James Gibson

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James is consistently ranked as one of New Zealand’s top M&A and equity capital markets lawyers. James regularly acts for both bidders and targets in public and private acquisitions and issuers and underwriters in securities offerings.

James acts as counsel on international investments into New Zealand for financial sponsors and multi-national corporates and has led major acquisition and divestment transactions and securities offerings across Australasia.

He has extensive experience in initial public offerings on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, and for New Zealand-based companies in international public offerings and listings, including on the NASDAQ.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2024 ranks James in the top tier of corporate/commercial lawyers. Clients are particularly swift to praise his readiness to "take the big-picture view of things," one noting: "He's very interested in our business and where he can help above and beyond the legal perspective, providing helpful suggestions and connections," while another reports: "He's always willing, not only to provide top legal counsel, but also to listen to the issues and to drive creative solutions."

James is ranked as a leading lawyer for corporate and M&A by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024, and is described in a previous edition as someone who will "always go above and beyond to assist". He is also named in The Legal 500’s M&A Powerlist Asia Pacific 2024.

The IFLR1000 2023 ranks James as a market leader in capital markets: equity and merger and acquisitions. In a previous edition, clients said "he's a high energy, pro-active practitioner who consistently delivers very high quality work." James is the only New Zealand corporate partner named in the IFLR Asia Best Lawyers 2022. He is also the only New Zealand lawyer named in the IFLR Asia Best Lawyers 2021.

NZ Lawyer recognised James as a Most Influential Lawyer in the NZ Lawyer Awards 2022 and 2023.

James leads Bell Gully's international team spending time growing our international networks and client base and is a past member of Bell Gully's Board of Management.

James has also been described as "one of the foremost private equity transaction specialists in the country" in Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Private Equity Lawyers. He has also been named in the 2023 editions of the Who’s Who Legal’s M&A and Governance and Capital Markets guides.

Work highlights

Vodafone New Zealand TowerCo sale
Advising Vodafone New Zealand on the sale of its passive mobile tower infrastructure assets for NZ$1.7 billion to funds managed or advised by InfraRed Capital Partners (on behalf of HICL Infrastructure plc) and Northleaf Capital Partners, alongside a reinvestment by Infratil.

Air New Zealand recapitalisation including rights offer
Advising Air New Zealand on its comprehensive $2.2 billion recapitalisation package to help position the airline for recovery, including its $1.2 billion pro rata renounceable rights offer.

Ampol’s acquisition of Z Energy and sale of Gull

Advising Ampol on its $1.7 billion acquisition of Z Energy by way of court approved scheme of arrangement together with its divestment of its Gull business to Allegro. This involved both a complex Overseas Investment Act approval, together with obtaining a Commerce Commission clearance, which was supported by a divestment undertaking in relation to Ampol’s Gull business.

EQT acquisition of Metlifecare
Advised EQT Infrastructure IV Fund on its $1.28 billion acquisition of NZX-listed Metlifecare by way of a scheme of arrangement, EQT's first investment into Oceania, including termination of its original Scheme Implementation Agreement on the basis of material adverse change and its subsequent second scheme with Metlifecare. It was recognised as M&A Deal of the Year in New Zealand Law Awards 2021.

Lightspeed Commerce acquisition of Vend
Advising Lightspeed Commerce, a NYSE- and TSX-listed leading provider of cloud-based, omnichannel commerce platforms on its proposed acquisition of Vend, an Auckland headquartered cloud-based retail management software company, for US$350 million.

Bentley Systems acquisition of Seequent
Advising Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading NASDAQ-listed infrastructure engineering software company, on the proposed acquisition of Seequent, a world leader in developing 3D geological modelling software, headquartered in Christchurch, for US$1.05 billion.

Vodafone New Zealand sale to Brookfield and Infratil
Advised Vodafone Group Plc on its sale of Vodafone New Zealand to a consortium of Infratil and Brookfield Asset Management for NZ$3.4 billion, making it one of the largest New Zealand M&A transactions on record.

Trade Me takeover
Advised Apax Partners LLP on its NZ$2.56 billion takeover of Trade Me - the largest takeover undertaken to date in NZ via scheme of arrangement.

Hellaby Holdings takeover
Advised Bapcor on its NZ$350 million takeover of Hellaby Holdings.

Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Craigs block trade
Acted for Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Craigs in the NZ$700 million block trade by NZ Superannuation Fund and Infratil of Z Energy shares.

Goldman Sachs NZ placement
Acted for Goldman Sachs on the NZ$40 million underwritten placement by a2 Milk Company.

Medibank IPO
Acted as the New Zealand legal advisor to the Commonwealth of Australia and Medibank on its A$5.67 billion initial public offering of shares in Medibank in Australia and New Zealand. The Medibank IPO was Asia’s biggest listing (by value) in two years and also the largest IPO in Australasia in 2014.

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