Joined the Board: May 2020

Role: Finance & Revenue Director

Length of time with the network: 6 years

Rachel is a qualified finance professional who currently works as a senior Mergers & Acquisitions Professional at Royal Mail Group. Her role sees her leading the execution of the North American growth strategy through the acquisition of companies in the US, as well as producing strategic insight for the board on key structural matters.

Rachel moved to London in 2011 on a supposed two-year secondment with PwC. However, like many kiwis she stayed on and moved around various finance roles within PwC, before venturing into Private Equity, where she evaluated investment opportunities and helped grow and improve the financial performance of the investments. 

Her broad experience within finance spans mergers and acquisitions, private equity investment and portfolio management, valuation, financial analysis and business planning, structuring and taxation. 

Rachel is a great believer in the power of the network to help further Kiwi women’s careers and is passionate about helping the network grow and provide further opportunities Kiwis in London. She will be overseeing the finance function and is excited to be utilising her valuable skills in both financial oversight and investment. 

Brought up in Auckland, Rachel studied at the University of Auckland while also pursuing an initial career as a professional athlete, representing New Zealand in Badminton at the Commonwealth Games and qualifying for the Olympics in Beijing. She now spends less time on the court and more time running around after her husband and 2 year old daughter.

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Joined the board: May 2020

Role: Legal Director

Length of time with the network: 2 years 

Roimata (Ngāti Porou – Ngai Tāne, Te Whānau-a-Hinepare) is an experienced legal advisor and business partner.  She is motivated by a desire to fill up her basket of knowledge and experience and to contribute to the development and wellbeing of her iwi and hapū.  

Roimata started out as a corporate / commercial lawyer at a top tier law firm in New Zealand, where she worked with iwi and Māori organisations to create innovative corporate structures and robust governance processes.  

Roimata now works for the largest food and beverage company in the world, working closely with executives and senior management in the UK and Ireland to appropriately assess legal and reputational risk to inform strategic and tactical decision making.

In 2020, Roimata was accepted to the University of Oxford to pursue a Master of Business Administration, where she intends to explore the fields of social impact and responsible business.  She is particularly interested to explore how iwi and Māori organisations can better balance commercial objectives with obligations to iwi members, past, present and future.   

Having completed the network’s leadership mentoring programme, Roimata understands first-hand the value of the network in encouraging and uplifting New Zealand women. She is excited by this opportunity to give back to the network, and in her role as Legal Director is focused on legal and internal compliance, as well as ethical decision, centred on doing the right thing.

Roimata grew up in Rangitukia, on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (with honours) from the University of Auckland, and is a proud graduate of Kohanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa. 

Roimata moved to London in 2017 with her husband. As well as working with our network, she is also Secretary of Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club.  

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Joined the board: May 2020

Role: Marketing and Branding Director  

Length of time with the network: 4 years

Pip is the Regional Manager, UK and Europe for Tourism New Zealand. She is an accomplished senior marketing, sales and strategy leader with 15 years global experience across Consumer Goods and Tourism industries, earned from working in UK, Europe, China and SE Asian markets. 

Having worked at Fonterra and Frucor Beverages in New Zealand, Pip has lead brands such as Anchor milk, Tip Top ice-cream and V energy drink. Pip is well versed in the B2B and B2C digital economy, social and programmatic media and performance marketing. 

As a proven change maker, Pip builds high performing teams and builds partnerships with trade and media to drive growth. With extensive brand marketing experience, Pip and her teams have been awarded multiple Gold EFFIEs, MW Masters and Cannes Lions.

Pip is a strong advocate of the NZBWN and its mission to empower women in business. It’s the Kiwi spirit that enables women to connect together, cross-pollinate ideas, and support each other for the benefit of all. On the Board, Pip’s focus will be to help shape the future direction of the network, together with leading the marketing and branding of the network.

Pip has been living in Balham in London for four years, together with her husband Ross and tabby cat Bento. She loves snow skiing, cycling, hiking and pretty much any sport. Growing up in Dunedin, and educated at Otago University, Pip is a proud South Islander. One of her favourite family holiday spots is the Abel Tasman National Park. 

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