• Higher interest rates: are they here to stay?
• How many interest rate rises are on the horizon and how high will they go?
• What does this mean for the business community and the economy generally?
• Will the Reserve Bank bring in loan to income ratios for housing?
• Will increased interest rates lead to more distressed loans in the business community and have flow on insolvency effects?
• What affect would a change of government have on interest rates?
• How will increased interest rates affect fund management decisions?
Speakers
Simon Power
General Manager, Consumer Banking & Wealth - Westpac
Simon Power was appointed General Manager, Consumer Banking & Wealth in May 2015. The business unit incorporates Westpac’s Retail network, together with small business and the Private Wealth Management division.
Prior to his current appointment he held the roles of General Manager, Business Bank, Private Bank, Wealth & Insurance; Managing Director, Private, Wealth & Insurance; and before that, Head of Private Bank for Westpac New Zealand Limited.
Simon joined Westpac in 2012 following a 12 year career as a Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Between 2008–2011 he served as Minister of Justice, Minister of Commerce and Minister of State Owned Enterprises, among other designations.
During that period he led significant reform and change in financial market oversight and regulation in NZ.
A graduate of Victoria University in Wellington, Simon has degrees in both Law and Politics. As well as having completed courses at the Australian Graduate School of Management and Melbourne Business School, he is a chartered member of the NZ Institute of Directors and a member of the NZ Institute of Management.
In 2010 he was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, and in that capacity attended Harvard University in Boston in 2011. In 2015 Simon returned to Harvard Business School, to complete the Advanced Management Programme.
Simon sat on the Board of the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) between 2012-2015, is Chair of the NZUS Council, is a Trustee of the Asia NZ Foundation and is a Fellow of the Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand (INFINZ).
Grant Graham
Partner, KordaMentha NZ
Grant brings an abundance of both to every project he works on and is one of New Zealand’s most respected corporate finance and restructuring experts.
Leveraging his financial consulting background, Grant is widely respected for his corporate finance and advisory nous, notably in valuation, restructuring and as an expert witness.
Grant’s sharp analysis coupled with keen commercial acumen has resulted in him regularly being called upon for expert witness testimony in mediation or Court.
Over 20 years, Grant has written numerous Independent Advisors’ reports for listed company activity subject to NZX listing rules and the New Zealand Takeovers’ Code. In the process, he has gained an enviable reputation for the quality of these reports, his clear and concise communication style, and pragmatic advice.
Matt Goodson
Managing Director, Salt Funds Management
Matthew has 24 years’ experience in the finance sector and is the Managing Director of Salt Funds Management and Salt Investment Funds Limited, which currently manages approximately $1.8bn of listed equities on behalf of its clients. Matthew is the Portfolio Manager for the Salt NZ Dividend Appreciation Fund, the Salt Listed Property Fund and the Salt Long Short Fund.
Matthew started his career as an Economist with Garlick & Co from 1993-1995 before becoming Head of Research from 1995-1997. He then spent seven years in New York working for BZW and Goldman Sachs JB Were as Director, Wholesale Equities before returning to New Zealand in 2004 to work for First NZ Capital also as Director, Wholesale Equities until 2009. Immediately prior to founding Salt Funds Management Limited with Paul Harrison in 2013, Matthew was employed for over four years as Portfolio Manager at BT Funds Management (NZ) Limited. Matthew also served as Chairman of NZ Thoroughbred Racing Inc from 2011 to 2015.
Matthew has a Bachelor of Arts degree and Masters in Commerce and Administration (First Class Honours) from Victoria University of Wellington and is a holder of the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.