New Zealand emerges as a hub for foreign-owned companies

Small Country, Big Growth

New Zealand is seeing a surge in foreign-owned companies. Recent data from CompanyData.com shows strong growth. From 5,060 in 2015 to 9,583 in 2025: an 89.4% increase. This sharp rise highlights New Zealand’s growing role as a strategic hub for the region.

New Zealand’s reputation as a stable, well-regulated, and business-friendly economy has made it a magnet for international companies. The country’s trusted legal framework, digital-first business registers, and strong Asia-Pacific trade links have positioned it as an attractive destination for foreign-owned companies. Key contributors to this growth include firms from Australia, United States, and UK.

Australia remains the leading source

Australia remains the leading source of foreign-owned companies in New Zealand,growing from 2,417 in 2015 to 5,257 in 2025 – an increase of 117.5%. This leadership is driven by close economic integration and geographic proximity.

Strong growth from France

Another country showing remarkable growth is France. The number of companies increased from 103 in 2015 to 222 in 2025, a rise of 115.5%. This trend is mirrored by a major investment step between the two countries: in August 2025, French dairy group Lactalis agreed to acquire Fonterra’s consumer and associated businesses for NZ$3.845 billion – including iconic brands such as Anchor, Mainland Kapiti and Anlene – pending shareholder and regulatory approvals, according to Reuters.

 

Newzealand Top10 countries 2025

Industries leading the charge

Foreign-owned companies in New Zealand span a diverse range of sectors. The top industries by number of companies are Holding companies (828), Software & IT services (215) and Motor vehicle parts (213).

New zealand Top Industries

Economic impact

Foreign-owned companies are a cornerstone of New Zealand’s economy.Together, they generate an estimated NZD 96.0 billion in annual revenue, equal ton early 23.2% of the nation’s GDP. Beyond their financial weight, these firms provide employment for more than 432,879 people across the country. This underlines the essential role international businesses play in both driving economic output and sustaining jobs nationwide.

About CompanyData.com

CompanyData.com (formerly BoldData) is a global company data provider headquartered in the Netherlands, with offices in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dubai.Since 2013, we’ve supported over 5,000 clients in 81 countries with verified,structured company data. We specialize in custom-built datasets with legal entity data, company hierarchies, contact data and B2B email data. Our mission is to make global company data simple, transparent and truly useful. Visit our new website at www.companydata.com.

CompanyData B.V., Vijzelgracht 53D, 1017 HP Amsterdam, www.companydata.com,About CompanyData.comCompanyData.com (formerly BoldData) is a global company data providerheadquartered in the Netherlands, with offices in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dubai.Since 2013, we’ve supported over 5,000 clients in 81 countries with verified,structured company data. We specialize in custom-built datasets with legal entitydata, company hierarchies, contact data and B2B email data. Our mission is tomake global company data simple, transparent and truly useful. Visit our newwebsite at www.companydata.com.

Note to the editor

Editors are welcome to reference this data in their reporting. Please credit CompanyData.com with a link to the source page. Additional figures or raw data are available on request.

This report is derived from CompanyData.com’s global company database. The foundation of the database is official national trade registers, complemented by trusted sources such as the GLEIF, LEI Repository, chambers of commerce, andlocal commercial registries. For New Zealand, the primary source is the New Zealand Companies Register administered by the New Zealand Companies Office.From these verified records, CompanyData.com builds global company hierarchies and relationships, making it possible to analyze the role of foreign-owned companies across countries.

Additional context: Reuters on Lactalis’ NZ$3.845b acquisition of Fonterra’sconsumer business (https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nzs-fonterra-sells-consumer-business-lactalis-22-billion-shares-soar-2025-08-21/).