Business Consultancy Directors

Ake Innovation's executive team is made up of four driven individuals passionate about innovation, sustainability and quadruple bottom line results. All come from divergent and successful backgrounds with skill sets and experience to ensure any project - big or small - is managed and executed with care, detail and success.

If you are looking for a Business Consultancy with the skill-set, experience and connections to succeed, get in contact with Ake Innovation now. We are well aligned with Iwi authorities, Local Government, Business leaders, banks and funding providers to help scale, manage and develop your business or project.

Briton Williams

Briton is all about the people!!!! Born and bred in Whakatane, he learnt from an early age that Tikanga can be incorporated into business. Principles such as manaaki tangata (Respecting people) can help to empower people to conquer their lofty mountain. Briton's background has been in start ups for the past 12 years which has gifted him with strong iwi/hapu and mainstream networks. He owns Ake Accounting, a tourism company, Nativeconnectionz and the Produce Patch. He is also director of Lightning Hub Limited, a coworking and shared space.

Holistically Briton's view of people/land/succession and then profit provides more satisfying results.

He ao te rangi ka uhia, ma te huruhuru te manu ka rere..... As clouds cover the sky, so do feathers enable a bird to fly......

Matthew Davis


Matthew Davis is passionate about entrepreneurial ventures and is the man behind our numbers. He specialises in high-level accounting work with large organisations in Whakatane. Matthew brings a valuable skillset around financial forecasting, budgets, strategic accounting work and a good understanding of how to improve internal systems to improve efficiencies. He is full of surprises too – he has a pilot license among many others.

Ray Thompson

My name is Ray Thompson, I am originally from Tamaki Makaurau and have lived and worked in the Bay of Plenty since 1998. I have a BSC in Environmental and Marine Sciences with more than 20-years professional experience working in the environmental and resource management field. I was a regulatory specialist with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and served Te Runanga o Ngati Awa and Ngati Awa Group Holdings Ltd as their Environmental Manager. I have detailed technical knowledge of environmental and resource management issues and have participated in formal resource management processes at local, regional and national levels.

Tristan Vine

Tristan Vine offers a wide skill set and experience in Business Development, Innovation and Communication. Starting his career across the Industrial and Heavy Transport sectors, he has since gone on to own several businesses involved in areas such as Business Consulting, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Blockchain and Social Enterprise.
An entrepreneur at heart, Tristan works with clients on strategic planning, critical success factors, KPIs and articulating value to create business success.

Business Consultancy Specialists

We draw upon a fantastic team of people who all help to make Ake Innovation what it is. These range from Business Development Consultants, Marketing Specialists, Financial Advisers, Legal Executives and Iwi Leaders for consultation.

Our Recent Projects

Click on Our Stories to get a snapshot of the projects and work we have recently undertaken. These range from working with small sole traders, whenua trusts and local businesses through to International organisations, environmental / industrial projects and social enterprise.