MÄori ki te ao Pakihi - How to breath Indigenous Values into your business.
Dan Walker has whakapapa to Tangahoe, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Ruahinerangi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Te Ātiawa, Maniapoto, Tūhourangi, and Pākehā. He is a mokopuna of the renowned leader Riwha Tītokowaru and wahine rangatira Ruaputahanga.
Raised in Ōtautahi under the manaakitanga of Kāi Tahu, Dan now lives in Tāmaki Makaurau with his wife Michelle and their three tamariki.
He is Founder and CEO of Toitū AI, a kaupapa Māori technology venture focused on helping organisations engage with AI in ways that are grounded in tikanga and intergenerational value.
Dan’s work is shaped by more than 15 years of service to his iwi, Ngāti Ruanui, and a strong belief that Indigenous knowledge systems have a critical role to play in shaping modern technology. He holds an MBA and two Masters degrees, and is currently pursuing doctoral research in Māori and Indigenous approaches to AI.
He serves in a number of governance roles, including Deputy Chair of NZ Māori Tourism, Director of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and Chair of the Child Cancer Foundation, and has been recognised as Māori Business Leader of the Year and NZ Leader of the Year 2025.
Talking Points
Whakapapa and AI: Reclaiming Indigenous Leadership in a Digital World
In a time where artificial intelligence is reshaping economies and societies, this talk explores how Indigenous knowledge systems can guide a more balanced and human-centred future. Drawing on tikanga Māori, Dan shares how concepts such as whakapapa, manaakitanga, and kaitiakitanga offer a practical framework for how AI can be designed, governed, and applied.Whakapapa and AI: Reclaiming Indigenous Leadership in a Digital World
Rather than positioning Indigenous communities as passive adopters of technology, this kōrero reframes the opportunity as one of leadership. It challenges organisations to consider who is shaping AI, whose values are embedded within it, and who ultimately benefits.
Through real-world insights from his work across business, governance, and community, Dan outlines how values-led AI can strengthen decision-making, protect cultural integrity, and create long-term intergenerational impact. The session invites leaders to move beyond efficiency and innovation alone, toward technology that reflects identity, responsibility, and collective wellbeing.
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 atte ... keep reading Simply Privacy
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!
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.
