Patrick Snedden is a Pakeha New Zealander who began his professional life in publishing after graduating in 1979 from Auckland University in accounting, economics and anthropology. He has been self-employed since 1984. From 1982 to 2008 he also worked as an economic adviser to the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board and was part of their Te Tiriti o Waitangi negotiation team.
From 2008 to 2013 he was appointed Chief Crown Negotiator in the Muriwhenua Te Tiriti o Waitangi claims for the Far North region. To date four out of the five tribal groups have settled.
He has been a corporate director and was a founding director of Mai FM, this country’s first Maori commercial radio station. He has had roles in public sector governance and chaired the Housing New Zealand Corporation and the Auckland and Counties District Health Boards. He was also a director on Watercare Services, a wastewater and water company for Auckland. Currently he is a director of the Ports of Auckland.
In 2011 he helped to establish a new educational trust devoted to accelerating improvement in Maori and Pasifika educational outcomes. Manaiakalani Educational Trust works in Tamaki with 12 schools and over 3000 children to use high-end technology to accelerate learning improvement for these children. Its outreach program extends to 38 schools and 6000 additional learners in five other clusters throughout NZ. Patrick is the executive Chair of the Trust.
