Sarah Owen

Capability

With more than 25 years’ experience as an in-house lawyer and governance professional, I’ve had the privilege of setting up and leading legal, governance, risk, strategy and communications functions for major organisations, including executive roles at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation Fund. I understand the realities of supporting boards and executive teams, and I also know the value of listening, learning, and working alongside others to get the best results.  

I’m known for my calm, collaborative style and my ability to make complex issues clear and manageable. I enjoy helping teams grow their confidence and capability. Whether I’m leading a function or contributing as part of a team, I care most about delivering practical, business-focused solutions and building strong, trusted relationships. 

Juno Clients

ACC

Before Juno

Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua | Associate Governor of Risk, Compliance and Legal and Chief Risk Officer / Executive leader of the Auckland Office of the Reserve Bank
Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation Fund – Te Kaitiaki Taha Penihana Kaumātua o Aotearoa | General Manager, Corporate Strategy and General Counsel
Westpac NZ/BT Financial Group | Senior Legal Counsel and Board secretary for Wealth (KiwiSaver, funds management, life insurance) companies

Areas of expertise

• General corporate and commercial
• Contracts
• Cross border
• Governance
• Customer and stakeholder
• ESG
• Finance
• Asset management
• Coaching and mentoring
• Company Secretarial
• Compliance
• Privacy

Governance/Community

I am a member of the Institute of Directors, New Zealand Law Society and Global Women. Formerly Chair of the Board of the Reserve Bank Staff Superannuation and Provident Fund (2022-2025), Director of Datacom Group Limited (2018-2021) including membership of the Audit Committee and the Contracts and Risk Committee, Board member of International Centre of Pension Management (ICPM) (2017-2022).