29 March 2022
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After 25 years with PwC, Wayne Tainui (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato-Tainui) retires from the partnership at the end of this week.
Since joining the firm as a graduate in 1997, Wayne has worked across the PwC network, including the United Kingdom and Australia. Wayne’s appointment as partner in 2011 was significant as PwC’s first partner of Māori heritage.
Wayne leaves a remarkable legacy at PwC, where he has been at the forefront of helping clients realise their ambitions. He has achieved this through his unwavering commitment to building enduring relationships. He is a leader in the Māori business sector and widely respected in areas such as deals work, investment strategy, treaty settlement support, governance and organisational design.
In 2010, Wayne established our Manukura team. Today, Manukura is one of the largest Māori business advisory groups in Aotearoa and is deeply woven through PwC New Zealand, touching all parts of the business. This mahi has supported Māori focused entities to achieve their dreams.
Mark Averill, PwC New Zealand CEO and Senior Partner, says Wayne has been a key driver behind the firm’s increasing cultural capability.
“Wayne’s influence has been felt across the organisation and can be seen in the way te reo Māori and tikanga are being embedded, his active role in employing and developing our future Māori leaders and ensuring that PwC fosters and promotes a workplace environment that allows Māori to be Māori.”
While Wayne is retiring from the firm, his vision endures in the continued growth of Manukura, under the co-leadership of Tamati Shepherd-Wipiiti (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) and Tina Kilmister-Blue (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue). The co-leadership model is indicative of the breadth of the Manukura team, which now spans the breadth of PwC’s offerings.
Tamati leads PwC’s Hauora practice, which has a strong focus on improving the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders through an equity lens. He is particularly passionate about linking up services across the health and social services portfolio to help Māori and Pacific communities to improve social, financial and wellbeing outcomes. He is based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
Tina, based in Tāmaki Makaurau, was our first female Māori partner and leads the Private Office team, providing investment advisory services to private investors, including family offices and iwi.
“I am confident that the force and momentum we’ve built over the years will become stronger and stronger. Tamati and Tina symbolise a changing of the guard and will continue to carry Manukura on a special journey,” says Wayne.
Following his retirement, Wayne intends to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. He will also continue to assist Manukura and will take on advisory board roles with Māori-focused organisations and iwi. He also intends to give back through philanthropic activities to the Communities that he has been a part of throughout the years.
“Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai”