Our Kupe Partners

We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to the very generous Sponsors who have made this exciting initiative possible, the members of our Advisory Group who offer support and direction to the Kupe Programme Team and the inspirational Mentors who have agreed to volunteer their time and expertise to support our Kupe Leadership scholars. 

Founding Sponsor | McCall MacBain Foundation

Canadian philanthropists John and Marcy McCall MacBain have gifted over $1 million to the University of Auckland to launch the Kupe Leadership Scholarships. This is the latest in the more than NZ$275 million worth of donations made by McCall MacBain's foundation since 2007, which included an unprecedented NZ$150 million gift to Oxford University's Rhodes Scholarships. As a recipient of a Rhodes scholarship himself, John has first-hand experience of how scholarships of this nature can change lives and is passionate about creating similar opportunities for others.  “These scholarships aim to create the next generation of explorers in innovation and discovery for a new future,” he says. “The McCall MacBain Foundation is proud to be a funder of the Kupe Scholarships.” The McCall MacBain Foundation has provided seed funding for the Kupe Leadership Scholarships, which are being supported by a number of generous philanthropic donors, as outlined below.

Sponsors of the 2026 Kupe Leadership Scholarship

Mentors of the 2026 Kupe Leadership Scholars

Vanessa Stoddart, Board Chair for the Tonkin + Taylor Group

Hon. Justice Andrew Becroft, QSO, Justice of the High Court of New Zealand

Sharon Shea, Leadership and governance professional

Joanna Bourke, Chief Executive Officer (Pacific Cooperation Foundation), Marketing and Communications Lead (Pacific Dance New Zealand)

Dr Sarah Kapeli, Health and leadership specialist

Janine Grainger, Leadership development practitioner

Madeline Newman, Executive Director, AI Forum New Zealand

Judge Sandra Alofivae, MNZM, Judge of the District Court of New Zealand

Bert Iosia, Pacific business and leadership advisor

Shamubeel Eaqub, Chief Economist, Simplicity; Economist and author

Ane Tonga, Curator, Pacific Art, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki

Ziena Jalil, Governance and policy professional

Cather Simpson, Academic and entrepreneur

Sam Stubbs, Managing Director, Simplicity

Turid Heiler, Sustainability and leadership specialist

Dr Ian Lambie, ONZM, Chief Science Advisor for the Justice Sector; Clinical Psychologist

Dr Laura Chapman, Chief Medical Officer, Health New Zealand | Waitematā

Kupe Advisory Group

Kupe Advisory Group