Te Tira Ngāi Tahu Holdings Management Team

Sam (Ngāi Tahu – Puketeraki) began his role as Manahautū Te Whano (Acting Chief Operating Officer) in April 2023. Previously Sam held the Manahautū - Te Ruruku (General Manager Investment) at Ngāi Tahu Holdings. Sam joined Ngāi Tahu having spent a number of years at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, primarily in the International Direct Investment Team.

He previously worked at the New Zealand Treasury and holds Bachelors of Law and Economics from Otago University and an MBA from Oxford University.

Dean (Ngāi Tahu – Ōtākou) was appointed as Manahautū - Te Pakati (General Manager Transformation) in July 2020 and has a wealth of global experience as well as an understanding of diverse stakeholder groups from different cultures.

Having served on his local rūnanga board and being involved with iwi initiatives, he has a deep connection to Ngāi Tahu.

Dean works closely with the executive leadership team and business units to enhance operational excellence and innovation, also providing support to the investment team.

Chantal Bateman was appointed to the role of Group Head Toi Tangata (People & Culture) for Te Rūnanga Group in October 2023.  Working for Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation, Chantal is responsible for the HR shared service delivery covering people, culture, and iwi capability functions across Te Rūnanga Group (including Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation and its business units).

Chantal is a practising lawyer who first joined Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu in 2021 in a Senior Strategy Advisory role and then Acting General Manager in the Strategy & Influence Team, before moving to Toi Tangata as the Group Manager Employment Relations and Business Partnering.

Prior to joining Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Chantal held senior roles with the New Zealand Intelligence Community, the New Zealand Defence Force, and NZ Police – some of the largest and most complex employment environments in New Zealand. Chantal has a strong focus on operational service delivery, informed by her background as a commissioned officer in the Defence Force where she led teams providing expert advisory support on people and operational matters, including in the context of active deployment situations.

Drawing on her knowledge and experience, Chantal is committed to supporting the Te Rūnanga Group to achieve its strategic outcomes through effective delivery of human resource services, fit for the Te Rūnanga Group.

Chantal is the mother of Ngāi Tahu tamariki and lives in Ōtautahi with her whānau.