Our Team
Directors
Rob is a highly respected figure in corporate New Zealand and is a champion of Maori business development. He is the only Te Ohu Kaimoana director to sit on both the board of Te Ohu and Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL).
He has an indepth knowledge of the AFL businesses and the operations of Te Ohu as a former Commissioner of the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission He is currently Chair of the New Zealand Business Roundtable and a director of ANZ National Bank Limited, Gullivers Pacific Limited, SKYCITY Entertainment Group Limited, Tainui Group Holdings Limited and Telecom New Zealand Limited. He is also a former Chair of Ernst & Young.
Rob is considered one of the country's top tax experts, and is qualified in law as well as commerce. He was part of the 1994 Inland Revenue Department's Organisational Review, and also chaired the 2001 Government Tax Review.
He was involved in the organisation of the Maori Economic Summit (Hui Taumata 2005) and is currently compiling a book on Maori leadership.
Craig Ellison probably knows more about the operations of the companies sitting under AFL and the fishing industry than any other Director. He was a Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commissioner for more than a decade, and he has been the Deputy Chairperson since 2000.
Craig is a former Chairman of Moana Pacific and Prepared Foods. He has an active involvement in a range of fishing industry groups. This includes being an Alternate Director of the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council and a former President of the Fishing Industry Association.
Craig Norgate has 15 years' experience as a leader in the New Zealand dairy industry. He was CEO of Fonterra at its formation in 2001 to 2003. He has also been a Director of the New Zealand Dairy Board, a Director of Mainland Products and the CEO of Kiwi Co-operative Dairies.
Craig has recently been in the news for acquiring a controlling share in Wrightson - the country's biggest rural supplies firm and wool broker. He has established credentials in both the export area and the rationalisation of large businesses, which are matters of considerable interest to AFL
Matanuku is a partner in Kahui Legal. He has a strong background in commercial law and an intimate knowledge of the Maori fisheries settlement, including the subsequent litigation that occurred over the allocation of Maori fisheries assets.
He has extensive experience representing tribes in Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlement negotiations. He is currently the President of the Maaori Lawyers Association and is often asked to comment on Maaori legal issues
Keith is a Director of Sutton McCarthy Ltd, which provides strategic, financial, and treasury advice to corporates, SOEs, multinationals, and other clients.
He is a Director of Sealord and a former Chairman of the New Zealand Futures Exchange Ltd. He has a very successful background in the areas of investment banking and corporate finance, both in New Zealand and overseas.
Staff
Tom has held executive management positions in the policy divisions for the Ministry of Fisheries and Te Ohu Kai Moana (TOKM). In his previous job as a Principal of the Corporate Finance Division at Ernst and Young he provided financial advice to a range of primary production companies including those in the fishing industry.
Tom holds a First Class Honours Masters of Science in Natural Resource Management from Lincoln University and a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Massey. He has been a Director on Maori-owned fishing companies and was a founding Director of the Seafood Industry Council and the New Zealand Paua Management Company.
Danny managed key commercial projects for the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission (Te Ohu Kai Moana). He was also involved in the sale of Brierley's 50% stake in Sealord to Nissui and from 2003 was the Project Manager in charge of the establishment of Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL).
Danny has spent more than 15 years as a financial professional within complex and high quality organisations including eight years with UK-based company Cereal Industries Limited that turned over 960 million pounds per annum.
Danny has a wealth of senior financial experience that he brings to his role as Chief Financial Officer and has an intimate knowledge of AFL's role and responsibilities.
Dean is a Chartered Accountant and has a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University . He was employed by Ernst and Young as a business advisor prior to working with the Commercial Development team at the TOKM. This role included monitoring the commercial performance of TOKM's subsidiary companies, governance and pursuing business development and aquisition opportunities.
In 1999 Dean took over management of Pacific Marine Farms Ltd. During his time with the company he has more than doubled turnover, improved profitability, and grown the business through a combination of marine farming acquisitions and commercial supply and marketing relationships. Processing capacity was increased as well with the takeover of the shellfish factory in Whangarei. He has been instrumental in implementing cooperative export strategies within the oyster industry and the establishment of a joint venture export marketing company which accounts for over 65% of New Zealand oyster exports.
Prior to the establishment of AFL Dean was a Director on Moana Pacific Fisheries and Prepared Foods Ltd and continues to hold directorships on various commercial entities.
Jim has played a vital role in developing a highly successful niche market enterprise. Of American Indian descent, Jim started working at Prepared Foods as a Food Technologist over 35 years ago.
Jim has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining an important strategic alliance with our joint venture partner, Ocean Ranch and with many of the businesses long term Chinese distributors.
Jim's experience in the abalone export industry and his extensive relationships with customers, many of whom he has known for over 30 years, plays an important role in the company's success. His key involvement with the supplying of ready-to-eat meals in soft pouches for military operations throughout the world has also been a major contribution to the performance of the business.
