Bell Gully was the only New Zealand law firm ranked among the top 20 advisers in Bloomberg’s H1 2026 Global M&A Legal League Tables for the Australasian market.
Bell Gully ranked 14th in Bloomberg’s Global M&A league tables for Australasia based on announced transactions with a value of US$7.8 billion (NZ$13.7 billion).
The ranking reflects Bell Gully's involvement in major New Zealand mergers, acquisitions, divestments and corporate transactions in the first half of 2026, in a league table featuring some of the biggest law firms in Australia and internationally. Global law firms Kirkland & Ellis and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton topped the rankings for Australia and New Zealand in the first half of 2026.
Bell Gully partner Toby Sharpe, department leader of the firm’s corporate team, said the Bell Gully was proud to have supported clients in a number of major transactions during the period, including advising:
- Toi Foundation Holdings Limited on the sale and merger of TSB Bank with Heartland Bank for total consideration of NZ$620 million.
- New Zealand listed chip maker Rakon Limited (NZX: RAK) on its NZ$356 million full takeover by US based electronics manufacturer Bourns Inc.
- Fletcher Building Limited (NZX/ASX: FBU) on the sale of its construction division, Fletcher Construction Holdings, to international construction group Vinci Construction for NZ$334 million.
- Contact Energy as it completed the acquisition of the remaining stake in King Country Energy (KCE) that it did not already own.
- Pontegadea on New Zealand legal aspects in connection with its participation in the consortium to acquire 100% of Qube Holdings Limited (ASX:QUB), one of Australia’s largest providers of integrated import and export logistics services, as part of a consortium led by Macquarie Asset Management.
- Navis Capital and Pacific Equity Partners in relation to the sale of Mainland Poultry (New Zealand’s largest egg producer) to a co-investment vehicle to be managed and advised by Navis Capital.
- Australian payments and data services provider Cuscal Limited on its acquisition of Paymark Limited, New Zealand’s leading electronic payment processor, from Retail International Holding S.A.S. (Worldline).
The result reinforces Bell Gully’s position as New Zealand’s leading adviser on mergers and acquisitions, with the firm advising on many of the country’s most significant corporate transactions. Bloomberg league tables rank advisers based on announced transaction activity and are widely used by corporations, financial sponsors, investment banks and investors to assess market participation.
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