Chapman Tripp celebrates Māori business leaders

Chapman Tripp celebrates Māori business leaders

16 May 2017

Television producer Bailey Mackay is the winner of this year’s Māori Entrepreneurial Leader Award, sponsored by Chapman Tripp.

The inaugural award was presented at the annual University of Auckland Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards at a function hosted by the university's Business School on Friday night.

Mackey, who is of Ngati Porou, Tūhoe and Ronogowhakaata descent, was honoured for his contribution to the advancement of Māori enterprise in New Zealand and around the world.

“We've sponsored the awards for a number of years because we recognise the importance of Māori business leaders now and into the future," said Nick Wells, Chapman Tripp's Chief Executive Partner (Hoa Rangapū Whakarae).

“In 2009 Chapman Tripp set up our Māori legal team Te Waka Ture, which I'm proud to lead. Supporting these awards reflects our commitment to fostering Māori business."

Mackey started his career in media as a DJ on iwi radio, before moving into television where he was head of sport for Māori television.

He's since gone on to produce dozens of successful television shows, including The GC, Marae and Kapa Haka Kids.

The global format rights of his latest show Sidewalk Karaoke have recently been sold to the same company that produces American Idol, X Factor and America's Got Talent.

“I definitely see myself as a Maui-preneur," said Mackey of his award.

“Maui went out and challenged the status quo. For a lot of my upbringing my entrepreneurial skills weren't recognised by any system and I was a square peg in a round hole, so it's great to have these skills recognised."

For more information about the awards, including a full list of recipients, see here.

About the Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards

The University of Auckland Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards “recognise and celebrate outstanding Māori excellence and success in business." Individuals and organisations are “honoured for their contributions to the advancement of Māori enterprise in New Zealand and around the world." The awards are run by the University of Auckland Business School and are widely regarded as the nation's premier Māori Business awards.

About Chapman Tripp

Chapman Tripp is New Zealand's leading full-service commercial law firm with a truly national presence, with 53 partners and 175 lawyers across offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Our clients span the full spectrum of industry, commerce and government.

Our lawyers are recognised leaders in corporate and commercial, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, banking and finance, restructuring and insolvency, litigation and dispute resolution, employment, government and public law, intellectual property, telecommunications, real estate and construction, energy and natural resources, and tax law.

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