Join us to hear an update on what you need to know in the commercial tax arena. Learn about recent developments with tax disputes and rules for deductions. Consider the GST issues and risks with common commercial transactions. Understand the tax implications of different types of business structures and which is the most appropriate to use in various circumstances. Review the tax implications for invest in New Zealand and overseas. End with a round-up of topical tax issues that you need to be across. 

Presenters

Mr Simon Akozu, Partner,
Simon is a tax specialist, focused on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), infrastructure projects, financing arrangements, and crypto assets. Simon has broad experience managing tax projects across a wide range of industries. His clients include leading New Zealand corporates, multinationals, financial institutions, and high net worth individuals. Simon is also working with a range of start-ups in the crypto asset space. Simon has a keen interest in tax policy. He regularly writes and presents on new developments in tax, including the taxation of crypto assets. He is a contributor to Bloomberg Tax and is a co-author of Bloomberg’s New Zealand country guide.


Mr David McLay, Barrister, Barristers.Comm
David McLay has practised law for over 40 years, initially as a tax solicitor/partner in Bell Gully and then as a barrister since 2003. He specialises in tax, trust and charity law - he is what the London Bar calls a "Chancery Barrister". Although a lot of his career has involved transactional and advisory work, he has appeared in all the New Zealand courts other than the Supreme Court. He also has made a significant number of Select Committee appearances, and advised on two Private Bills enacted in 2023. He is a former Chair of the Rewrite Advisory Panel.


Ms. Celia Brownlee, Associate, Lindsay & Francis
Celia is an Associate at Lindsay Francis & Mangan, an international specialist dispute resolution practice with offices in Auckland and Singapore. She supports the senior members of the firm and external bar on a broad range of corporate and commercial litigation matters, with a particular interest in tax disputes. Prior to joining the practice Celia was a Senior Tax Consultant at Deloitte advising various multinational organisations on a range of tax issues. Among other things, she has experience with bilateral advanced pricing agreements, transfer pricing documentation, tax implications of corporate restructures, the application of New Zealand’s tax treaties, corporate income tax and tax accounting.


Mr. Shaun Connolly, Barrister, Port Nicholson Chambers
Shaun has a broad range of experience across both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining the independent bar in 2023, he was Crown Counsel at the Crown Law Office for 5 years where he advised and represented a number of Government agencies and Ministers on public law and regulatory matters, including appearing in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. Earlier in his career, he spent 16 years at a national law firm, including 9 years as a partner, where he specialised in tax law, advising on corporate and financing transactions, tax disputes, and tax policy matters.


Dave Ananth, Special Counsel, Stace Hammond
Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaysia, Dave has over 30 years’ experience in legal practice in New Zealand and overseas jurisdictions. His primary practice area is in tax. Before joining Stace Hammond, Dave was a Director of Ernst & Young, Malaysia. Before that, he worked as a prosecutor for the Inland Revenue Department. Due to his extensive experience and expertise, he can directly negotiate with the IRD, accountants and other professional colleagues in the tax and commercial arena. He also has the added benefit of having extensive networks in Asia and other overseas jurisdictions. Dave is passionate about ensuring that tax law and its financial implications are accessible and understood by a wide audience. To help achieve this, Dave presents seminars addressing GST and other tax related matters to local and international audiences. He has also published opinion pieces that address the impact of GST on the telecommunication industry, petroleum industry and other utility industries.