CEO And Producer Nicole Horan Of Hi Mama Productions Wins The MWDI Māori Businesswomen’s Overall Supreme Award 2025

Hi Mama Productions, a leading Māori-owned film and television production company, has been awarded Te Tohu Aorangi Overall Supreme Winner of the prestigious MWDI Māori Businesswomen's Awards 2025.

This highly coveted accolade celebrates outstanding achievements, innovation, and leadership within te ao pakihi Māori (the Māori business world).

Hosted by Māori Women’s Development Inc (MWDI), the MWDI Māori Businesswomen's Awards honour the resilience, creativity, and dedication of Māori women in business, highlighting the significant contributions of wāhine Māori entrepreneurs and professionals across Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Founded by Nicole Horan, Hi Mama Productions shone among a formidable line-up of nominees for its exemplary dedication to Māori business, culture and values through film and television.

A proud pakihi Māori (Māori business), Hi Mama Productions is a leading film and television company in Aotearoa. The company remains steadfast in upholding traditional Māori values while embracing a contemporary ethos marked by innovation and limitless creativity. Hi Mama Productions continues to be recognised as a leader in indigenous film and television production within the New Zealand market.

The MWDI Māori Businesswomen’s Awards 2025 supports the vision and mission of Māori Women’s Development Inc to encourage the economic development of wāhine and their whānau to ensure that Māori contribute equitably to our cultural, spiritual, economic, social and political achievements.

Māori Women’s Development Inc is a unique and indigenous organisation which supports Māori women in business and these awards celebrate and showcase the very best wāhine businesswomen and their pakihi (business) to Aotearoa, the Asia-Pacific region and other global markets and indigenous economies.

This year’s event received over 100 nominations and 44 finalists, across eight regions (Te Tai Tokerau, Tāmaki Makaurau, Tainui, Waiariki, Te Tai Rāwhiti, Ikaroa, Aotea, Te Waipounamu) and ten business excellence categories through various disciplines such as: Creative Arts & Design, Technology, Export, Business Collaboration, People & Capability, Innovation, Employment & Growth, Emerging Business, Social Enterprise, Marketing & Sales.

MWDI Kaiwhakahaere Linda Clay, “These awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our nominees, finalists, winners, and all kaipakihi wāhine Māori showcasing their businesses on the economic world stage. Despite ongoing economic challenges, our wāhine and their businesses continue to stand strong and thrive. We’re also very grateful to all our sponsors for their tautoko and look forward to next year ” (Ngāti Awa, Te Whakatōhea) said.

Judges, Te Whānau o Waipereira Trust COO Awerangi tamahere, Poutama Trust CEO Koroninia Dickinson and MWDI Kaiwhakahaere Linda Clay were impressed with the high calibre of nominations befitting to all regions and categories.

Māori Women’s Development Inc are pleased to announce the following individuals and businesses as winners for the 2025 Awards:

The MWDI Māori Businesswomen’s Awards 2025 was proudly sponsored by:

Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women

Poutama Trust

PwC

Kirikiriroa Family Services Trust

Te Nehenehenui Trust

Te Kōara

Te Whānau o Waipereira

Te Taumata

Foundation North

Māori + by Whakaata Māori

The MWDI Māori Businesswomen’s Awards were held at Tākina Convention Centre, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, on Friday, 24 October 2025.

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