Rob Macredie

Rob is a special counsel in our corporate and commercial group. Based in Auckland, he is a corporate and commercial law specialist with expertise in advising clients across a range of industry sectors including healthcare, technology, financial services, resources and tourism.

Known for his pragmatic and commercial approach to legal matters, Rob’s areas of expertise include advising private and public companies on: M&A, corporate and commercial advisory matters, private equity transactions, joint venture arrangements, foreign investment regulation, negotiation of commercial contracts, corporate restructures, corporate governance, cross-border transactions, privacy, regulatory issues and offshore investment structures.

Rob also regularly advises buyers and sellers of businesses and companies, the establishment of joint ventures, business structuring and early stage capital raising and investment.

Before joining Simpson Grierson, Rob was based in Australia working at top tier and international firms including Baker McKenzie and Herbert Smith Freehills. Rob also practised at leading international offshore firm Ogier (UK) as part of his international experience.

Examples of work

• Advising one of Japan’s largest government investment groups on its acquisition of a percentage interest in 2 unincorporated joint ventures which own significant offshore oil and gas assets ($250 million deal value), including share purchase agreement negotiations with the seller, one of Australia’s major oil and gas companies
• Advising the investment arm of a large national insurance company on a series of 10 strategic investments in early stage companies by way of seed capital and series A rounds, including negotiating with founders and the development of a suite of investment documentation to facilitate efficient deal execution
• Advising a national healthcare services business on its acquisition of a series of 5 automated retrieval and storage systems for installation at its facilities, and on developing a world-first outsourced services contract for critical hospital services
• Advising Jupiter Mines Limited on its sale of iron ore mining tenement assets to its wholly owned subsidiary, an in-specie distribution of shares to shareholders, and listing of the new spin-out entity on the ASX, including foreign investment approval for the asset transfer and certain foreign investors
• Advising a leading joint venture supplier of pine sawlogs on its rights under a long-term contract for supply of log timber, including detailed analysis of contract terms for market price reviews, force majeure impacts on supply obligations due to forest fires and other matters in dispute between the contracting parties
• A series of 8 strategic private company acquisitions for a large financial services business over an 8 month timeframe in the context of a proposed IPO, including all due diligence and reporting, negotiation of all sale documentation and debt finance instruments, all transaction documentation and managing the signing and completion process for each successful acquisition
• Acting for a Saudi Arabian oil and resources conglomerate on its group restructure in preparation for potential public listing, which included a new offshore entity in its holding structure and a new investment advisory agreement, and advising on the required corporate steps and authorisations
• Acting for the independent board committee of a global management private equity fund for the purposes of determining whether to recommend a related party transaction to the full board, including an agreement to contribute substantially all the fund’s investments to the world’s fourth largest fixed annuities insurance provider in exchange for approximately 43 million Class A shares, $82 million in cash and a $115 million promissory note
• Advising the purchaser on its $450 million acquisition of 5 hotels servicing a landmark Australian tourism attraction, including negotiations with competing hotel operator groups and complex post-acquisition transition and integration aspects
• Advising a leading private equity group on a series of strategic acquisitions for its fund focussed on the mining services sector, including negotiation of share sale agreements and asset purchase agreements, due diligence and deal execution