Roger Wallis Roger Wallis

Roger Wallis

Partner
Auckland

Equity capital markets
Mergers & acquisitions
Corporate governance

Roger specialises in corporate and securities law. He advises on public market mergers and acquisitions, equity capital market transactions, business reorganisations, corporate governance and regulatory compliance.

Consistently ranked as a Leading Individual by independent legal directories, he is recognised as a Band 1 lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific 2024 and Chambers Global 2020. Roger is also highly regarded in capital markets by IFLR1000 2023, and is recognised as a Leading Individual by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024.

Roger is a previous chair and was a board member of Chapman Tripp for seven years, and was a member of the New Zealand Takeovers Panel for eight years.

Recent highlights

Has advised:

  • Vector on the sale of a 50% interest in Vector’s New Zealand and Australian metering business to investment funds managed and advised by QIC for approximately NZ$2.51b EV and NZ$1.74b net proceeds
  • Infratil on its NZ$935m placement and supersized share purchase plan to part fund acquisition of a further 49.9% of ONE.NZ
  • Connexa (in which Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) is currently a 70% shareholder; 83% post transaction) on the acquisition of 2degrees' passive mobile telecommunications tower assets for approximately NZ$1.076b following on from OTPP’s NZ$1.115b acquisition of Spark’s passive mobile towers business during 2022
  • the New Zealand Treasury on the Crown’s participation in Air New Zealand’s NZ$1.2b underwritten rights issue
  • EBOS on its NZ$845m capital raise to part fund its acquisition of the Lifehealthcare medical devices business from Pacific Equity Partners 
  • Z Energy on a scheme of arrangement with ASX-listed Ampol for NZ$1.95b
  • Precinct Properties New Zealand on stapling of securities and changes to its listing arrangements on the NZX Main Board, its NZ$1b property fund joint venture with GIC, following on from advising the independent directors of Precinct on the internalisation of its management from AMP Haumi Management for NZ$215m
  • The Selwyn Foundation on the NZ$212m sale of six retirement villages and aged care facilities to listed retirement operator Metlifecare
  • Mercury on a consortium bid with PowAR to acquire Tilt under a NZ$3.24b scheme of arrangement whereby Mercury acquired Tilt’s New Zealand assets for ~NZ$770m enterprise value.

Affiliations

  • Chartered member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.
  • Certified member of the Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand.
  • Executive officer of the Listed Companies Association.
  • Former Chair of the NZX Legal & Regulatory Advisory Board.

Roger's insights

See all insights

Chapman Tripp advises Vector on sale of 50% interest in Vector Metering to QIC

We are delighted to have advised Vector on the sale of 50% of its New Zealand and Australian metering business, Vector Metering, to QIC Private Capital for an EV of NZ$2.5b and gross proceeds to Vector of NZ$1.7b.

Read more

Chapman Tripp advises Connexa on $1.076 billion deal to acquire 2degrees’ passive cell tower assets

Chapman Tripp advised Connexa on $1.076 billion deal to acquire 2degrees’ passive cell tower assets. Connexa agreed to acquire 1,124 passive mobile telecommunication towers from 2degrees in December 2022 and the transaction is now complete. In connection with the transaction, 2degrees entered into a 20-year services agreement with Connexa, under which Connexa will provide access to space on the towers. 2degrees has also committed to an additional 450 tower tenancies with Connexa.

Read more

Chapman Tripp advises OTPP on acquisition of Spark TowerCo in NZ$1.15b deal

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (OTPP) has acquired 70% of Spark New Zealand’s mobile tower business in a NZ$1.15b deal that closed on 14 October 2022.  This transaction is the first carve-out of a mobile network operator’s passive tower infrastructure agreed in the New Zealand market.

Read more

Time for directors to bring their best game to the board

“Any director who thought that, once the world entered post-pandemic mode, things would settle down and life would be easier – will be well and truly disabused of that notion by now.”

Read more

Skyscraper

Helping Precinct Properties to next stage

We are pleased to have assisted Precinct Properties New Zealand (NZX: PCT) to achieve a ground-changing strategic partnership with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC.

Read more

three pensioners on a park bench in a garden

Helping The Selwyn Foundation help others

We are pleased to have been able to assist The Selwyn Foundation to sell half of its retirement village portfolio so that it can substantially strengthen its charitable mission.

Read more

two old people walking on a beach

$345m acquisition in retirement village sector

We advised Arvida Group Limited on the purchase of six retirement villages in a game-changing acquisition, which will increase Arvida’s portfolio in the sector by 24% and provide it with a further growth platform.

Read more

energy wind farm

Mercury brings home Tilt’s wind farms

We are pleased to have helped Mercury NZ Limited acquire all of Tilt Renewables Limited’s New Zealand assets, operations and future development options.

Read more

precinct properties website tile

On ground floor with Precinct in innovative deal

We are pleased to be assisting Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited in its $250m equity raising.

Read more

sienna spiral

Chapman Tripp named New Zealand Deal Firm of the Year

Our corporate and commercial team were named New Zealand Deal Firm of the Year at this year’s Australasian Law Awards.

Read more

bees farming honey

King Honey sold to Me Today

Last week, Me Today (NZX: MEE) opened its capital raise to retail investors, to help fund its $36m acquisition of King Honey announced on 31 May 2021.

Read more

lawn bowls

Oceania raises $100m for acquisitions in Auckland

Oceania Healthcare has successfully raised $100m to fund the acquisition of a premium Auckland retirement village, Waterford at Hobsonville Point and its currently leased Franklin site and adjacent land for development.

Read more

reflective window building

A humming start to 2021 for NZ’s equity capital markets

We have observed a busy Q1, advising on all major ($5m+) equity capital market transactions on the NZX.

Read more

colourful night sky

A time for boardrooms to hold their nerve

The opportunity is out there – to ‘build back better’, but this is going to require effective governance and, in some of the more exposed sectors, a willingness to work through difficult conditions. This, and more themes are discussed in our 2020 edition of Corporate Governance – trends and insights.

Read more

boardroom office

Over $2.35b capital raised with equity capital markets experts

Our equity capital markets team has advised clients on capital raisings totalling over $2.35b since NZX Regulation released its COVID-19 relief package.

Read more

building glass

Clients’ choice for capital raisings

Our equity capital markets team continues to be in hot demand, acting on more recent capital raisings than any other law firm in NZ..

Read more

covid 19

Six equity capital raisings in response to COVID‑19, to raise almost $2b

We have been trusted counsel on more capital raisings in response to COVID-19 than any other law firm in NZ.

Read more

stock market chart on screen

First 2020 NZX new equity listing

Me Today was the first NZX equity issuer listing under a ‘reverse listing transaction’, after raising $1.5m growth capital amongst the challenging backdrop of COVID-19 lockdown.

Read more

sienna spiral

Supporting Vector on sale of Kapuni interests

We assisted Vector over the sale of its Kapuni gas treatment plant and related assets.

Read more

crowds walking on purple path

Governance trends in 2019

We ask whether the “shareholder primacy” ethos, which has prevailed in New Zealand and like jurisdictions for generations, is now in decline?

Read more

crowds walking on purple path

Churchill a potential champion for directors in paper war

​Directors may find a champion in Sir Winston Churchill as they fight the battle of the bulging board information pack...

Read more

orange windows on building

The stage is set for more vibrant equity capital markets

The stage is set for a rebound of New Zealand’s equity capital markets, with much brighter years now firmly in sight, Chapman Tripp says.

Read more

people walking through office

Impact investment poised for lift off

​Increasing investor interest, evolving data capability and rapid advances in markets are aligning to create the conditions for a growth surge in impact investment in New Zealand.

Read more

swirls and lights

Disclosure – a key performance and risk area for boards

​The quality of disclosure is improving in response to regulatory signals but has a way to go yet despite a recent high profile reminder from mining giant Rio Tinto about the costs of getting it wrong.

Read more

orange geometric shapes

A return to form for ECM? Not this year

​​More vibrant equity capital markets may be on the horizon for New Zealand – but not this year, Chapman Tripp says.

Read more