Andrew, one of the firm’s co-founders, advises on a wide range of corporate, strategic and transactional matters, with a focus on takeovers, corporate advisory, governance, shareholder, co-investment and joint venture arrangements, and business acquisitions and divestments.
Andrew has particular expertise in providing strategic board, governance and transaction advice, including offshore investment in New Zealand. He is the lead legal adviser to a number of NZX listed entities and is regularly asked to provide specialist independent advice to boards in tandem with a company's usual legal advisers. He has developed a trusted adviser relationship with a number of local and international private investors and family offices in relation to their New Zealand interests, and has recognised expertise in the governance and capital structure of the New Zealand primary industry and co-operative sector.
Andrew is recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading public takeover lawyers, and co-heads the firm’s takeover practice. His experience and expertise in advising on the defence of hostile or unsolicited bids is unrivalled, and he is often sought out to provide specialist governance and strategic advice to boards who receive unsolicited bid proposals.
Before co-founding Harmos Horton Lusk, Andrew was a senior corporate partner at Russell McVeagh.
Recent recognition
- Market Leader, M&A, IFLR1000 2024
- Hall of Fame, Corporate and M&A, Asia Pacific Legal 500 2024
- Listed in The Legal 500’s 2024 Asia-Pacific M&A Power List
- Band 1, Corporate/Commercial, Chambers Global 2024 and Chambers Asia Pacific 2024
- Advised a finalist for M&A Deal of the Year at the 2024 New Zealand Law Awards
Governance and other roles
Andrew has extensive governance experience across the listed, unlisted and not for profit sectors in New Zealand.
He is the former chair of the board of NZX, and was formerly a director of ASX listed Scentre Group and of ASX listed AMP Limited and its subsidiaries AMP Bank Limited and AMP Life Limited. In addition, he is a director of a large private farm ownership holding company with external shareholders, and a former trustee of the New Zealand Arts Foundation and the McCahon Arts Trust which provides an Auckland based residence programme for visual artists.
Recent discloseable transaction experience
- Advised NZX-listed Vector on the joint venture arrangements for its $1.7 billion sale of 50% of Vector Metering to investment vehicles managed and advised by QIC Private Capital
- Advised Powering Australia Renewables (a consortium comprising Australia’s Future Fund, Queensland Investment Corporation and ASX listed AGL Energy) on its $3.05 billion consortium acquisition, together with Mercury NZ, of NZX/ASX-listed Tilt Renewables by scheme of arrangement
- Adviser to the board of NZX/ASX-listed The a2 Milk Company Limited in a specialist adviser role on a number of matters
- Strategic, capital structure and transactional advice to various primary and rural sector companies including in New Zealand's co-operative and mutual sectors