Financial Services
Asia-Pacific Guide 2024 : New Zealand
Band 2
Contact number
+64 9 379 4196About
Provided by Dentons New Zealand
Dentons Kensington Swan has specialist managed funds experts with a nationwide and Trans-Tasman client base, covering both large and boutique providers. We have direct high-level relationships with key public bodies, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Financial Markets Authority. In New Zealand, the team enjoys a high profile as experts in financial markets and providing thought leadership for the vast amount of regulatory reform in recent years. This includes the transition to the Financial Markets Conduct Act, financial advice reforms and the industry response to the Financial Markets Authority conduct and culture initiatives in response to the Australian Royal Commission into misconduct in the financial services industry. A significant proportion of our work is from Australia and other offshore providers, with the team highly regarded for its expertise in facilitating offshore fund offers into New Zealand. The team is actively assisting a number of clients with innovative projects in the emerging FinTech area, with a particular focus on robo-advice (also known as digital financial advice). We are market leaders in the regulation of wealth platforms and Discretionary Investment Management Services (DIMS), acting for many of the major non-bank participants in this space. We have an extensive superannuation and KiwiSaver scheme practice, including some of the most significant employer superannuation schemes remaining in the market.
Chambers Review
Dentons has a highly recommended financial services team with expertise in managed funds, superannuation and advising offshore funds in relation to New Zealand investments. The team advises public bodies on the full range of investment funds law, as well as any reforms in financial markets regulation. It is present at the forefront of changes in financial markets regulation, with a significant presence in the regulation of wealth platforms and discretionary investment management services. The firm's clientele includes prominent national and regional wealth and fund managers as well as banks, such as Mercer, HSBC and Kernel Wealth.
Work Highlights
- Dentons New Zealand supported Kernel Wealth in all aspects of the formation of the new Kernel KiwiSaver Plan.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The firm has a depth of knowledge to provide experienced professional advice across many areas of expertise."
"We are more then pleased with the service we get from Dentons."
"The firm has a depth of knowledge to provide experienced professional advice across many areas of expertise."
"We are more then pleased with the service we get from Dentons."
Notable Practitioners
Catriona Grover co-heads Dentons' financial services group and counsels prominent national clients on regulatory, superannuation, fund establishment and management mandates.
"Catriona distils complicated matters down, gives commercial advice, and is very helpful and to the point. She is a financial services expert."
David Ireland co-leads the Dentons financial markets team and advises across a wide range of topics, ranging from superannuation funds and trustee advice to investment platform establishment and ongoing compliance issues.