ANZ Bank New Zealand

• Business Name: ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited

• Former Names: ANZ Banking Group (New Zealand) Limited (1979–2004); ANZ National Bank Limited (2004–2012)

• New Zealand Business Number (NZBN): 9429040797410

• Company Registration Number: 35976

• Company Status: Registered (Active)

• Legal Entity Type: New Zealand Limited Company (Ltd)

• Date of Incorporation: 23 October 1979

• Head Office Address: ANZ Centre, 23–29 Albert Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

• Parent Company: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ Group, Australia) (via wholly-owned holding company ANZ Holdings (NZ) Ltd)

• Ownership Structure: ANZ Holdings (NZ) Ltd owns ~93.4% of shares ; remaining shares are held by various investors (e.g. S.A.G. Private & Co. Ltd ~0.05%), primarily as perpetual preference shares issued as capital. ANZ Group effectively controls 100% of voting shares.

• Stock Exchange Listing: Not publicly listed in NZ (100% subsidiary of ASX-listed ANZ Group)

• Main Business Activities: Commercial and retail banking, loans (housing, personal, business), deposits, credit cards, insurance (through partners), investment and wealth management services. (ANZ NZ offers transaction accounts, mortgages, asset finance, stockbroking, and other financial services.)

• Market Position: Largest bank in New Zealand by assets and customers (one of “big four” banks), with an estimated >25% share of all bank loans and deposits. As of 2021 it held about 30% of NZ banking market share.

• Total Assets: NZ$184.8 billion (2021).

• Annual Net Profit: NZ$2.26 billion after tax for year to 30 Sept 2023 (up 10% from NZ$2.06 b in 2022). (FY2021: NZ$1.94 b).

• Total Equity: NZ$16.9 billion (March 2024).

• Number of Employees: ~9,000 in New Zealand.

• Key Governance Personnel: Chairman: Scott St John (appointed 2018, succeeded former Chair Rt Hon Sir John Key in 2022). Chief Executive Officer: Antonia Watson (since 2019).

• Board of Directors: Includes Scott St John (Chair, ex-NZX), Joan Withers (professional director, ex-media CEO), Alison Gerry (director, ex-Treasury advisor), Mark Tume, Nagaja Sanatkumar, and Gerard Florian (Australia-based) among others. (Past directors include prominent figures like former Prime Minister John Key and former central bank Governor Don Brash.)

• Executive Leadership: CEO Antonia Watson leads NZ operations; governance oversight and strategic direction also come from ANZ Group executives (e.g. ANZ Group CEO Shayne Elliott served on ANZ NZ board 2009–2025).

• Regulatory Oversight: Registered as a bank by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (prudential regulator). Also subject to Financial Markets Authority oversight for securities/services and Commerce Commission for competition matters.

• Industry Associations: Member of the New Zealand Bankers’ Association (NZBA). Participates in business lobby groups and forums (e.g. BusinessNZ, NZ Initiative think-tank) alongside other corporates to influence policy debates.

• Auditors: External auditor is KPMG (as appointed in ANZ NZ’s disclosure statements).

• Revolving Door Connections: Notably, former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key served as ANZ NZ’s Chairman (2018–2022). Former Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash was an ANZ NZ Director (2007–2011). Such appointments underscore ANZ’s close links with public-sector figures.

• Political Donations: No public record of direct donations by ANZ Bank NZ to political parties (corporate donations by foreign-owned banks are permitted but must be disclosed if above NZ$15,000). ANZ tends to exert influence through lobbying and industry groups rather than overt donations.

• Government Contracts: Not a major government contractor for goods/services beyond normal banking services. (Its role is primarily private-sector banking; government banking is largely handled by another bank via tender.)

• COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Status: Did not apply for or receive any pandemic wage subsidies. Throughout COVID-19, ANZ NZ paid all staff in full and did not seek taxpayer support, a fact the CEO touted while highlighting the bank’s charitable donations during the crisis. (In 2020, ANZ NZ donated NZ$2 million to community charities instead, amid criticism of banks’ pandemic response).

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz