Director: Business Development, TEP

BA (Hons), PgDip Law, PgDip Legal Practice, Barrister and Solicitor New Zealand, Solicitor England and Wales, TEP

Matthew joined Southpac Group in March 2017 and spent nearly 6 years in the Legal Team as Legal Counsel and General Counsel. He assumed the role of Group General Manager in January 2023 before moving into his current role in April 2025. As Director: Business Development, Matthew is focused firmly on growing Southpac’s profile, product range, referrer base and business throughout the world. He is a director of Southpac Group.

Matthew is a dual-qualified UK/NZ lawyer/attorney and the proud recipient of three Excellence Awards from STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, which showcase his world-leading expertise in the field of international trust management. He has worked closely with many of Southpac’s clients and referrers during his time with the company and is an advocate not just for Southpac but for the international financial services industries in the Cook Islands and Nevis. He regularly represents Southpac on the international stage and has participated in numerous conferences and webinars. He is passionate about ensuring Southpac provides world-class fiduciary services to its clients to help them safeguard their assets and protect their legacies.

Outside of work, Matthew enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids and the occasional foray into surfing, rock climbing and golf.

Head of Banking and Investment

BCom, MBus

Guy joined Southpac in April 2019. As the Head of Banking and Investment he manages our relationships with the Investment Advisors and Banks which Southpac partners with. In addition he looks to connect our clients with the investment and banking solutions that meet their needs. Guy has over 17 years’ investment experience as an analyst and fund manager. In 2017 he stepped out of Commonwealth Private Bank where he had responsibility for all of the direct equity strategies and oversaw over $1bn of Funds Under Advice in order to run his own funds management business, Quick Brown Fox Asset Management. Prior to Commonwealth Bank, he held Portfolio Manager roles at Clime Investment Management and Adam Smith Asset Management. He started his career as an Investment Analyst at Macquarie Private Bank analysing investments across all asset classes. Guy holds a BCom and MBus from the University of Otago. He also recently completed the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5) (Investment).

Outside of work, Guy enjoys watching his son’s tennis and his daughter’s swimming. He plays cricket himself after failed careers in swimming, tennis and rugby. For our US clients, he is always happy to discuss the NFL and has been an avid follower of the Cincinnati Bengals for the last 20 years.

Head of Finance and Administration

BMS, CA

Kurt joined Southpac in February 2025 as Head of Finance and Administration.

In this role, he is responsible for overseeing Southpac’s financial operations and reporting, as well as the systems and data infrastructure that support the delivery of services to clients.

Kurt is focused on enhancing Southpac’s operating model to align with the company’s commitment to providing world-class asset protection and wealth management services.

He began his career in Tauranga, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant, before spending 15 years in the UK insurance and investment management sectors. There, he gained extensive experience in financial reporting, systems transformation, project management, mergers and acquisitions, and Treasury and Foreign Exchange management.

Outside of work, Kurt enjoys spending time with his family, cycling, and exploring New Zealand’s great outdoors.

Trust and Legal Services Officer – Attorney-at-Law

LLB

Olivia became a valuable member of Southpac in December 2021, assuming the role of Trust and Legal Services Officer—Attorney-at-Law in the subsequent year. In this capacity, she effectively manages a diverse portfolio of clients and collaborates closely with the Commercial Services team. Prior to joining Southpac, Olivia gained valuable legal experience over a span of 2 years whilst obtaining her LLB. Olivia’s previous legal experience allowed her to gain proficiency in a wide range of legal sectors and gain valuable legal drafting and research skills. She earned her admission as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in May 2022.

Beyond her legal career, Olivia finds fulfilment in her personal interests, which include powerlifting, fishing, hiking, and immersing herself in books.

Trust and Legal Services Officer – Attorney-at-Law

Diploma of Legal Studies, Certificate III in Customer Contact

Sarah became a valued member of the Southpac team in July 2020. With over a decade of legal experience, Sarah’s adeptness in deciphering documentation and providing comprehensive assistance across a diverse spectrum of challenges consistently demonstrates her attention to detail and proficiency.  Sarah’s educational qualifications include a Diploma of Legal Studies from Australia and a Bachelor of Laws from New Zealand. Within the legal team, Sarah actively engages in multiple transactions related to Southpac’s entities to deliver top-tier services.

Trust and Legal Services Officer – Attorney-at-Law

JD, MBA, MIM

Licensed Attorney State Bar of California 

Sara joined Southpac’s Legal and Client Services team as a California and New Zealand qualified solicitor in February 2024. Her focus is on liaising with clients and their attorneys in relation to the management of corporate and trust entities. Sara works directly with banks, advisors and other intermediaries to ensure the proper administration of wealth planning structures and compliance with legislation.

Drawing from her background in consumer analytics, Sara provides valuable commercial insights and has a keen appreciation for Excel spreadsheets.

Having left the Rocky Mountains of the USA, Sara has embraced her newfound proximity to the beach and can often be found surfing with friends or planning an adventure on one of New Zealand’s stunning Great Walks. She is also an avid cyclist.

Legal and Client Services Officer

Legal Executive Diploma

Kelly joined Southpac in June 2023 as our Legal and Client Services Officer, with a focus on the co-trustee project. She brings with her over 20 years’ experience in law from working within top-tier firms in Auckland and abroad, to smaller family-focused firms. She obtained her Legal Executive Diploma in 2012 and has a passion to help clients succeed and ensures they get the best service from her.

Kelly made the brave decision in 2016 to leave her busy life in Auckland and move to Tauranga, where she finds life at an easier pace and enjoys being surrounded by gorgeous beaches. Outside of work, you will find Kelly spending endless hours in her garden, or planning her next road trip to explore more of the land of long white cloud.

Group Compliance Officer

BA

Amber joined Southpac in June 2017. As Business Development Supervisor she oversees the establishment process and undertakes the compliance function of the Commercial team by assisting the Group Compliance Officer in ensuring that our jurisdictional legislation, regulations and customer due diligence requirements are being met prior to the on boarding of new clients, as well as for current clients. Amber has previously held the roles of Finance and Administration Assistant and Legal and Compliance Assistant within Southpac and has a vast knowledge of the various functions within the business. Prior to moving to New Zealand from South Africa, she has travelled and worked in hospitality and customer service focused roles across the globe.

Amber enjoys a holistic approach to life and in her spare time she rides horses, does yoga, enjoys a good read and is an avid music lover.

Business Development Supervisor

Diploma in Legal Executive Studies (Level 6)

Deborah joined Southpac in November 2022 and comes to Southpac with an administrative background within the industry, and a New Zealand Diploma in Legal Executive Studies. In her role as Business Development Supervisor, Deborah is the first point of contact for all onboarding and establishment enquiries, as well as co-ordinating the establishment process between the compliance and legal teams and assisting with the maintenance of our client files held within our data management system.

Deborah is married with 2 teenage boys, and when she is not spending time outdoors with family and friends making the most of New Zealand’s amazing ‘back yard’, you will find her in front of the TV or behind a good book.

Banking and Investment Officer

MFinc

Meidiana joined Southpac in January 2022. As a Banking and Investment Officer, Meidiana is responsible for establishing bank and investment advisory accounts for clients in multiple jurisdictions, as well as maintaining Southpac’s database of due diligence. In addition, she also assists the Investment Specialist in interpreting client’s investment performance and assessing potential banking and investment relationships. She graduated with a Master of Finance degree from University of Otago in 2020 and has passed Chartered Financial Analyst Level 1 Exam in 2018.

Outside of work, Meidiana enjoys trying out new restaurants and going for a walk in nature.

Accountant

Diploma in Business (Level 5)

Ngaire joined our legal team at Southpac in 2012 and transferred to our finance division in 2013 after wrestling over her passion for numbers over letters.  In 2015, Ngaire relocated from our Cook Islands Office to our then newly established Tauranga office and has worked her way up the ladder in the business to our senior accounting position.  As Accountant, Ngaire is responsible for ensuring that the treasury management and reporting functions are accurate and on time.  Ngaire has a Diploma in New Zealand Business from Toi-Ohomai Institute of Technology, and is working towards her Bachelor of Business in Accounting.  With expansive skills across the business, Ngaire has long standing relationships with many of our clients.

Finance and Administration Officer

When you call Southpac you will likely hear the lilting voice of Jessica Waldon on the other end. With a Bachelor of Applied Hospitality and Tourism Management Jessica is well qualified to take your initial enquiries and direct you the best person to help with your needs. Jessica also works in our finance team and has a keen interest in developing her accounting skills and qualifications. Jessica has worked in hotels in New Zealand and Australia prior to joining Southpac in 2019.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys spending time with family, walking around Mount Maunganui and reading.

Finance and Administration Assistant