Lucy Tukua appointed new technical director of regenerative outcomes, Kaihautū Whakarito, at Mott MacDonald, New Zealand

Acknowledgment of whakapapa and connection:

Ko Kohukohunui tōku Maunga

Ko Whakatiwai tōku Awa

Ko Tikapa tōku Moana

Ko Te Kotūiti tōku Waka

Ko Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Whanaunga me Ngāti Tahinga ōku Iwi

Ko Lucy Tukua ahau, e koropiko ana toku tuarā ki o koutou tūpuna mātua, waahi rongonui hoki

Ko Kirimangu taku mātāmua

Ko Raniera te ure tarewa

Ko Matia rāūa ko Rautangata Tutaki-Kirkwood āku mokopuna

Lucy Tukua has joined Mott MacDonald as its new Kaihautū Whakarito Technical Director /Regenerative Outcomes. At Mott MacDonald Lucy will ensure that cultural and social outcomes are integrated across the organisation and deeply embedded into its way of working and collaborating.

Lucy said:

“As a responsible servant for Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland I bring local, regional, national and international relationships of indigenous excellence to Tamaki’s stewardship. I have served Tamaki’s growing needs across a diverse range of kaupapa including transport, housing, environment, urban development and placemaking to name a few ensuring the ability for our tamariki/children to see ‘our faces in our places’ endures. My whanau, hapū and Iwi have been the wellspring of my journey and my endeavours.

I have developed a kete full of lived experience in designed, delivered and fit for purpose “aspirations to reality”, aspirations from a sea to land, earth to sky, kanohi ki te kanohi trust-based relationships as an expression of history and herstory.

My practice is place sourced, culture led and community fed ensuring inclusive, transparent and holistic outcomes grounded in tikanga and kawa of my hapū and supported by mātauranga māori informed innovation.

As a strong advocate for kaupapa Māori, I am fortunate to be involved in supporting the establishment of organisations such as Ngā Aho and Te Matapihi and serving the Auckland Council’s Urban Design Panel bringing cultural engagement and design expertise which led to my appointment to their Governance Board. Recognised as a global thought leader for Placemaking and a founder for Placemaking Aotearoa, I strongly advocate that ‘place makes us’. We are the waters of our ancestors.

Having trained with Regenesis Group (New Mexico) I was honoured to co-lead the establishment of the New Zealand cohort of regenerative practitioners. An outcome I am humbled to see flourish now having the largest cohort in any one country.

I am particularly connected to my relationships and community work with the Ambassadors for Māori Opportunities Program. A program gifted by Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) who have been key to advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples through the growth of Indigenous values- based leadership who have and continue to be my mentors.

My commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and it’s foundational invitation for courageous community and social regenerative innovation defines my “why” in taking up this incredible opportunity. It is grounded first and foremost in my whakapapa and is networked into a woven tapestry of holistic outcomes supported by my hapū and marae foundations, my flax roots grounding.

The honour of the ceremony of pōwhiri sealed my commitment to my role with Mott MacDonald, my responsibilities and my kaupapa and has opened the horizons for great possibilities to flow.”

Whakatauki/Quote:

“Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini –

My strength is not the strength of one, but of the many.”