Member Voices: John Conlan
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1. Tell us about your practice.
My practice is focused on high-value corporate and transactional work, with a strong emphasis on cross-border M&A, energy deals, and strategic advisory for domestic and international clients. I lead significant corporate transactions for the Wellington office and often nationally, and I’m deeply involved in guiding clients through complex regulatory landscapes, particularly in the energy sector and New Zealand’s foreign investment regime. I have been involved in many significant cross-border deals, particularly in Asia Pac and with my energy sector experience, I have assisted a number of international clients enter the New Zealand renewables market, especially wind, solar, and BESS projects.
2. You recently attended your first WLG summit. What takeaways did you have about how your firm can leverage the network for the benefit of its clients?
A key takeaway from the Summit is that the WLG can be a very powerful asset for its members in cross-border work. Having a clear understanding of how member firms work and the ability to develop personal relationships allows us to offer internal clients a "one team” approach that other referral networks will struggle the match. Another key takeaway is that to get the most out of the network, it is important to regularly engage and attend events to ensure those personal connections are maintained.
3. What market opportunities do you see in New Zealand for foreign direct investment?
In my view, many New Zealand assets are underpriced, and with our weak exchange rate at present, then are a number of opportunities in the market. The key sectors are financial services, healthcare, and energy. Our electricity supply is around 90% renewable, but with NZ’s target of net zero by 2050, there is significant investment needed in the next decade to make this achievable. While our FDI regime remains a challenge, it is not insurmountable for quality investment, and our firm has a long track record of navigating the New Zealand FID regime for our international clients.
4. What are your favorite things to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I try my best to get a few rounds of golf in when I can (I very much enjoyed my recent WLG round at Chambers Bay!). I also spend a lot of time with my two boys with their sports and competitive karting.