Building generational wealth from Mangamuka to Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa

An EMBA develops strategic business competencies that Ms Otene says she was able to apply immediately in senior leadership roles.

Born and raised in Mangamuka, Ms Otene says whānau, hapu and iwi-focused service has fuelled her professional career. This has included building The Moko Foundation, establishing Manurewa Marae’s Taiohi Whai Oranga, and more recently the rebuild of Te Kotahitanga E Mahi Kaha Trust. She also holds governance roles at both a regional and national level, has been a recipient of the Vodafone Foundation World of Difference award, a Vodafone Fellowship recipient, and is an alumni of Leadership New Zealand.

Ms Otene says her role at Te Kotahitanga E Mahi Kaha Trust in Ngāpuhi was pivotal. Here she actively contributed and led business development, digital enablement, environmental restoration and intergenerational capability development.

“As the CEO of Te Kotahitanga E Mahi Kaha Trust, I was tasked with rebuilding the Trust, including the acquisition of new property, the building of an operational model, and attracting investment while building the Te Kona business and innovation hub.”

While in her role as CEO, Ms Otene built a model of Taiao restoration that established a native tree nursery and waterway restoration business in Kaikohe.

“I live to contribute to the restoration and return of whenua for Māori and the wellbeing of all people. It is the essence, I believe, of tangata whenua,” she says.

As a mother of two, Ms Otene prioritised her time to replicate the teachings of her tupuna, namely the collectivism approach to her upbringing, and being brought up by elders and whānau on Mangamuka Marae. She says she feels privileged to have been raised ‘by a village’, and her tamariki now have this privilege from both sides of their whakapapa. Collectivism, coupled with the responsibility of service, are two characteristics Ms Otene says are foundational to her.

Ms Otene says she drew on this collectivism approach when faced with adversity during her studies. She says the flexibility Massey offered with online learning allowed her to accommodate her busy lifestyle as a mother, a mentor, a business owner, a CEO, and a community leader, all while studying through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms Otene attributes her successes to the support she received from her whānau and academic staff. Two mentors in particular, Ben Dalton and the late Manuka Henare, accompanied Ms Otene throughout her learning and professional journey.

“I lost my Dad unexpectedly midway through my Master of Business Administration journey. The grief that followed his passing was immense. However, my whānau, hapu, close friends, mentors and the supportive staff from the Master of Business Administration office encouraged and supported me through. I will forever be thankful.”

As a first-generation Māori academic, Ms Otene cites what the tohu of education presents for her and her whanau:

“Ko te manu e kai ana I te miro nōnā te ngahere

Ko te manu e kai ana I te mātauranga `nōnā te ao”

It’s the knowledge of the world that Ms Otene will continue to dedicate her life to. Divulging and illustrating to the many generations thereafter, as tangata whenua, we are multifaceted beings continuously on the journey of growth and prosperity.