April 11, 2008
AUCKLAND, NZ (April 11, 2008): The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) today said it was disappointed in the outcome of its Overseas Investment Act application, which has been declined. CPPIB’s partial takeover offer for Auckland International Airport required CPPIB’s Overseas Investment Act application to be approved in order for the offer to become unconditional. The offer received the necessary levels of shareholder acceptance and approvals. CPPIB’s Vice-President – Head of Infrastructure, Graeme Bevans, said: “We are naturally very disappointed in the outcome. CPPIB appreciates the support we have received from the 29,000 largely New Zealand, Auckland International Airport shareholders who accepted our offer.” Under the terms of the offer, the offer will now lapse. Shareholders who accepted the offer are now free to deal with their holdings as they wish.
About CPP Investment Board: The CPP Investment Board invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan to pay current benefits on behalf of 17 million Canadian contributors and beneficiaries. As at December 31, 2007, the CPP Fund was C$119.4 billion (NZ$148.7 billion) of which C$2.5 billion (NZ$3.1 billion) represents infrastructure investments. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, the CPP Investment Board is investing in publicly-traded stocks, private equities, real estate, inflation-linked bonds, infrastructure and fixed income. Based in Toronto, the CPP Investment Board is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm’s length from governments. UBS has acted as financial advisor and Bell Gully has acted as legal advisor to CPPIB.
For further information contact:
In Canada:
Joel Kranc CPP Investment Board (416) 874-5163 jkranc@cppib.ca In New Zealand:
Coran Lill Consultus +64 27 600 8602 clill@consultus.co.nz or Bridget Agnew Consultus +64 27 486 3534 bagnew@consultus.co.nz