The world of finance is moving closer to indigenous approaches to investment by looking to deliver social, cultural and environmental impact alongside financial returns - Rangimarie Price
Rangimarie Price has stepped down from the NAB to enable her to focus on the many other initiatives she contributes to.
We have been very fortunate to have Rangimarie’s valuable expertise and Te Ao Māori perspective since she joined the NAB in 2019.
Rangimarie has contributed to the impact investing body of knowledge in Aotearoa New Zealand. Examples of this include ‘Tikanga-led Impact Investment’ guides and
‘Impact Investment in Action’ research report.
We asked Rangimarie to reflect on her highlights while on the NAB and to look ahead at the future of impacting investing.
How did you get involved with the NAB?
I was approached to join the NAB because of my experience in applying Te Ao Māori principles and tikanga to developing the Taitokerau Māori economy and designing a development platform to bring long term large scale investment to priority ventures for Taitokerau Māori.
The world of finance is moving closer to indigenous approaches to investment by looking to deliver social, cultural and environmental impact alongside financial returns.
What have been your highlights while on the NAB?
The highlight has been able to draw on the blended expertise that sits around the NAB table, both locally and globally, as well as seeing the innovation that is happening in the impact investing ecosystem, which is still relatively nascent in Aotearoa.
There has certainly been an appetite from the finance sector for systems change and using capital in service of “good” as evidenced by the Sustainable Finance Forum. There is a lot of good stuff happening.
How can Te Ao Māori principles contribute to the future of impact investing in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Te Ao Māori is the first law of Aotearoa and based on centuries of acute observation, practice and scientific expertise. It offers a different mindset and set of values that are premised on sacred obligations to genuinely care for people and to uphold the life supporting capacity of Papatuanuku, anchored in ancestral intelligence inherent to this country.
Applied properly it will support the shift towards a more just, equitable and regenerative economy financed by capital that is patient and values aligned.
What are the challenges and opportunities for impact investing?
The biggest opportunity and challenge are one and the same, which is for this to happen there needs to be a radical shift in where power sits and how it is wielded.
Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it”.
Farewell message from the Chair
David Woods, the NAB’s Chair, said “The NAB has benefited greatly from Rangimarie’s insights and contributions during her time as a member. We will miss her at the table, are very grateful to have had her with us for two years, and we wish her every happiness and success in everything she does”.
