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 2024 Kupe Leadership Scholarship

Mentors of the 2024 Kupe Leadership Scholars

Professor Sir Ashley Bloomfield, KNZM, Public Health Official, Professor of Public Policy Impact Institute

Alison Eddy, RM, RCPN, MPH, CEO to the New Zealand College of Midwives 

Claudia Batten, Tech Start-Up Entrepreneur and World Class New Zealand Supreme Award Winner 

Phil Gibbons, ONZM, Former Chief Executive Officer, now Director of Institute for Leader Development in the NZ Defence Force

David Downs, CEO of the New Zealand Story Group, Senior Executive, Business Commentator and Presenter

Rachel Maidment, Director Auckland at New Zealand Ministry and Trade

Anahera Morehu (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kahu), Poumanaaki, Chief Archivist, at Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga Archives New Zealand (Archives NZ).

Pip Cheshire, CNZM, Architect and writer, recipient of the NZIA Gold Medal and Past President of the New Zealand Institute of Architects.

Dave Heatley, Director of Sawtooth Economics and Editor of Asymmetric Information

Sam Stubbs, Co-founder and Managing Director of Simplicity, a nonprofit KiwiSaver and Fund Manager

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

Raelene Castle ONZM, Group Chief Executive of Sport New Zealand

Natalie Walker, First Crown Solicitor at Manukau

Ziena Jalil, Business Leader, Entrepeneur and Board member of Toka Tu Ake EQC, Asia New Zealand Foundation, Education New Zealand, DNA Design, and Chief of Staff at Te Pukenga

Eddie Kohlhase, MNZM, HPSNZ’s Performance Partnerships Leader and World Hall of Fame Softball Player

Dr Chris Tooley (Ngāti Kahungunu), CEO for Te Puna Ora o Mataatua 

Kupe Advisory Group