Bio
Chris Dann heads Anthony Harper’s corporate advisory team, and is regarded as one of the country’s leading transport and logistics lawyers. Admitted in 1999, he has a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experience in domestic and international procurement, supply and distribution, and services arrangements. Other areas of extensive experience include mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, governance, franchising and technology.
An in-house role with the world’s largest logistics company gives Chris a commercial, pragmatic approach.
Chris works with port companies, freight forwarders, carriers, and exporters, giving him a perspective of the entire supply chain. Areas he advises on include:
- Shipping contracts (including port services arrangements)
- Domestic and international carriage of goods (contractual and advisory) and freight forwarding and logistics services;
- Cross-border and domestic procurement, including of vessels, aircraft, vehicles, fuel and heavy equipment; and
- Supply, distribution, services and other bespoke and template contracts
For corporate (including mergers and acquisitions) work, Chris’ client base covers the gamut from small business to international companies. The team he leads is especially noted for its presence in mid-market transactions.
According to clients, Chris’ strengths include commercial knowledge and experience, a sense of humour and dedication to work. His approach is to develop a genuine understanding of his clients’ business and drivers, in order to deliver value, and become a ‘trusted advisor’.
Recognition
- Chambers and Partners, Shipping, Ranked, 2024
- Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Transport (Rail Road Air And Sea), Leading Individual, 2018-2024
- Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Corporate and M&A, Recommended, 2018-2024
- New Zealand Doyle's Guide, Leading Lawyer, Transport, 2021
- New Zealand Law Awards, Mid-Market Deal of the Year, Winner, 2020
- Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Communication Award Winner, 2020
- New Zealand Law Awards, New Zealand Deal of the Year, Winner, 2016
- New Zealand Law Awards, Capital Markets Deal of the Year, Winner, 2016
Qualifications
- LLB First Class Hons, BCA – Victoria University of Wellington
- Admitted in New Zealand – 1999
Work highlights
- Advised NZX listed international milk nutrition company Synlait Milk Limited on its strategically important acquisition and more recently its proposed divestment of major cheese producer Dairyworks Limited. We advised on all aspects of both acquisition and proposed divestment including overseas investment consent due diligence and transaction documentation.
- (since 2006) advised The Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment in relation to the domestic and international procurement of petroleum reserves for the New Zealand Government including tendering procurement and probity advice and documentation tender evaluation and contract drafting and negotiation. Reserve stocks provide domestic and international strategic supply security and allow NZ to comply with its international treaty obligations.
- Mineral sands and rare-earth element exporter WMS Group on the international procurement of a foreign-flagged 97m self-propelled barge including compliance with relevant Maritime Rules the establishment of a cross-border joint venture for the ownership and operation of that barge and preparing template and bespoke multi-modal carriage arrangements; capital raising initiatives; and multiple international product supply contracts for heavy mineral sand concentrate.
- Advised leading FMCG dairy products supplier Dairyworks on a range of domestic and international manufacturing supply distribution and IT arrangements; Acted for leading transport operator Hilton Haulage in relation to the establishment of its global logistics and freight forwarding business division. This encompassed air freight sea freight road freight import and export documentation and customs clearance as well as domestic transport warehousing and 3PL. It included preparation of new standard conditions of business and other documentation. This was a major strategic move for Hilton Haulage and they sought our advice because of our specialist expertise.
- Acted for CentrePort in relation to the re-negotiation and later variation of a major long-term freight carriage agreement with KiwiRail.
- Acted for Lyttelton Port Company in relation to critical container terminal services agreements including with international lines MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Maersk Swire Shipping and Pacific International Lines.
