New Ākina Board Chair Announced

Incoming Ākina Board Chair, Ben Kepes.

CEO Louise Aitken and the Ākina whānau are pleased to announce that current board member Ben Kepes is the incoming Ākina Board Chair.

Ben takes over from Sophie Haslem, whose six year term as an Ākina board member – including 3 years as Board Chair – concludes this month.

"Now is the perfect time to be building an economy with impact as its focus," said Ben "as someone who owns a social enterprise myself, and who has served on the Ākina board since 2018, I am excited to be stepping up to the role of chair."

Ben brings extensive governance and business experience to this new role. He’s a globally recognized technology commentator and co-founder of successful workwear and outdoor equipment brand Cactus Outdoor, itself a social enterprise.

Ben steps into this new role at an important time for both Ākina and the social enterprise sector, as New Zealand’s impact economy helps drive the wider economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Previous Board Chair Sophie Haslem joined the Ākina Board in 2014 and helped steer Ākina through a period of significant progression and development. Highlights of this time include hosting the Social Enterprise World Forum in Christchurch, the establishment of New Zealand’s first impact investment fund, the creation of The Impact Initiative, and the launch of the Fwd social procurement marketplace.

Read more about the Ākina Board.