As leader of the Producer
Board Project Team , and subsequently as an adviser to
various industry parties, Tony has been closely involved in
analysing and re-organising supplier marketing co-operatives,
including the NZ Dairy, Apple + Pear Board, Kiwifruit, Meat,
Wool, Pork, Hops, and Raspberry Boards, all of which were
operated under a co-operative philosophy. Many of those boards
have restructured to become co-operatives. Tony has written
extensively on New Zealand’s largest company, Fonterra
and the dairy
industry.
Tony was invited to present to an international
workshop in February 2007, organised by the Global
Corporate Governance Forum - an organisation established
by the World Bank and the OCED. The London workshop focused
on governance issues facing co-operatives, particularly in
developing countries. Tony presented on “Renewal
of Co-operatives – Traditional to New Generation”
Tony also led the team that developed the
legal framework for corporatising the NZ Apple and Pear Board
(ENZA),the NZ Kiwifruit Board (ZESPRI), and the NZ Dairy Board
While on secondment
to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Tony was
heavily involved in developing key aspects of the current
company law regime.
As a company and commerical lawyer, Tony
advised a range of boards on their duties and obligations
as directors. Tony was invited to address the 8th International
Conference on Corporate Governance in London in September
2007
Contract analysis and negotiations
Thales
Group is a large Anglo-French electronics multi-national.
Tony worked in its legal team on commercial transactions with
parties in the USA, UK, India and the Middle East, preparing:
Requests for tender
Partnership agreements, and
Equipment supply contracts
Tony helped the Thales
Group to resolve a major contractual dispute with EDS
in relation to an electronics supply agreement in the United
States.
In early 2007, Tony was engaged by the Government
to review and help develop a NZ
Defence Forces proposal to acquire satellite communication
services at a reported cost of $100m.
Co-ordinated the first equity prospectus
to be registered in both Australia and NZ
Co-ordinated the documentation for other
public floats
Advised on take-overs and company reorganisations
Helped to restructure State-owned enterprises
Manage the legal work for the trustee
of the Fletcher Challenge and BIL debenture trust deeds
Analysed the scope and nature of directors'
potential liabilities under the Resource Management Act
Commerce Act
Tony was closely involved in ensuring that Commerce Act requirements
could be satisfied:
In forming the New Zealand electricity
market (NZEM), and
Under a proposed 'mega-merger' of New
Zealand's dairy co-operatives
Tony has also been involved in two reviews
of the Commerce Act, including its approach to vertically
integrated natural monopolies
Industry facilitation
Telecommunications:
Local loop unbundling (2006-07) - Tony leads two working
parties established by the telecommunications industry to
develop technical and operational rules for the implementation
of ‘local loop unbundling’ and ‘naked DSL’
in New Zealand
Transpower’s
grid upgrade proposals (2007)
In mid-2007, Tony assisted Transpower in planning and managing
stakeholder workshops on various grid investment proposals,
in particular for North Auckland and Northland, Waitaki to
Christchurch, and the HVDC Pole 1 retirement or replacement.
Transpower review of grid investment processes
(2006-07) Tony is assisting Transpower in its review of various
internal and external processes that need to come together
to make efficient investment decisions in relation to the
national transmission grid, including approvals from Transpower’s
board, the Electricity Commission, local authorities, and
land owners. Transpower’s review includes internal workshops,
and consultation with stakeholders
Hedge
Market Development Group (2004-06): Tony chairs a group
of senior executives to agree on a package of measures to
improve the market for instruments used in managing electricity
spot and basis price risks
Model
electricity retail contracts : Tony successfully chaired
this group of industry executives and consumer representatives
in developing a draft set of model electricity retail contracts
(before the formation of the Electricity Commission)
