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speaker

Dan
Te Whenua Walker

Award-winning Maori Business Leader, creating Indigenous Value-led Businesses

Māori ki te ao Pakihi - How to breath Indigenous Values into your business.
Profile

Dan Walker has tribal affiliations to Tangahoe, Ngati Ruanui, Nga Ruahinerangi, Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Te Atiawa, Maniapoto, Tuhourangi and Pakeha. He is a mokopuna of the great freedom fighter Titokowaru and wahine leader Ruaputahanga.

He was privileged to be nurtured under the manaakitanga of Kaai Tahu iwi for over 25 years of his life in Otautahi and Dan currently lives in, and pays respect to, the whenua lands of Ngati Manuhiri in Stanmore Bay Auckland with his wife Michelle and their three tamariki Josh, Tyler and Maia. Dan is Global Co-Chair of Indigenous at Microsoft where he is focused on supporting Indigenous empowerment wherever Microsoft is and raising the Indigenous voice in technology globally. He works as a Channel Executive across Australia and NZ looking after Partners and Cloud Solutions at Microsoft.

Through the help of his whanau, his elders and his tribal teachers, Dan has learned much of his Maori cultural wisdom through the 15+ years of service to his iwi tribe Ngati Ruanui. His experiences shaped his belief that Indigenous wisdom is for everyone and we need to reclaim this wisdom that has been handed down to us. His Masters degree was about tikanga Maori ki te ao matihiko - Maori values as a framework for digital leadership. This journey led him down interviews with Indigenous leaders from around he world about Indigenous wisdom from a digital context. Dan will discuss some of these Indigenous approaches to technology and how Maori are starting to collaborate with modern legal and corporate frameworks for true long-term inter-generational change for our future.

Dan is the Deputy Chair of NZ Maori Tourism, Pou Tuara of Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui, Director of Auckland Unlimited, on the Expert Advisory Panel at Innovation Programme for Tourism Recovery, board member of Child Cancer Foundation and Ronald McDonald House - as well as a variety of community trustee and voluntary roles around the motu. He holds an MBA and a Masters in Advanced Leadership.

Dan was awarded the Young Maori Business Leader of the Year award and the NZ UoA 40 under 40 award last year.

Expertise
Feedback
From the moment Dan stepped on stage, it was clear that this was a skilled and engaging presenter. One of the things that struck me most about Dan was his ability to hold the audience's attention. His delivery was dynamic and engaging, and he used a variety of techniques to keep us all interested - specifically around Indigenous knowledge. He also did a great job of tying this knowledge into a privacy kaupapa. In terms of content, the keynote was packed with valuable insights and takeaways. Dan drew upon his own experiences and expertise to deliver a message that was both informative and inspiring. He shared personal stories and examples that really drove home the key points, and the audience left the session feeling energized and motivated to apply what we had learned. In fact, many in the audience (including Australian attendees for whom this topic was, sadly, very novel) told me afterwards that they were significantly moved by his presentation. Overall, I would highly recommend Dan as a keynote speaker. He has a unique ability to connect with his audience and deliver a message that is both thought-provoking and authentic. Simply Privacy

Dan had the audiences attention right from the get go - he had that tricky spot just after a break and did a great job of story telling and relating to who he was speaking to.

Auckland Airport

Dan is an exceptional and genuine speaker who effortlessly transcends conventional boundaries in adapting to his audience. Prior to the conference, he took the time to research and join our briefing session, demonstrating a genuine understanding of his audience. We were captivated by his energy, enjoyed his dancing, and appreciated his authenticity. Thank you, Dan, for being truly awesome!

The Institute of Internal Auditors
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