Claire is a well-respected financial services lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience as senior in-house counsel. She specialises in investment funds (including KiwiSaver and superannuation), discretionary investment management services and financial services regulation.
Claire has held roles in private practice, boutique investment management firms and large financial institutions – both in New Zealand and overseas. Prior to joining MinterEllisonRuddWatts, Claire was senior in-house counsel at one of New Zealand’s largest banks, advising its wealth management and private bank businesses. As a result, Claire has unique insight into how the regulatory landscape impacts funds management institutions in New Zealand.
Her experience in funds management (both retail and wholesale) spans across a broad range of matters, including licensing, governance, scheme establishment and wind-up, investment management contracts, asset transition arrangements, offer documents, marketing and distribution as well as associated regulatory compliance.
Claire’s depth of knowledge and awareness of industry practice is complemented by her strength in providing commercially focused and pragmatic legal advice.
Career highlights
Advising a leading New Zealand fund manager on consolidation of its wealth management product range and integration of its investment infrastructure following the purchase of a competitor business. This included the alignment of products into a single investment proposition with a consistent investment philosophy. The consolidation enabled the regulator-approved bulk transfer of investors between the two default KiwiSaver schemes involved.
Assisting a large New Zealand bank-owned default KiwiSaver provider with legal aspects associated with enhancements made to its investment proposition. This included the establishment of a new range of wholesale investment funds and advising on the customer-centric rewrite of its retail offer documents to meet plain English language standards. This work led to the organisation being the inaugural recipient of an industry award for improving customer outcomes.
Advising institutions on FMC Act transition and compliance for managed investment schemes (including KiwiSaver and unit trusts) and discretionary investment management services, including obtaining licences, product design and establishment, restructuring, and ongoing compliance.
Affiliations
- Member, Institute of Finance Professionals NZ Inc (INFINZ)
Achievements and recognition
- Band 1 team, Financial Services, Chambers Asia-Pacific
- Tier 1 team, Investment Funds, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific