Finance awards 'biggest and best to date'

Ticket sales have already surpassed last year's attendance. Photo / Ted Baghurst

This year's INFINZ Awards are shaping up to be "the biggest and best to date", says the boss of the industry body that organises the event.

Institute of Finance Professionals New Zealand (INFINZ) executive director Paul Hocking said a large number of nominations had been received, despite the fact that 2010 had been a relatively quiet year on the markets.

Awards are presented for corporate treasury, banking, funds management, sharebroking, equity analysis, investor communication and independent reports, as well as the best debt deal, equity deal and mergers and acquisition house.

INFINZ uses a combination of nominations, submissions, analysis, judging panels and voting to determine finalists and winners.

Craigs Investment Partners, First NZ Capital Securities and Goldman Sachs & Partners are up for Sharebroking Firm of the Year in 2011. Finalists in the Best Analyst category are Rob Bode and Jason Lindsay, both of First NZ Capital, and Geoff Zame of Craigs Investment Partners.

Hocking said one of the biggest issues facing the finance and capital markets industry this year would be "bedding down" the regulatory changes set to take place.

"One of the big challenges is ensuring that the markets are vibrant and liquid and there to be used by the people that want to be raising debt and equity," he said.

Associate Finance Minister Simon Power announced the Government's intention to set up the new Financial Markets Authority (FMA) at last year's INFINZ Awards. The FMA starts up next month.

Hocking said Power would be speaking again at this year's event.

The awards will take place at Auckland's Langham Hotel on May 11.

Hocking said 560 tickets had already been sold for the black tie event, which 514 guests attended last year.

INFINZ AWARDS 2011

* May 11 at the Langham Hotel, Auckland.

* Recognises outstanding achievement in the finance and capital markets industries.

* Awards will be presented for corporate treasury, banking, funds management, sharebroking, equity analysis, investor communication and independent reports, as well as the best debt deal, equity deal and mergers and acquisition house.