The Executive summary provides a baseline assessment of how kaupapa Māori is currently reflected within Aotearoa New Zealand’s investment and wealth sector. The report, which emerged from a 2025 industry wānanga, identifies a shared desire for meaningful engagement but reveals a significant implementation gap. Key findings show that while 22 of 32 respondents rate Māori values and worldviews as very important or critical, only five have a specific Māori investment framework. To move from interest to action, the report establishes three strategic Pou: Mātauranga (Values & Worldviews), Ara Ake (Participation & Leadership), and Te Haumi (Investments & Partnership).

Regarding the Evidence base and segmentation, the findings are derived from a survey of 32 organisations, distributed to more than 200 entities. The respondent mix includes 19 organisations from the investment and finance sector, six philanthropic or community trusts, five Māori asset owners or iwi, and two other Māori businesses. This response set represents a self-selected market signal rather than a statistically representative sample of the full market.

The Survey signals and implications highlight a clear implementation gap where intent is running ahead of product, mandate, capability, and relationship infrastructure. On a five-point scale, future importance of Māori values scored 3.91, while reflection in organisational practice followed at 3.50. Engagement with Māori-led opportunities scored the lowest at 3.09. Capability emerged as the primary constraint, with respondents citing time, resourcing, and a lack of investment-specific translation as major barriers. Additionally, relationship intent appears ahead of practical investment pathways; 25 respondents reported developing relationships with Māori communities, but only 13 have actively co-designed or co-invested.

Mātauranga: Māori values and worldviews shape investment practice

focuses on embedding Māori ethics and knowledge systems into organisational processes. The survey indicates that current practice relies heavily on individual champions rather than firm-wide frameworks. Recommendations include developing a baseline Mātauranga Māori capability programme, establishing a voluntary organisational alignment process with maturity metrics, and creating a Māori Investment Practice Framework to link values to mandate design, manager selection, and reporting.

Ara Ake: building pathways for Māori participation and leadership

addresses the participation gap, with 13 respondents describing Māori representation as limited or not visible. There is a strong demand for clearer entry points and leadership pathways. The report recommends mapping career development routes, creating a shared Māori investment talent entry point for internships and secondments, and developing a Māori governor investment capability uplift programme to provide practical training in finance, risk, and asset allocation.

Te Haumi: Māori-led investments and partnership

targets partnership and capital activation. While there is strong interest in Māori investor networks (19 respondents) and co-investment (18 respondents), current engagement remains low. Suggested actions include creating a trusted investment network with qualification criteria, mapping engagement plans for Māori professional bodies, and developing co-investment readiness processes that test strategic alignment and tikanga before entering live investment cycles.

Additional recommendations and success measures

emphasize that participating organisations should ensure senior leadership or board-level sponsorship for these activities. Proposed success measures include an increase in organisations reporting strategic engagement with Māori-led opportunities, a higher volume of Māori professionals in leadership roles, and a movement from transactional relationships toward long-term, reciprocal partnerships.

In the Conclusion: from intent to enduring practice, the report asserts that the three Pou are strongest when sequenced together: Mātauranga builds the foundation, Ara Ake provides the people, and Te Haumi activates capital pathways. If progressed collectively, these frameworks provide a foundation for an investment sector that better reflects Māori values, Te Tiriti o Waitangi considerations, and the aspirations of Māori as asset owners and partners.