Reece has more than 20 years’ experience in Māori Development and has an extensive knowledge of the innovation and business development eco-system. Reece is the Manager Programme Office and Strategic Relationships for the Science for Technological Innovation – National Science Challenge.  Reece was the inaugural Te Tumu Whakarae/Executive Director of the Māori Economic Development Unit of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Prior to this role, Reece held senior strategic and operational roles in Māori development in Callaghan Innovation, the Crown Research Institute – Industrial Research Ltd, the Ministry of Science & Innovation and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. Reece was also Senior Manager Iwi/Māori Partnerships at the Ministry of Education. In the private sector, Reece worked for Telecom (now Spark) in corporate sales, events and sponsorship and has run his own consultancy business.

Reece has also worked in Parliament for five years and has a strong understanding of the machinery of government and of the contribution the Māori economy can continue to make to Aotearoa-New Zealand. Having travelled extensively and lived and worked in Japan, Reece is also fluent in Japanese.

Qualifications: BA in Politics & Japanese (minors in economics, management and international relations)