Workplace Savings Half-Yearly Function 2025

The FSC and Workplace Savings Committee invited the Workplace Savings community to attend an in-person Half-Yearly Function in Wellington and Auckland, held on Wednesday 21 May 2025.

This in-person event was open to all Trustees (including Chairs and LITs), and service providers to restricted workplace savings schemes.

Chapman Tripp kindly hosted the event at their Wellington and Auckland offices, featuring live online feeds between both venues and an interactive Q&A session.

Speakers discussed identity theft and solutions, Defined Benefit schemes consolidation, GST and wind-up issues, and an update from the FMA. 

Photo gallery:

Speakers:

Emma Peart
Senior Associate, Chapman Tripp

Emma is a commercial litigation and arbitration lawyer with a particular focus on advising and representing clients in banking and financial services matters.

She advises and represents public and private sector clients on complex commercial and regulatory matters and disputes. She represents clients in investigations, court proceedings, and alternative dispute resolution including arbitration. She is also part of our leading international law team and is experienced in international and cross-border litigation and arbitration.

Mike Woodbury
Consultant, Chapman Tripp

Specialising in investment, funds and savings products, Mike has a specific emphasis on workplace savings, KiwiSaver and superannuation and related financial services regulation. He acts for the trustees, managers and sponsors of major workplace savings and KiwiSaver schemes throughout New Zealand.

His retail scheme clients include Smartshares and Westpac. He also acts for the trustees and/or employer sponsors of over 25 restricted workplace savings or KiwiSaver schemes including those sponsored by AMP, Anglican Financial Care, ANZ, Beca and NZAS. He has a strong interest in law reform and policy issues and in recent years he has been instrumental in a number of workplace savings and KiwiSaver legislative reforms, industry exemptions and compliance cost savings initiatives. He was a member of the Government-appointed Savings Product Working Group whose recommendations led to the KiwiSaver legislation. He regularly presents at industry conferences and workshops.

He is recognised as a Senior Statesperson by Chambers Asia Pacific 2024 and as a Leading Individual by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024.

Subbu Somasundaram
Principal Adviser, Investment Management, Financial Markets Authority

Subbu is a CFA Charterholder with a strong passion for regulation, finance, and the investment sector. Currently serving as a Principal Adviser in Investment Management, Subbu specialises in Managed Investment Schemes (MIS), KiwiSaver, and restricted schemes. With over six years of experience in New Zealand’s supervisory and regulatory landscape, he brings expertise and insights into oversight of investment managers.

Prior to this, Subbu was a career regulator at the Reserve Bank of India, where he spent more than five years in prudential supervision supervising banks and non-banks.