Who we are

Te Awe Wellington Maori Business Network is a non-profit organisation and was established in 1996 and is the oldest Maori Business Network operating in New Zealand. We are registered with the Registrar of companies as an Incorporated Society is governed by a commitee on a voluntary basis.

Te Awe has a strong membership base representing small to medium sized businesses through to large corporates. Non Maori Business people can also take advantage of our Associate Membership option.

Te Awe’s purpose is to promote, assist and encourage Maori in business through regular networking Hui where Maori Business owners meet and share their business successes and challenges.

We have been delighted to have as our guest speakers leading Maori Buisness people and personalities including James Johnston (Rainey Collins Lawyers), Dr Farah Palmer (Massey University), Doug Hauraki (Maori Education Trust), Hon John Tamihere (former Member for Tamaki Makaurau), Ralph Norris (formerly Air New Zealand and Commonwealth Bank of Australia), Rob McLeod (New Zealand Business Round Table), Rick Bettle (New Zealand Institute of Directors), Michael Campbell (US Open Champion), Liz Kelly (Porirua City Councellor and Business Woman) and Ata Te Kanawa (Editor of Tu Mai Magazine).

Management Committee

The current management committee;

 

Peter Tanara Johnston (Ngati Porou)

Peter is the Chairman and lives in Wellington. He is a Partner in the prestigious Wellington law firm Rainey Collins. Peter leads his firm's Maori issues team and his advice is sought by clients throughout the country.

Contact: 04 473 6850 or pjohnston@raineycollins.co.nz

 

Mark Drummond Whitecliffe (Te Arawa)

Mark has been part of the Te Awe Committee for the last 6 years originally brought on board to assist with the website, advertising and print requirements and is now the Te Awe Treasurer.

Mark has been with his company, MSO Design, for 29 years, starting as a fresh faced graduate of the Wellington Polytechnic's Visual Communication course. In 1996 he bought into the company with another business partner, taking over ownership of the whole company in 2004 as sole director.

Contact: 021 222-9566 or mark@msodesign.com

 

Paul Retimanu

Paul is our Events Coordinator and ideally suited to the task having hosted numerous events, functions and conferences as Director of KPR Catering.

Paul Retimanu entered the industry as a bartender and by the age of 24 was already managing 40 staff as the catering manager of a large, five-star hotel. "That's the great thing about hospitality," he says. "You can move up the chain quickly and still be quite young, as long as you show your initiative and are prepared to work hard."

These days, in between juggling the demands of 7 children, Paul and his wife Keri own and run several businesses "KPR Catering, Karaka Café situated at Te Raukura - te Wharewaka o Poneke and Te Puna Reo o Nga Kakano, Childcare Centre. Between these businesses they employee a full-time team of 20 staff plus another 20 part-time or casual employees to help with the busy Times.

Contact: 027 451-2186 or paul@kprcatering.co.nz

 

Marissa Wallace

Administrator

Te Awe Maori Business Network (INC)

Contact: 04 499-8170 or marissa@kprcatering.co.nz

 

Horiana Irwin (Ngati Porou, Rakaipaaka, Ngati Kahungunu)

Horiana was elected onto the Te Awe board in 2009 at the AGM after being a student member during her studies. Horiana graduated from Victoria University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Maori Resource Management, and was recently admitted to the bar. Horiana has worked as a solicitor at Russell McVeagh in Wellington within the Litigation, Resource Management and Maori legal teams. Prior to working at Russell McVeagh Horiana worked at Te Puni Kokiri in the Matauranga Maori and Whanau Development teams.

Horiana is currently a solicitor at Kahui Legal in January 2010. Horiana has assisted with District Court, Environment Court, Board of Inquiry, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court hearings. Horiana also has experience assisting with arbitral proceedings (within New Zealand). Horiana has particular experience with geothermal projects, foreshore and seabed matters and contractual interpretation disputes.

Horiana is currently the Whanganui-a-Tara representative for Te Hunga Roia Maori o Aotearoa (the National Maori Lawyers Association).

Contact: 04 819-7857 or horiana@kahuilegal.co.nz

Here are some related links you may find interesting:

Southern Maori Network - www.southernmaoribusiness.org.nz

Sydney Maori Business Network - www.maoribusinessnetwork.com

FOMA - www.foma.co.nz

Wellington Chamber of Commerce - www.wgtn-chamber.co.nz

Te Puni Kokiri - www.tpk.govt.nz

Federation of Maori Authority - www.foma.co.nz

Business NZ - www.businessnz.org.nz

NZ Trade and Enterprise - www.nzte.govt.nz