INFINZ Awards Recognise Excellence In New Zealand’s Financial Services Ecosystem

The Institute of Finance Professionals in NZ Inc (INFINZ) hosted 750 guests at its much-anticipated, sold-out, annual black-tie Awards dinner held on Thursday, 16 May 2024, at Shed 10 in Auckland.

The primary goal of the INFINZ Awards is to raise standards through recognising and rewarding innovation and excellence. A key criterion is how financial sector participants have added value to their clients and to the wider financial services ecosystem.

Fifteen awards were made, with 44 experts having acted as judges, together with leading fund managers and equity analysts. The Awards programme was refreshed in 2023, whereby the submitter was required to advise the approach and steps taken to ensure that the (deal, transaction, activity) resulted in improved outcomes for the climate and stakeholders, including the environment and society.

The NZ Local Government Funding Agency won the Excellence in Treasury Award, including for establishment of a world-first Sustainable Financing Bond where the use of proceeds are applied to co-mingled asset pools of Green, Social and Sustainability loans and Climate Action loans to New Zealand Local Authorities.

Infratil won the Best Investor Relations Award, including for taking a market-leading approach to their sustainability reporting. Infratil also won the NZ Equity Market Transaction of the Year for its $750m placement and $185m upsized retail offer.

Kate Archer, Director Sustainable Finance, Westpac NZ, won the Emerging Leader Award. Westpac NZ also won the Corporate ESG Award including for programmes supporting Māori scholars with their tertiary studies and promoting procurement with diverse suppliers.

Hinerangi Raumati was awarded the Te Tohu Kahukura Māori Leadership in Finance Award for her contribution to Māori economic and financial growth and development.

The M&A Transaction of the year was awarded for the $260m sale of Eastland Network, with the release of capital funding a regional renewable energy development pipeline.

The Debt Deal of the Year was awarded for the Crown Infrastructure Partners provision of a $400m facility to Wellington City Council for a new sludge minimisation facility.

Milford Asset Management won the Diversified Growth Fund Manager Award for the third year since it was established, having won the former NZ Equity Fund Manager Award seven times in the preceding 12 years.

Two new Fellows were inducted –the Head of NZ Debt Management, Kim Martin, and a former Chair of INFINZ, Mark Edwards. The ninth Distinguished Fellowship Award was presented to current INFINZ Fellow and senior non-executive Director, James Miller.

https://www.infinz.com/Site/INFINZAwards/

About INFINZ:

INFINZ’s mission is to help empower a more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable New Zealand through improving the capability of New Zealand’s financial sector ecosystem and of its members.

INFINZ is the professional body for all those in finance-related roles and working in the financial services ecosystem. Members include bankers, treasurers, company directors, fund managers, regulators, service providers, lawyers, corporate financiers and academics.

Value is provided through practitioner-focused education and networking opportunities across the ecosystem. Over the last nine years, total membership has more than doubled to over 2,000 professionals. The number of members under 40 has trebled, with this cohort now accounting for 58% of the total membership. Some 39% of the membership is female.

www.infinz.com

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