David Weavers

Experience

David has worked on a number of landmark transactions including: for Greece on its €206bn debt restructuring, for CVC on the first European LBO and dividend-recapitalisation using US-style covenant-lite financing terms, and for HNA on the financing for its US$6.5bn acquisition of a stake in Hilton from Blackstone. David has advised Goldman Sachs (Special Situations Group), TPG Special Situations Partners (including TPG's direct-lending platform) and Hillhouse Capital (China's largest private equity sponsor) on a number of transactions across the capital structure.

He has spent extended periods on secondment to banks and funds in a variety of legal and non-legal roles.

David is the firm's representative on the New Zealand APLMA documentation committee and has experience presenting at industry-wide events.

David's experience includes advising:

Acquisition Finance

Fonterra on the vendor financing for its sale of DFE Pharma to CVC.
An Australasian private equity sponsor on its bid for Tip Top, including working with a number of financial institutions and debt funds on a senior/mezz package and a unitranche/super-senior RCF package.
Pacific Equity Partners in relation to a number of existing investments and new opportunities.
CPE Capital (formally CHAMP Private Equity) in relation to a number of existing investments and new opportunities.
KKR in relation to the New Zealand aspects of its US TLB financing to acquire MYOB by way of scheme of arrangement.
Riverside in relation to financing its acquisition of Hiway Group from Direct Capital.
A direct-lender in relation to a US$55m financing to support an existing portfolio of New Zealand oil & gas assets and a significant acquisition.
Nintex in relation to financing its acquisition of Promapp.
ANZ in relation to financing a New Zealand private company to acquire businesses in Singapore and Thailand.
Oaktree and Navis Capital in relation to the merger and subsequent refinancing of two established businesses, creating the largest fitness club group in Asia.

HNA in relation to financing its US$6.5bn acquisition of a 25% stake in Hilton, the largest-to-date margin loan for a US public acquisition (American Lawyer Global Deal of the Year 2017: Acquisition Finance).
A leading Asia regional private equity sponsor in relation to financing its acquisition of a Singapore listed company.
CVC in relation to a €400m (first-lien/second-lien) covenant-lite dividend recapitalisation and refinancing of a European foods business.
A global private equity sponsor in relation to a bridge-to-bond financing for a bid for a European public company with investments across Africa.
ANZ in relation to financing a New Zealand listed company to make a significant bolt-on acquisition.

Corporate Finance

One of New Zealand's largest corporates in relation to its NZ$350m refinancing with international banks.
ANZ in relation to financing transactions covering a variety of sectors (aged care, property, technology, primary industries and oil & gas).
ASB in relation to financing transactions covering a variety of sectors (hospitality, aged care, manufacturing and financial services).
The financiers in relation to the refinancing of Napier Ports prior to its IPO on the NZX.
Kiwi Property Group in relation to its banking facilities.
Swissport in relation to the New Zealand aspects of its €1bn+ bank/bond refinancing.
BNZ in relation to financing an ASX listed property fund to acquire office buildings in the Auckland CBD.
BNZ in relation to refinancing a New Zealand private equity sponsor's portfolio company.
A New Zealand private equity sponsor in relation to an Australasian refinancing.
A bank syndicate in relation to the development financing for the largest-to-date apartment development in the Auckland CBD.
ArcelorMittal in relation to its US$6bn global revolving credit facility.
A UK listed company in relation to a US$180m asset financing facility to develop an iron ore project in Sierra Leone.

Restructuring & Special Situations

Greece in respect of its €206bn debt restructuring, the largest-ever bond exchange and largest-to-date sovereign debt restructuring (British Legal Awards 2012: European Legal Team of the Year; Financial Times US Innovative Lawyers Report 2012: Most Innovative in Finance; Legal Business Awards: Restructuring Team of the Year and Law Firm of the Year; Most Innovative US Law Firm in Europe).
A multinational natural resources group in relation to refinancing US$5bn+ of debt with Russian banks.
A global private equity sponsor in relation to a bid for a portfolio of distressed debt across Asia.
TPG and Goldman Sachs (Special Situations Group) on a number of distressed and structured investments across the capital structure in a variety of sectors and geographies, including the acquisition of several portfolios of non-performing loans.
Numerous credit investors on secondary debt trades, including analysis around value leakage and possible restructuring scenarios.

Debt Capital Markets

A European glass manufacturer on a €185m 144A/RegS high yield offering, internal group refinancing across Greece, Bulgaria and Romania and the redemption of its existing high-yield notes.
Consolidated Minerals on a US$400m 144A/RegS high yield offering, including bank/bond intercreditor arrangements.
A syndicate of underwriting banks on a proposed US$1bn 144A/RegS issuance by an emerging markets corporate headquartered in India.

Regulatory & Strategic Advice

Advice to a listed renewables business in connection with long-term offtake arrangements for a greenfield wind farm project.
The New Zealand financial markets regulator in respect of the establishment and authorisation of the NZX Derivatives Market for trading agricultural commodity futures products, including input on the rule set.
Advice in connection with non-bank lenders commencing operations in New Zealand.
A special committee of the board of a Chinese headquartered US listed company in relation to takeover defence and strategic alternatives (including a spin-off and structural separation).
A sovereign wealth fund on credit derivatives, longevity derivatives, weather derivatives and bespoke trades documented using structured investment products.
An emerging markets sovereign on repo-financing options.

Venture Capital

A leading Chinese investment management firm as a cornerstone investor in a US$1.5bn pre-IPO funding round of Qiyi.com.
Hillhouse Capital in respect of a number of pre-IPO structured investments in the technology and biotech sectors.

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