John Powell

Partner

Auckland

Banking & Finance

+64 9 367 8303 DDI +64 27 442 2256 Mobile [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-powell-1aa6025/

Profile

John is a specialist in asset, development, corporate and acquisition finance, complex debt restructuring solutions, and export credit financing arrangements. John provides expert advice to banks, corporates, mezzanine funders and borrowers. He is sought after by institutions and individuals for his sharp insight, pragmatic style and wealth of experience.

John became a partner at Russell McVeagh in 2004. He was Chair of the Partnership from 2017-2019, and has previously been Practice Group Chair for Banking and Finance.

Related expertise

Banking & Finance

Restructuring & Insolvency

Private Equity

Experience

John has applied his considerable skills in funding, structuring and regulatory matters across a variety of jurisdictions. His recent transactions have included:

Advising Scentre Group, owner and operator of Westfield in Australia and New Zealand, on its US$3.0b subordinated hybrid note issue in the United States market, the issuance of A$600m of subordinated non-call floating rate notes and A$1.0b of senior notes.
Advising ASB as super senior working capital, transactional banking and swap provider to the E&LF Group to support an Anchorage purchase of E&LF Group.
Advising Credit Suisse as lead arranger and underwriter of Kathmandu's facilities to part fund its acquisition of Rip Curl. The transaction won Best New Zealand Deal at the Finance Asia Australian Achievement Awards for 2019.
Advising The Power Company on its debut USPP issue and shelf facility.
Advising Argosy, Scentre Group, the Warehouse Group, T&G Global, Eastpack, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Summerset Group on their borrowing arrangements.
Advising the bank funders to Stride, PFI, Investore and Metlifecare.

Property and Development Finance

Advising NZ PropCo on its multi-tranche debt funding of the Todd Property portfolio.
Advising bank and non-bank funders on various subdivision, commercial, apartment and hotel developments.
Advising mezzanine lenders on apartment and other shared-ownership structures.
Advising developers on funding, retail, commercial and student accommodation projects.

Project, Asset and ECA Finance

Acting for ANZ Bank on the establishment and utilisation of funded and unfunded export credit programmes with EKF (Denmark) and ECGD (United Kingdom).
Advising BOTM on the utilisation of EKF supported funding.
Advising on the construction and launch of various Hong Kong and Chinese satellites.
Advising KiwiRail on its ferry funding arrangements.
Advising on receivables sale and lease transactions.

Acquisition and Corporate Finance

Advising Pencarrow on the senior funding of its acquisition of a stake in New Zealand Frost Fans.
Acting for International Container Terminal Services (Philippines) on its bid for Vancouver Port.
Advising Heartland Bank on its acquisition funding of the Seniors Money Business.

Debt Restructuring and Insolvency

Advising PricewaterhouseCoopers as receivers of the Mainzeal group.
Advising statutory supervisors on the restructuring of finance company debenture programmes.
Acting for Smart Communications on its acquisition of control of Piltel through discounted debt purchase arrangements.
Acting for Bank of America and IFC on their refinancing of Star Petroleum Refinery’s (Thailand) US$570 million domestic, international, IFC and JBIC debt.
Acting for TRI and Celcom (Malaysia) to refinance their convertible bond obligations.
Refinancing of the Sunway group’s US$100 million Euro-convertible bonds (Malaysia).

Insights

Recognition

John is recognised as a leading Banking and Finance lawyer by the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2025 Guide and Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2025 Guide, and as a 'Distinguished Practitioner' by Asialaw Profiles 2022. He is named a 'Highly Regarded' lawyer by IFLR 1000 2024/25 for Banking, and named a 'World Leader' for Banking/Finance by Who's Who Legal 2023. John was selected by his peers as '2023 Lawyer of the Year' in the Best Lawyers® New Zealand Guide for Banking and Finance Law and is recognised in the 2024 Guide for Banking and Finance Law and Leveraged Buyouts.

John won the 'Project Finance Deal of the Year' award at the 2022 NZ Law Awards for his work advising on the KiwiRail loan facility to purchase passenger and freight rail ferries, and was also named a finalist for 'Project Finance Deal of the Year' in the IFLR Asia Pacific Awards 2022.

Client feedback from Chambers & Partners Guide emphasises John's expertise in Banking and Finance, stating John:

"is a highly experienced technical lawyer who is commercial and works well with the client and all of those involved in a transaction to ensure the best result."
"is an extremely thorough, very technical, always available, very experienced lawyer."
"is probably the most experienced banking lawyer in New Zealand. His knowledge is exceptional."
"has great passion in his work and always has his client's interests at the forefront. His experience and guidance is always valued."
"is very commercial, solution-oriented and abreast of industry developments."