The 2026 reforms to New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Act significantly reshape how transactions are assessed, approved and structured, with changes to decision-making criteria, national interest considerations and compliance expectations. In this focused and practical session, you will receive a clear and timely update on what has changed, which investors and investments are most affected and what this means in practice for property, forestry and commercial transactions. You will walk away with a practical understanding of how to draft, structure and settle transactions involving overseas entities, how to manage transitional issues, and the steps you should be taking now to protect your clients and navigate the new regime with confidence.

Presenters

Tina Hwang, Director, Queen City Law
Tina Hwang is a Director and is the Leader of QCL’s large and award winning Property Team. Tina is also Co-Convenor of The Law Association (previously ADLS) Property Law Committee and member of The Law Association Property Disputes Committee. Tina mainly practises in property, construction and litigation. She has deep and wide experience in virtually all aspects of property law and property development and has been involved in some of New Zealand’s largest property projects. Tina has also developed expertise in construction issues and has presented papers at many New Zealand law seminars on property and construction law. She contributes regularly to the Builders & Contractors Magazine. Tina also speaks fluent Korean. Being client-centric Tina has also taken on numerous employment cases (both employer and employee) and the consequent mediation and settlements. Tina regularly appears in Tribunals and Courts. Clients love working with Tina as she is an excellent communicator, works very efficiently and keeps clients fully informed.

Jason Maddox, Senior Associate, Flacks & Wong Corporate Lawyers
Jason is a New Zealand-qualified lawyer with over 15 years’ experience, specialising in corporate and commercial law.  Jason has expertise in all matters corporate with significant experience in public takeovers and schemes of arrangement, private mergers and acquisitions, governance matters and equity capital markets transactions (ranging from start-ups to NZX-listed issuers).  Jason regularly manages competing workstreams to achieve transaction milestones and advises boards and senior management on transactional and day to day matters.  Jason’s experience includes advising on a range of legal matters such as corporate compliance, shareholding, property, finance, financial services, foreign investment and aircraft acquisition matters.

Christina Lefever, Principal, Lefever Law
Christina is the principal at Lefever Law, a commercial law firm specialising in overseas investment advice and applications. She has over 20 years of commercial law experience, including a comprehensive knowledge of the Overseas Investment Act and Regulations, and understands the practicalities associated with assessing the need for Overseas Investment Office (OIO) consent, the application process and the key issues clients face. Christina has advised on over 90 successful OIO applications (primarily for rural land acquisitions) and has engaged with the OIO in relation to several enforcement matters.  Christina is a member of the OIO’s Legal Reference Group – a group of experienced practitioners that liaises with the OIO on technical and administrative matters.