Mizu Ardra
Mizu Ardra is a Partner in the Financial Services Advisory team. She regularly advises clients on payments regulation, consumer credit, retail financial services, emerging financial technologies such as crypto/digital assets and blockchain, financial crimes law (including anti-money laundering, anti-bribery and sanctions), privacy and financial accountability regime. In addition to her extensive financial services knowledge, Mizu is also an amateur astronomer with a keen interest in space law.
Having advised on some of the most significant financial regulatory matters in Australia in recent years, as well as completing secondments at some of Australia’s largest banking institutions, Mizu brings an intimate knowledge of the financial services sector to her dealings with clients.
Experience
Mizu’s experience includes advising:
- A major authorised deposit-taking institution in relation to ASIC investigation and remediation relating to consumer credit insurance mis-selling breaches;
- Various Fintechs in relation to the requirement to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence and enrol with AUSTRAC; advices included analysing various exemptions in light of different business models;
- A large bank on various aspects of their credit card portfolio including drafting and negotiating a number of white labelling arrangements with distribution partners;
- A major Australian bank on all aspects of their Design and Distribution Obligations implementation project including specific advice relating to home loans, personal loans and overdrafts; and
- A major Australian Bank on whether certain elements of the processes created responsible lending breach risks and possible mitigation steps available including advice on engagement with ASIC.