CULTURALLY DRIVEN, COMMERCIALLY FOCUSED
A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE DO
COMMERCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES
Backed by management, corporate, legal and investment experts, Tuia Group works with clients across public and private sectors as well as Māori, Pacific and indigenous groups.
To us, Tuia (which means to connect, bind together or unite) represents our clients’ aspirations for their commercial and economic future. Tuia is about pulling together the threads of traditional values and modern commercial perspectives, with opportunity. By doing so, we deliver economic solutions for our clients that are greater than the sum of the individual threads.
Tuia Group blends business consulting, commercial law and economic development expertise into a seamless range of services for you.
Our skills
Meet the team
Guy Royal
After a long career advising a large number of public and private sector organisations in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the United Kingdom Guy now specialises in the Māori commercial sector in NZ and the indigenous communities in Asia, South Pacific. Working across a wide range of areas he advises on commercial transactions, governance and strategic support and organisation excellence. Guy has held governance roles in the forestry, investment, rail and infrastructure sectors. He currently sits on boards in venture capital, climate tech, Iwi investment and retail. His passion is working with Māori groups to accelerate the economy and produce a better standard of living for Aotearoa.
Toko Kapea
Toko is an experienced commercial lawyer with many years as a company director. Toko has held roles in various banks and energy companies in New Zealand. He has also held governance roles in sectors involving dairy farming, forestry, fishing (lobster) and property. He currently has governance interests in media /tv, agri-tech, venture capital, and the extractive industry. Toko enjoys working on strategic challenges and opportunities that clients face to develop actionable plans to deal with those situations.
Ariana Rona
Ariana is our Corporate Services Coordinator. She oversees all business support functions including invoicing, accounts and office management. Ariana comes with 20 years’ experience in executive administration and legal executive roles.
Anaïs Neveu
Anaïs is a Legal Analyst who re-joined the team in October 2018, following a six month internship. She is a lawyer from France with a Master’s degree in Business Law from Université Panthéon-Assas, Paris II, and has been admitted to the Paris Bar. Anaïs provides both legal and consultation assistance on engagements at Tuia Group. She also brings a year of internship experience in French law firms.
Indiana Shewen
Indiana is a second year Solicitor, who graduated with a Double Degree in Law and Arts at the Victoria University of Wellington in 2018. Indiana was admitted to the bar in 2020, after completing a full-year Te Reo Māori immersion course at Te Wānanga Takiura. Indiana has gained work experience in both public and private sector - the highlights of Indiana’s mahi include working with Ngāti Maru on their Treaty Settlement, interning at Kāhui Legal and Dentons Kensington Swan. Prior to joining Tuia Group Indi was practising as a Solicitor at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
Jen Deben
Jen is a consultant with a background in banking, property, government policy, regulatory and Māori Housing advocacy sectors. Following her former role as Lead Evaluator, Community Housing Regulatory Authority, she specialises in advising organisations in the community and social housing sector. Jen is passionate about advocating for equitable housing opportunities for whānau as a catalyst for improved wellbeing and contribution to thriving communities. Jen is the Founder of the Applause Charitable Trust, a collective response to the impacts of Covid-19.
Tuia in the community
Autism New Zealand
Autism New Zealand provides services and support, education and information to empower autistic people and the wider autism community to make informed choices and take action. We deliver outreach services from our 16 nationwide branches as well as education programmes across the country, alongside our early support, supported employment and transitions services. Our motto is Every Step Together – there at every part of the journey.
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Applause
Small kindnesses for big hearts!! Applause is here to make a difference in the lives of our nation’s community workers – those people who support our most vulnerable communities. Applause connects community workers to businesses that want to gift, or discount, products and services. Community workers are given a portal to select those products and services to sustain and support their wellbeing. Contact us at aroha@applause.charity if you would like to join our community of kindness.
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Splash Brothers Basketball
Splash Brothers Basketball is a charity providing affordable, high quality basketball programmes that are accessible for all student athletes in the Wellington / Hutt Valley local community, with a focus on women, Māori and Pacific young people, and those in financial hardship. Their aim is to promote health and wellbeing through participation in sport and instil key values and develop fundamental skills that allow young people to attain further pathways in basketball and contribute to society.
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