Qualifications
BA (Hons), LLB (Hons), Victoria University of Wellington
Admitted
2006, New Zealand
Rachel is one of New Zealand’s most sought-after corporate and securities lawyers, having played a pivotal role in many of the country's most significant IPOs, capital raisings and other capital markets transactions. She has particular expertise in equity capital markets, public and private mergers and acquisitions (M&A), corporate governance and listed company compliance.
Rachel is a trusted adviser to boards, sharing her considerable knowledge of disclosure and corporate governance matters. Her extensive experience working with both issuers and lead managers has earned her a reputation for ensuring complex and involved processes run smoothly.
Rachel is a current member of the Takeovers Panel, the independent Crown entity that regulates New Zealand's takeovers market, and the NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal , the independent regulatory body that oversees conduct by NZX listed issuers and market participants. She is also a founding member of the NZX Corporate Governance Institute, established to assist in delivering corporate governance policy settings for NZX listed issuers.
Rachel has been recognised as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific 2025 and Chambers Global 2025 and as a Leading Individual by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025. She was also acknowledged as a Highly Regarded Woman Leader by IFLR1000 2024 and featured in NZ Lawyer's Elite Women List 2023.
Recent highlights
- Advising the underwriters and lead managers, Jarden, Craigs Investment Partners and Forysth Barr, on Ryman Healthcare’s equity raise of approximately $1 billion, comprising a $313 million underwritten institutional placement and an approximately $688 million underwritten accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer.
- Advising a range of issuers on responses to unsolicited approaches for control transactions, including Sky Network Television and EROAD.
- Assisting Heartland Group Holdings to raise $210 million through a $105 million underwritten placement and a $105 million underwritten accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer (the first ANREO following amendments to the NZX Listing Rules to permit such structures) to enable Heartland Bank to complete the acquisition of Challenger Bank, now Heartland Bank Australia.
- Advising the underwriters and lead managers, Jarden and Macquarie, on Auckland International Airport’s equity raise of $1.4 billion, comprising an underwritten placement of $1.2 billion and a non-underwritten retail offer of $200 million.
- Advising the underwriter and lead manager, Jarden, on Fletcher Building’s $700 million equity raise, comprising a $282 million underwritten placement and $418 million underwritten accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer.
- Acting for the consortium of Northleaf Capital and InfraRed Capital Partners on the $1.7b acquisition of Vodafone New Zealand’s passive mobile network to create New Zealand’s largest independent tower company.
- Advising LSE listed specialist international distribution and services group Bunzl plc on its New Zealand acquisitions of Obex Medical Holdings, Universal Specialities, Toomac Holdings, DBM Medical and Cubro Holdings.
Affiliations
- NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal (one of 18 members).
- NZX Corporate Governance Institute (one of 12 members).
- NZ Takeovers Panel (one of 11 members).
- Sole legal representative on FMA and NZX convened Capital Markets 2029 Steering Committee.
- INFINZ (Cert).
- Listed Companies Association.
