Download the Ngāi Tahu Corporate Profile - Ngai Tahu

Te PūteaThe Vision:Our dream is that commercial successis the wind in the sails of our tribaldevelopment. The goal is that ourcommercial growth supports ourperpetual tribal development journey.Ngāi Tahu CommercialismNgāi Tahu has a proudhistory of commerceand trade reaching backhundreds of years. Priorto colonisation Ngāi Tahuunderpinned the inter-tribalpounamu trade and laterembraced internationalcommerce through stronginvolvement in New Zealand’searly whaling andagricultural industries.Through regaining access tosignificant capital Ngāi Tahuhas once again embraced itsheritage of commerce in newareas including property,seafood and tourism.Ngāi Tahu has been engagedin modern day commercialactivities, particularlysince the late 1950’s whenthe Ngāi Tahu Māori TrustBoard had income of about$20,000 per year with whichto balance its investmentand distribution aspirations.Even in those early days thedecision-makers recognised theneed to reinvest to grow thepūtea and chose to put in placean aggressive reinvestmentpolicy – reinvesting abouttwo thirds of the incomewhile maintaining a tightlyfocused distribution policyaimed at providing supportto tribal members throughthe likes of education grantsand scholarships.In 1998, as a result of theNgāi Tahu Claim SettlementAct, Ngāi Tahu received asettlement sum of $170m. Italso subsequently involvedfisheries and aquacultureassets valued at $71m. Thereinvestment policy wascontinued and the asset basecontinued to grow. Today thecommercial asset base is nowin excess of $809m.Ngāi Tahu is a committedintergenerational investor,driven by the vision andvalues of Ngāi Tahu Whānui.Our commercial operationsare the financial engine tosupport our intergenerationaltribal journey, and are alsoreturning the iwi to beingthe backbone of the SouthIsland economy. Annually,we contribute over $200m tothe South Island economy,through job creation,purchasing and spendingour profits locally.62 63