Board Matters podcast: "The relative pace of governance" with Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau

Being a mother of four, working and holding board roles requires a bit of juggling, says Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau CMInstD.

Rachel as just stepped down as Chair of the Tonga Business Council and her governance roles include sitting on the board of Ember Wellbeing Trust, Habitat for Humanity NZ, Vitae Trust to name a few.  

 “The juggle is real, for many people in today’s world,” she says. “We live in a period of acceleration where things are moving at pace.”

Governing in the mental health sector, global church community and the housing sector has taught her that some sectors need to move faster than others. From this short list, housing and economic wellbeing stands out as the most urgent governance challenge, she says.

“Pace is very much relative to the space.”

Rachel understands the challenges of developing in governance, based on 20 years as a person of diversity ie., youngish, female, Pacific person of faith” presence at the board table

For a very long time “I did become that one woman at the table, and the table was men who were all pakeha (European). I became the youngest person at the table, the young female.”

It is important to keep that young and open mindset as you gain experience to govern well in fast-changing times, rather than become set in your thinking, she says.

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