Tā Mark Solomon Kaiwhakahaere (Chair), Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu

Tā Mark Solomon is committed to the betterment of his Iwi, the kotahitanga of all Māori, and the wider wellbeing of all peoples. He is a strong advocate for the Māori economy and was instrumental in setting up the Iwi Chairs Forum in 2005.

He is the elected Kaiwhakahaere of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, a position he has held since 1998; and he has represented his local Papatipu Rūnanga, Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura since 1995 and is the current chair.

He was recognised in the 2013 Queen's New Year Honours with a Knight Companion of the New
Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and Business. In late 2012 he was named Visionary Leader of 2012 in the Deloitte and New Zealand Management magazine National Business Awards.

Of Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Kurī descent, Mark's contribution to his community has been diverse and significant, ranging from his roles as a school board trustee and a trustee for Takahanga Marae, to board member of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, a position he held from 2001-2007. Mark attributes his wider whānau for early guidance in life, and it is this experience that has driven his passion for encouraging educational opportunities for young Māori. He is patron for He Toki Ki Te Rika, a Christchurch-based Māori trade training programme, which encapsulates his passion for preparing young people for the Christchurch rebuild; and he believes young Māori should strive for formal training to maximize their talents and position themselves to be the best they can be.

Mark currently holds directorships on Te ohu Kai Moana, Te Hāpai Mauri Ltd, Te Pātaka o Tangaroa, Te Pookai Aronui, Te Tapuae o Rehua and Te Pātaka o Rauru. His interest in environmental advocacy is evidenced in his role as a trustee for Pure Advantage, the organisation developing a business case for green growth. He was an original member of the Minister for Māori Affairs' Māori Economic Taskforce, established in 2009.

Mark believes a true rangatira is a servant of the people - a fact underpinned by his core philosophy of 'strength with humility.' While the commercial success of his iwi is acknowledged, he is especially proud of his tribe's achievements in education and in the development of the iwi savings scheme, Whai Rawa, which encourages iwi members to save for their future. He is a committed advocate of the sanctity of whānau and he takes a strong stance against whānau violence. He is passionate about his people and is determined to facilitate both iwi and wider Māori success, by unlocking the potential of the Māori economy for the good of all.

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