Tiare (Deidre) Otene

2023 Cohort

Tiare is specialising in partnering with Māori, public- and private-sector organisations, and communities to support major social reforms and investments that reduce inequities, increase inclusion and improve lives.

Tiare (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa ngā Iwi(Tribe), Te Uri Mahoe, Kohatutaka ngā Hapu(Sub-tribe), Aotearoa. Tiare is a Director of KPMG’s Management and Consulting team. In her role she is responsible for leading the co-design and implementation of major social reforms and investments by bringing systems thinking approaches, embedding Kaupapa Māori, and demonstrating the impact of initiatives. She specialises in partnering with Māori, public and private sector organisations, and communities to support major social reforms and investments that reduce inequities, increase inclusion, and improve lives.

Tiare led the development of a private training establishment, native tree nursery, awa(river) restoration, vineyard, business and digital hub in Ngāpuhi. She also holds governance roles on the Economic Recovery Leadership Board and is part of the CEO advisory group for Oranga Tamariki and MBIE. Tiare has an MBA from Massey University and recently conducted research pertaining to the appropriate use of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa.

With a career across the public sector including Government, Iwi and Community, she has successfully developed solutions to overcome inequity and create long term intergenerational change.

Tiare has over 15 years’ experience in community development predominantly focused on intergeneration change, coupled with a lifetime dedication to Marae, Hapu and Iwi development. Tiare has a dedication to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the mobilisation of the aspirations her Tupuna intended when signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840.

Tiare is driven by the intentions of her Tupuna who raised her to weave together two worlds (Te Ao Māori and the changing world) to contribute to the betterment of the world to come for Mokopuna (Generations to come) – he ao ka tui, he ao ka whatu, ka renarena (a world is weaved, a world is sowed, and both are fastened as one).

“My intention is to contribute to mobilising the aspirations of our Tupuna (ancestors) who signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”

Social change work

In 1840, Tupuna (Ancestors) signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Tiare’s vision for her social change project is to build a greater understanding of the aspirations of Tupuna had at that time and develop strategies, action plans and measuring tools that will mobilise positive, sustainable action for Hapu, Te Uri Mahoe. Tiare is a direct descendent of Hohepa Otene Pura, one of the many Rangatira (Chief) signatories to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Her vision is that through dedicated research into Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Te Uri Mahoe and Ngāpuhi, she will continue to develop historical knowledge that will contribute to the development of our Hapu, Te Uri Mahoe. Tiare will then look to evaluate her findings and development to share with Whanau (families), Hapu and Iwi across Aotearoa and with Indigenous people across the world.