Mergers and acquisitions

Our corporate team is regularly involved in New Zealand’s most high profile and significant mergers, acquisitions, disposals, takeovers and joint venture (M&A) transactions. We collaborate with our other specialist teams to provide our clients with the expertise and experience that is relevant to their transactions. This includes our regulatory experts, market-leading specialist OIO team, leading litigators for takeovers matters and scheme court hearings, a top-tier tax team for deal structuring, finance specialists for leveraged transactions and a full range of specialists for due diligence.

Our approach enables us to deliver strategically-focused, results-orientated advice at every step of a transaction. We have a track record of being a key member of the client’s core adviser team, including helping to deliver execution certainty through actively managing regulatory and other risks and the transaction process more generally.

Working closely with our broad international and domestic client base means we have unparalleled insight into developments and trends, as well as significant expertise and experience advising across a wide range of M&A transactions in technology, telecommunications, energy and resources, infrastructure and utilities, transportation, retail, agriculture and building and materials. We know what to expect and can anticipate issues early, allowing our clients to navigate them successfully.

Our M&A transaction services include advising on:

  • creative deal structures and strategies
  • complex share or asset acquisitions and divestitures, including for private equity and infrastructure funds and cross-border transactions
  • complex domestic and cross-border joint venture arrangements
  • takeover offers and defences
  • schemes of arrangement
  • Overseas Investment Act consents and competition/anti-trust regulatory matters relevant to M&A transactions

Our work on M&A transactions is consistently recognised in industry awards, including the M&A Deal of the Year at the 2021 New Zealand Law Awards, the New Zealand Deal Firm of the Year at the 2021 Australasian Law Awards and the M&A Deal of the Year at the 2021 IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards.

Work highlights

Z Energy acquisition

Advised Ampol Limited, Australia’s ASX-listed leader in transport fuels, on its NZ$2 billion acquisition (by scheme of arrangement) of New Zealand fuel distributor, NZX and ASX-listed Z Energy.

 

Waste Management NZ acquisition

Advised Igneo Infrastructure Partners on the NZ$1.9 billion acquisition of New Zealand’s largest resource recovery and waste management services provider, Waste Management NZ Limited, from private equity firm Beijing Capital Group.

 

Sale of Vodafone NZ’s passive mobile tower business

Advised Vodafone New Zealand Limited on the establishment and sale of its passive mobile tower business for NZ$1.7 billion to funds managed or advised by leading global investors InfraRed Capital Partners (on behalf of HICL Infrastructure PLC) and Northleaf Capital Partners.

Ranked by Dealogic and Refinitiv as the No.1 law firm for New Zealand M&A volume for the year ended 30 June 2022

"Well established NZ practice. Strong oil and gas expertise. Knowledgeable, user friendly and always delivers."

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022 - Tier 1

"Bell Gully is consistently commercial, pragmatic and strong in its M&A capabilities. The local and international knowledge and expertise across corporate, technology, data and privacy is invaluable."

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021 - Tier 1