On 20 October 2025, Hon Nicola Willis MP, New Zealand’s Minister for Finance, Economic Growth and Social Investment, visited Japan for a series of engagements, including an intimate breakfast in Tokyo with business leaders and investors who proudly champion New Zealand in their daily work.

Catherine had the pleasure to meet the Minister in person and hear her reaffirm that Japan remains one of New Zealand’s closest and most valued economic partners. The deep and long-standing ties between our two countries continue to thrive through visits like this - keeping our relationship strong, practical, and forward-looking.

Catherine O’Connell was featured in Risky Women’s Women to Watch List. This list contains “Risky Women” from around the globe who are excelling in their governance, risk or compliance roles.

Wrap up from September 2025 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

30 Years in Law! From Christchurch courtrooms to Tokyo boardrooms: today - September 2025, marks 30 years since I was admitted to the bar in New Zealand on September 20,1995, and became a lawyer.

I’ve worn the wig (yes, photo proof is available 🎭), discovered gold at the end of the rainbow by building my very own law firm business from scratch, fulfilled a dream I never knew was inside me, by serving on the boards of Toyota and Fujitsu, mentored executives, and found a treasure chest of gems through recording 100+ conversations on Lawyer on Air and Jandals in Japan.

The common thread through all of this is bridgebuilding - between languages, cultures, countries, and now between inside executives and outside board members.

In my anniversary article, I reflect on:

🗺️The treasure map tucked in my front pocket all along

📊Why Japan’s AI adoption and gender diversity shifts matter

💡What 30 years in law has really taught me

If you’re curious about the unexpected twists and turns of a legal career in Japan - or just want to see that wig photo - click for the full story!

Wrap up from August 2025 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

I am a subscriber to Nikkei X Woman and came across this insightful article... Since the article is in Japanese, but contains so much lived-wisdom I thought I would share the upshot in English and add in some of my thoughts too. The content is especially useful for #aspiring #board #members in #Japan. It’s a #mythbusting #case #study of how one Japanese woman secured her #first #board #seat at #age38, breaking the glass ceiling, that so many believe only gets cracked opened in your 40s or 50s.

Her story offers #practical lessons in #proactivity, #persistence, and #reframing #challenges into #opportunities.

Aspiring CFOs: What Boards Really Want — and How to Deliver It

Are you a CFO, or do you interact with a CFO on your board?

Fresh from my Criticaleye Asia Podcast conversation, here are the patterns I see across boardrooms in Asia: the best CFOs are strategic storytellers, architects of what’s next, and emotionally intelligent leaders who read the room. Boards expect more than accuracy; they want CFOs who can shape the future. Below I’ve turned those ideas into practical steps for your next board cycle.

*** These are general views - not based on any specific company, board, or person I’ve mentored.

Wrap up from July 2025 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

I often hear this from lawyers (and many others!):

“I’ve advised boards for years. I know how they work. I’m ready to serve on one.”

But I have one thing to tell you - Advising a board of a company client, as external counsel, is not the same as serving as a lawyer on a board in an outside director role.

This blog post aims to share what it takes to make the  mindset shift clearer, and spell out how your role and perspective evolve when moving from outside counsel to an outside director lawyer role on a board:

💬 For those who’ve made the leap: What helped you make this mindset shift? DM me and let me know!

Wrap up from June 2025 from Catherine O’Connell Law.

Stop Practicing. Start Leading.

If you're toggling between being an excellent lawyer and the actual CEO of your firm, then this podcast episode is your wake-up call. In the final chapter of the Built to Lead series, I sat down with host Bridgit Norris to talk about the identity shift every woman in law needs to make if she wants to stop operating as a technician and start owning as a leader.

Wrap up from May 2025 from Catherine O’Connell Law.