CODEWORD

The Panel is pleased to announce four new appointments to the Panel and a number of changes within the Panel executive team.

The Panel

Four new members have been appointed to the Panel in 2011.

Simon Horner and Roger Wallis joined the Panel in February 2011.  Carl Blanchard and David Flacks joined the Panel in August 2011.

Simon Horner is a lawyer with around 25 years’ experience in the corporate and commercial fields. He is a partner with Mayne Wetherell where he has been since 2004, and was previously a partner at Russell McVeagh.

Roger Wallis has been a partner at Chapman Tripp since 2000. He is a member of the Listed Companies Association executive and the New Zealand Institute of Directors and is a current member of the board of Chapman Tripp. He teaches the University of Auckland law school’s paper on mergers and acquisitions.

Carl Blanchard has worked for First NZ Capital as Director of Investment Banking since 1999 and is responsible for First NZ Capital’s government, utilities, and property sector coverage. He has advised a number of major entities on mergers, takeovers, and equity and debt capital market transactions.

David Flacks is a partner at Bell Gully in Auckland, specialising in corporate law. He has previously been General Counsel and Company Secretary for Carter Holt Harvey in Auckland.

The Panel is grateful for the years of service given by the members that have retired: Kevin O’Connor, John Waller, Pip Greenwood and David Quigg.

The Executive

Margaret Bearsley has been appointed by the Panel to the position of Chief Executive. Margaret joined the Panel in 2004 as a senior lawyer, and became General Counsel for the Panel in 2008.

Margaret takes over from Kerry Morrell, who retired as Chief Executive of the Panel on 30 June 2011. Kerry headed the Panel’s executive staff from the time the Code came into force in July 2001.

Andrew Hudson has been appointed as the Panel’s new General Counsel, starting on 26 September 2011. Andrew is a company and securities law specialist and joins the Panel from private practice.

In addition, lawyers Julian Sakarai and Lauren Donnellan joined the executive team in November 2010 and January 2011 respectively, and Senior Associate Heather McCaskill joined in February 2011.