Karl has extensive experience acting for clients across a large number of industries. He advises clients on the acquisition, disposal, development and leasing of commercial property. He has significant experience on the property-related aspects of large scale corporate and banking transactions and complex acquisitions under the overseas investment regime.
Karl is an experienced lawyer with expertise in advising on commercial property transactions, both in New Zealand and the UK.
He has recently worked with Singapore's GIC Real Estate on their joint venture with Goodman Property Trust investing in office buildings in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour. He advised Host Hotels & Resorts (the largest US lodging real estate investment trust and globally one of the largest owners of luxury hotels) on the redevelopment and the sale of a number of hotels. He also advised Element Financial Corporation on the New Zealand property aspects of its purchase of the Custom Fleet business from General Electric.
Karl takes a commercial approach to transactions and provides clients with strategic advice on any property-related challenges that arise. Clients find Karl approachable and value the ease of working with him - even in high pressure situations.
Chambers Asia Pacific 2023 recognises Karl as an 'Up and Coming' real estate lawyer. Karl has also been recognised as a recommended lawyer for real estate and construction by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023. A previous edition commends Karl's "excellent attention to detail".
In early 2014 Karl returned to New Zealand after four years working in the UK, most recently for the London office of global law firm King & Wood Mallesons. Before moving to the UK, Karl worked for another top tier law firm in New Zealand for three and a half years.
Work highlights
Invesco Real Estate fund
Advised Invesco Real Estate fund on its acquisition and leasing of Chorus House, Auckland, in one of 2019’s largest commercial property deals in New Zealand.
Kiwi Property
Advised Kiwi Property on its development of a new office tower at Sylvia Park, Auckland, and the leasing of premises within the tower to occupational tenants.
Investec Property
Advised Investec Property on the purchase of the Majestic Centre, Wellington, from Kiwi Property for more than NZ$123 million.
GIC Real Estate acquisition
Advised GIC Real Estate, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, on its joint venture with Goodman Property Trust investing in a portfolio of 6 significant office buildings in Auckland’s Viaduct Quarter, including the Air New Zealand and Fonterra Head Offices.
Host Hotels & Resorts redevelopments and sales
Advised Host Hotels & Resorts, the largest US lodging real estate investment trust and globally one of the largest owners of luxury hotels, on the redevelopment of the Christchurch and Queenstown Novotel Hotels and the sale of its New Zealand hotel portfolio of 6 hotels, with a transaction value in excess of NZ$250 million.
First State Investments
Advised First State Investments on the property aspects of the acquisitions of Vector Gas Limited (New Zealand's largest distributor of electricity and gas) for NZ$952.5 million and the Maui natural gas pipeline (New Zealand’s largest high pressure transmission pipeline) for NZ$335 million.
Element Financial Corporation acquisition of Custom Fleet
Advised Element Financial Corporation on the New Zealand property aspects of its purchase of the Custom Fleet business from General Electric.
Overseas investment acquisitions
Advised an international investment fund on its proposed acquisition of a portfolio of 19 Countdown supermarket properties.
Advised an international investment fund on its acquisition of a large commercial office building (125 Queen Street, Auckland) which will require a major refurbishment to bring it back to an A Grade building.
Advised an international investor on its proposed acquisition of a private school and training business, which had a large portfolio of owned and leased properties around New Zealand.
Property finance advice
Provided property-related advice to Olympus Capital as funder of the acquisition and development of the Springpark housing development in Mt Wellington, Auckland by a New Zealand developer.
Land sale for Delcon (Fletcher Building subsidiary)
Advised Delcon, a subsidiary of Fletcher Building, on a conditional sale and purchase agreement to sell land in Auckland’s Wynyard Precinct to a joint venture between the Singapore Government’s investment company GIC Real Estate and Goodman Property Trust.
Metro Performance Glass IPO
Provided property-related advice to Metro Performance Glass on the initial public offering of shares onto the NZX.
Purchase of bottled gas company
Acted for Duke Street (European private equity firm) on the real estate aspects of a corporate deal involving the purchase of a bottled gas business in the UK.
Leasing for Government party
Acted for The Conservative Party (UK) on the lease of their new headquarters at Matthew Parker Street, London.
