Toby Sharpe

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Toby is a corporate partner with experience across a wide range of commercial transactions including mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings, corporate restructurings, joint ventures and other complex transactions.

Toby builds long term relationships with his clients. He gets to know their business and issues in order to present the advice that gets the results they need. He has a reputation for being able to get alongside his clients and other stakeholders, having a facilitative and collaborative working style and providing well-informed and pragmatic advice.

Toby recently advised Element Financial on its acquisition of General Electric's New Zealand fleet management and equipment finance business. He advised Crescent Capital on its acquisition of a controlling stake in Prime Panels.

He has also advised on some of the most complex equity capital markets transactions over recent years. He has acted on many of the recent initial public offerings, including those of: Fliway, Metro Performance Glass, Gentrack, Mighty River Power and Meridian Energy. He regularly advises on other forms of equity capital markets transactions, such as rights issues, block trades and placements, both for issuers and lead managers.

Toby worked on significant debt and equity restructurings, including the restructurings of the Yellow Pages Group and Metroglass. He recently advised D&S Communications on its acquisition of Mako Networks (In Receivership) and acted for McGrath Nicol as receivers of GEON on the sale of its New Zealand business to the Blue Star Group.

Toby was appointed a Bell Gully partner at the start of 2013, having returned to the firm in 2009 from four years working in the corporate team of the London office of Herbert Smith Freehills.

The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021 recommends Toby for corporate and M&A. The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 described him as "the best young M&A lawyer around".

The Chambers Asia Pacific 2023 recognises Toby as a leading corporate/commercial lawyer. Toby is also recognised as 'Highly regarded' in the IFLR1000 2024 for his private equity and M&A work.

Work highlights

Vital Healthcare Property Trust
Acted for NorthWest Healthcare, the manager of Vital Healthcare Property Trust, on a range of governance and transactional matters, including capital raisings, acquisitions, fee and governance review and the proposed restructuring and dual listing.

Westpac Life acquisition by Fidelity Life
Acting for Fidelity Life on its acquisition of Westpac Group's New Zealand life insurance business, associated equity funding arrangements and 15 year strategic alliance with Westpac New Zealand.

Toll Holdings divestment
Acted for Toll Holdings on the sale of its Toll Global Express business to Australian private equity fund manager Allegro Funds.

Villa Maria receivership
Acting for the receivers of FFWL, the parent company of the Villa Maria business, on its sale to Indevin.

Harmoney IPO
Acted for Harmoney on its initial public offering and ASX and NZX listing.

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

ASB sale of Aegis
Acted for ASB on the sale of Aegis, an investment administration and custody business, to MMC.

Fliway takeover
Acted for Fliway on its takeover ty Yang Kee Group by way of scheme of arrangement.

Joint lead managers
Acted for leading investment banks on a range of New Zealand underwriting roles, including IPOs and follow on offerings.

Magic Memories recapitalisation
Acted for New Zealand headquartered global tourism business on its 2020 recapitalisaiton, including investment by Pioneer Capital.

Orion Health sale of Rhapsody business to Hg Capital
Advised Orion Health on the sale of its Rhapsody business to Hg Capital.

Mutual recognition IPOs
Acting for a number of Australian issuers on the extension of their public offerings into New Zealand under the mutual recognition regime.

Gentrack
Acted for Gentrack on various matters including its initial public offering, including NZX and ASX listings, and subsequent NZ$90 million equity capital raising.

Metro Performance Glass IPO
Acted for Metro Performance Glass on its NZ$244.2 million initial public offering and listing on the NZX and ASX, incorporating an 80% sell-down by financial sponsors, including Crescent Capital.

Mixed ownership model
Advised the Crown (through the Treasury) on the design and implementation of the Mixed Ownership Model (MOM) programme, including the NZ$1.9 billion Meridian Energy initial public offering, and the NZ$3.5 billion Mighty River Power (now Mercury) initial public offering.

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Work highlights

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