Forty percent of offshore investors considering a deal in NZ within a year: Simpson Grierson survey

• 89 percent were considering investing in New Zealand within the coming five years, despite the Middle Eastern conflict, the increased trade tariffs, the tighter investment screening, and the capital allocation challenges in the past year 
• 40 percent were thinking about making a deal here in the next 12 months, down from 49 percent in 2025 

“In a more uncertain geopolitical and economic environment, investors are placing a premium on predictable legal frameworks, high governance standards and disciplined risk management when assessing acquisition targets,” says Anastasiya Gamble, a corporate partner at Simpson Grierson. 

Of international investors polled: 

• 51 percent stated that the global uncertainty has made their intention to invest in New Zealand stronger, while 19 percent said this factor has weakened such intent 
• Global uncertainty drove up the appetite for New Zealand dealmaking among 76 percent of those based in the Asia-Pacific, 66 percent of those in North America, and 50 percent of those in Europe 

Among survey respondents: 

• 48 percent predicted that New Zealand’s M&A activity would increase over the next year, while 41 percent thought it would stay the same 
• 46 percent identified New Zealand’s strong corporate governance as a key attraction 

“One of the most striking findings from the report is that strong corporate governance has overtaken valuations as the leading reason offshore investors are attracted to New Zealand,” Gamble tells NZ Lawyer. “That is significant for lawyers because it suggests legal and governance quality are increasingly being treated as value drivers rather than compliance matters.” 

Of offshore investors polled, 49 percent were refraining from or were acting cautiously regarding dealmaking decisions in the lead-up to New Zealand’s 7 November 2026 general election. This factor impacted European and North American investors more than those in the Asia-Pacific. 

Technology and artificial intelligence

Survey respondents considered the following as the most attractive sectors: 

• technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) (53 percent) 
• industrials and chemicals (46 percent) 
• business services (44 percent) 

Poll participants utilised AI for the following purposes: 

• legal and regulatory due diligence (61 percent) 
• portfolio monitoring and reporting (57 percent) 
• sourcing and screening of opportunities (52 percent) 

Impact of energy costs

Simpson Grierson’s media release noted that electricity prices shot up by 12.5 percent in the year leading to the first quarter of 2026, serving as the biggest single contributor to annual inflation for three straight quarters. 

Among international investors surveyed, 30 percent in North America and Europe perceived energy costs as a major or moderate barrier to making a deal in New Zealand, while 70 percent in the Asia-Pacific did not deem them as a barrier at all. 

Of survey respondents, 64 percent were prioritising companies that could pass on cost increases. 

More Simpson Grierson news

Here are some previous news stories involving the law firm. 

Simpson Grierson announced the release of its sixth annual M&A report titled “Our Expanding Horizons 2024: Offshore perspectives on investment into New Zealand,” which explored local trends and opportunities in the M&A area. 

Simpson Grierson and other founding signatories of the Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in Aotearoa took pride in their participation in the initiative, with the inaugural performance report revealing that the firms had collectively exceeded the aspirational target. 

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