Haydn is a respected and sought after negotiator, with a commercially driven-approach to transaction management. His work focuses on mergers and acquisitions, including private equity, as well as capital markets and listed companies (transactional, governance and compliance advice) and restructuring. In addition to his corporate practice, Haydn heads the firm's funds management and financial services group. In that capacity, he provides strategic, regulatory and compliance advice to insurers, fund managers, supervisors and financial advisors. Haydn was Managing Partner of the firm from 2018 until 2023.
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Haydn specialises in corporate and securities law with a focus on divestments, acquisitions, capital markets, investment products, and company and commercial law.
Haydn is recognised as a leading lawyer for investment funds in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024. Haydn has been recommended in previous editions for corporate and M&A where clients said Haydn stands out for being "very accessible, efficient and highly effective". He is also named in The Legal 500’s M&A Powerlist Asia Pacific 2024.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2023 ranks Haydn as a leading lawyer for corporate/commercial and financial services. In previous editions of Chambers Asia Pacific 2022, Haydn was also named as a leading lawyer in both corporate and financial services, with Haydn described as "a standout corporate and commercial practitioner". In a previous edition, clients note that Haydn provides "very efficient advice" and has "a good understanding of a wide range of areas."
The IFLR1000 2023 names Haydn as a highly regarded lawyer in capital markets: equity and M&A.
Work highlights
Tricor acquisition of New Zealand Guardian Trust
Advising Tricor, the leading business expansion specialist in Asia, on the proposed acquisition of Complectus' corporate trusts services business (including The New Zealand Guardian Trust Company Limited and Covenant Trustee Services Limited).
Tainui Group Holdings
Advised Tainui Group Holdings on its completed purchase of a half share in Centre Place North, a large retail shopping centre in central Hamilton, as part of a complex joint venture arrangement with Kiwi Property, on the sale of The Base including Te Awa, Hamilton's largest mall where Kiwi Property purchased half stake in the 120-year ground lease over the land, for which rents are prepaid, while Tainui will retain freehold title, and on its investments in Go Bus and Waikato Milking Systems.
Orion takeover
Advised Orion Health on its NZ$110 million takeover by Grafton Health Holding.
Lock-up agreement for Airwork proposed takeover
Advising the majority shareholder of Airwork Holdings, Hugh Jones, on his lock-up arrangements with Zhejiang Rifa Holding Group (RIFA), concerning RIFA’s proposed partial takeover of Airwork Holdings.
Ngāi Tahu Capital acquisition of Hilton Haulage
Advised Ngāi Tahu Capital on the purchase of 50% interest in Hilton Haulage, a South Island trucking and storage firm.
Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 (FMCA) regime advice
Advising subsidiaries of Craigs Investment Partners in their roles as manager of a number of managed investment schemes (including Kiwisaver, superannuation and unit trust schemes) on the transition of those schemes to the FMCA regulations.
Advising New Zealand Guardian Trust on the transition process in its role as supervisor of a large number of schemes (15) for fund manager AMP, including the appointment as supervisor for a majority (10) of those schemes, to the FMCA regulations.
Asahi Group acquisition of Independent Liquor
Advised Asahi on the New Zealand law aspects of the NZ$1.5 billion acquisition of Independent Liquor, Asahi's largest ever acquisition.
Carter Holt Harvey's sale of its forestry business to Hancock Natural Resources Group
Advised Rank Group's subsidiary, Carter Holt Harvey on the sale of its forestry business comprising all of its forestry interests including approximately 260,000 ha of freehold and non-freehold forestry estate, to US-based forestry manager Hancock Natural Resource Group, for in excess of NZ$1.5 billion. This was one of the biggest and most complex property sales in New Zealand's history.
Macpac acquisition
Advised Macpac on the acquisition by Australian private equity fund, CHAMP Ventures.
The New Zealand Guardian Trust as trustee
Advising New Zealand Guardian Trust in its role as trustee of the Fonterra Shareholders Fund.
Acquisition of South Canterbury Finance loan portfolios
Advised a global investment bank on its successful acquisition of the rural, commercial and consumer loan portfolios of South Canterbury Finance Group.
Orion Health IPO
Advised Orion Health on its initial public offering and listing on the NZX and ASX.
