Listen Now: 
Download AudioBusinessman Sir Rob McLeod hopes his latest tohu will inspire other Māori to pursue careers in finance.
Sir Rob was named the inaugural Te Tohu Kahukura Māori Leadership in Finance winner at the revamped Finance Professionals Awards.
While his career was built on his skills in taxation, he has also taken on many other roles including being lead negotiator for the Ngāti Porou treaty settlement, sitting on the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission and chairing of Aotearoa Fisheries; and chairing the New Zealand Business Roundtable from 2002 to 2010.
He’s currently chair of fishing company Sanford.
He believes Māori are underrepresented in business and finance.
“We Māori put our emphasis on communal thinking – marae, iwi, hapu, collective – that’s fine, that’s sort of the emphasis on whanaungatanga. But the other side of life and business is to also celebration individuality s and flair and that kind of thing so I would like some emphasis to go on that topo and if I can play a role in winning this award in attracting or promoting this award to Māori I’ve done my job and I’ll be a very happy man,” Sir Rob says.
A highlight of the award is that the trophy was carved by his Ngāti Porou whanaunga Sir Derek Lardelli.
RELATED NEWS
