Richard Tauehe Jefferies

Biography

Richard Tauehe Jefferies (Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Tūkorehe) – CEO Tiaki Global

Richard has worked for the last 35 years supporting Māori economic development throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. As a Māori Development Consultant, Richard has supported Māori tribes, landowner organisations and Māori businesses to work towards their potential and be successful. Richard has served in a range of senior management and governance roles – including his own tribal Board – and is still active in tribal affairs. He has been married for nearly 40 years to Gerardine and has six amazing children.

Richard has been exploring relationships and opportunities for indigenous business collaboration since first attending WIBF in 2012. He established Te Ohu Whai Ao Trust to host WIBF 2018 and to represent Māoridom in the World Indigenous Business Forum.

Recently, Richard has joined Tiaki Global as CEO. Tiaki Global is a Māori owned IT company developing Data Centres (currently in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific). The platform includes an Indigenous Sovereign Cloud solution, high level international security standards, and involves a range of international partners and clients. Data Centres represent a greenfield industry with exponential growth internationally. Richard wants to see indigenous people involved in this new industry as early adopters and Tiaki Global provides that opportunity.

Tiaki Global also: develops indigenous ideas into Software as a Service (SaaS) products; delivers training designed for indigenous youth into IT engineer careers; and provides Managed Desk Services.