The Rohatyn Group Completes Acquisition of Rayonier’s 77% Interest in Matariki Forestry Group in New Zealand for $710 Million

NEW YORK & AUCKLAND, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Rohatyn Group (“TRG”), an investment firm specializing in emerging markets and real assets, today announced it has completed its $710 million acquisition of an entity that holds Rayonier Inc.’s 77% interest in a New Zealand joint venture (Matariki Forestry Group or “MFG”), which manages approximately 287,000 productive acres of timberland.

MFG is the third largest forestry operator in New Zealand, with five timberland locations spanning across the north and south islands. MFG harvests over 2.2 million cubic meters per year of timber from its own estate, with balanced distribution between domestic and international markets.

“We are very pleased to add this highly productive, large-scale asset to our global portfolio of high-quality timberland investments across North America, South America and Oceania,” said Nick Rohatyn, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TRG. “Our dedicated Forestry & Agriculture team will draw on its more than 25-years of experience investing in the region, through multiple cycles, to drive long-term value creation and maximize the returns of this forestry operation.”

TRG Partner and Head of Forestry & Agriculture (“F&A”), Mike Claridge, added, “Building upon our long record of successful investments in the New Zealand forestry sector, we have for some time sought to identify the right new opportunity in this core softwood plantation geography. We look forward to working closely with the talented MFG team, who are widely recognized industry leaders, as we capitalize on Rayonier’s sound stewardship and invest further to build a sustainable, long-term forestry enterprise.”

With the completion of this transaction, TRG’s F&A strategy has over the past four years deployed approximately $2 billion on behalf of select institutional clients seeking diversified exposure to global timberland and agriculture, including in the United States, Australia, Panama, New Zealand and Uruguay. Through its differentiated experience across a range of real asset strategies, TRG’s F&A team develops and manages a range of investments across the risk/return spectrum.

About TRG

Founded in 2002, TRG is an investment management firm specializing in emerging markets and real assets. Headquartered in New York, the firm is comprised of ~150 professionals based in 16 countries across North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

TRG F&A (formerly the business of GMO Renewable Resources) is comprised of a seasoned team of land investment professionals and is dedicated to the acquisition and management of diversified portfolios of timberland and/or farmland for the benefit of its clients. Employing a value-oriented approach, TRG seeks to invest in assets at prices reflecting biological yield potential. The team focuses on properties in lower-risk geographies where commercial forestry and agriculture are well-developed and good title, high-quality management, and adequate infrastructure are available.

For more information, please visit www.rohatyngroup.com.