Presenters

Jay Shaw, Partner, Grant Thornton New Zealand
Jay’s focus is on providing robust and commercial advice relating to the valuation of shares, businesses and intangible assets. He also provides forensic accounting services in a wide range of matters including shareholder disputes, financial investigations, and relationship property proceedings. Jay has given business valuation and forensic accounting expert evidence in the High Court, Family Court and in other dispute resolution forums. Jay enjoys working with businesses from a variety of industries, ranging from entrepreneurial privately held businesses through to large listed multinational companies. He has extensive business valuation experience across a wide range of industries and sectors. From 2017 to 2024, Jay at on the Business Valuation Board of the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC), a leading independent body in setting valuation standards globally. Jay is formally approved by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand as a Business Valuation Specialist, which recognises he has undertaken specific relevant study and gained experience to the level he is considered to have specialist skills in business valuation. He is a committee member of the CAANZ business valuation special interest group.


Thomas Smith, Senior Manager, Grant Thornton
Thomas Smith is a Senior Manager at Grant Thornton, based in Auckland, with a core focus on business valuations. He has nearly a decade of experience across Canada and New Zealand. His focus is working with mid-market privately held businesses, typically valued between $5 million and $100 million. Thomas has prepared valuations for a wide range of purposes, including transactions, shareholder disputes, intangible asset valuations, impairment testing, and economic damages. His work spans clients across diverse industries. In addition to his valuation expertise, Thomas has experience in mid-market M&A, primarily in lead sell-side advisory roles. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds the Chartered Business Valuator designation.

Amy Malone, Senior Associate, MacDonald Lewis Law
Amy graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 2001. Amy is an experienced advocate in all areas of litigation and has spent the past 9 years working exclusively in family law. Amy has particular expertise in relationship property, trust and estate litigation and is committed to achieving positive outcomes for her clients. Amy regularly presents papers for Legalwise Seminars.