Chair of the Maniapoto Maori Trust Board, Tiwha Bell, is today announcing the resignation of the Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, Janise Eketone.
Ms Eketone leaves on 22 December 2017.
Mr Bell says Ms Eketone has made “an enormous contribution” to the Maniapoto Maori Trust Board over her ten years in the role and will be greatly missed by the board and across the many organisations that productive and positive relationships have been forged with.
Mr Bell says key to the Trust’s success under Ms Eketone’s tenure has been her focus and commitment to continuing to move Maniapoto forward. “Since her appointment 2008, the Trust Board has grown into the thriving organisation it is today, advancing and protecting the interests of Maniapoto me ona hapu maha on many fronts,” says Bell.
Under Ms Eketone’s leadership the Trust Board achieved the Nga Wai o Maniapoto (Waipa River) settlement and the implementation of co-governance and co-management arrangements with Crown agencies and local governance. This settlement continues to enable Maniapoto to exercise their role as kaitiaki across the Waipa River catchment and wider environs.
Ms Eketone has also led the development and implementation of a range of Iwi strategies such as Waikahika – the Maniapoto education strategy. The Te Pukeiti Early Childhood Centre is one of the results of Waikahika – the kaupapa-based service involved a greenfield $1.2million new build in Te Kuiti.
Ms Eketone says it’s been “an immense honour and privilege to be the inaugural CEO for the Trust Board” but says after ten years it is time to move on to new opportunities and she looks forward to the quality time this next step affords her and her young family.
“Over the past ten years I’ve worked alongside so many talented and committed people including the team at the Trust Board,” says Eketone. “When I started in this role, it was me plus one. Now we have a number of teams advancing Maniapoto interests in Te Taiao, in education and in treaty matters.”
“I have every confidence the organisation will go from strength to strength and continue the momentum toward a deed of settlement. The Trust Board team is well placed to take the organisation’s strategy and aspirations to the next level,” says Ms Eketone.
The appointment of a new CEO will be discussed at the Trust Board’s October 2017 meeting.