MEDIA RELEASE
September 7 2009
Chamber and HBMBN join forces
The Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Hawke’s Bay Māori Business Network have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work collaboratively to foster Māori enterprise in the region.
This MOU comes about following a number of conversations through which the Network and the Chamber have agreed on a number of mutually supportive approaches. As a result of the MOU, the Chamber’s general business support functions can be fully accessed by Network members and joint promotional strategies and communications will be developed.
‘The HB Māori Business Network came about from research work at EIT that identified training and networking as valuable forms of support to advance Māori in business,’ said HBMBN chair Jason Fox. ‘The connection to the Chamber allows the Network to operate in a wider environment while still meeting the essential needs of Māori within a cultural context.’
The chair of the HBMBN has been co-opted onto the Chamber Board to strengthen the relationship and ensure good communications.
‘We are very excited about this opportunity to promote Māori business and the contribution it makes to the regional economy,’ said Chamber president Stuart McLachlan.’ Joint membership of the Chamber will allow Māori businesses access to our wider network and help grow business overall in the Bay’.
The MOU was signed at a dinner held last Friday in Hastings. As an early approach, the Westpac Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Awards has a new category to recognise excellence in Māori business.
For further information contact Murray Douglas, Chief Executive, Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce, 06 876 5938 or 021 986666, or Shona Jones, Coordinator , Hawke’s Bay Māori Business Network, 06 870 3785, or 027 288 9911.
ENDS
Click here to go to the Hawke's Bay Maori Business Network pages
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