Co-President

Tama Potaka is the General Manager Corporate Services (and in-house legal counsel) at Tainui Group Holdings Limited.  He is from Ngati Hauiti, Whanganui, and Taranaki, and has strong whakapapa connections to Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Raukawa. Prior to joining Tainui Group Holdings, Tama was a senior solicitor at Bell Gully.  Tama has worked as an attorney in the USA (and continues to be registered and in good standing in New York State), and in a variety of governance, consultancy, research and legal roles in New Zealand.

He has a Masters of Law from Columbia University, New York City, and a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and Maori Studies) from Victoria University of Wellington. He has authored numerous articles and has been a regular public speaker on Maori development and legal/constitutional issues.  Tama is married to Ariana and together they are the proud parents of Tiaria Te Ikaroa, Te Awarua Tamatereka and Aorangi Te Aionuku.