BNZ develops specialist Tāmaki Māori Banking Team

BNZ develops specialist Tāmaki Māori Banking Team to support Māori as Auckland grows

With Auckland recognised as a key driver of New Zealand’s economic growth, BNZ this week launched a team of specialists to enable Tamaki Makaurau Māori and iwi groups to participate more fully in that growth and opportunity.

The eight-strong BNZ Tāmaki Māori banking team will be based largely at BNZ’s Highbrook Partners Business Centre and brings together a range of specialists from across the bank to provide dedicated banking support to individuals, businesses and iwi groups.

“We see significant opportunity for Tāmaki Makaurau Māori over the next five years as iwi leverage their respective Treaty settlements, and take advantage of commercial opportunities,” says BNZ head of Māori business, Pierre Tohe.

“Tāmaki Treaty settlements will total in the vicinity of $200 million. However, the wider potential for Tāmaki iwi over the coming five years through various commercial deals will more than likely be double this figure.
“Development of the Tāmaki Māori Banking team will harness the wealth of knowledge and focus present within the bank as well as ensure a coordinated approach to how BNZ can best enable iwi organisations, hapū and Māori businesses to thrive in Tāmaki Makaurau.”

Mr Tohe says the bank is seeing a greater demand from Māori and iwi groups for specialised banking expertise across multiple industries such as property, agribusiness, forestry, housing, aquaculture and public-private partnerships as well as specialised services such as wealth management and transactional solutions.

“Māori business is different because it’s more than just business. Māori organisations utilise commercial returns to advance the social, health, educational, environmental, employment and cultural goals of the people.”

“Local Māori have both an opportunity and an obligation to be leaders in the growth and development of Tāmaki Makaurau and we are thrilled to bring our expertise to the table to partner with them to better enable that,” says Mr Tohe.

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