Nick Turton to lead Capital Advisory at Rennie
Rennie Advisory CEO Simone Rennie has announced Nick Turton as the new leader of the firm’s rapidly growing Capital Advisory practice. The practice has been led since 2021 by co-founder Matt Rennie who will continue to advise clients within the practice but will now focus more on his role as Markets and Growth leader, a role he previously led globally for the Strategy & Transactions service line at EY.
Rennie Advisory has grown rapidly since inception and is now almost 90 people spread over its four national offices. It has become one of the largest specialist energy and transition firms in the country, at a time of significant transformation in the sector.
The firm’s Capital Advisory practice now comprises four Executive Directors and a team of over 30 consultants, spanning sub-service lines across capital strategy, deals, financial modelling and decision support. The group transacts companies, energy and technology platforms and renewable energy projects and works extensively with Government on policy and new capital programs. It advises clients spanning energy, telecommunications and water utilities, aviation, mining and industrial companies and global debt and equity funds. Rennie deals this year include the acquisition of Energy Locals by Palisade Impact, advising on the acquisition of a stake in Transgrid by a global institutional investor, their recent appointment as lead advisor on the capitalisation process for Zen Energy, and a range of smaller transactions with Edge Zero, Azzo, Graphite Energy, and Greensync. The group also specialises in PPA procurement, sourcing and commercial advice, including on current initiatives for telecommunications network, airport operators and energy companies.
Nick Turton’s appointment comes at a time of rapid growth as the firm scales to meet client needs amid the energy transition. Nick joined Rennie after a 25-year career in energy, telecommunications and transport infrastructure consulting, having spent a decade with global consulting firm Arup leading their regional deal advisory capability, before establishing the Asia Pacific deals practice within RPS (now part of TetraTech). As part of those roles, Nick led a variety of programs and initiatives including advising QIC and Export Finance Australia on the PsiQuantum Utility-scale Quantum Computer program, providing transaction advice and assurance for consortia on the Pluto LNG Train 2 and Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone projects, providing buy-side due diligence for institutional investors on Jemena, Endeavour Energy, Ausgrid, Transgrid and Optus Towers and post transaction assurance for TfNSW on the Opalcard (Sydney ETS) program. Since joining Rennie, Nick has provided advice across the energy wholesale, network and retail ecosystems for governments and the private sector, advised on buy-side transactions and led several debt placements processes with energy companies.
“Nick is a natural choice to lead the practice” said Simone Rennie. “He has strong prior experience both in advising on landmark capital transactions and leading national and Asia Pacific P&L’s for Infrastructure Advisory businesses. I’m confident that under Nick’s leadership, we will scale to meet the growing expectations of our clients”.
The group has lofty ambitions, aiming to double over the next three years and to extend its reach into Canberra as the energy transition continues.
“I’m excited to step into this new and challenging role and to work with my fellow Executive Directors as we grow out the practice. We already have an exceptional team in place and I’m looking forward to adding new capacity and leadership over the coming year”.