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Founder, Principal Consultant | Kaitūhono Ariki
Holly Suzanne Bennett
Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao
Holly is a zealous advocate of transparent, accessible government and has a keen interest in the effectiveness of New Zealand’s regulatory systems.
Graduating with a law degree from the University of Auckland Holly’s legal career started with the Ministry of Justice, where she worked at the coal face in New Zealand’s busiest court, before moving to Wellington to work in policy. Holly was admitted to the bar in 2013 and holds a current practising certificate.
More recently Holly worked on the other side of the industry in which she now operates: as a Ministerial Advisor and In-House Legal Counsel in the Beehive.
An avid networker and proud millennial, Holly continues to look for ways to innovate government relations in Aotearoa, ensuring the expert industry is something everyone can access.
Junior Consultant | Kaitūhono Mātāmua
Jesse Thompson
Ngāruahine, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngai Tahu
Born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau, Jesse moved to Brisbane in 2011 to complete a Bachelor of Arts and Journalism at the University of Queensland. While studying, Jesse began his career in the Australian Parliament working across both communications and advisory roles. After graduating in 2015, Jesse decided to move home to Aotearoa to continue this mahi.
After seven years working across both the Australian and New Zealand Parliaments, Jesse turned his hand to strategic communications in the NGO sector. He has a keen interest in ensuring the promotion of effective, equitable and sustainable policy change at both local and national levels.
Consultant | Kaitūhono
Heloisa Hartuwig De Freitas
Heloisa is a final-year Law and Arts student at the University of Auckland. She is majoring in Law, Politics, and Geography, which has fostered her interest in government relations and public law.
Born in Brazil, Heloisa has resided in New Zealand for the last ten years. Since moving to New Zealand, she has remained connected with her Latin American roots by volunteering as the Events Manager for the Latin American Business Council Young Professionals Network, which fosters business and cultural ties between New Zealand and Latin America.
Heloisa is dedicated to advocacy and community service, having championed gender equity as part of the University of Women in Law Society for the last three years, which she currently presides over as Co-President.
Partner Provider | Kaitautoko Pākihi
Hunaara Waerehu
Ngāti Porou, Tūhoe, Ngai Tai ki Tāmaki
A staunch Nāti, Hunaara brings his experience and expertise of Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori derived from his strict upbringing by his elders in rural and remote Tikitiki, located in the heart of Ngāti Porou country two hours north of Gisborne. He currently runs his own translation and consulting business, Paronga Limited, a valued partner provider to the Awhi whānau.
Hunaara currently serves as Co-Project Lead of the Te Weu Carbon Farming Research Project, a project aimed at researching the effects of carbon farming on the local communities in the East Coast. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors New Zealand and is a Director of Hikurangi Enterprises Limited, a social enterprise focused on creating sustainable economic opportunities for whānau in Te Tairāwhiti. Hunaara has served on the Waiapu Restoration Project, a project funded by the Provincial Growth Fund to restore the Waiapu catchment. He is currently studying the Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance and Economics at Victoria University of Wellington.
Special Advisor
Mark Rehua Bennett
Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao
Mark is a 40 year veteran of New Zealand’s broadcasting industry, sharing his expertise as a specialist advisor to those who require support in public relations and communications.
When Mark joined New Zealand Broadcasting in the late 1960s, he was their youngest announcer at just 18 years of age. Career highlights include working as a news anchor with TVNZ, hosting long running entertainment shows such as I Like That One Two, and assisting in the establishment of Aotearoa Radio: a strong, commercially viable mouthpiece for Māoritanga.
A serial entrepreneur, Mark has built many businesses from scratch, including establishing the first-ever sales division for a Māori radio station in New Zealand through his company The Sales Machine.
Let’s Kōrero
Convinced we are the government relations firm for you?
If you would like to join us, kōrero mai.