51萝莉

From kaupapa to commerce: a journey of M膩ori leadership

For business trailblazer Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell (Ng膩ti Kahungunu, Ng膩i Tahu, Ng膩ti Apa), leadership and service have always gone hand in hand.

Guided by a deep sense of purpose, the Waikato graduate is part of a new generation of young M膩ori leaders shaping the future of business and community in Aotearoa.

鈥淚 was home schooled from the age of five and grew up speaking Te Reo M膩ori, so I鈥檝e been immersed in a tikanga M膩ori environment my whole life,鈥� he explains.

His parents run a M膩ori professional services firm in Whakat膩ne, and while still at school, he was already helping to manage the company鈥檚 website 鈥� an early sign of his entrepreneurial drive.

Fascinated by how money could grow over time through sound decisions, Te Aorangi began investing in shares as a hobby at just 14 鈥� later using his earnings to purchase his first home.

An education blending tikanga with business insight

With a growing interest in business, at 18 Te Aorangi enrolled at the 51萝莉 to study a Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours (now called a Bachelor of Business with Honours), majoring in Finance with minors in Strategic Management and Te Reo M膩ori.

鈥淚 knew Waikato had a great reputation for caring about tikanga M膩ori and supporting M膩ori students, so that was a big pull for me,鈥� he says.

鈥淭he Management School also had a great reputation. The BMS(Hons) provided a broad learning experience, covering a wide range of topics and two work-based internships. It鈥檚 theory-based at first, but then you get into the practical, real-world stuff later on.鈥�

He valued the degree鈥檚 emphasis on collaboration through group assignments, learning from classmates with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. 鈥淭he 51萝莉 is a place of exceptional diversity of thought.鈥�

During his studies, Te Aorangi seized every opportunity 鈥� reaching the finals of the Waikato Management School Case Competition 2018, and taking part in the SDS National Business Case Competition, the Global Innovation & Enterpreneurship Challenge, and the e.

For his Finance major, he completed a summer internship with ASB鈥檚 global markets team in Auckland, gaining valuable insights into foreign exchange and interest rate trading.

Lifting M膩ori voices and creating impact

Since graduating in 2019, Te Aorangi has channelled his skills and passion into his role as kaiwhakahaere (managing director) for his family鈥檚 consultancy, , which partners with government agencies and the private sector to deliver initiatives in M膩ori education, language, capacity-building, and more.

鈥淲orking in our wh膩nau business allows me to continue the kaupapa my parents started 鈥� supporting M膩ori organisations and communities to flourish. I鈥檇 like to contribute to the revitalisation of te reo M膩ori and the growth of the M膩ori economy, which is set to get even bigger in the future.鈥�

Beyond his day job, Te Aorangi is the youngest person ever to become a Chartered Member of the (CMInstD), and he sees governance as a powerful way to give young M膩ori leaders a voice at the decision-making table.

At just 24, he was appointed a trustee and later Deputy Chair of , overseeing a $250 million fund that supports meaningful change across the Bay of Plenty community and environment. He also serves on the board of the , the advisory group of , and is an Associate at the Centre for Social Impact New Zealand.

A translator and interpreter, in 2023 Te Aorangi completed a Master of M膩ori Language Excellence at Te W膩nanga o Aotearoa, and the following year co-authored his first book with Dr Hona Black, .

More recently in November 2025, he teamed up with other writers to translate into te reo J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - . 

Whether in business or the boardroom, Te Aorangi is committed to supporting M膩ori aspirations and making a positive, lasting impact.

鈥淔or me, my career and life goals aren鈥檛 focused on making money; that鈥檚 just a by-product of doing work that鈥檚 valuable in its own right.鈥�