Governance, oversight and director risk: When geopolitics meets operations

Panel Discussion

Speaker(s): Cathy Quinn , Hayden Wilson , Ross Buckley
Date: 5:00pm — 7:00pm, 22 September 2026
Venue: Dentons Auckland
Location: 18 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland CBD
Price members: $20.00 incl GST
Price non-members: $75.00 incl GST

Overview

How should boards respond when geopolitical risk is no longer a background issue, but a live factor shaping strategy, regulation and operations?

Geopolitical developments are increasingly affecting the environment in which organisations operate. Trade restrictions, sanctions, data controls and diverging regulatory expectations are influencing access to markets, supply chains, contractual arrangements and cross-border decision-making. What once may have seemed remote or hypothetical is now creating practical governance challenges for boards and their advisors.

For directors, the issue is not simply the existence of these evolving risks, but whether they are being identified early enough, tested rigorously enough, and governed well enough. Boards need to be confident that their organisations are legally and operationally positioned to respond.

Join us for a practical discussion on the legal and governance levers that underpin organisational resilience in a volatile global environment. Drawing on both legal and director perspectives, this session will explore:

Where exposure typically sits, including across supply chains, regulatory regimes and data flows
How geopolitical risk is being reflected in contracts, compliance obligations and governance frameworks
What this means for director oversight, risk identification and decision-making
How boards can better test and manage risks where legal obligations are evolving or inconsistent across jurisdictions

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how geopolitical developments translate into legal risk, and the practical steps boards can take to strengthen resilience through contracts, compliance and governance.

Cathy Quinn

CMInstD

Cathy is a director of Fonterra, Fletcher Building and Rangatira. Cathy is also chair of Tourism Holdings. Cathy is a member of the Council of Auckland University.

Prior to moving into governance Cathy was one of New Zealand’s leading commercial corporate lawyers and won numerous legal awards for her work.

Cathy was made an officer of the NZ Order of Merit in 2016 for services to the law and women.

Hayden Wilson

CMInstD

Hayden Wilson is Global Vice Chair of Dentons and the Chair of Dentons in New Zealand. He plays a key role in the firm’s key relationships and is a Partner in the firm’s Dispute Resolution and Public Law team, specialising in public, regulatory, and commercial litigation.

As a specialist in dispute resolution and crisis management, Hayden regularly works with clients to navigate complex disputes, regulatory investigations, and cross-border issues. Hayden has a particular focus on assisting clients with issues that have a political dimension.

In addition to his governance roles with Dentons, Hayden is a Board member of Tika, a technology enabled legal service for people who have experienced sexual harm.

Ross Buckley

CFInstD

Ross Buckley CFInstD began his professional governance career in October 2020 after retiring from KPMG, where he was executive chair of the New Zealand firm from 2011 to 2020. Ross joined KPMG in Wellington in 1983 and held a variety of roles in New Zealand and overseas including serving as a board member of KPMG Asia Pacific and a member of KPMG’s Global Council.

Ross is an independent board director of ASB Bank, he chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of ASB’s Appointment and Remuneration, and Risk Committees. He is also the independent chair of Service Foods and a member of Massey University’s Council and chairs their Finance and Assurance Committee. Ross is an independent director at Investore Property Limited and independent director at Stride Property Group and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. Ross is also a member of the Audit Oversight Committee at Financial Markets Authority.

Ross has a BBS (Massey University) and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) and Fellow Certified Practising Accountant (FCPA). Ross is a Chartered Fellow of the IoD and was appointed Chair of the Board in June 2023.

Additional information

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