Katrina Gardiner

Background

About Katrina Gardiner

I'm a legal leader in the finance industry with over 30 years' experience in London and Auckland as in-house counsel and at top tier law firms, driving delivery of expert legal advice to banks and large corporates. I have deep expertise in both the complex financial products used across the wholesale finance industry and in the retail banking sector. I'm known as a trusted adviser with a keen focus on governance, the latest regulatory developments and my passion for sharing legal expertise to support, grow and educate. As Associate General Counsel at ANZ Bank, I lead the legal team advising ANZ Pacific. I bring a unique lens that ensures that both ANZ and its customers are getting the right outcomes. For over 15 years, I was the Associate General Counsel leading the ANZ NZ legal team advising the NZ Institutional business. I led ANZ's implementation of the Financial Markets Conduct Act which significantly altered the regulatory environment for financial products in New Zealand. Prior, as Director Legal and Compliance at Credit Suisse First Boston in London, I led a team focusing on emerging markets and high yield debt. I am currently the Chair of the Board of Directors of ANZ Bank Samoa and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). An advocate for banking and finance law and the practical application of that law in the financial markets, I am a Director of the Banking & Financial Services Law Association sharing thought leadership on banking and finance law and practices with practitioners across New Zealand and Australia. The Association has a long history of connecting leading practitioners, academics, regulators and members of the judiciary for thought leadership. I represented ANZ on the New Zealand Financial Markets Association Legal Sub-Committee (where I was the Chair for a number of years) and I was a member of the NZFMA Benchmark Oversight Committee. In 2016 I was proud to be the Highly Recommended In-House lawyer of the Year at the New Zealand Law Awards. I love to help shape the thinking of our people so the right outcome is achieved & they can grow and develop their knowledge. A large part of what I do is being the go-to person who can identify what to think about when facing complex, novel or fast changing financial markets and law. I'm known for enjoying having a laugh, being fair and being willing to grow other's knowledge. I enjoy running and although I have ditched longer distances, early in the morning you'll find me jogging around my neighbourhood, readying my mind for the day ahead.