Juanita Helg

About Me

“I am an experienced business strategist and governance advisor with over 20 years of leadership across the public, private, and community sectors in Aotearoa. My background spans executive management, government contracts, outsourcing operations with strong sales focus, and social innovation. I currently run my own consulting firm supporting Māori and Pasifika enterprises to grow through strategy, funding, and systems design. I have served on a couple of boards that have equipped me for more responsibility. I have been grateful to work with iwi on housing projects, health and social services and education. I have developed my passion to share kaupapa Māori principles in governance, risk management, and social impact evaluation. I bring a strong lens of equity, strategic thinking, and operational delivery to boardrooms, and have advised leaders at the C-suite level on business planning, social investment, and organisational change. With a Master’s in International Business and formal governance training through the Wilberforce Foundation, Māori Land Court and the Institute of Directors, I am committed to enhancing board capability and championing inclusive, future-focused leadership. I am the founder of whaea.ai which helps enable business entrepreneurs with automation and Ai.”