Ann: WAV/RULE: IFT: IFT - Application for waiver from Listing...

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    • Release Date: 29/12/14 09:10
    • Summary: WAV/RULE: IFT: IFT - Application for waiver from Listing Rule 9.2.1
    • Price Sensitive: No
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    					IFT
    29/12/2014 09:10
    WAV/RULE
    NOT PRICE SENSITIVE
    REL: 0910 HRS Infratil Limited
    
    WAV/RULE: IFT: IFT - Application for waiver from Listing Rule 9.2.1
    
    Waiver from NZX Main Board Listing Rule 9.2.1
    
    Decision
    
    1. Subject to the condition set out in paragraph 2 below, and on the basis
    that the information provided by Infratil Limited ("IFT") is complete and
    accurate in all material respects, NZX Regulation ("NZXR") grants IFT a
    waiver from NZX Main Board Listing Rule ("Rule") 9.2.1 to the extent required
    to allow IFT to enter into the Transactions (described in Appendix One)
    without first obtaining shareholder approval in relation to the Related Party
    relationship with GNZS.
    
    2. The waiver in paragraph 1 above is provided on the condition that all
    Non-interested Directors of IFT certify to NZXR that:
    
    (a) the Transactions have been entered into and negotiated on an arm's length
    commercial basis;
    
    (b) in their opinion, entry into the Transactions is fair and reasonable to,
    and in the best interests of, IFT and its shareholders who are not related
    to, or Associated Persons of, MCo (or any of the MCo-related entities) or
    GNZS; and
    
    (c) none of MCo, the directors of IFT who are Associated Persons of MCo (or
    any of the MCo-related entities) or GNZS have unduly influenced the promotion
    of, or decision to enter into, the Transactions or voted on any resolution to
    approve the Transactions.
    
    3. The information on which this decision is based is set out in Appendix One
    to this decision. This waiver will not apply if that information is not or
    ceases to be full and accurate in all material respects.
    
    4. The Rules to which this decision relates are set out in Appendix Two to
    this decision.
    
    Reasons
    
    5. In coming to the decision to provide the waiver set out in paragraph 1
    above, NZXR has considered that:
    
    (a) Rule 9.2.1 seeks to regulate transactions where a Related Party to a
    Material Transaction may gain favourable consideration due to their
    relationship with the Issuer. NZXR may waive the requirement to obtain
    approval of a Material Transaction if it is satisfied that the involvement of
    any Related Party is plainly unlikely to have influenced the promotion of, or
    the decision to enter into, the transaction. The granting of this waiver will
    not offend the policy behind Rule 9.2.1;
    
    (b) IFT has submitted, and NZXR has no reason not to accept, that the Related
    Parties are plainly unlikely to have influenced entry into or the terms of
    the Transactions, as:
    
    i. entry into, and the terms of, the Transactions have been negotiated on an
    arm's length commercial basis;
    
    ii. pursuant to the securityholders' agreement governing the JVco, IFT and
    GNZS will each make their capital contributions towards the acquisition on
    identical terms and at equal prices for the interests acquired; and
    
    iii. the decision to enter into the Transactions has been made by IFT's Non
    interested Directors and the MCo-related Directors will not vote on the
    decision by IFT to enter into the Transactions;
    
    (c) the certifications provided by IFT's Non-interested Directors as a
    condition of the waiver provide comfort that the Transactions will be
    negotiated, and entered into, on an arm's length commercial basis and that
    the MCo-related Directors have not exercised any undue influence over the
    board of IFT in its decision in respect of the Transactions; and
    
    (d) there is precedent for this decision, including waivers granted to IFT on
    25 March 2010, 28 February 2014, and 12 September 2014.
    
    Confidentiality
    
    6. IFT has requested that its application, and NZXR's decision, be kept
    confidential until the Transactions are signed and announced.
    
    7. In accordance with Footnote 1 to Rule 1.10.2, NZXR grants IFT's request.
    
    Appendix One
    
    1. IFT is a Listed Issuer with Securities Quoted on the NZX Main Board and
    the NZX Debt Market.
    
    2. IFT has entered into a 50:50 consortium (the "Consortium") with Guardians
    of New Zealand Superannuation ("GNZS"), to make a bid to acquire the
    subsidiaries of Retire Australia Holding Trust ("Retire Australia"). IFT and
    GNZS intend to form a joint venture company ("JVco") to acquire Retire
    Australia should their bid be successful.
    
    3. The acquisition of Retire Australia and the arrangements relating to the
    Consortium and the JVco all form part of a related series of transactions
    (the "Transactions").
    
    4. Upon a successful bid for Retire Australia, IFT and GNZS will form the
    JVco. IFT and GNZS will each make capital contributions of approximately
    A$215 million towards the purchase price of Retire Australia. The balance of
    the purchase price will be funded by assuming existing senior bank lending
    within the Retire Australia Group.
    
    5. IFT and GNZS will enter into the acquisition on an equal basis, as each
    entity, through its participation in the JVco, will obtain a 50% interest in
    Retire Australia for equal consideration, and on the same terms.
    
    6. Both IFT and GNZS are being advised on the Transactions by H.R.L Morrison
    & Co Group LP ("MCo") related entities, being Morrison & Co infrastructure
    Management Limited ("MCIM") and Morrison & Co Funds Management Limited
    ("MCFM") respectively (together the "MCo-related entities").
    
    7. This advice is being provided under the terms of IFT's and GNZS' own
    existing investment management agreements. MCIM and MCFM will receive fees in
    respect of the investment in accordance with those existing agreements, which
    may include performance fees if the performance of the investment is
    successful and exceeds thresholds specified in those agreements. Outside
    those agreements, neither the Consortium nor the JVco will be charged for
    advice from MCo-related entities in relation to the Transactions. No success
    fee will be payable for entry into the Transactions.
    
    8. Two directors of IFT, Marko Bogoievski and Duncan Saville, are also
    directors of, and have ownership stakes in MCo ("MCo-related Directors").
    Marko Bogoievski is also the Chief Executive of MCo.
    
    9. For the purposes of Rule 9.2.1, there is Related Party relationship
    because:
    
    (a) MCo is a Related Party of IFT, as MCo and IFT share the MCo-related
    Directors;
    
    (b) IFT and GNZS have been receiving investment management and advisory
    services from the MCo-related entities regarding the Transactions;
    
    (c) the MCo-related entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of MCo, which are
    staffed by the same personnel and share common directors; and
    
    (d) the MCo-related Directors are Associated Persons of GNZS pursuant to Rule
    1.8.2 as they could be influenced in making a decision or exercising a power
    affecting GNZS as a consequence of the investment management arrangements
    between MCo and GNZS. Despite not being directly involved in the investment
    management activities, the MCo-related Directors may be interested in the
    investment management activities given they are both directors and/or
    officers of MCo. As the MCo-related Directors are Associated Persons of GNZS,
    GNZS is also an Associated Person of those Directors. Accordingly, GNZS is a
    Related Party of IFT.
    
    10. Although GNZS is a Related Party of IFT, Mark Tume who is also a member
    of the board of GNZS, is not a Related Party by virtue of that status due to
    the exception in Rule 9.2.3(e).  However, Mark Tume will not vote on any
    resolution at GNZS or IFT in relation to the Transactions.  Anthony Muh
    (Duncan Saville's alternate director on the IFT board) will also not vote on
    any resolution on the Transactions at IFT.  The remaining directors of IFT,
    Humphry Rolleston, Paul Gough and Alison Gerry (the "Non-interested
    Directors") are Independent Directors for the purposes of the Rules.
    
    11. In entering into the acquisition of Retire Australia, IFT will be
    entering into a Material Transaction where a Related Party will be a party to
    a transaction in the series of transactions that Material Transaction forms
    part because:
    
    (a) at the date of this waiver decision, IFT's Average Market Capitalisation
    is NZD $ $1,631,639,930 , and the capital contributions that IFT will make if
    the bid is successful will equate to approximately 13% of its Average Market
    Capitalisation, in excess of the 10% prescribed by Rule 9.2.1(a) (and 5% as
    prescribed in IFT's constitution); and
    
    (b) in addition to this, the aggregate net value of the Transactions to which
    the acquisition forms a part of also breaches the 10% prescribed by Rule
    9.2.1(a) (and 5% as prescribed in IFT's constitution).
    
    Appendix Two
    
    Rule 1.8  Associated Persons
    
    1.8.1 In the Rules, a person is an Associated Person of another person if the
    first person is associated with the other in terms of Rules 1.8.2 to 1.8.6.
    
    1.8.2 A person (the "first person") is associated with another person (the
    "second person") if, in making a decision or exercising a power affecting an
    Issuer, the first person could be influenced as a consequence of an
    Arrangement or relationship existing between, or involving, the first person
    and the second person.
    
    ...
    
    1.8.5 If the first person is associated with the second person in terms of
    Rule 1.8.2 to 1.8.4, then the second person shall be deemed to be associated
    with the first person.
    Rule 9.2 Transactions with Related Parties
    9.2.1 An Issuer shall not enter into a Material Transaction if a Related
    Party is, or is likely to become:
    
    (a) a direct or indirect party to the Material Transaction, or to at least
    one of a related series of transactions of which the Material Transaction
    forms part; or
    
    ...
    
    unless that Material Transaction is approve by an Ordinary Resolution of the
    Issuer.
    
    9.2.2 For the purposes of Rule 9.2.1 "Material Transaction" means a
    transaction or a related series of transactions whereby an Issuer:
    
    (a) purchases or otherwise acquires, gains, leases (as lessor or lessee) or
    sells or otherwise disposes of, assets having an Aggregate Net Value in
    excess of 10% of the Average Market Capitalisation of the Issuer; or
    
    ...
    
    9.2.3 For the purposes of Rule 9.2.1, "Related Party" means a person who is
    at the time of a Material Transaction, or was at any time within six months
    before a Material Transaction:
    
    ...
    
    (c) an Associated Person of the Issuer or any of the persons referred to in
    (a) or (b), other than a person who becomes an Associated Person as a
    consequence of the Material Transaction itself (or an intention or proposal
    to enter into the Material Transaction itself);
    End CA:00259432 For:IFT    Type:WAV/RULE   Time:2014-12-29 09:10:03
    				
 
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