Paul Morgan

Paul serves as an independent director on the HVN Governance Board. Paul has been at the forefront of economic development for the Māori community for more than 30 years, during which time he has had many directorships and roles with Government across agribusiness, science and industry. Accordingly, his astute business acumen is well respected throughout Aotearoa.

In 2019, Mr Morgan was recognised at the prestigious University of Auckland Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards; Paul received the 2019 Te Tohu mō te Kaiārahi Whakahaere Māori – Māori Governance Leader Award, which celebrates a person who has achieved exceptional success in governance roles in a kaupapa Māori business and has demonstrated outstanding leadership characteristics and values that make them an outstanding role model. The award recognises the work that Paul, as Chair of Wakatū Incorporation since 1986, has accomplished for the whānau of Wakatū, as well as his contribution to the governance of other entities throughout Aotearoa.

In his role as Chair of Wakatū Incorporation, Paul has led the evolution of Kono NZ LP, a fully integrated business that markets seafood, wine, horticultural produce and fruit leather from its lands and aquaculture farms in Te Tauihu (top of the South Island) to New Zealand and the world; Kono employs over 500 people with sales to 40 plus countries in the Kono brand. Under Paul’s leadership, Wakatū also has established a second business unit, AuOra, which focuses on business innovation and is leading the development of new models and frameworks that support the connection of whānau to their whenua, values, practices, and mātauranga and promote best practice in the protection of cultural intellectual property rights and conservation of indigenous organisms that form part of the endemic and indigenous biota of Te Tauihu. Further, Paul has been instrumental in progressing the development of a new intergenerational Regional Growth Strategy for Te Tauihu, which is being led by Wakatū in partnership with iwi, Nelson City Council, Tasman District Council, Marlborough District Council, and the Nelson-Tasman Regional Development Agency. This initiative implements a collaborative leadership model for engagement, developing ideas, and assessing priorities, as well as identifying resources and support to progress them. It has five focus areas: whānau (our people), taiao (our environment), pūtea (our economy), hihiko (regional science, technology and innovation), and papa whenua (enabling infrastructure).

In his capacity as Managing Director of Fomana Capital Ltd, Paul additionally is involved with a range of other businesses and organisations spanning the nutraceutical, food ingredient, functional foods, cosmetics, aquaculture, food and beverage sectors and financial services.

Paul served as Chief Executive of the Federation of Maori Authorities, representing the interests of Maori business, from 1996 to 2007. In 2009, he was awarded a QSM for his contribution to Māori business and significant developments within the Māori community. That same year, the Listener Magazine rated him as the most influential Māori Leader outside of government.