was impressive. Five years on, our majority shareholder is a major factor in the ongoing success of the business."
"Where Oasis are very good is being able to work outside the box to improve the deal through the negotiation. On more than one occasion, I thought I was presented with a great deal, but Mike helped ID some trap doors. My sale was extraordinary. We got more than we expected, as we were able to successfully argue the power of our brand and capability rather than financials – which were suffering post mining boom collapse."
"The challenge for Oasis was the fact that we had one major supply company based overseas with verbal supply agreements in place and to convince a potential buyer that those agreements would continue with an approved buyer. We were very happy with the professional and methodical approach of Oasis to find a selected buyer, which achieved a successful outcome within 10 months of engagement. We found Warwick and the team very helpful and very easy to deal with and can only recommend him and his team."
"We entrusted Oasis M&A to assist with the sale of our Australian business in 2014. Michael McGrath’s extensive experience running his own business, coupled with his strong business acumen, made the sale process run seamlessly. From the investigatory stage, through to the due diligence and contract negotiations, Mike and the team offered practical advice and maintained a strong line of communication every step of the way. The team’s service levels were equivalent to any top tier M&A firm, without the exorbitant fee structure. We would certainly use Oasis M&A again in the future."
"Mike quickly grasped the nuances of our hybrid capital raising requirements for a startup venture in the software arena. Oasis M&A not only identified a highly relevant suitable partner, but provided immediate access, resulting in a very high level of engagement. From start to finish, the outcome was delivered inside 6 weeks. Including cash settlement. Unheard of. Legend. Thanks again Mike, and to the team at Oasis M&A. Great result."
"Oasis Partners have been our business advisers for over 4 years at a board and operation level. From the outset, guidance started with Oasis providing in-depth advice on business strategies to address the significant challenges posed by changing market conditions in the IT hardware, software and services industry. The outcome was a well developed business plan for the future. Since then we’ve not looked back, and Oasis Partnerss ongoing operational advice in the business has helped us tune these strategies to maximise revenue, profitability and shareholder value to deliver a more predictable future."