Martin Wiseman

Partner

Martin Wiseman handles the full gamut of corporate matters, with a track record of acting on some of New Zealand’s biggest and most complex transactions.

— Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024

Emailmartin.wiseman@dlapiper.com

Call+64 27 588 8830

Auckland

About

Areas of FocusConsumer Goods, Food and Retail Insurance Life Sciences Corporate Restructuring Mergers and Acquisitions

EXPERIENCE

Advising Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa on the sale of a retirement village located in Ōrākei to Generus Living Group Limited.
Advising Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa on a joint venture with Precinct Properties Holdings Limited to develop the Downtown Car Park building in central Auckland into two twin high rise towers.
Advised Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa on a joint venture to acquire and redevelop commercial office assets located in central Auckland with NZX listed entity Precinct Properties Holdings Limited and PAG.
Advised NTG (and Oakley) on all legal aspects of the purchase of 100% of the share capital of Doyle Sails, a leading sailmaking company based in New Zealand that specialises in designing and manufacturing high-performance sails for various sailing disciplines, including cruising, racing, one-design, superyachts and grand prix classes.
Advised Bessemer Venture Partners, a US venture capital fund with over US$5 billion under management, on its Series C investment in Halter USA, Inc and its subsidiaries.
Advised Weta Digital Limited (now Wētā FX Limited) and shareholders Sean Parker and Prem Akkaraju on the sale of Weta Digital’s VFX Tech Division to Unity for USD1.625 billion. The transaction is one of the largest private New Zealand M&A transactions on record and represents the largest successful M&A transaction in the visual effects industry globally.
Advised Foodstuffs on the divestment of block of shares representing 9% of listed retailer The Warehouse Group Limited (TWS).
Advised Auckland Council, the largest local government in the southern hemisphere, on the sale of its Amenities and Infrastructure Maintenance Services (AIMS) business unit, which is responsible for the operations and maintenance of Auckland's parks, sports fields, streets, trees, community buildings, stormwater and the airport.
Advised OSF Digital, a Salesforce Partner for over 10 years and a leading provider of commerce solutions and digital transformation services to B2B and B2C companies worldwide, on its acquisition of 100% of the shares in Adept Group Limited.
Advised Bessemer Venture Partners, a US venture capital fund with over US$5 billion under management, on its lead investment to a US$6 million series A preferred investment in Portainer.io Limited.
Advised US tech entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sean Parker, in relation to his strategic equity investment in Weta Digital Limited.
Acted for Panuku Development Auckland Limited (Panuku) (an Auckland Council controlled organisation (CCO)) on the transfer of its substantial and complex Auckland waterfront asset portfolio to Auckland Council. The purchase price of approx. $780 million was returned to Auckland Council by way of a dividend declared by Panuku to Auckland Council and share buy-back by Panuku.
Regularly act for and advise Pfizer including on various acquisitions, dispositions and internal reorganisations, and day-to-day business as usual advice including contractual arrangements including with PHARMAC.
Acted as lead adviser for the merger parties in the Court approved merger of Foodstuffs (Wellington) Co-operative Society Limited and Foodstuffs (Auckland) Limited to become Foodstuffs North Island Limited in 2012 and 2013. The merged co-operative had whole of business annual revenue of NZD$7.7 billion in 2018 and is franchisor to ~383 retail and wholesale owner operated grocery outlets under the PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square and Gilmours banners.
Acting for GE (General Electric) on various matters.
Advised TOWER on: its 2011 bid for the business as usual insurance business of AMI Insurance (ultimately acquired by IAG); the sale of its health business to nib holdings of Australia in 2012; the sale of its investments business to Fisher Funds Management in 2012 and 2013; the sale of its non-participating life insurance book to Fidelity Life Assurance, a transaction under which TOWER derived value of $189 million, in 2013; and the sale of its remaining life business TOWER Life (N.Z.) Limited to Foundation Life for an aggregate value of $36 million in 2014.
Provided advice for WEL Networks Limited on its participation as a commercial partner in the Crown’s ultrafast broadband initiative.
Advice to Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited Shareholders’ Council from its inception in 2001 to Trading Among Farmers capital restructure in 2014. Fonterra is New Zealand’s largest company.