Senior Executive Leadership

Chief Executive Officer of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Ben Bateman (Ngāi Tahu and Cook Island Māori) has previously served Te Rūnanga as its Chief Operating Officer since 2022.  Ben has a lead role in shaping organisational strategies, leading their implementation and driving operations that deliver outcomes for Ngāi Tahu whanau.

Ben had a diverse executive leadership career before coming to work for his iwi, both within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Chief of Staff, National Security Group) and the New Zealand Defence Force (Deputy Director, Intelligence and Operations Law). Ben was a Commissioned Officer in the New Zealand Army and retired in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Ben is also a Manawa Nui graduate of our Ngāi Tahu Group Associate Director programme, having held roles as an Associate Director of both Ngāi Tahu Property and Ngāi Tahu Seafood. He subsequently served as a Director of Ngāi Tahu Seafood, and then as the Chief Operating Officer of Oha Honey from 2020 to 2022.

The common theme of Ben’s career has been service leadership. He is deeply motivated to ensure the benefits of Settlement are enjoyed by Ngāi Tahu Whānui now and for future generations – Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei.

An experienced lawyer with Bachelors degrees in both Laws and Science from the University of Canterbury, Ben also holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from Victoria University of Wellington. He is a seasoned professional director, currently serving as an Advisory Panel Member for the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, a Future Director on the Meridian Energy Board and a Board Member of the Ministry of Education, Risk and Assurance Board.

Jacqui Caine (Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) joined Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu in 2019 and stepped into the role of General Manager Strategy & Influence in December 2021. She was appointed to the role of Group Head Strategy & Environment in October 2022. This position reports to the Office of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu but with a Group-wide lens, to improve overall outcomes for iwi and Papatipu Runanga. A strategic relationship with Ngāi Tahu Holdings exists to enhance collaboration and accountability for supporting the Group’s strategic commercial interests. The role is charged with protecting and advancing the Ngāi Tahu settlements, engaging with the Crown across a range of kaupapa and protecting te taiao. Jacqui leads stakeholder engagement, strategic relationship development and the alignment of strategic workstreams, and manages our Te Whakaariki/Strategy & Influence and Te Ao Tūroa teams.

Jacqui has 25 years of experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was New Zealand’s Ambassador to Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, from 2015 to 2018. She has held a number of roles in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade including in trade negotiations, as Deputy Director of the Legal Division and Lead Adviser in the Americas Division. She served as the Deputy Ambassador in both Singapore and Mexico and as Deputy High Commissioner in Vanuatu. In 2019 Jacqui was appointed as one of the two Commissioners to lead the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque Attacks on 15 March 2019. She served alongside Supreme Court Justice Sir William Young until the conclusion of the Royal Commission in November 2020.

Jacqui has degrees in Law and Accounting and has completed the New Zealand Leadership Development Centre’s Te Putanga – Leadership in Practice and Maranga Tira – Leadership Course for Māori Managers. She is a Trustee of Te Rūnaka o Awarua, a Board member of Kiwifruit New Zealand and a member of the Te Hurumanu partnership group that aims to bring a Tirohanga Māori perspective to the strategic policy and organisational issues facing Manatū Aorere/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Ben Matheson was appointed to the role of Interim Group Head Regional Investment in April 2024. The Regional Investment Fund’s whakatauki is “Wahie mō te ahi ka, tekau mā waru – To support the home fires burning brighter”. A key part of this kaupapa is the responsive provision of capability and capacity support, tailored to meet the needs of the shareholder. This is a kaupapa which Ben is passionate about and feels privileged to be involved in.

Ben previously held the role of Lead Investment Manager for the Regional Investment Fund and was tasked with supporting the 18 Papatipu Rūnanga as they look to invest within their takiwā to realise their regional aspirations.

With a strong connection to the purpose of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Ben has displayed a great desire to engage with whānau, hapū and iwi responsively to meet their needs since he first came to work for Ngāi Tahu Property in 2017. In his role as Ngāi Tahu Property’s Finance Manager, Ben led the property data insights division, and was responsible for financial system change and portfolio risk reporting.

Prior to joining Te Rūnanga Group, Ben worked in various senior financial and accountancy roles overseas. In his last role abroad, Ben was a senior finance manager within the Nuveen Real Estate Group in London. At the time, Nuveen had over $1 trillion in assets under management and operated in 32 countries. Ben was responsible for Nuveen’s $1 billion UK Retail Warehouse fund.

Ben has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Otago and he is also a qualified financial advisor. Whilst overseas, Ben played semi-professional rugby and completed a Chartered Accountancy qualification in London.