MinterEllisonRuddWatts

With equity markets continuing to be subdued, and large corporates coming under balance sheet/earnings pressure as a result of inflation and a period of contracted demand, private capital, in all its forms, has become a dominant influence in global M&A.

Generative AI, a subset of artificial intelligence that relies on large quantities of data, neural network architecture, and complex algorithms to produce original content, is rapidly transforming the business landscape. 

COVID-19 lockdowns, travel bans, and economic conservatism built up a kind of transactional ‘cabin fever’, resulting in a relative buying spree throughout 2021, 2022 and into 2023.

Every year, significant amounts are invested into KiwiSaver funds with total funds under management almost NZD100 billion. However, despite this substantial capital, only a small number of these funds have engaged in direct investment including via merger and acquisition (M&A) activity.

Cyber risk is among the top risks facing businesses and other organisations today. New Zealand businesses reported $39.6m in losses from cyber crime in the two years leading up to 2023, and this figure includes only those which reported their losses [1].

Economic sanctions have been proliferating in recent years and have been subject to unprecedented development since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Leading New Zealand law firm, MinterEllisonRuddWatts has again been named as a top employer in the NZ Lawyer 5-star Employer of Choice 2023 list. 

MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ leadership of greater gender diversity and gender initiatives in the legal profession was again recognised at the Asia-Pacific Women in Business Law Awards 2023, with the firm taking out the award for ‘National Firm of the Year for Gender Diversity’.

Leading New Zealand law firm with a reputation for innovation and early adoption of legal technology, MinterEllisonRuddWatts, has launched its first in-house gen-AI based chatbot, named AIME. 

New Zealand’s stock exchange is set to list its first AI business, Being AI – a newly launched artificial intelligence services, development, and investment business.

MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ market-leading Corporate M&A team has today released its M&A Forecast for 2024.

Unlocking new opportunities: A guide to investing and doing business in New Zealand.

New Zealand’s insurance sector is experiencing unprecedented demand from repeated extreme weather events less than two months into the year. At the same time, new developments in other areas also challenge the industry.

what's on the horizon for merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in New Zealand? MinterEllisonRuddWatts' market leading Corporate team discusses trends and makes predictions for 2023. This year, we also spoke to several of New Zealand’s leading investment banks and private equity firms to gain their insights on what lies ahead.

As each new year starts, it seems that life gets more complex, with new challenges and opportunities to navigate. New Zealand’s evolving litigation landscape is no different.