Emma Sutcliffe Emma Sutcliffe

Emma Sutcliffe

Partner & Chair of the Board
Wellington

Finance

Emma specialises in finance law, including from a sustainability perspective. She has a broad client base including banks, corporates and other entities.

With particular experience in acquisition finance and debt capital markets, Emma regularly advises a wide range of clients in those areas. Her experience also includes advising on project finance transactions, syndicated and bilateral bank financing, structured finance transactions, ISDA agreements, consumer finance law and personal property securities issues.

Emma is recognised as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific 2023, a Leading Individual by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024, Emma is also featured in NZ Lawyer's Elite Women List 2024.

Recent highlights

  • Advised ANZ on New Zealand's first sustainability-linked loan (to Synlait Milk).
  • Assisted multiple corporate and bank issuers with bond issuances, including Z Energy, Christchurch International Airport and ASB Bank.
  • Advised Powerco on its full suite of financing matters, including bank facilities and capital markets transactions.
  • Acted for Z Energy on the funding of its $785m acquisition of Chevron New Zealand's downstream operations in New Zealand.
  • Advised the syndicate of lenders to Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board on funding the acquisition of AMP Capital Property Portfolio's assets in New Zealand, worth in excess of $1b.
  • Advised major New Zealand banks on issues relating to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act and Fair Trading Act.

Affiliations

  • Technical Working Group member of the Aotearoa Circle Sustainable Finance Forum.
  • Director of the Banking and Financial Services Law Association.
  • Institute of Financial Professionals New Zealand.

Emma's insights

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Three Chapman Tripp Partners named Elite Women

We are thrilled that Chapman Tripp Partners Emma Sutcliffe, Laura Fraser and Lauren Curtayne have been recognised on NZ Lawyer’s 2024 Elite Women List. The list includes 30 exceptional female leaders that have influenced the New Zealand legal profession in a way that demonstrates a passion for the law.

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Chapman Tripp awarded New Zealand Law Firm of the Year for the seventh year running

Chapman Tripp has won New Zealand Law Firm of the Year at the 2022 KangaNews Awards for the Australian and New Zealand debt markets.

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Chapman Tripp proud to contribute to New Zealand’s first Stewardship Code

The 2022 Responsible Investment Aotearoa NZ Conference has seen the launch of New Zealand’s first Stewardship Code, which provides guiding principles for stewardship for responsible investors in New Zealand.

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medical x ray being examined

Pacific Radiology makes growth-focused sale

We advised Pacific Radiology Group Limited on all aspects of its strategic sale of a $313m stake to investment company Infratil Limited, creating a platform for PRG to accelerate growth.

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green shoots in soil

Certified commitment to environmental sustainability

We meet the requirements of Toitū's carbonreduce® certification programme, having measured our GHG emissions. We are committed to managing and reducing our carbon footprint.

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Advising ANZ on New Zealand’s first ESG loan

We worked with ANZ on a ground breaking deal for NZ’s first loan linked to environmental, social and governance measures.

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Top 25 NZX companies not reliant on banks for funding

A more cautious approach to capital within banks and higher interest rates, coupled with greater diversity of funding sources available, have driven several of the top 50 NZX-listed companies to look elsewhere...

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