Jason Whatuira

Jason-Niwa Whatuira (Ngāti Kahungunu) is a transformational leader and consultant with deep expertise in Te Ao Māori and strategic leadership. He is passionate about fostering personal mastery in leadership, and driving organisational excellence that enables flourishing human communities.

Leadership

As Chief Executive Officer of the InZone Education Foundation, Jason reframed the reference point for success through transformation, introducing tikanga, policy development, funding pathways, and empowerment strategies that enabled students to experience the flow of mana and grow as globally aware citizens.

With more than 20 years of leadership experience, Jason has worked internationally as a Regional Project Manager across the Middle East and South East Asia, overseeing security management systems in the energy and oil sector. His career in risk management and security operations shaped his reputation as a collaborator, communicator, and influencer, skilled in leading large teams and complex projects across diverse cultural settings.

Expertise

Jason advocates for Māori inclusion in the workplace, applying Te Ao Māori leadership principles, alongside strong technical foundations. He holds a Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership and has led kaupapa Māori initiatives that deliver meaningful impact across Aotearoa.

Jason-Niwa Whatuira (Ngāti Kahungunu) is a strategic adviser and leader with expertise in Te Ao Māori, organisational transformation, executive leadership, and leadership development. He is passionate about strengthening leadership capability and helping organisations align strategy, culture, and operational practice in ways that create enduring value for people and communities.

Leadership

As Chief Executive Officer of the InZone Education Foundation, Jason led organisational transformation across strategy, culture, and operations, embedding tikanga Māori, strengthening organisational capability, and improving student academic achievement while supporting students to grow as globally aware citizens.

With more than 20 years of leadership, operational, and organisational transformation experience, Jason has worked internationally across the Middle East and South East Asia within the energy, maritime, infrastructure, and security sectors, leading complex operations across high-risk and culturally diverse environments. His background spans executive leadership, operational systems, leadership development, and organisational transformation, establishing a strong reputation for strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and leading effectively within complex organisational settings.

Today, Jason leads strategic advisory, organisational transformation, and executive coaching work, supporting governance and leadership across corporate, iwi, infrastructure, transport, health, and government sectors. He recently played a lead role in the development of Genesis Energy’s Māori strategy, Mohou: Te Rautaki Māori, working in partnership with Genesis leadership to support organisational alignment and strategic integration across the business. The work remains ongoing and has included enterprise-wide document review, thematic analysis of insights gathered from more than 400 staff through surveys, interviews and wānanga, and implementation of the first strategic pillar, Pou Tāngata, focused on building organisational cultural capability and confidence across the workforce.

He also provides one-to-one coaching and advisory support to senior managers and executives, helping leaders strengthen self-awareness, relational leadership capability, strategic thinking, and organisational influence.

In addition, he has undertaken governance-level advisory work relating to biometric privacy obligations, Māori data considerations, and organisational capability within evolving regulatory environments.

Expertise

Jason specialises in helping organisations integrate Te Ao Māori into governance, leadership, strategy, and operational practice in ways that are practical, credible, and aligned to the realities of Aotearoa. His work focuses on organisational alignment, leadership development, Te Tiriti integration, stakeholder relationships, and creating environments where both people and performance can flourish.

Holding a Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership, Jason is particularly skilled at translating Te Ao Māori concepts into practical organisational frameworks that support executive decision-making, strengthen relationships, and improve organisational capability across Aotearoa.