Sealord Group Limited has announced that Jamie Tuuta has been selected as the company’s new Board chair from 1 April 2023, replacing current Sealord chairman Whaimutu Dewes when he retires from the Board on 31 March.
Whaimutu, of Ngāti Porou and Ngati Rangitihi descent, is a former chair of Moana New Zealand and served as deputy chair of Sealord from 1992 to 2008. He has served in a number of seafood related roles, including the first 10 years on the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission and has been chair of Sealord since 2016.
Moana Board chair and Sealord director Rachel Taulelei says the Board would like to acknowledge Whaimutu’s more than thirty years of service to Sealord and the wider Iwi fisheries sector.
“Whaimutu is part of the bedrock of Māori fisheries and has provided unquestionably strong guidance, leadership, and commercial acumen during his time in fisheries governance. I have no doubt we will continue to have Whaimutu’s support as we continue his legacy.”
Whaimutu says:
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, ko taku toa te toa takitini.
“It is a privilege to serve on the board of Sealord. As with all service, that comes with challenges and the rewards that meeting the challenges provide.
“As the proverb above spells out, all success is derived by working together and I am confident that Sealord will continue to provide sound leadership in each and all of the areas that have an interface with our communities.”
Te Mātārae (Chief Executive) of Te Ohu Kaimoana Lisa te Heuheu commented “Whaia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohe koe, me he maunga teitei. This whakatauki relates to perserverance, facing challenges with a strong personal fortitude whilst forging pathways and being visionary for our people. Whaimutu’s time at the helm of Sealord speaks to this whakatauki, and I acknowledge the hard graft it takes to lead a company of this magnitude and deliver on the aspirations of our iwi shareholders. I have no doubt that Jamie brings with him the tools and experience to lead deeper and further upon the platform laid by Whaimutu before him.”
Jamie, of Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Maru, Te Ati Awa, Taranaki Tūturu descent, is an experienced director with deep commercial and governance experience across various industries and sectors. Currently chair of Maori Television and Tourism New Zealand and a director of Moana New Zealand and a number of other boards, Jamie is committed to the broader iwi commercial landscape and is passionate about iwi success in the fisheries space. He was formerly chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana for nine years until 2020.
