3 minute read
Five minutes with Rachael Kerr
Photos: Kate Macpherson
FIVE MINUTES WITH...
Rachael Kerr
NGĀTI RĀRUA, TE ĀTIAWA, NGĀTI MUTUNGA
Te Amonuku, our associate director and manager programme, is an important part of our succession planning for the future of Wakatū.
Each year we bring on board new associate director and associate managers for a two-year programme to gain experience in the governance and management of Wakatū.
They spend the first year on one of the Whenua, Kono or Manaaki boards, and the second year on the Wakatū Board. Previous associate directors include current board members Jeremy Banks, Miriana Stephens and Hōne McGregor, as well as Wakatū CEO Kerensa Johnston and Kono CEO Rachel Taulelei.
We spent five minutes with Rachael Kerr (associate director 2019) and asked her some quick-fire questions.
Who are you and where did you grow up?
My dad’s family is from Wharekauri (Chatham Islands) and my mum is from Yorkshire in the United Kingdom – I connect to Wakatū through my dad, Brian Kerr, to Metapere Rahira. I grew up in Blenheim with my three younger sisters. We spent a lot of our childhood in the outdoors and enjoyed many summer holidays camping at Lake Rotoiti, and Anakiwa. One sister is now living in Melbourne, while the other two are in Wellington.
Where do you live now?
I’m based in Singapore, with my husband John and our two young boys, Charlie and Jack.
What do you do there?
I’m the East Asia Regional Marketing and Communications Manager for Te Taurapa Tūhono – New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
In my role, I support New Zealand export companies with their market entry and international growth strategies. I’m responsible for creating opportunities for New Zealand companies to increase their brand visibility in competitive international markets.
My role also involves supplying these companies with market intelligence and consumer insights so they can hit the ground running when they start exporting.
I’m passionate about helping New Zealand companies tell their unique stories to an offshore audience, and I’m incredibly lucky that I have an opportunity to live overseas but maintain a deep connection with Aotearoa through my work.
Where else have you worked?
Most recently I was based in Dubai and Saudi Arabia working with a group of New Zealand businesses exporting to India, Africa and the Middle East. Before I moved oversees in 2014, I was working in the Beehive as a press secretary to a cabinet minister, and I also worked on the other side of the media divide as a political journalist.
What qualifications do you have?
I’ve got a law degree from Victoria University, but soon after graduating, I decided to follow my passion for storytelling and politics and enrolled in a masters in broadcast journalism from the University of Westminster in London. This was a big decision for me at the time, but one I have never regretted.
What do you do in your spare time?
With two small boys and a busy job, I don’t have a lot of spare time. But we enjoy getting out of the hustle and bustle of Singapore as often as possible to visit nearby Indonesia, switch off our phones and escape the dense city environment. I also try and get back to Aotearoa frequently and love to spend time with my whānau, drink New Zealand coffee and recharge with clean air and native bush.
Why did you apply to be an associate director?
I wanted to deepen my connection with Wakatū and contribute in a meaningful way. I’m spending my first year as associate director on the Kono board. In my day job I help New Zealand companies find success in offshore markets, and as exporting is also a big part of Kono’s success, it matches my professional skills and interests.
What does it mean for you personally to be an associate director?
I am enjoying every moment of my ongoing journey with Wakatū. I’m learning about the history of the families and the land, and feel privileged to have an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the future of Wakatū. Both my children were born overseas, and my involvement with Wakatū means they will have a strong grounding in their identity as Māori and as part of the legacy of Wakatū.
Are there any whakataukī you live by or are important to you?
Whatungarongaro te tangata toitū te whenua: As man disappears from sight, the land remains.
Who is an influential person in your life?
My father. Our dad is passionate about our family history, always striving to ensure my sisters and I know of our ancestors, which is how I first learnt about the Wakatū legacy. My father’s commitment to unlocking whānau links and stories through hours of research and conversations is something we will always cherish and hope to pass on to the next generation.
