An Auckland hapu says it owes a lot to Ngati Porou for allowing one of their sons to head its trust board for so long.
Ngati Whatua o Orakei employed Tiwana Tibble for 14 years before he stepped down as chief executive last week.
The Auckland sub-tribe says he is respected and liked, and he presided over a ten-fold increase the hapu's investments.
A trustee of Ngati Whatua o Orakei Sharon Hawke says it will be forever grateful to Ngati Porou for Mr Tibble's tenure.
She says her hapu is beholden to the East Coast iwi for letting him stay with them for many years.
Ms Hawke says there will always be those who will ask why people are not working in their own country, but she says it's been great having someone with an external view and no baggage.
