About us

Ko wai mātou

Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea

Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea is Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa’s asset holding group. It is a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa and its primary function is to hold, protect and grow the Iwi assets. 

Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea was initially set up to receive the Maori Fisheries Settlement assets; and has since been given responsibility for all Te Rarawa commercial assets.

Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea Vision

"Growing the Te Rarawa asset base and our people alongside it".

Investment Principles

  • Develop a five-year planned approach to investment and a reliable contribution for the Iwi
  • Live within our means; do not spend more than we earn
  • Balance our investments between real and financial assets
  • Invest in real assets like farms, businesses and the Te Rarawa economy
  • Invest in financial assets like term deposits, bonds and equities to ensure diversity and resilience
  • Grow the value of the financial assets

Four Pou Principle

Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea Group applies the Four Pou Principle to all of its decisions and functions. The four pou are interconnected and each pou cannot be considered in isolation from the others. In this way, the Four Pou Principle represents a foundation upon which Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea Group will strive to fulfil the objective: “to grow a sustainable economic base that will support Te Rarawa whānau, hapū, iwi.”

The four pou are:

 Pou tahi:   Te Oranga (Social)
 Pou rua:   Te Taiao (Environmental)
 Pou toru:   Te Rarawatanga (Cultural)
 Pou whā:   Te Ōhanga (Economic)

The TWPP Group boards has five Trustees


Chairman - June McCabe 

June, who is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors and who holds an MBA, has more than 25 years’ experience in governance roles across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. After an extensive career in banking and finance, following many years in the public service (Housing Corporation), June has held a wide range of governance roles.

Current directorships include Devon Funds Management and Chairman of Te Waka Pupuri Putea Group. Previous relevant roles include Avanti Finance, founding director of the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund; and consultancy roles in developing investment strategy, business planning along and providing general management expertise.June’s passion is building a Māori enterprise culture that achieves mana motuhake for our people.  Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngati Kaharau and Ngāti Kahu.

 

Director - Roberta Grbich

Roberta Grbich is a Te Rūnanga o te Rarawa Trustee Representative on the boards of Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea (TWPP) Group.

Roberta joined the boards in August 2019 and is the Marae delegate for Manukau Marae. Her daytime job is working for Te iwi o Ngati Kahu in the hauora space. As the Manukau Marae delegate Roberta brings knowledge and skills from past school board of trustees roles and a passion for her community.

Roberta has completed a Bachelor of Humanities degree majoring in Indigenous Studies with Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiārangi. Roberta  hopes to see Te Rarawa people leading healthy, happy and fulfilled lives, unified, connected and strong in our identity. 

 

Director - Dale Stephens 

Dale joined the boards of Te Waka Pupuri Pūtea (TWPP) Group in November 2022 as an independent director. Dale (Te Rarawa) was born  and raised in Christchurch.

He currently works as New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s Director of Māori Partnership in Christchurch. Dale is also chair of NZ Māori Tourism and startup advisory group Ministry of Awesome, and a trustee of Early Start Project, a home visitation programme supporting whānau raising children. 

Dale has worked as a police officer and was chief executive of New Zealand’s peak bodies for basketball and touch rugby.

After gaining a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University, Dale went on to gain a Master of Public Policy and a Graduate Diploma in Te Reo Māori from Victoria University and a Master of Laws from Canterbury University.

Dale is married to Tarina and they have six adult children, Dale and Tarina are the founders of local corporate fitness centre Koha Fitness. In his spare time, he enjoys staying fit and spending time with his family.

Director - Malcolm Robson

Ko Taumatamahoe te Maunga

Ko Tangonge te wai

Ko Te Rarawa Te Iwi

Ko Tarutaru te Tangata

Ko Ngati te Ao, Te Taha a wai me Te Uri o Hina ōku hapū

Ko Te Rarawa te marae

Ko Pukepoto tāku kainga.

Malcolm has extensive experience working in both Government and the “Not for Profit Sector”. He has held senior management and senior executive roles including operations management and CEO both in New Zealand and Australia. Malcolm has also held several governance roles in the NGO sector as Chairman of National Organisation - (Health Care Aotearoa), IPNANZ – (Injury Prevention Network Aotearoa NZ) and including Chairman of Health services in Central Wellington, Wairarapa and Porirua.

Upon his return from Australia, Malcolm has connected with his wider whanau, hapū and iwi in Muriwhenua and this has resulted in him representing his whanau and hapū as a marae delegate for Te Rarawa Marae.

Being home has revitalised his commitment to his whānau, hapū, iwi resulting in him being appointed not only as a Director on Te Waka Pupuri Putea, Te Runanga O Te Rarawa Asset Holding Company, and the Te Ahu Museum Trust Board, Kaitaia.

Malcolm looks forward to contribute to the ongoing development of Te Runanga O Te Rarawa in manifesting resources to achieve the aspirations of the Iwi.

Associate Director - Tom Watford

Ko Kokohuia te maunga

Ko Tangonge te wai

Ko Te Uri o Hina te Marae

Active in the management and development of Te Uri o Hina marae for many years, Tom is also the Rūnanga Delegate.

He has a civil engineering and asset and maintenance management background holding senior and regional management roles at Auckland International Airport Ltd and Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities.

Toms’ governance roles include Te Runanga o Te Rarawa Board of Trustees, Associate Director of Te Waka Pupuri Putea, Te Ahu Charitable Trust Board, Te Piri o Te Uri o Hina Whenua Trust, Wade Family Trust, Director of Watford Properties Ltd.

Previous governance roles include Waitakere City Councils Te Taumata Runanga, and Auckland International Airport Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae Trust.

Notable work experience includes, airport buildings and infrastructure management, and Auckland and Northlands public housing asset base management.

 Tom’s particular interest is the significant issue for our whanau to access a suitable and affordable home. “My personal view is iwi Māori should take a radical shift away from the nuclear family housing model to papakāinga; benefiting social, environmental; and economic outcomes for our whanau and Aotearoa as a whole”.