Paul is a highly regarded senior corporate lawyer with more than 30 years’ experience across many sectors, including energy, manufacturing, and financial markets. He has a reputation for innovative thinking which enables complex transactions to be worked through to a successful conclusion.
He provides market leading advice on strategic transactions, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), takeovers, equity capital raisings, and foreign investment approvals. Paul’s corporate advisory practice spans governance, continuous disclosure obligations, directors’ duties, and Companies Act, Securities Act, Takeovers Code, and Listing Rules advice.
Paul has substantial governance experience as a non-executive director of companies in the energy and resources sector. He is currently the Chair of the DrylandCarbon LP and Forest Partners LP carbon sequestration investment funds, a past director of listed oil exploration company, New Zealand Oil and Gas, and past chair of ASX listed Cue Energy. Paul’s strong governance and commercial knowledge of the issues faced by the sector is invaluable and has seen him appointed as adviser on many critical projects for leading companies in the sector. He was recognised as a Chartered Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors in 2014.
Paul is Chair of fund manager Booster Financial Services Limited and represents its funds on boards of its direct investment entities.
Ranked as a Senior Statesperson in energy and natural resources by legal directory Chambers Asia-Pacific, Paul is praised by his clients for his pragmatic and clear advice. One client comments: "He is very practical and commercial in his advice and suggestions. He knows exactly when he has to step in. His familiarity with and advice on how to deal with regulators in New Zealand were most certainly appreciated." – Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022. Another client has said that Paul’s “extensive experience in the energy and resource sector and his understanding of our needs means we are always in safe hands" - Chambers Asia-Pacific 2021.
Having been a Partner for more than 25 years until 2019, Paul continues to provide key strategic advice to clients as part of our corporate advisory team.
Career highlights
Working with the internal project team to determine Z’s desired outcome from the closure of the Marsden Point refinery and the resulting move to import all product requirements.
Advising The Treasury on the Government’s response to Rio Tinto’s signalled closure of its Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, including assessment of the environmental framework for that closure.
Advising the Crown on the implications to it of the partial sale of NZ Post by Kiwibank (to ACC and NZ Super) including the restructure of the Crown’s standby guarantee of Kiwibank, involving its redocumentation and the Crown being a participant to ongoing shareholder arrangements.
Leading the team that advised Z Energy on its $785 million acquisition of Chevron New Zealand (which owned and operated the Caltex retail fuel brand in New Zealand).
Affiliations
- Chair, Booster Financial Services Limited
- Chair, Dryland Carbon LLP
- Director, Darling Group Limited
- Director, Lifetime Group NZ
- Chartered Fellow, New Zealand Institute of Directors
Achievements and recognition
- Senior Statesperson, Energy and Natural Resources , Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Senior Statesperson, Energy and Natural Resources, Chambers Global
- Expert Consultant, Capital Markets: Equity, M&A, Energy and Infrastructure, IFLR1000
- Recognised, Capital Markets Law, Best Lawyers
- Recognised, Energy Law, Best Lawyers
- Recognised, Oil and Gas Law, Best Lawyers