Source: University of Auckland (UoA)
Aotearoa’s best and brightest Māori business leaders were honoured at the 2024 Ngā Tohu Kaiārahi Pakihi Māori o Aotearoa | Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards.
Whakatō te kākano, marotiritiri ai te māra, ka māea ngā hua | Plant the seed, cultivate the garden, reap the benefits.
A macadamia pioneer, sustainable fisheries champions and a plastic waste-to-product business, were among those honoured at the 2024 Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards.
The event, held on 23 October and hosted by the University of Auckland Business School, celebrated the remarkable contributions of the Māori entrepreneurs, leaders and organisations shaping Aotearoa’s business landscape.
Six awards were presented, acknowledging the unique and powerful contributions of Māori leaders, each with their own inspiring story and unique approach to business.
Vanessa Hayes, founder of kaupapa Māori business Torere Macadamias, won the Entrepreneurial Māori Business Leader award.
Vanessa and her team are growing the New Zealand macadamia industry, which has historically relied on imported macadamias.
Torere Macadamias is working with Plant and Food Research, expanding its nursery and encouraging other growers and grower collectives by providing training, workshops and supplying plants from their nursery.
The company’s orchard produces around 20 tonnes of macadamias annually. And recently, Vanessa and the Torere team celebrated a milestone, winning a contract to supply Air New Zealand on their long haul and business class flights.
Moana New Zealand was honoured with the Kaitiaki Business Leader award for their dedication to sustainable fisheries management. The seafood company is a 100 percent iwi-owned organisation with a deep sense of responsibility and respect for New Zealand’s fisheries.
Māori Women’s Development Inc., a charitable trust formed, managed and operated by Māori women, earned the Mānuka Henare award for its continued support of Māori women in business, offering loans and wrap-around support.
Traci Houpapa, chair of the Federation of Māori Authorities, won the Māori Governance Leader award for her extensive leadership in business and governance, shaping the Māori business landscape. She holds a number of directorships and Ministerial appointments, including Chiefs Rugby and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
The Outstanding Māori Business Leader award went to Harry Burkhardt, co-founder and managing director of Replas Ltd, an innovative company transforming waste plastic into valuable products.
Meanwhile, the Dame Mira Szászy Alumni Award went to Karleen Everitt, a University of Auckland Business School graduate who has had a stellar career and is currently leading Te Ao Māori Strategy at ANZ Bank.
