Mark Beyer

When farming activity started in the Ord River irrigation area in the 1960s, the initial focus was on cotton.

Euroz subsidiary Westoz Funds Management has emerged as a strong critic of the proposed takeover of Zenith Energy, one day after Zenith revealed the scheme was at risk of failing.

Corporate adviser John Poynton is back looking for deals after setting up a new firm with investment banker Chris Stavrianou.

Contractor Decmil has received some rare good news, with a subsidiary being named as the preferred proponent for the $175 million Albany Ring Road.

A flood of money for goldminers has defined WA’s corporate finance market this year, with Canaccord Genuity and Macquarie Capital leading the charge.

The shift in work habits during COVID-19 provides an attractive development opportunity for suburban councils.

Kewdale-based manufacturer Australian Valve Group has been bought by a major US-based competitor seeking to build its share of the Australian market.

In our latest video interview, Fiona Drummond explains how EY is managing COVID-19 and talks about the long-term impact of the virus on workplaces.

The state government and local farmers are pressing ahead with planning for a $30 million cotton gin in WA’s north despite a recent PwC study finding Katherine in the Northern Territory was a better location.

In their weekly podcast Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss residential property, Fini and Lisle, Perdaman, City of Perth, Cormann, the Ord River Irrigation area, and the Business of Local Government.

Two major contractors in the oil and gas sector, Technip Oceania and DOF Subsea, are facing legal action over their safety practices on the Wheatstone and Ichthys gas projects.

The new Perth partner-in-charge at law firm King & Wood Mallesons has become a strong believer in the benefits of technology, saying COVID-19 has accelerated changes already underway and there is no going back.

Accounting firm RSM Australia has recruited Pippa Hobson and some of her risk consulting team, shortly after Ms Hobson left competing firm BDO.

Property developers Adrian Fini and Ben Lisle have merged their operations under the name Hesperia, with the new entity having nearly $1 billion of projects under development and a busy pipeline of future opportunities.

The co-operative that distributes water in the Ord River irrigation area has scored a big court victory over the state government, retaining its current water allocation to support the development of new cotton farms. The state government had wanted to slash the Ord Irrigation Co-operative’s annual water allocation by one third.

Indigenous contractors such as Warrikal, Carey Mining, and Brida illustrate the increasing maturity of the sector.

Mining agreements in the Pilbara have delivered large financial returns to selected Aboriginal groups.

Mining companies and Aboriginal groups face a very different future after the Juukan Gorge controversy and planned legislative changes.

Perth dealmakers Tim Day and Rob Hamilton are looking to support the next generation of growth businesses after merging their firms.

PODCAST: Mark Beyer and Sean Cowan discuss phase four COVID restrictions, aviation and tourism, Deloitte, retail property landlords, housing recovery, planning reform, some positive market news, Canva, and our special report on indigenous business.

Infrastructure WA chairman John Langoulant has identified the needs of the state’s regions and opportunities for private finance as two of the biggest challenges facing the advisory group.

The administrators of Gascoyne Resources have recommended creditors support the planned deed of company arrangement for the gold miner rather than an 11th hour alternative from China’s Hanking Gold Mining.

Shares in Red 5 tumbled by 34 per cent today after the goldminer cut its production guidance for the current year and revised its future development plans.

Genesis Minerals has bolstered its Ulysses gold project with the acquisition of the nearby Kookynie project for $13.5 million, enhancing its prospects of joining the ranks of mid-tier gold producers.

Listed stockbroking and funds management firm Euroz has offered to buy competitor Hartleys in a scrip deal that would give Hartleys’ current shareholders a 17 per cent stake in the combined group.

PODCAST: Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss North West Shelf shakeup, Westport development, broker consolidation, DUG Technology IPO, environmental approvals, #Perth, universities, and our special report on apartment developments.

An Aboriginal group that gets most of its funding from BHP Nickel West has launched a Federal Court claim it says will guide compensation negotiations with native title holders across the country.

Stockbroking firm Hartleys has confirmed it is in advanced merger discussions with listed rival Euroz. If the merger proceeds, it would add to a string of changes among Perth’s top corporate finance dealmakers.

Rio Tinto subsidiary Argyle Diamonds provides a case study in how marketing and product development can deliver an alternative path to value adding in the mining sector.

There are five major commodities mined in WA that have substantial downstream processing. Credit for most of the value adding can be attributed to investment decisions taken decades ago, as Mark Beyer reports.

An array of companies, from blue chip miners to SMEs, is pursuing downstream processing of WA’s battery minerals, despite the sharp downturn in the lithium market.

The history of value adding in the iron ore sector is a litany of missed opportunities.