Fred Linker, serving as Senior Corporate Counsel, is a seasoned legal professional whose career spans over two decades in corporate and commercial law. Currently at the helm of Linker Legal in Sydney, Fred orchestrates a boutique firm renowned for its expertise in corporate, commercial, technology, and telecommunications law. His firm is distinguished by its agile approach and competitive pricing, offering services in mergers, acquisitions, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance, among others. Fred's adept handling of complex tech-related legal matters includes software licensing, telecoms regulation, and cybersecurity. Prior to founding Linker Legal, Fred was the Head of Legal for Asia Pacific at Ciena, where he led a team dispersed across India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia. His role involved drafting and negotiating high-stakes IT infrastructure contracts with prominent telecommunications carriers and managing extensive channel partner contracts. Fred's contributions were pivotal in providing strategic business advice and general legal counsel, covering areas such as intellectual property, employment, and real estate, while also managing risks related to corruption and bribery. Fred's extensive legal experience includes a significant tenure as Head Legal Counsel for Nortel Networks across Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia. Known for negotiating landmark contracts like the Telstra Data Mode of Operation contract, Fred expertly handled agreements for the supply of IT goods and services to major governmental and corporate entities. Earlier in his career, Fred was with Bankers Trust, now Deutsche Bank, as a Senior Legal Manager, where he focused on equities and derivatives. His formative years as a solicitor at Allens involved significant M&A transactions, capital raisings, and corporate consultancy with notable multinationals and banks. Fred holds an LLB from UNSW and a BA with First Class Honours, along with a Higher Diploma in Business French from the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, underscoring his robust academic background. His leadership in the legal field is complemented by his proactive engagement in professional development and cultural exchange, as evidenced by his presidency of the UNSW French Society. For inquiries, Fred can be contacted at fred@linkerlegal.com or via mobile at +61 407101849.
Principal
Linker Legal
Jul 2022 - Present • 4 years 3 months
Head of Legal (Asia Pacific)
Ciena
Mar 2010 - Jul 2022 • 12 years 4 months
Head Legal Counsel, Australia, New Zealand & Indonesia
Nortel Networks
Jul 1999 - Mar 2010 • 10 years 8 months
Senior Legal Manager, Equities
Bankers Trust (now Deutsche Bank)
Jul 1998 - Jul 1999 • 1 year
Solicitor
Allens
Jun 1994 - Jun 1998 • 4 years
Diplome Superieure de Francais des Affaires (Higher Diploma in Business French)
Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry
1998
BA (Hons) (First Class Honours and the University Medal), French and Political Science
UNSW
1988 - 1994
LLB (Bachelor of Laws), Law
UNSW
1988 - 1993
Last checked: 23 Jul 2026 • Checked with Law Society of NSW
