Tina Porou

Tina Porou MNZM is the founder of Poipoia, a kaupapa Māori environmental consultancy established in 2016 to support iwi, hapū, Māori landowners, public agencies, industry and communities to make better decisions for te taiao. Of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Rongomaiwahine and Ngāi Tāmanuhiri descent, Tina brings more than 20 years’ experience as an environmental planner, tangata whenua advocate, strategist and governance leader across natural resource management, sustainability and Māori development.

Tina works at the interface of mātauranga Māori, policy, planning and contemporary environmental challenges. Her experience spans water allocation and water quality, geothermal development, cultural impact assessment, climate change and biodiversity policy, environmental restoration, national policy advocacy, stakeholder engagement and complex relationship brokering between iwi, councils, government, communities and commercial entities.

Before founding Poipoia, Tina held senior leadership roles including Head of Sustainability at Contact Energy, where she gained deep experience in corporate responsibility, commercial sustainability and the practical application of kaitiakitanga within large-scale business environments. She has also worked across iwi, Māori land and environmental governance settings, supporting organisations to protect and grow their assets while staying grounded in cultural values and intergenerational responsibility.

Tina was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and the environment in 2016 and received a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Award in 2015. She has held governance roles with organisations including the Asia New Zealand Foundation, Lake Taupō Forest Trust, Ngāti Porou Forests and is the Chair of the Ngāti Tūrangitukua Taiao Committee.

Through Poipoia, Tina supports clients to navigate complexity with clarity, cultural integrity and practical solutions. Her approach brings together strategic thinking, technical planning expertise, Te Ao Māori, strong relationships and a deep commitment to the wellbeing of whānau, whenua, wai and te taiao.