29 Jan 2015

Business Briefs

1:45 pm on 29 January 2015

Westpac sells some Pacific Island operations

Westpac said it would sell its banking operations in Samoa, the Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga to the Bank of South Pacific for $125 million Australian dollars.

But, Westpac said it would retain its operations in Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

The sale is expected to be completed in mid-2015, subject to the parties obtaining necessary statutory, regulatory and third party approvals.

Finzsoft takeover offer goes ahead

As signalled last year, Finzsoft managing director and major shareholder Andrew Holiday and his new joint venture partner, Kuala Lumpur-based Silverlake Axis, have launched a formal takeover offer for the company.

The $3 per share offer values the banking software firm at $25.7 million dollars but the price is less than the current share price of $3.35.

Mr Holiday made a similar low-ball offer when he bought a near 64 percent stake of Finzsoft in 2013.

Mr Holiday already owns nearly 66 percent of Finzsoft but his decision to form a new company with Silverlake means that company is required by the Takeovers Code to make an offer.

Spark board member resigns

Spark said Maury Leyland had resigned from the board.

Ms Leyland, who is a senior executive at Fonterra, joined the board in December 2011 and leaves at the end of next month.

The telecommunications company said she wanted to focus more of her time on her other commitments, especially her executive role at Fonterra.