Meet Pae Ārahi, Te Awanui Reeder

From Central Auckland to Pae Ārahi at Hemisphere — take us back to where it all started.

Born and raised in Central Auckland, back when the Blues were the All Blacks. Mt Albert Primary, Kōwhai Intermediate, then Western Springs College | Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, where I met my boys, Nesian Mystik.

I'm privileged to have had such a positive educational journey, stewarded by inspirational teachers, many of whom I'm still in contact with today. I have so much respect for teachers. My mum was a teacher, my sister is a teacher, my uncles are teachers, and who knows, maybe someday I'll be a teacher too.

I earned a four-year scholarship to study business at AUT, double majoring in Marketing and Management. Marketing fascinated me, the psychology, the art of influencing behaviour. Management felt more natural, I inherently understood it, but what I learnt was that people are different and their energy changes every day. For me, management means being vulnerable, listening, and understanding what motivates people. As I travelled the world and experienced different cultures and economies, I moved into international business, which carried on into a Master of Business. Along the way I had the privilege of being mentored by Adam Holt, CEO of Universal Music, and the late Rick Carlyon, the FMCG entrepreneur who built up Mother Earth, sold it to Cadbury, and then bought Delmaine Fine Foods.

During all of this, I spent 10 years hosting and producing interviews for NZ On Air's flagship syndicated radio show Te Puutake, a bilingual magazine show where we played 100% Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika music. We won NZ Radio Awards, so many they changed the eligibility rules, then we won again anyway! But my biggest highlight was actually being a finalist for Best Sports Presenter, losing to the legend, Murray Deaker.

I've lived a few lifetimes, but it still feels like I'm only just getting started. Right now though, I have the honour of guiding Hemisphere as Pae Ārahi in social marketing, providing leadership to strategy, creative to washing the dishes.

When you're not at mahi, what are you doing?

My most important mahi is being Pāpā to Esme, Waiora and Avanoa, and partner to Anoushka. My whānau is everything to me. Through them, I'm a better person. Beyond that, I own and manage multiple businesses, love going to the library to borrow books, and always make time for songwriting, design and scriptwriting.

You wear two pōtae. What's Big River Creative, and what's the Tiriti-dynamic relationship it has with Hemisphere?

Good question! I own Big River Creative, an award-winning specialist Māori Pasifika storytelling and design agency. I split my time between Hemisphere and BRC, which gives me the benefit of large agency infrastructure alongside the flexibility to work on more bespoke mahi with BRC across the creative, fintech and fashion sectors. Together, we offer a truly authentic Tiriti-dynamic offering, critical to winning the Minimising Gambling Harm contract with Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora.

What makes Hemisphere a great place to work?

Honestly, it starts with our Kaiarataki, Dr. Tim Antric. He's a true ally and a living example of Tangata Tiriti. He's assembled an incredible ensemble of talent, from our leadership team through to our juniors. He challenges us to be great and accountable in his unique, quirky and fearless way.

We've built an environment that fosters trust and creativity, and celebrates our team. We're on a Tiriti-dynamic journey, and it's taken a long time to get here. I remember when our team read the karakia off a PowerPoint, now everyone can recite it from memory, with ā-ringa | actions. We're trying and learning, together.

Favourite piece of mahi?

I get so much joy from supporting Breastfeeding NZ – He Wāhi Haumaru with their social media. Alongside our awesome social and digital specialist Darelle Teau, we continue a journey that's been going for over 18 years. As the son of a Māori Māmā, and Pāpā to tamariki who whakapapa Māori and Samoa, I want us to show up for our Māmā and whānau in Aotearoa, to support decolonising this space, and to capture and share the stories that resonate with them.

Any advice for emerging marketers?

Slow is pro, especially when it comes to relationships.

See people as people, not as their role.

The saying “it's all about who you know” is very true, particularly in Aotearoa.

Be patient, be gentle, use your manners and be respectful.

Don't think, just go. Three words to describe yourself?

Leader. Excellence. Entrepreneur.

Want to work with Awa and the team?

Get in touch to see how we can help with your next campaign.

kiaora@hemisphere.nz