Financial Services
Asia-Pacific Guide 2025 : 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. The law firm 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.
Work Highlights
- Dentons supported AMP Wealth Management in a full review of its due diligence process for preparing and lodging disclosure documents under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"The Dentons team is always available and provides excellent responses regarding realistic and achievable timeframes."
"Dentons possibly don't realise how good they are. They are great value and have a very high quality of work."
"The Dentons team is always available and provides excellent responses regarding realistic and achievable timeframes."
"Dentons possibly don't realise how good they are. They are great value and have a very high quality of work."
Notable Practitioners
Catriona Grover co-heads Dentons' financial services group and counsels prominent national clients on regulatory, superannuation, fund establishment and management mandates.
"Catriona Grover keeps track of a lot of complex detail at one time and is easy to engage with."
"We really appreciate the careful considerationCatrionaputs into scoping and budgeting the work."
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.
"David Ireland provides a consistent top level of trusted service."
"David Ireland is an exceptionally talented lawyer who impressed me with his financial services expertise when helping our business deal with regulatory issues."