Raukawa ki te Tonga AHC Limited (AHC) has appointed Richard O’Hara to a newly created role of finance manager, effective immediately.

 

The AHC is a wholly owned subsidiary and the commercial and investment arm of the Raukawa ki te Tonga Trust. It is responsible for managing and growing the trust’s fisheries settlement assets and investment portfolio. The trust was established in 2010 as a Mandated Iwi Organisation under the Māori Fisheries Act 2004.

Richard is a chartered financial analyst and has a BCA, majoring in accounting, commercial law and marketing from Victoria University of Wellington. He is the director of Trigpoint Capital Ltd, an investment research, analysis and advisory services consultancy.

Richard has previously held roles with Ernst and Young Transaction Advisory Services in Wellington and ReSolve Group in London.

He has been engaged by AHD after a review of the company’s operations and will fulfil the finance manager role on a part-time contract basis, working with Cassidy Pidduck, AHC’s office manager, and reporting directly to the AHC board.

Jack Morris, who been the AHC chief executive, is leaving the company to take up a role with Callaghan Innovation. Richard will take over the responsibilities previously undertaken by Jack.

AHC board chair Debra Birch said Richard brought extensive experience to the role after working in corporate finance in Aotearoa New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

“He has been involved in several private business transactions, managed a range of business valuation and financial modelling engagements and has undertaken due diligence assignments nationally and internationally,” Debra said.

“We look forward to working with Richard as we further develop and grow our asset base and revenues so that the AHC can best serve the trust and enable it to advance and benefit Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga.”

Meanwhile, Toni Kerr, Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga and Ngāti Tūwharetoa, has been appointed by the Raukawa ki te Tonga Trust to the board as a non-executive director.

 She joins Debra Birch, board chair Guy Royal and director Graeme Hastilow. She replaces former director Shelley MacRae.

Toni has more than 30 years of experience in financial markets and private banking, working in Australia, Hong Kong and more recently Aotearoa New Zealand.

Offshore she has held senior positions with Societe Generale in Sydney and with BNP Paribas in Hong Kong.

On returning to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2008, she joined Kiwibank as head of treasury and international operations before joining HRL
Morrison and Co in 2016 as manager, client operations risk and assurance.

Toni also has extensive governance experience having been a director of the Government Superannuation Fund Authority and New Zealand Community Housing Funding Ltd and as a member of the IHC Audit and Risk Committee.

She was previously deputy chair of Te Tikanga Marae Committee and represents Hau Ariki Marae on the South Wairarapa District Council’s Māori Standing Committee. She is also a steering group member of the Community Governance Project led by the Centre for Social Impact.

Toni has a bachelor of business degree majoring in accounting from Sydney’s University of Technology and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

She is currently employed as a principal advisor in the investment team at Te Puni Kōkiri and has responsibility for building investment-related capability among whānau and communities, including Māori governance capability.

“Toni brings a wealth of financial and investment experience to the board,” Debra Birch said. “Her commitment to driving transformational change to uplift Māori communities and working alongside trusted partners with shared objectives fits well with the kaupapa of AHC.

“We look forward to working with her.”