Māori Agribusiness

With Māori owning in the vicinity of 227,289ha of land in pastoral agricultural or horticultural production, Māori agribusiness is a significant activity, particularly in the North Island.

With an association stretching back over 30 years to John’s original practice in Rotorua, Perrin Ag continues to have a passion for and active involvement with Māori agribusiness ventures at a number of levels.  As a firm we have embraced Te Ao Māori as another lens through which to understand the way we do things and how we can create better outcomes for ourselves and our clients.

Perrin Ag currently provides 23 Māori-owned farms with operational oversight (2.5mil kg MS, c. 50,000 SU) across the motu and has 50+ active Māori client relationships, including whanau, hapu, iwi, collective and government level entities.  Māori agribusiness comprises 40% of the firm’s revenue, across the value-chain, and the firm has been involved with two Ahuwhenua wins (2003 & 2012) and one finals placing (2006).

Things we can help you with include:

Lee Matheson

Managing Director / Principal Consulant

B.Appl.Sc (Hons), FNZIPIM (Reg)

Lee came to agribusiness consultancy via the unlikely pathway of a suburban Wellington upbringing, an Honours degree in plant science and a six-year career in the financial markets. In his role as the firm’s MD, Lee doesn’t get out on-farm as much as he used to but makes the most of it when he does. While having swapped the paddock for the boardroom, Lee continues to provide advice in the areas of farm business strategy, farm system innovation, corporate governance, investment analysis and economic research.

Outside of Perrin Ag, Lee loves to spend his time coaching rugby, watching his three kids play sport and gardening with his wife Haidee.

“I love the challenge of empowering people in our primary sectors and the excitement of seeing clients achieving their aspirations.  If we can encourage farmers to engage with their consumers, take a more active involvement in their supply chains and view their businesses through a wider lens, then I think our industries have a great future.”