In early 1990 Guinness Gallagher identified an opportunity for an innovative organisation to assist the New Zealand Government in completing the privatisation of its forestry estate. We identified Fletcher Challenge as having these qualities and worked with them in their successful acquisition of the state-owned Forestry Corporation. We determined the drivers behind the Government's ownership, identified the key impediments to a sale and the process by which the impediments could be overcome, and positioned the asset for sale. Having achieved this, we then worked to position our client as the successful bidder.
		This project highlighted the value of corporates developing an understanding of the Government and the emerging Maori market. As the economic importance of Maori organisations increases so will the importance of developing relations with them.