GM Legal
About the Role:
The General Manager Legal is a pivotal leadership role at Fisher Funds, responsible for leading the legal function and acting as the firm’s senior legal adviser. You will provide trusted, expert advice across the business, proactively managing legal risk and ensuring compliance with relevant New Zealand’s financial services regulatory framework.
As a key strategic partner to the Executive Team and Board, you will deliver pragmatic, forward‑looking legal guidance that supports Fisher Funds’ objectives and long‑term growth. You will also lead and develop the in‑house legal team, foster a culture of legal excellence and integrity, and oversee the firm’s critical external legal and regulatory relationships.
Key Responsibilities:
Legal leadership & strategic advisory
- Lead the legal function across Fisher Funds, setting the tone, direction, and standards
- Be a trusted adviser for the business, bringing clarity and sound judgement when the stakes are high
- Translate complex legal issues into pragmatic, commercial guidance that helps the business move forward
Risk management & regulatory compliance
- Anticipate legal and regulatory risk across the organisation, bringing others with you through clear guidance and practical leadership.
- Help ensure Fisher Funds continues to operate confidently within its regulatory frameworks while supporting the business to move forward.
External legal relationships & stakeholder engagement
- Build and manage strong, effective relationships with external legal partners
- Engage confidently with regulators and auditors, representing Fisher Funds with credibility and clarity
People leadership
- Lead, coach, and inspire a high‑performing in‑house legal team
- Embed a culture of legal excellence, integrity and sound judgement across the business.
Key internal relationships
- Act as a key adviser to the Executive Team and the FFML Board on legal, regulatory and governance issues.
- Work alongside leaders across Product, Finance, Client and Operations to deliver practical legal support to the business.
Skills & Experience:
- Proven track record leading a legal function and operating comfortably at senior‑leader level across a broad and complex portfolio (PQE 15+ years)
- Known for delivering clear, trusted legal advice that is practical and effective in a business context.
- Deep experience identifying, managing, and navigating legal risk across enterprise‑level operations
- Strong, hands‑on understanding of New Zealand’s financial services regulatory environment
- Confidence managing external legal partners and panels, and engaging constructively with regulators and auditors
- A people‑first leader who coaches, mentors, and develops high‑performing in‑house legal teams
- Executive‑level relationship skills, with the ability to partner credibly with the Executive Team, FFML Board, and senior leaders across the business
About Fisher Funds:
Fisher Funds is one of New Zealand’s largest specialist wealth management companies, operating for 25 years.
We’re on a mission to help Kiwis realise their ambitions by making investing accessible and enjoyable. Today, we support nearly 500,000 Kiwis across KiwiSaver and Managed Funds, with over $24 billion in funds under management.
Our in‑house investment team is one of the largest and most experienced in New Zealand, investing across a diverse range of portfolios around the world. We’re equally proud of our award‑winning client services team, who bring care, clarity, and consistency to every client interaction.
Above all, this is a place where people are proud of the work they do and the difference it makes. We take our responsibility seriously — but we do it together, with ambition, generosity, and a shared commitment to doing things well.
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