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National | Awards

Pacific-owned businesses celebrated on the red carpet

Glamour, colours and smiles were on display at the red carpet event that acknowledged growing Pacific businesses in Aotearoa over the weekend.

The Pacific Business Trust (PBT) awards were held at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau City where 39 businesses were nominated and 10 won.

Pacific Peoples Minister Aupito William Sio feels it’s important to celebrate Pacific people doing great things.

“It’s validation that we are business people too, that we’re not just good on the sports field or we’re not just good at singing, we also know how to do business and we add our cultural values and make sure that it’s not just about profit but about building the community and giving the younger generation opportunities, and that’s what tonight is about," he says.

The PBT awards are held every two years and are also an opportunity for Pacific-owned businesses to network with each other.

Over 400 companies were nominated and 10 awards were given out on the night, including to Alexia Hilbertidou Fo’ou, who won the award for Young Pacific Entrepreneur.

Youth coming through

Chairperson Paul Retimanu says more young innovators are winning awards and will continue to do so over the coming years.

“Pacific Business Trust is here to be able to advocate for that. A significant number of businesses are being started up now by people between the age of 18 to 35, and there’s a big chunk in that.

"So, that’s the youth coming through, which is absolutely fantastic. I think over the next five years we’re going to start seeing a bit of a change in those industries,” Retimanu says.

The 1960s and 1970s saw an influx of Pacific from all over Polynesia to Aotearoa to fill in a labour shortage. They worked in factories, fruit yards and cleaning services and starting their own enterprises was rarely a priority.

Eli Tagi, who won the Mataka Vou Award for Pacific Business Enterprise, believes his business would not be where they are today if it wasn’t for his family that moved away from those islands.

“We are very honoured to be here. Just as with anything we have to pay homage to those who came before us, those who paved the way and allowed us this opportunity for us to be here, where we are and doing the work we are doing in our space," he says.

Pasifika superpower

The PBT is a collective that supports Pacific businesses by connecting them to service providers.

The nominated awards on the night included sole traders, small businesses and large businesses who were out to win some recognition.

Retimanu who has been chair for over two months believes it’s vital the Pacific community comes together to commemorate any success.

“It’s also an opportunity for all our people to come together. This is our superpower as Pasifika, we come together, we collaborate whether it’s faalavelave, or it’s a celebration. This is what we do really really well.

"In a business sense and in a business community it’s really important that we celebrate those small successes. Because as you know our people don't necessarily do that, we don’t tell people how great we are, so this is letting the people do that on our behalf," he says.

The 10 awards were made to:

Tautua  Alofa Pasifika Award for Pacific Social Enterprise: Filipo Saua – Zenith Fitness and Snapback Gym. Commercial gym Zenith Fitness has a social enterprise, a charitable trust named Snapback 'toe a'e se tofa', which contributes to positive health, exercise and wellbeing outcomes for Pacific people in Aotearoa.

Award 2: Fetu'u Fo'ou Award for Young Pacific Entrepreneur: Alexia Hilbertidou, GirlBoss NZ. As the only girl in her digital technology class at school, Alexia was inspired to create GirlBoss New Zealand, the largest Young Women's community in the country with 13,500 members. Its programmes are now in more than 100 schools

Award 3: Mataka Vou Award for Pacific Business Enterprise: Eli Tagi, WE MANA, a multi-award winning innovative business advisory firm in New Zealand and Samoa.

Award 4: Kanumea Afine Loto Toa Award for Pacific Woman in Business: Nora Swann, Nora Swann Ltd. Swann is a businesswoman, pioneer and creative entrepreneur in the Pacific region's fashion industry. She directs major fashion shows including the innovative Pacific Fusion Fashion Show and gives back by empowering female youth with the Dressed in Confidence Wellness Programme.

Award 5: Galu Fou Award for Pacific Innovation: Dain Guttenbeil, LifeStone. This 100% Pasifika Māori pastoral care entity, LifeStone offer a unique and authentic way to honour and celebrate those who have passed. LifeStone's technology and app allows families to tell the full story of their loved one, brimming with videos, music, photos and written reflections to their memorial, headstone or plaque, activated by a smart phone.

Award 6: Langa Fonua Award for Pacific Excellence in Construction and Trades: Rau Tangiiti, Independent Traffic Control. Specialising in the delivery of traffic management solutions to their clients ITC is one of the largest traffic management companies in New Zealand, with 400 employees.

Tū Rangatira Kama'atu Pacific Award for Pacific Business Entrepreneur: Orion Tiatia, Trust & Loyalty Security. Trust & Loyalty Security is a 100% Pasifika locally owned professional security firm providing a range of security services

Award 8: Moana Creative Enterprise Award: Neil Ieremia, Black Grace. New Zealand's leading contemporary dance company, founded by Neil Ieremia in 1995.

Award 9: Arataki Award for Leadership in the Pacific Community: Debbie Sorensen, Pasifika Medical Association. Pasifika Medical Association is the largest Pacific NGO in the region.

Pacific Legacy Award: John Fiso, The Fiso Investment Group.  Fiso has achieved significant milestones over the last 30 years in the business, education and sport sectors operating in regional, national and international arenas. He has developed the largest private Pacific investment fund aimed at supporting business initiatives in the hospitality, wellness, education, property and health sectors.

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