Speakers

John Asker is a Professor of Economics at UCLA, where he holds the Armen A. Alchian Chair in Economic Theory. His research investigates topics related to antitrust policy, cartel behavior, firm-level productivity, and the aggregate impact of market power. In his research he employs a mix of theoretical and empirical methods. His papers have been published in journals in economics and finance, including the American Economic Review and the Journal of Political Economy. He is an Editor of the Journal of Political Economy and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He has a Ph.D. from Harvard University and a B.Ec(Hons) from the Australian National University. John is a member of the Australian Competition Taskforce Advisory Panel.

Justice Whata was appointed a High Court judge in 2011. He has adjudicated on a wide range of subject matters, including major common law, commercial, public, environmental, Māori and criminal matters. Justice Whata is also a member of the faculty of Te Kura Kaiwhakawā | Institute of Judicial Studies responsible for the Tikanga Programme. While in practice, Justice Whata specialised in Māori legal issues and public and environmental law. In 2021 Justice Whata was appointed to Te Aka Matua o te Ture : the New Zealand Law Commission as a Law Commissioner. While there he led the completion of the Study Paper 24, He Poutama: Tikanga. He returned full time to the High Court in September 2023.

Simon specialises in competition, regulatory and public law. With extensive experience across New Zealand and overseas, Simon advises on the full range of competition and regulatory matters including merger control, competition and regulatory enforcement and investigations, price control and other regulatory and public law issues. He has particular expertise in the utilities sector, covering electricity, gas, telecommunications, postal services and airports. He also assists clients with consents and enforcement proceedings under the Overseas Investment Act. Simon is recognised as a Leading Lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific 2024.

Te Aopare leads Te Waka Ture, Chapman Tripp’s specialist Māori practice which provides legal and strategic advice to clients across Aotearoa. She has over 15 years’ experience and specialises in corporate structuring, governance, strategic and commercial advice for iwi and hapū, Māori landowners and clients looking to work with them. Te Aopare is from Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Rangitihi and is a fluent speaker of te reo Māori.

Ben is a barrister with a particular passion for competition, consumer, and regulatory matters. Prior to joining the bar in 2022, he was Chief Legal Counsel – Competition at the New Zealand Commerce Commission, and before that was Principal Counsel – Consumer and Credit. Between 2018 and 2020 he served on the Public Prosecutions Advisory Board. In 2023 he was appointed to the Solicitor General’s Cartel Prosecutors Panel. He has previously worked in the office of the Crown Solicitor at Auckland and a major commercial law firm.

Ben is experienced in both civil and criminal matters, and has appeared as counsel in all levels of the New Zealand Courts, including appeals to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Callum is a competition and regulatory lawyer in Russell McVeagh's Government, Competition and Regulation law practice and has over seven years' experience practicing across a range of industries.

He advises on the full range of matters arising under the Commerce Act 1986, including competition investigations, clearance processes for domestic and global M&A transactions, Commerce Commission market studies, competitor collaborations and partnering arrangements, as well as economic regulation under Part 4 of the Commerce Act. Callum regularly advises clients that operate in highly regulated environments, including in the electricity, airport, and technology sectors.

Prior to re-joining Russell McVeagh in early 2023, Callum spent several years working as an in-house lawyer for ASX-listed software company, Xero, and at a boutique law firm specialising in technology law. This experience has given him a unique understanding of regulatory frameworks in the technology sector, including the challenges and opportunities faced by businesses involved in the development of emerging technologies.

Nick has over six years of experience as an economist, where has focused on applying economic principles to solve competition and regulatory issues. Nick has a particular expertise in informing high-stakes decisions with clear and focused advice, based on complex empirical and theoretical analysis. His focus is on applying microeconomic principles to understand what is really going on in a market, with a focus on Australia and New Zealand.

Nick’s competition expertise consists of advice across the major antitrust issues, including merger clearance and authorisation, access issues, misuse of market power and exclusive dealing, in addition to public inquiries. His experience extends across a range of industries and matters, including advertising, airlines and airports, alcohol retailing, app stores, banking, cash-in-transit, cement, coal, cruise, car parking, digital platforms, electricity generation and transmission, wholesale and retail fuel, groceries, health, milk, pathology, pet supplies, ports, supermarkets, retail and infrastructure. Nick applies data and advanced analytical techniques to provide novel solutions to antitrust issues.

John is a barrister specialising in commercial litigation and competition law. Before joining Bankside Chambers in 2012 John was with national law firm Kensington Swan for 26 years, including 20 years as a partner. He has been involved in a large number of major competition law cases including as senior counsel for a group of major retailers in proceedings against Visa and MasterCard and the major trading banks in relation to fixing of credit card interchange fees and alleged anti-competitive scheme rules, and as senior counsel for a major international airline in defending proceedings alleging fixing of air cargo fuel surcharges.

He has published widely in the field of competition law, and is a frequent speaker and commentator at conferences on competition law subjects. He is also a teaching fellow at the University of Auckland (teaching company law).

Danielle Wood commenced a 5-year term as Chair of the Productivity Commission on 13 November 2023. Prior to joining the Commission, she was CEO of the Grattan Institute and Head of its Budgets and Government Program. During her time at Grattan, Danielle also held roles as member of the Australian Government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, the Parliamentary Budget Office Expert Advisory Committee, the Jobs and Skills Australia Consultative Forum and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government Research Committee. Danielle previously worked in senior roles at the ACCC and at NERA Economic Consulting. She started her career as a graduate at the Productivity Commission.

Danielle holds an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and two Masters degrees, one in Economics and one in Competition Law, from the University of Melbourne. Danielle is an Honorary Fellow and former President of the Economic Society of Australia and a Research Fellow of the Women’s Leadership Institute. She was the co-founder and first Chair of the Women in Economics Network. She is currently an ex-officio member of the Australian Government’s Competition Review Expert Advisory Panel.