Alex is a Partner at Lane Neave and a specialist corporate and commercial lawyer based in Christchurch. He is recognised for his deep expertise in financial markets, financial services, capital raising, investment funds, corporate advisory, franchising, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and emerging areas such as cryptocurrency and digital assets.
Alex brings a clear, commercially attuned approach to his work, ensuring that complex matters are delivered with precision, clarity, and strategic insight.
He has a strong appreciation for the regulatory frameworks underpinning New Zealand’s financial services and investment sectors, and regularly advises investment entities, financial service providers, financial advisers, and both retail and wholesale product issuers on their legal and compliance obligations.
A significant part of Alex’s practice involves acting for issuers of debt and equity securities, managed investment scheme operators, private equity fund managers, property syndicators, and debt‑based fund structures.
Alex works closely with start-up and early-stage businesses including on the sides of founders and investors – assisting with company formations, capital raising, shareholder and founder arrangements and employee share ownership plans.
Alex also has extensive experience advising domestic and international franchisors and franchisees, including SMEs entering new business ventures and global brands expanding into the New Zealand market.
Alex has been recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ – Legal 500 Asia Pacific.
Notable Experience
- Acting for the shareholder of Molekulis Group (trans-Tasman) on the New Zealand aspect of the sale of Molekulis Group to Redox Limited (ASX:RDX).
- Acting for the Ullrich Group on the sale of Ullrich Aluminium Co Ltd to Vulcan Steel Limited (ASX:VSL) for NZ$165m.
- Acting for the vendors of one of New Zealand’s most iconic tourism and hospitality businesses.
- Acting for a major international water infrastructure company acquiring New Zealand water and pump business assets.
- Acting for a major New Zealand retirement village operator on the amalgamation of multiple village management entities.
- Advising numerous wholesale fund managers establishing new investment funds, including under the Active Investor Plus framework.
- Advising domestic and international brokerages and financial service providers on governance and regulatory compliance.
- Advising major New Zealand franchisors on national franchising arrangements.
- Advising New Zealand-grown early-stage businesses on raising capital and business structuring.
