Page last updated: 02 September 2024

People & leadership

Welcome to the FMA. This page presents our executive leadership team.

Image of Samantha Barrass, FMA CE

Samantha Barrass: Chief Executive B.Com (Econ), BCA. Hons (Econ), MSc (Econ)

Samantha has extensive international regulatory experience, including the Chief Executive role at UK’s Business Banking Resolution Service, a dispute resolution scheme for banks and business customers.

Previously she was Chief Executive of the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, which oversees the prudential and conduct regulation of Gibraltar’s financial services sector.

She has held a number of other senior roles at finance regulators and industry associations, including the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and the London Investment Banking Association. 

Samantha grew up in Christchurch and studied Economics at the University of Canterbury and Victoria University of Wellington, before beginning her career as an economist at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

Clare Bolingford: Executive Director, Regulatory Delivery

Clare is responsible for directing, planning and delivery of the FMA’s core regulatory functions across licensing, engagement and supervision of regulated individuals and firms. 

Previously Clare has led our Banking & Insurance Conduct function and served as Acting Director External Communications & Investor Capability. 

Clare is leading the FMA’s implementation of the new conduct regime for banks, insurers and non-bank deposit takers, the new financial advice regime, and the Climate Related Disclosures regime. 

Clare’s experience includes almost 20 years with the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, in a variety of policy, change implementation and supervision roles, including oversight of large banking groups and financial advisers. She also spent two years at the UK Treasury, leading capital markets and prudential policy. 

image of Clare Bolingford, Director of Banking and Insurance at the FMA
image of Liam Mason, Acting Chief Executive at the FMA

Liam Mason: Executive Director – Evaluation, Oversight & General Counsel

Liam is responsible for a broad range of audit, risk, legal and governance matters along with evaluating the effectiveness of regulatory interventions and activity. He is also the FMA General Counsel.

Liam has been with the FMA since its inception. He has extensive experience in securities law and corporate governance matters, advising on securities and financial services law and policy, Crown entity governance and legal compliance.

Liam has previously led frontline teams overseeing the FMA’s compliance frameworks, licensing, knowledge management and intelligence, and fintech functions.

Louise Unger: Executive Director, Response and Enforcement

Louise is responsible for overseeing the strategic approach and appropriate response to the actions and behaviour of market participants that pose risk or harm, including the investigation and enforcement of misconduct cases.

She joined the FMA from the Commerce Commission in 2024, where she was the General Manager of the Credit branch leading the team that regulates the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, as well as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Prior to joining the Commission, she specialised in risk and compliance at Lawyers on Demand NZ, an international law firm. 

Louise has significant expertise providing legal, risk and compliance services to a range of New Zealand and international organisations, including banks, telecommunications and electricity companies. She brings particular strength in the financial services industry, having led legal and risk teams at Bank of New Zealand across a period of 12 years.

Louise has a law degree (Hons) and a commerce degree from the University of Canterbury.

Image of Louise Unger, FMA

Daniel Trinder: Executive Director, Strategy & Design

Daniel is responsible for leading the strategy and direction setting for the FMA, ensuring a clear view of the systems, priorities and regulatory design is developed and communicated across a broad range of external stakeholders.

Daniel has extensive experience in developing and delivering strategic direction, capability and planning, implementing policy and legislative changes, while leading successful and diverse teams at a global level.

Previously, Daniel has held leadership roles at HM Treasury in the UK, several global investment banks, a crypto-exchange, as well as an Advisor to the International Monetary Fund.

Daniel holds an MA in Economics from York University, Toronto, and a Ph.D. Economics, from Queen Mary University of London, where he also holds an Honorary Professorship.

The FMA discloses the Chief Executive’s expenses, gifts and hospitality as part of its commitment to transparency and accountability. 

Archive

Year Time period CE expenses disclosure
2024 Samantha Barrass: July 2023 - June 2024 Travel Hospitality Gifts Other Summary
2023 Samantha Barrass: July 2022 - June 2023 Travel Hospitality Gifts Other Summary
2022 Samantha Barrass:
25 Jan 2022 – Jun
Travel Hospitality Gifts Other Summary
2021 Liam Mason:
Nov - 25 Jan 2022
Travel Hospitality Gifts Other Summary
Rob Everett:
July - Oct
Travel Hospitality Gifts Other Summary
Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2020 Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2019 Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2018  Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2017  Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2016 Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2015  Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jul-Dec

Travel

Hospitality Gifts Other  
2014   Rob Everett:
Jan-Jun

Travel

Hospitality Gifts Other  
Liam Mason:
Jan-Jun
Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2013  Jan-Jun Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2012  Jan-Jun CE expenses
Jul-Dec Travel Hospitality Gifts Other  
2011 Jan-Jun FMA: May-Jun

Securities Commission: Jan-Apr

Jul-Dec FMA CE expenses