Zena is an experienced financial services and investment funds lawyer. Her areas of expertise include funds management, financial markets conduct law, financial regulation, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures, limited partnerships, and capital raising.
Her clients include retail and wholesale fund managers, banks, trustee companies, insurers, other financial institutions, corporates, start-ups, and FinTechs, both in New Zealand and offshore.
Zena has a deep understanding of the financial services regulatory environment and helps clients understand how to navigate this. In particular, Zena specialises in investment funds and advises on all aspects from inception to winding up, including the establishment and management of wholesale and retail funds.
Zena is also experienced in financial services M&A and joint ventures. She draws on her financial services sector knowledge and previous experience as a corporate lawyer on such transactions. She also advises FinTechs on the launch of digital financial products (including payments providers, online platforms and tokens) in the New Zealand market.
Clients appreciate Zena’s commercial approach, responsiveness and her understanding of the regulatory environment in which they operate, which she reflects in the high quality advice and projects she delivers.
Zena started her career at MinterEllisonRuddWatts as a summer clerk in 2012. Before re-joining our firm in 2020, she worked in private practice at other law firms in New Zealand and in the top-tier investment funds team at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in London.
Career highlights
Advising on the sale of part of Westpac’s financial wealth business to Forsyth Barr and the strategic partnership between the parties.
Advising Aon NZ on the sale of its $1 billion FUM retirement savings business (including Aon KiwiSaver) to Fisher Funds.
Advising seed investors on the internal restructuring of Tracksuit after its initial seed round and subsequently advising them on the Series A capital raise by Tracksuit.
Advising AgriZeroNZ, is a world-first public-private partnership owned by the New Zealand government and major agribusiness companies, on establishing a limited partnership committed to driving New Zealand’s sustainable agriculture sector.
Guiding entities such as ASB Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Milford Asset Management and Rabobank through their first year of reporting under New Zealand's world leading mandatory climate disclosure regime.
Assisting a major insurer on their response to the RBNZ/FMA conduct and culture review of life insurers and banks, including, review of corporate governance and the plans to address gaps identified by the review.
Advising Jasper on a range of fund management issues, including fund establishment, joint ventures, capital raising and its online platform.
Assisting Peninsula Credit with establishing their first credit fund in New Zealand.
Advising Swedish-based bank Klarna on launching its ‘buy now pay later’ payment product in the New Zealand market.
Affiliations
- Member, Institute of Finance Professionals NZ Inc. (INFINZ)
- Member, New Zealand Financial Innovation and Technology Association (FinTechNZ)
- Member, Blockchain Association of New Zealand (BANZ)
- Member, Financial Services Council NZ (FSC)
Achievements and recognition
- Band 1 team, Financial Services, Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Tier 1 team, Investment Funds, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific