Ngāi Tahu Seafood appoints new directors
Ngāi Tahu Seafood Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors, Jen Crawford and Ben Bateman,
bringing the total of Ngāi Tahu directors on the board to four out of six.
Ms Crawford has 20 years’ national and international legal experience in project consenting and planning, along with
governance experience in the Canterbury region. She has previously worked in leading law firms in New Zealand and the
UK, including a partnership at Anderson Lloyd.
Ms Crawford was appointed as a Director of Regenerate Christchurch in 2016 and recently stepped down as Chair of the
Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board after leading the organisation through a significant period following the
Canterbury earthquakes. She has been recognised for her Arts Centre governance work as a finalist in the 2015 Women of
Influence Awards and recipient of a Local Hero Medal in the 2017 New Zealander of the Year Awards, as well as being
recognised in the NZ Lawyer Hotlist (2014 and 2016).
Mr Bateman (Ngāi Tahu – Ngāti Waewae, Ngāti Mamoe) is Deputy Director of Legal Services for the New Zealand Defence
Force, serving in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. As a practising lawyer for the New Zealand Defence Force, and a
commissioned officer in the New Zealand Army for over 14 years, he has been deployed on six operational tours of duty to
the Middle East.
Mr Bateman was the lead New Zealand Defence Force legal adviser for the New Zealand tenure on the United Nations
Security Council, and has represented New Zealand’s interests at various international engagement activities throughout
the Asia Pacific, North America, the Middle East and Europe, providing legal advice on a range of complex international
and commercial matters.
Chair of Ngāi Tahu Seafood Limited, Craig Ellison, said “we are delighted to have directors of this calibre joining our
governance team with their depth of knowledge, skills, and experience. We are proud that two thirds of our directors are
of Ngāi Tahu descent. I would also like to acknowledge our retiring director, Rob Pooley, for his nine years of valued
service to the Board”.
Iaean Cranwell also joins the Ngāi Tahu Seafood board as an Associate Director under the Manawa Nui programme, which
provides opportunities for Ngāi Tahu to gain experience and exposure to governance on Ngāi Tahu Holdings’ boards,
ultimately increasing the governance capacity and capability of Ngāi Tahu.
ENDS
About Ngāi Tahu Seafood:
Ngāi Tahu Seafood Limited is a quota owner, operator, and supplier of quality seafood to a highly competitive global
market, continuing an inter-generational tradition of sustaining communities from the bounty of the sea. In addition to
being Aotearoa New Zealand’s third largest exporter of kōura (lobster), the company also exports scampi, pāua, blue cod
and kūtai (GreenshellTM mussels), some under the premium Tahu brand. Tio (Bluff Oysters) are all sold locally.
Ngāi Tahu Seafood holds a deep regard for the sea and the environment, priding itself on a sustainable operating
platform and exercising great care with all species from sea to plate. Its state of the art fish processing facility in
Bluff confirms a strong commitment to ongoing business and economic development in the southern region.
Ngāi Tahu values are woven through Ngāi Tahu Seafood’s relationships and operations, ensuring the business fabric
reflects the tribal fabric. Its story is powered by the tribe’s vision Mō tātou, ā mō kā uri, ā muri ake nei – for us and our children after us.