Kaiwhakahaere Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu

Justin Tipa (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe) is the elected Kaiwhakahaere (Chairperson) of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. He joined the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Board in 2021 when he was appointed Representative for Te Rūnanga o Moeraki.

He has been the chair of Te Rūnanga o Moeraki since 2019 and is an executive member of Kāi Tahu ki Tuawhenua, which represents the seven Papatipu Rūnanga of the Queenstown Lakes area.

Justin has a background in language revitalisation and education and is widely respected for his knowledge of, and commitment to, Māori culture.

Prior to being elected Kaiwhakahaere of Te Rūnanga, Justin spent seven years working for Fonterra where he played a key strategic leadership role in growing their engagement with the Māori economy.

Justin’s blend of cultural, governance, and corporate experience makes him uniquely suited to lead Ngāi Tahu as the Chairman of its tribal council.