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Josh Cairns
BCA LLB • Wellington
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Josh is a banking and finance partner, specialising in corporate finance and restructuring and insolvency engagements.
He has more than 20 years’ experience advising financial institutions, private credit managers, insolvency practitioners and governmental agencies on a board range of transactions and projects. Known for his pragmatic and commercially-focussed approach, Josh regularly advises on complex and novel transactional matters and has a focus on the infrastructure sector.
Josh is Director of the Banking and Financial Services Law Association (BFSLA), and a member of the Restructuring, Insolvency & Turnaround Association of New Zealand (RITANZ).
Contributing author to the New Zealand Trends and Developments chapter in the Chambers and Partners Global Practice Guide on Private Credit 2026.
Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026
Banking & Finance | Restructuring & Insolvency
Leading Lawyer
Asia Pacific Legal 500 2026
Banking & Finance | Restructuring & Insolvency
Leading Partner
IFLR1000 2025
Banking | Restructuring & Insolvency
Highly Regarded
Work Highlights
Corporate Finance
‘Local Water Done Well’
Acting for a range of water service providers on their establishment financing arrangements, including:
Watercare on its financial separation from Auckland Council, including the establishment of a new debt issuance programme, $3.4 billion syndicated bank facilities and a $4.2 billion transitional debt facility with Auckland Council; and
Tiaki Wai on its debt transfer arrangements and establishment of a range of LGFA and bank facilities totalling approximately $2 billion.
IFF programme
Lead adviser to the Crown on the Infrastructure Funding & Financing (IFF) programme, including advising the Crown on the design and implementation of the programme and enabling legislation, and advising The Treasury on all projects to receive IFF funding to date.
ACC
Acting for ACC Direct Investments as lender on the establishment of a government-backed limited recourse funding and financing model for aircraft in New Zealand, and pathfinder projects under the model.
Private Capital Group
Acting for PCG on the establishment of its private credit business and a range of private credit transactions in the New Zealand market.
Lodestone Energy
Acted for Lodestone Energy on the holdco project financing of New Zealand’s largest ever solar farm project.
Local authority/CCO financing programmes
Lead adviser to the local authority and CCO sector on financing arrangements, including debt facilities, debt issuance programmes, derivative arrangements and LGFA finance.
Restructuring & Insolvency
Optic Security Group
Acted for US fund manager, Arena Investors, on the Arena-led debt restructuring of the Optic Security Group, effected through a pre-packed voluntary administration and receivership.
Calibre
Acting for Calibre Partners on the voluntary administration of medicinal cannabis producer, Helius Therapeutics.
PwC
Acted for PwC as receivers of Ebert Construction, the first formal insolvency to test the retention money trust regime under the Construction Contracts Act 2002.
Grant Thornton
Acted for Grant Thornton on the receivership of Drymix, a manufacturer of cement and concrete products for the building industry.
Solid Energy
Acted for state-owned entity Solid Energy on its major debt restructurings (including under two Part 14 creditor compromises and its ground-breaking voluntary administration) and subsequent distressed asset sale process.
