We're delighted to be hearing from Vista Group, a New Zealand-born company whose cinema software now powers theatres around the globe. Juno Legal has had the privilege of supporting Vista’s legal team and seeing first-hand the value they bring. We asked them about how they support a business that spans continents and industries, working together across time zones, and what they’re focused on right now.
Can you give us an overview of the legal team at Vista Group and how you support the work of the business?
Vista Group is a New Zealand-grown, 700+ person company, with offices and team members across New Zealand, Australia, the UK, USA, Europe, South Africa, Malaysia and Mexico. While Vista originated in New Zealand, our business is now truly international, with ~46% of the enterprise being cinemas outside of India and China using Vista’s enterprise cinema software. Vista Group is publicly listed on the NZX and ASX.
Our legal team is a small (but mighty) team of four, spread across New Zealand and the UK. That footprint means we can offer support pretty much around the clock – which is so important for a global business like ours.
Vista Group companies include seven brands spanning the film industry vertical. Over the last few years, the legal team has played a key role in transitioning what were previously distinct offerings into a more unified and streamlined service suite. This includes supporting the rollout of a cloud-based version of our flagship enterprise cinema software offering.
Our legal team covers all functions and regions, from everything from commercial contracts, to regulatory and listed entity compliance, to data privacy and intellectual property. Beyond day-to-day legal support, we also help shape company policies, manage external counsel relationships, and lead initiatives around governance, ethics, and risk management.
Our team also includes Vista’s Group Risk, Compliance and Sustainability Manager and our Risk and Compliance Analyst, who play a key role in supporting Vista Group’s broader governance and sustainability goals.
What are some of the ways the team adds value at Vista Group?
We’re here to help the business move fast while staying protected.
Whether it’s managing risk, reviewing customer agreements, or being a sounding board for tricky legal and commercial questions, our goal is to be a trusted partner - protecting the interests of each Vista Group company and enabling them to thrive in a dynamic, competitive environment.
“There’s no hierarchy – we all pitch in and support one another, and frequently tag-team on projects.” | ||
How does the team approach collaboration and building a strong team culture?
Even though we’re in different time zones, we’ve built a strong team culture and make a real effort to connect in person whenever we can. We catch up regularly and bounce ideas off each other all the time. Our team group chat is super active!
There’s no hierarchy – we all pitch in and support one another, and frequently tag-team on projects. It’s a great mix of professionalism and camaraderie.
What makes working in the Vista Group unique or rewarding from a legal perspective?
Vista Group is a New Zealand-grown company whose business is truly international – that’s pretty rare! Almost all of our work has an international component, and we get the opportunity to learn about local legal issues, cultural differences, and business markets.
One of the coolest parts is seeing the real-world impact of our work. Vista’s software powers cinemas around the globe, so when we walk into a theatre, we can see the tech we help support in action.
But we don’t just work with cinemas: because Vista Group provides products and services vertically at each level of the cinema and film industry, as a legal team we also engage with studios and distributors at one end of that vertical, and support on apps for individual customers at the other.
The unique blend of industries we work across – tech, entertainment, and global business – keeps things interesting and rewarding.
What are some of the current challenges or opportunities you’re focused on as a team?
Working across both the cinema industry and tech space, we’ve had an interesting few years navigating Covid and the writers and actors strikes, while simultaneously trying to support the business in negotiations to get Vista’s new SaaS services out to our clients. This has definitely kept us on our toes!
The cinema and film market, the tech landscape, and the laws of the many jurisdictions we operate in are all constantly evolving. One of our key focuses right now is staying ahead of those changes. Whether it’s new regulations, high-velocity tech developments like AI, or shifting market dynamics, we’re working to be proactive so the business is ready for what’s next.
In terms of a more practical challenge, it can be tricky navigating time zones and needing to travel to see our colleagues or to progress a negotiation!
Is there anything your team is currently focused on that you’d like to share with the in-house community?
We’re exploring how AI and automation can help us work smarter and scale our impact. As a small team supporting a large, global business, we’re always looking for ways to be more efficient and effective. We’re also thinking about how we can better measure and communicate the value we bring – whether through legal ops tools, dashboards or storytelling. If other in-house teams are on a similar journey, we’d love to connect and share ideas.
Ngā mihi nui to the Vista Group legal team for sharing with Aotearoa's in-house legal community. We really appreciate the chance to get to see how the team manages to balance the demands of a global, fast-moving industry, with collaboration and connection. It's a great reminder of the impact small, connected teams can have on a big stage... and screen.