BDO Pūrongo Pakihi Māori - the BDO Māori Business Sector Report – is an annual report based on a survey of Māori business leaders across Aotearoa. All survey respondents identify with being Māori or a New Zealander of Māori descent, while also being responsible for leading or managing a business.
Launched in 2019 the report aims to shed light on the Māori business sector and provide a voice from an audience that is not often researched, yet occupies a unique place in New Zealand’s business landscape. Most importantly, the report shares practical tips to help Māori business leaders navigate their most pressing barriers.
BDO Māori Business Sector Report 2025
BDO is proud to release the 2025 Māori Business Sector Report - our seventh edition – drawing on insights from over 290 Māori business leaders across Aotearoa. This year’s report takes an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities shaping Māori businesses today, exploring four key themes: Sector Perspectives, Business Performance and Finances, Expanding Horizons, and Cultural Wellbeing.
To bring these findings to life, journalist Mike McRoberts sat down with Solomon Dalton, BDO Māori Business Sector Leader, for a kōrero on what these results mean for Māori businesses and the wider economy. Learn more in the latest report.
Our sixth edition of BDO Pūrongo Pakihi Māori, the BDO Māori Business Sector Report - shares insights from Māori business leaders across Aotearoa.
Based on a survey of more than 150 Māori business leaders across the country, our report aims to shed light on the Māori business sector and provide a voice from an audience that is not often researched, yet occupies a unique place in New Zealand’s business landscape. Most importantly, the report shares practical tips to help Māori business leaders navigate their most pressing barriers.
Key report findings
Business leaders across Aotearoa continue to face economic challenges, and the duration of this downturn continues to be a key topic of discussion. Our 2024 report reveals that while there are several priority concerns facing Māori business leaders, there is also optimism about the road ahead.
The most pressing of these challenges is the economy. High interest rates, inflation, and cost of living concerns are all creating greater pressure for Māori business leaders. Our 2024 BDO Business Wellbeing Index shows Māori business leaders are not alone in this, with economic factors and financial challenges driving negative sentiment for all New Zealand business leaders.
However, Māori business leaders are driven by more than just profit. Our report shows purpose is a key driver for the sector, with success measured in terms of happy and well whānau. Similarly, Māori business leaders place huge importance on partnering and collaborating with others to achieve their business goals – and with our current challenging economic context, now is an opportunity for leaders to remember we are together.
Watch our video below to learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing Māori business leaders currently - and get practical tips to help navigate the current conditions. Journalist Mike McRoberts joins Angela Edwards, BDO Māori Business Sector Leader, and Solomon Dalton, BDO Māori Business Advisory Partner, for a kōrero.
About the 2024 report
Our 2024 BDO Māori Business Sector Report is our sixth edition. Findings have been derived from an online survey conducted in September 2024 among 159 Māori business leaders from all over Aotearoa. The survey was distributed by market research agency Perceptive Research to their consumer research and partnered research panels.
All 2024 survey respondents identify with being Māori or a New Zealander of Māori descent, while also being responsible for leading or managing a business. In addition, 37% of respondents describe their business as being at least 50% Māori owned.
Most Māori businesses surveyed were mature entities, with 43% having been in operation for more than five years. Construction, retail, professional services, financial services, and tourism and hospitality are the most commonly identified industry groups within which respondents operate. 70% employ 10 or fewer full-time staff, with 23% employing 11-20 full-time staff members. Just 6% have more than 21 employees.
Respondents are predominantly based in regions with traditionally high Māori populations including Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) - 28%, Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) and Wairarapa - 13%, Te Moana-a-Toi (Bay of Plenty) - 9%, Waikato - 9%, and Waitaha (Canterbury) - 9%. The survey also extended to communities including Taranaki, Manawatu, and Whanganui - 8% and Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawke’s Bay) - 8%.
Kaha Ake Tātou Kotahi | Stronger Together
Our fifth edition of BDO Pūrongo Pakihi Māori, the BDO Māori Business Sector Report, shares insights from over 160 Māori business leaders surveyed across Aotearoa. View our report below for key findings & practical business tips.
Through this report, our aim is to contribute to understanding of the Māori business sector and provide a voice from an audience that is not often researched, yet occupies a unique place in New Zealand’s business life.
Most importantly, however, our goal is to share practical business tips to support Māori business leaders in navigating their current and most pressing ārai – barriers. Our 2023 Report summarises tips under five key themes highlighted by Māori business leaders:
View our video insights from Māori business leaders across Aotearoa with Pio Terei MNZM and Angela Edwards.
A brighter future for Māori business in Aotearoa
In 2022 we showcased overall trends in the Māori business sector, as well as bringing in data from our BDO Wellbeing & Business Performance Index - BDO Te Rangahau o Ngā Hauora Pai – which has shown that, despite the difficult economic conditions all businesses in Aotearoa face currently, there is a real sense of optimism among Māori businesses.
This can, in part, be put down to the growing value placed in te ao Māori across all parts of Aotearoa, and our case study highlights this revival, showing how the highly successful app Rongo supports people in their te reo journeys.
Rongo: Bringing back te reo Māori to the tip of the tongue
Charting a new course
Whāia te mātauranga kia mārama – Seek knowledge to gain understanding
Overcoming adversity through resilience
Māori have a history of navigation and overcoming adversity through resilience. As Māori business operators chart their way through Covid-19 we are beginning to see areas of focus shift slightly, balancing the importance of pūtea (profit) alongside traditional focus areas of tāngata (people) and te Taiao (the natural environment).
The 2021 survey confirmed the ongoing impact of COVID-19. But Māori businesses have also come through the year finding new ways to adapt and rise to the challenges they face.
Māori business have always defined success in their own terms, creating value for whānau and community. They continue to plan and are confident in this but acknowledge opportunities for greater gains through more formal training and support.
Māori businesses must meet financial and performance benchmarks like any other. They often do this in their own way, often seeking their own solutions. The pressures of the last year have sharpened this process. Our survey shows Māori businesses remain confident in assessing a changing environment and setting their sights on growth.
BDO are proud and delighted and to be part of the Māori business sector through the advisory services we provide all over Aotearoa New Zealand. I want to thank the Māori business operators who generously contributed their time to this survey. We trust its findings are valuable for the sector and all those committed to advancing its success.
Discover more about the opportunities and challenges faced by Māori businesses - particularly in light of COVID-19.
Businesses across New Zealand and the world have been impacted enormously recently. In 'normal' times, owning and operating a business within the Māori community is different to any other industry in New Zealand as they must consider very thoughtfully the impact not just on themselves but their wider community. How have Māori businesses responded during this time?
For the second year running BDO ran a survey that focused on the opportunities and challenges, culture and people, environment, and support within Māori Business and how these have been impacted by COVID-19.
The Māori Business Survey covered a wide range of topics, including:
Purpose, values, and goals
How businesses measure success
How they have been impacted by COVID-19
The extent and function of government support
Attitudes towards diversity, sustainability, collaboration, and risk management, among others
Kylee Potae, Head of the BDO Māori business Sector, and Robett Hollis, a relentlessly driven Entrepreneur, FORTUNE 100 Content Consultant, Global Speaker & Author, recorded a podcast and had an enlightening, interesting, light-hearted and fun conversation about the report and Māori businesses in New Zealand.
In 2019, BDO undertook a comprehensive Māori Business survey with just over 100 Māori businesses taking part. We asked them about the opportunities, challenges and priorities within the sector. The results were analysed by BDO's Māori Business specialists and are available to download below.
