EY
1. Business / Trading Name: Ernst & Young Limited (trading as EY New Zealand). Ernst & Young Limited is the registered company name for EY’s New Zealand operations.
2. Company number: 437730 (NZ Companies Office registration number for Ernst & Young Limited).
3. NZBN (NZ Business Number): 9429039311542.
4. Entity type: NZ Limited Company (a locally incorporated limited liability company).
5. Business classification: Professional services (accountancy, assurance, consulting, tax). Ernst & Young Limited is classified under professional, scientific and technical services – providing accounting, auditing, management consulting and related services (ANZSIC codes: e.g. M693210 for accounting services).
6. Industry Category: Professional Services – Accounting & Management Consulting. EY operates as a multi-disciplinary professional services firm in New Zealand, spanning assurance (audit), advisory/consulting, tax, and transaction advisory across various industries.
7. Year founded: 1989. (Ernst & Young Limited was incorporated in New Zealand on 30 November 1989, following the global merger of Ernst & Whinney and Arthur Young that formed EY.)
8. Addresses:
• Auckland (Head Office): EY Building, 2 Takutai Square, Britomart, Auckland 1010.
• Wellington: Level 2, 40 Bowen Street, Wellington 6011.
• Christchurch: Level 4, 93 Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch 8013.
• Tauranga: 53 Spring Street, Tauranga 3110.
(These are EY New Zealand’s main office locations and addresses as listed on EY’s site.)
9. Website URL: https://www.ey.com/en_nz (EY New Zealand’s official website).
10. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ernstandyoung/ (EY global LinkedIn company page).
11. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429039311542 (CompanyHub directory entry for Ernst & Young Limited).
12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/437730 (NZ Companies Office registry page for Ernst & Young Limited – Company #437730).
13. Social Media URLs: EY New Zealand maintains a presence on: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EYCareersNewZealand),YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@ernstyoung).
14. Ultimate Holding Company: Ernst & Young Corporate Nominees Limited (NZ company #955165) holds 100% of Ernst & Young Group Ltd, which in turn owns Ernst & Young Ltd. This structure indicates EY NZ is ultimately owned by a partner-controlled nominee company (Simon O’Connor is listed as sole shareholder of EY Corporate Nominees Ltd). Globally, EY New Zealand is a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee that coordinates the international EY network (though not a shareholder, it is the global umbrella).
15. Key Shareholders: Ernst & Young Group Limited (NZ company #1221939) is the direct shareholder of Ernst & Young Ltd with 100% ownership. Ernst & Young Group Ltd itself is wholly owned by Ernst & Young Corporate Nominees Limited. In effect, EY New Zealand’s shares are held through these internal holding companies, ultimately controlled by senior EY NZ partners (as noted, Simon O’Connor holds all 100 shares of the Nominees company). There are no external or public shareholders; ownership resides with the firm’s partnership.
16. Leadership: Simon O’Connor – Country Managing Partner (EY New Zealand). Other board directors include Susan Jones (appointed 2019), Rohini Dube (2019), Brad Wheeler (2019), Andrew Taylor (2013), and David Larocca (appointed 1 July 2021). David Larocca (based in Australia) is EY’s Oceania CEO and Regional Managing Partner, and sits on the NZ board. Until early 2024, Braden Dickson served as EY New Zealand Chair (he departed amid a conduct investigation). Rob McLeod was a prominent EY NZ chairman in the 2000s, known for his influence in tax policy (see Part Two). Overall leadership is composed of senior partners, with Simon O’Connor as the figurehead for NZ operations.
17. Staff: Approximately 1,000+ employees in New Zealand (including ~100+ partners and hundreds of professional staff, as of mid-2020s). After absorbing Arthur Andersen’s NZ practice in 2002, EY had 810 staff and partners. The firm has likely grown since; it operates across multiple departments (Assurance, Consulting, Strategy & Transactions, Tax) and has a significant workforce in Auckland, with additional teams in Wellington, Christchurch, and Tauranga. (Exact current headcount is not publicly disclosed, but EY’s global employee count is ~395,000, and NZ comprises a substantial local team.)
18. Staff that have held previous government roles: EY New Zealand has hired several former high-level public sector figures, exemplifying a “revolving door”:
• Stephen McKernan, QSO: Former Director-General of Health for New Zealand (the government’s chief health official) who later joined EY as a senior partner and Oceania Government & Public Sector Leader. In 2020–21, McKernan was appointed to lead the Government’s Health Reform Transition Unit while still an EY partner.
• Rob McLeod: Former chair of EY NZ, he led the government’s 2001 Tax Review (“McLeod Review”) while at EY, and later served as chair of the Business Roundtable.
• Other examples include ex-public sector advisors and officials now at EY in advisory roles (for instance, David Taylor – former senior Treasury official (earlier in career) now EY partner) (Note: These examples illustrate EY’s practice of recruiting former government insiders. McKernan is the standout case.)
19. Past Employees: Prominent alumni of EY New Zealand who moved into public roles or industry include:
• Rob McLeod – after leading EY NZ, he became influential in policy circles (chaired the government Tax Review and later boards of major companies).
• John Judge – a former EY partner (and one-time CEO of EY NZ) who went on to chair ACC and ANZ Bank NZ.
• Additionally, many former EY consultants and auditors hold senior finance roles in NZ corporates or public agencies, reflecting EY’s extensive alumni influence in both private and public sectors.
20. Clients: EY NZ serves a mix of public sector clients (Government ministries, departments, and state-owned enterprises) and private sector clients (major corporations and financial institutions). Notable clients include New Zealand Government agencies (for example, the Department of Internal Affairs for Three Waters reform advice, the Department of Corrections for reviews, the Ministry of Health for system reform), as well as large companies such as Xero (EY is Xero’s auditor), Arvida Group (aged care provider, audited by EY), and various banks/insurers. EY’s audit portfolio covers a number of NZX-listed firms and its consulting arm advises clients in sectors like financial services, energy, infrastructure, consumer goods, technology, and government. (Client relationships are often confidential, but public records show EY as auditor for companies like Arvida and as consultants on government projects.)
21. Industries/sectors represented: EY New Zealand’s work spans multiple industries, including:
• Government & Public Sector – central and local government, health, education (policy design, reform implementation, public finance).
• Financial Services – banking, insurance, fintech (audit and advisory for major banks, financial regulators, etc.).
• Energy & Infrastructure – advice on power, utilities, water (e.g. Three Waters), transport projects.
• Technology and Telecommunications – digital transformation consulting (boosted by acquisition of tech firms like Red Moki).
• Agribusiness and Consumer Products – consulting and assurance for food producers, retail (EY audits or advises some agribusiness co-ops and retail chains).
• Health Sector – strategy and restructuring (EY led significant health system changes).
In effect, EY “represents” (through its client service) most major sectors of the NZ economy, often positioning itself as an expert in those sectors when engaging with policymakers.
22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Several EY NZ engagements with public policy implications have been made public, often through Official Information Act releases or media reports:
• Health System Reforms (2018–2022): EY was the single largest consulting beneficiary of the Government’s health restructuring. The Transition Unit in DPMC (led by EY’s Stephen McKernan) paid EY NZ$11.9million for work up to August 2021, out of an $16m consultancy budget, far exceeding any other firm’s share. This included designing the replacement of DHBs with a centralized agency.
• Three Waters Reform (2020–2022): EY advised the Department of Internal Affairs on the Three Waters programme. Up to February 2022, EY billed about NZ$9.3 million – making it the largest contributor among the Big Four to the $21m spent on consultants for Three Waters by that date. EY consultants appeared in Three Waters working group meetings and analysis.
• Tax Policy and BEPS: EY regularly makes submissions on tax legislation. For example, EY submitted feedback on base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) measures in 2017 and on other tax bills (often disclosed via Parliament’s consultation records).
• Parliamentary Inquiries and Select Committees: EY partners have appeared before select committees – e.g. giving expert testimony on financial sector regulation and providing input to the Finance and Expenditure Committee on audit and corporate governance issues (as part of the Big Four submissions to inquiries in Wellington).
• Government Digital Transformation: EY secured contracts to assist with digital strategy (such as advising on IRD’s business transformation and other IT projects, per OIA disclosures).
• Corrections Review (2023): EY was engaged by the Dept. of Corrections to review its handling of staff misconduct and sexual harassment complaints (a NZ$130k contract), though this was terminated early (see Controversies).
These engagements illustrate EY’s deep involvement in advising on public policy implementations and reforms, often via paid consulting contracts.
23. Affiliations: EY New Zealand is affiliated with or member of several professional and industry bodies:
• Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand (CA ANZ): Most EY NZ partners are members of the national accountancy body, and EY contributes to CA ANZ policy submissions on audit, tax, etc.
• BusinessNZ and Industry Groups: EY is a member or sponsor of business advocacy groups (e.g. it has ties to BusinessNZ through event sponsorships, and a former EY chair sat on the Business Roundtable – now the NZ Initiative).
• Global EY Network: EY NZ is a member firm of the EY Global network (Ernst & Young Global Ltd), aligning with global standards and initiatives.
• Diversity & Leadership Initiatives: EY NZ’s leaders (including Simon O’Connor) have been part of the Male Champions of Change program in NZ, a high-profile coalition promoting gender equity. EY also affiliates with Champions for Change (a NZ diversity leadership group) and supports Global Women NZ through sponsorship.
• Academic and Community Partnerships: EY collaborates with universities (e.g. sponsoring student case competitions and offering the EY NextGen Women program) and partners with community organisations via EY Ripples (a corporate responsibility program).
These affiliations serve to increase EY’s influence and public image, linking it with professional standards, policy forums, and social initiatives.
24. Sponsorships / Collaborations: EY New Zealand engages in sponsorships and collaborative programs to bolster its public presence:
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY): EY NZ runs the annual Entrepreneur of the Year awards, a prestigious program celebrating business innovators. This involves collaboration with media and business judges, and winners often gain national profile (EY sponsors and organises the event series and sends NZ winners to the global EY World Entrepreneur event).
• Government/Industry Events: EY sponsors or co-hosts conferences and summits – for example, infrastructure and finance industry conferences, Budget analysis events (EY annually hosts a post-Budget breakfast briefing for clients and officials), and tech sector events.
• Academic Collaborations: EY NZ sponsors university initiatives (scholarships in accounting at major universities, and case competitions such as the EY Young Tax Professional of the Year).
• Community Sponsorships: The firm has supported charities (e.g. Salvation Army programmes) and pro-bono consulting for social enterprises under EY Ripples.
25. Events (held or organised by this organisation): EY New Zealand hosts a number of notable events:
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Regional finals and a national gala event each year. This high-profile event (running for over two decades in NZ) is organised by EY to engage with the entrepreneurial community and government ministers often attend the awards dinner.
• Budget Briefings – Immediately after the Government’s annual Budget, EY holds briefings (webinars or in-person) analyzing the Budget’s implications, often featuring EY economists and occasionally a former Treasury official now at EY.
• Sector Forums and Roundtables – EY organises industry-specific forums (e.g. an Infrastructure Roundtable with public and private sector leaders, Government CFO forums, climate change risk seminars in collaboration with the Sustainable Business Council).
• Recruitment and Thought Leadership Events – such as university campus events, the EY Graduate Lecture series, and launches of EY research reports (for instance, an event to release an EY report on Future of Work or tax reform).
• Internal events with external impact – e.g. EY’s Women in Business and Diversity & Inclusion events, where political figures or regulators are invited to speak (positioning EY as a thought leader on social issues).
Through these events, EY not only markets itself but also creates spaces where its experts and clients mingle with policymakers, subtly furthering its influence.
26. Political Donations: No significant direct political donations by EY New Zealand are publicly disclosed. Unlike in some countries (e.g. Australia, where EY donated ~$100k in 2021/22 to political parties), EY’s New Zealand firm has not been identified in Electoral Commission records as a major donor to political parties. The firm itself appears to avoid direct contributions in NZ, likely due to both legal transparency requirements and EY’s global policies on political neutrality. Overall, EY publicly maintains that it does not favor any party; any political giving in NZ has been limited and low-profile.
27. Controversies: EY New Zealand has been involved in several controversies and criticisms, particularly related to integrity and conflicts:
• Workplace Misconduct and Culture: In early 2024, EY’s NZ Chair Braden Dickson resigned following an investigation into his past behavior. This came amid broader revelations (spurred by an employee’s death at EY Australia) of “horrific” bullying, sexism and heavy drinking culture within EY’s Australasian offices. EY launched a cultural review to address these issues, but the episode damaged the firm’s reputation as a trusted advisor. In one fallout, the Department of Corrections fired EY from a contract to review Corrections’ own handling of harassment complaints, after learning EY was simultaneously dealing with misconduct allegations internally. (The $130k Corrections review contract was cancelled in 2024, with EY paid only 43% for work done).
• Conflict of Interest in Health Reforms: Critics highlighted that EY’s Stephen McKernan led the government’s Health Transition Unit while EY was earning millions from the health reforms. This blurred line – a consultant effectively steering policy in which his firm had a financial stake – was called “unseemly” and raised ethical concerns about regulatory capture by one (expert) commentator, Ian Powell.
• Tax Advice and Avoidance Schemes: In the wake of the Panama Papers and Shewan Inquiry (2016) into foreign trusts, Big Four firms (EY included) were scrutinised for helping wealthy clients minimize tax via New Zealand foreign trusts.
• ‘Big Four’ Influence Scrutiny: EY (along with peers) has been the subject of media and academic critique for its pervasive influence. Political commentator Bryce Edwards and others have accused the Big Four of operating as an unaccountable “shadow” policy network. This general controversy – alleging that firms like EY use government consulting contracts to “embed” themselves in policymaking – hangs over EY’s public image (even if not tied to one specific scandal).
28. Other information of note:
• Global Split Attempt: EY globally considered a split of its audit and consulting businesses in 2022 (“Project Everest”), which if pursued might have affected the NZ firm. The plan was ultimately shelved in 2023, but it underscored internal tensions in the firm’s model. NZ leadership publicly stayed neutral on the split debate, but its outcome could still influence EY NZ’s structure in future.
• Oceania Integration: EY New Zealand is operationally integrated with EY Australia as part of an “Oceania” partnership. For instance, the Oceania CEO (David Larocca) is also a director of EY NZ, and some resources are shared across the Tasman. This integration means decisions and risk issues in Australia can potentially impact NZ (as seen in the cultural review case).
• Market Position: EY NZ is typically the third or fourth largest of the Big Four in NZ by revenue (historically vying with KPMG, behind PwC and Deloitte). It is currently auditor for some NZX 50 companies and holds numerous public sector consulting panels. Its ability to cross-sell audit, tax, and advisory gives it a strong market presence, but also invites regulatory scrutiny (the FMA has urged audit firms to reduce conflicts).
• Innovation & Services: EY NZ has broadened services into law (through EY Law Limited, a related entity focusing on tax and corporate law) and digital technology consulting. In 2022 it acquired Red Moki (ServiceNow tech consultancy, 74 staff) and Q4 Associates (data/AI consultancy) to boost its tech capabilities. This shows EY’s strategic growth areas affecting the consulting landscape in NZ.
• Integrity Initiatives: To bolster its reputation, EY NZ advertises its commitment to “building a better working world” (its motto) by highlighting initiatives in sustainability and Māori economic development. For instance, EY NZ has published thought pieces on climate change. Skeptics view some of these as public relations efforts to counterbalance the firm’s behind-the-scenes lobbying and profit motives.
29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No, EY New Zealand did not receive the COVID-19 Wage Subsidy. During the 2020 pandemic lockdown, EY’s revenues did not drop enough to qualify for the government wage subsidy, so it did not draw on this scheme (unlike many smaller firms). Instead, EY (and other Big Four firms) implemented cost-saving measures: partners took pay cuts and staff were moved to reduced hours rather than relying on wage subsidies. KPMG explicitly noted it didn’t qualify for subsidies and asked staff to take a pay “sacrifice”, and similarly EY NZ reduced costs internally. EY’s choice not to seek the Wage Subsidy likely also reflected concern for its public image – as a profitable multinational, it could have faced backlash for taking taxpayer funds. (If any EY-related entity did initially receive a subsidy, it was repaid or canceled, as no EY entry appears in the official MSD subsidy receiver list.) In summary, EY NZ bore the pandemic impact through internal adjustments, not government subsidy.
Sources:
• New Zealand Companies Office records for Ernst & Young Ltd
• NZ Companies Office, Company #437730 – Ernst & Young Ltd (via NZ business directory)
• EY NZ Oceania leadership page (Simon O’Connor as Country Managing Partner)
• Consultancy.com.au news on EY NZ Chair’s resignation and culture issues
• NZ Herald – April 2002 – EY/Andersen merger, 810 staff post-merger
• Bryce Edwards, NZ Herald – 2023 – on Govt consultants spending ($1.244b, +33% in one year)
• Bryce Edwards citing Herald’s Kate MacNamara – Three Waters consultants $21m, EY got $5.2m (largest share)
• Ian Powell (Otaihanga Second Opinion) – 2021 – on health reforms Transition Unit spending $18m on consultants (69% of budget), EY paid $5.7m
• McKernan’s EY profile and role as former Health DG
• Stuff report (via BusinessDesk) – May 2024 – Corrections cancels EY contract due to EY’s own misconduct review (EY paid 43% of fee)
• Consultancy.com.au – EY buys Red Moki (Oct 2022) – 74 staff join EY tech consulting
• MSD wage subsidy search / news – KPMG didn’t qualify for subsidy (so likely none of Big Four did)
• Consultancy.com.au – Big Four COVID responses (pay cuts etc.)
• FMA Audit Quality Report 2018 – Big Four inconsistencies (Newsroom summary)
• EY submission reference – Tax policy (Tax Policy Charitable PDF)
• Company ownership chain (EY Nominees -> EY Group -> EY Ltd).
Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz