She is an expert on regulatory law and Māori economic development
Juliet Tainui-Hernandez (Ngāi Tahu, Te Whakatōhea) has joined the Waitangi Tribunal per an announcement by Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka.
The governor general has appointed Tainui-Hernandez for a three-year term. The regulatory law and Māori economic development expert is a full-time director on the ASB Bank and Whai Rawa Fund Ltd boards.
Tainui-Hernandez brings governance experience from working in the commercial, financial, and Iwi sectors. She was the chief compliance officer at Norton Rose Fulbright and also logged a stint as assistant governor at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
She has worked across New Zealand, Australia and the UK, advising trusts, corporates, and her home rūnanga, Ōnuku. She commenced her legal career at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
“The appointment of Juliet Tainui-Hernandez will help strengthen the Waitangi Tribunal for the benefit of Māori and all New Zealanders. As the Tribunal reaches its fiftieth anniversary, it’s important we ensure the board has the right balance of skills to continue its important mahi hearing and reporting Māori treaty claims in a timely manner”, Potaka said.
Meanwhile, Magnis Energy Technologies Limited group GC Mark Gray (Tapuika, Ngāti Rongomai, Tūhourangi) has been named a trustee of the Poutama Trust for a five-year term.
“Mark Gray’s appointment to the Poutama Trust will strengthen the Trust’s ability to provide important business development services to Māori. This is essential for creating jobs, boosting incomes and enabling whānau to achieve their aspirations”, Potaka said.
Gray founded and led Allegiance Coal as CEO. He was also DiamonEx Ltd’s head of legal and Bounty Industries Limited’s CEO.
Moreover, he was a partner at Bell Gully Buddle Weir in Wellington and is presently a non-executive director at Telkwa Mining Limited.
