Māori Economic Development Advisory Board (MEDAB)

About the Board

The Board reports to the Minister for Māori Development and Minister for Economic Development.

Tania Pouwhare (Co-chair)

Ngāi Tūhoe 

Tania is a Social Entrepreneur for The Southern Initiative team at Auckland Council. Her role is to support and enable social and community innovation in South Auckland to tackle some of our tough socio-economic challenges, and to be a change-maker inside a massive bureaucracy.

She is leading The Southern Initiative team’s work on procurement and employment and skills. Prior to moving to The Southern Initiative team, Tania held strategy roles.

Chrissie Hape (Co-chair)

Ngāti Kahungunu

Chrissie has over 25 years of management experience both within central government and in community sectors. She is an agile experienced leader and has managed people, projects and services with an emphasis on building strong effective relationships for the best outcomes for our community. She has the ability to lead strong cohesive teams with diverse responsibilities and priorities that meet the needs of our people. She is currently the chief executive of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated.

Sacha McMeeking

Ngāi Tahu

Sacha has a LLM Honours and brings a serial entrepreneur’s approach to working with and for Iwi Māori. From instigating United Nations proceedings to developing a Māori social enterprise fund and leading commercial negotiations, she is known for solution-building that meets Iwi Māori aspirations.

As the General Manager of Strategy and Influence with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Sacha was responsible for government relations, public policy, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and inter-Iwi collaboration which included commercial opportunities.

In 2015, Sacha was appointed head of Aotahi (the School of Māori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Canterbury) and co-director of Maui Lab. Sacha is also a partner in Tū Māia Partners, a collaboration of Ngāi Tahu women to deliver inspirational leadership and entrepreneurship programmes, from a base of ngākau Māori and with insight into catalysing and growing our people.

Shay Wright

Te Rarawa

Shay is the co-founder of Te Whare Hukahuka, an education organisation focusing on empowering indigenous community organisations, their leaders and communities. He is currently involved in Kahui Māori (Māori Advisory Board) Science for Technological Innovation Science Challenge and is a Board of Trustee member for Teach First NZ. Shay was listed in Forbes 30 Under-30 Asia as a social entrepreneur.

Hinerangi Edwards

Ngā Ruahine, Taranaki, Te Pakakohi, Tangahoe, Ngāti Ruanui, Te Arawa

Born and raised in South Taranaki, Hinerangi Edwards has an extensive background in employment, youth and workforce development. Her board experience spans agriculture, education, iwi and funding sectors. She is director of her consultancy company Aatea Solutions. Hinerangi also serves as a Māori Language Commissioner (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori), chairs PKW Education Trust, and is a director of Māori and women economic development entities.

Di Grennell MNZM

Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri, Ngāti Toa, Ngāi Tahu

Di’s commitment to mokopuna and their futures has guided her professional life and her focus on where she can make a meaningful difference. Her extensive iwi and community experience has been complemented by years of public sector leadership, working in areas of change and innovation such as Whānau Ora, housing, regional economic development, and Māori development more broadly. A skilled navigator of relationships and organisational change, Di is an experienced facilitator and communicator. She was a Deputy Chief Executive at Te Puni Kōkiri for 6 years and brings expertise in policy and machinery of government.

Di currently lends this expertise to public sector agencies and boards, her own iwi, and personal research interests. She was awarded an MNZM in 2022 for services to the public service and Māori.

Renata Hakiwai

Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Tūwharetoa, Tainui, Ngāti Porou

Renata has over a decade of experience in leadership, executive and advisory positions within numerous organisations. Currently he is the Managing Director of HTK Group and shareholder in many ventures and investments. He also holds several governance positions which include the Co-chair for Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council, Chairperson for Heretaunga Tamatea Pou Tahua Investments LP, Director on Tātau Tātau Commercial LP and HTK Kaute VC GP.

Renata has a passion for supporting Economic Development, with particular focus on SMEs, start up enterprise, indigenous trade, workforce development, research and Innovation, and commercial investments. He also has a strong understanding in both the information and green economies.

Renata sees himself as an enabler, an accelerator for getting things done, and a servant for Indigenous people development.