Our work

Allco Finance Group
We advised Allco HIT Limited on its 2007 acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in Strategic Investment Group it did not already own from Strategic's management. Overseas Investment Office approval was required for the business acquisition and advice was also provided over a potential interest in "special land" under the Overseas Investment Act.

Ariadne
We acted for Australian diversified property and investment group Ariadne on its 2007 acquisition of Auckland company Orams Marine, which provides a world-class international boating servicing facility on Auckland's waterfront. We were involved in preparing a successful application for consent under the Overseas Investment Act.

Kupe joint venture (Origin Energy Resource Ltd)
We obtained approvals in 2007 for the Kupe joint venture (comprising overseas interests) for the acquisition of interests in land (including "special land") for the development of the Kupe oil and gas field and related processing facilities. We also advised on many other aspects of the development ranging from environmental, consent and regulatory issues through to financing and negotiations with landowners and contractual counterparties necessary for development of the field and construction of the production infrastructure.

Promina Group
We advised Australian insurance company Promina Group Limited on the New Zealand aspects of its 2007 agreement to merge with finance group Suncorp-Metway Limited of Australia, including the preparation of an application under the Overseas Investment Act.

Carter Holt Harvey forestry sale
We advised Carter Holt Harvey on what was one of the biggest and most complex real estate sales in New Zealand's history and the largest real estate transaction that New Zealand's Overseas Investment Office has had to deal with under the new legislation. In 2006, CHH sold substantially all of its forestry interests, including approximately 260,000 hectares of freehold and non-freehold forestry estate, to US-based forestry manager Hancock Natural Resource Group Inc. for in excess of NZ$1.5 billion.

Private Equity Partners
We advised PEP on its 2006 acquisition of biscuit manufacturer Griffins Foods (from Danone Asia Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Groupe Danone SA) and of New Zealand's largest poultry producer Tegel (from HJ Heinz Company in the US). We advised on all aspects of the acquisitions in a competitive bidding process. Both transactions were among the first transacted under the Overseas Investment Act 2005.