Stephen Lowe

LLB, BCom, Partner

Stephen is a Corporate Advisory partner in the national Corporate & Commercial Team specialising in corporate and commercial law with particular expertise in mergers and acquisitions and securities and energy law.

He has over 30 years’ legal experience and advises clients on all aspects of commercial law including corporate governance, contract law, trade practices, overseas investment, competition and securities.

Stephen has been noted as a leading lawyer in mergers and acquisitions by independent legal directory IFLR1000, and is also recommended by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019. Stephen is included in NZ Lawyer's Hot List and was selected by his peers for inclusion in the Ninth Edition of The Best Lawyers in New Zealand in the practice areas of: Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Private Equity Law.

He has acted as advisor to a wide range of businesses including AMP, ANZ, Amcor, Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Heinz, Honda, Maui Capital, Mercury, Orora, Philip Morris, PwC, the New Zealand Treasury, Tegel and Westpac.
"I understand your business, use my experience to deliver commercial insights, and deliver cost-effective solutions."

Recent Projects

  • Advising global broadcasting and production business NEP Group on its acquisition of Sky Network Television’s outside broadcasting assets.

  • Advising the New Zealand Treasury on the IPO of Genesis Energy.

  • Advising Mercury on its IPO under the New Zealand government’s mixed ownership model.

  • Advising Maui Capital on the establishment of the Indigo and Aqua Funds, and on investments by those funds.

  • Advising Mercury on the establishment of its Kawerau, Nga Awa Purua and Ngatamariki geothermal power stations.

  • Advising ASX listed Orora on the NZ aspects of the sale of fibe business to Nippon Paper for AUD1.7b;

  • Advising ASX listed Adairs on its purchase of Mocka furniture for AUD75.5m;

  • Advising ASX listed AMP on separation issues for the sale to Resolution Life.

  • Advising UK based True Capital Limited on its NZ aspects of its acquisition of Soulfresh for GBP26m.

  • Advising NZX Listed NZ Windfarms on its electricity hedge contract with Mercury Energy.

  • Advising multinational NEP on its proposed acquisition of Sky’s outside broadcasting unit.

  • Advising US based Pear Sports LLC on its acquisition of Performance Labs Technology Limited.

  • Advising KDK Ventures on the establishment of its private capital fund.
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Recent Articles

4/06/2021

Change is coming to New Zealand’s overseas investment regime

The Government has enacted long anticipated amendments to the Overseas Investment Act 2005 (Act) which regulates overseas investment in New Zealand. Some of the changes take effect as early as 5 July 2021, with the emergency call-in notification regime coming to an end even sooner.

Keep reading...



15/05/2020

COVID-19: OIO to screen all overseas investments

The Government has announced that it will amend the Overseas Investment Act in mid-June. From then, the proposal is that all foreign investment that results in a more than 25% ownership interest, an increase in existing interests to, or greater than, 50%, 75%, 100%, or effectively a change of control in the underlying business, must be notified.

Keep reading...



12/05/2020

Crisis cartels or COVID collusion: Supreme Court Judgement a timely reminder against cartel arrangements

A Supreme Court judgement handed down last month related to the Commerce Commission’s cases against real estate agencies in Hamilton in connection with TradeMe fees for properties listed for sale. The Commerce Commission has to date secured $19m in penalties and the High Court will now determine the penalties for the remaining two agencies and two individuals. This time next year it will be a criminal offence to enter into a cartel arrangement in New Zealand. This aligning New Zealand competition law with that of Australia and other trading partners.

Keep reading...

Memberships

  • Institute of Directors
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