Not sure where to start? Let's have a chat.
A conversation, no preparation needed, to see where we might be able to help.
Business and community consulting
When the work is stuck, we help you find the next move.
Hūnuku is an Auckland-based business and community consultancy. We bring fresh eyes and practical experience to complex, high-stakes work, connecting strategy, people and delivery so progress starts moving again.
Up to 50 airportswhere founder Chris Stone led 24/7 support of critical systems
17% morecompleted kiosk transactions after a rebuild Chris led (previous role)
100+ volunteersled as chair of a sporting association
25+ yearsacross business and community
How we can help
Choose where you fit, then open anything that sounds like your situation.
We work with both businesses and community organisations. The starting point is the outcome you need, not a fixed method.
Choose Business or Clubs and community to see the options that fit you.
Direction and prioritiesDo you have a clear vision, and where do you start?
Vision to delivery planning
Find or refresh your vision, build practical streams of work from it, and plan at the level you need: themes, quarterly or sprint.
You get: a one-page vision, themes or streams with clear owners, and a plan at your chosen level.
Prioritisation and value session
Work out where to start, what comes next and how to rank it, based on value rather than the loudest voice or latest crisis.
You get: a ranked list (start, next, later, stop), the value measures behind it, and a way to re-rank as things change.
Risk and resilienceWhat happens if something goes wrong tomorrow?
Risk and resilience review
Walk through realistic scenarios. Check which risks are documented, which may have been missed, what mitigations exist and how well informed your stakeholders are. Talk through audit readiness, and look at the worst case and what it would truly cost.
You get: your top risks and gaps, the worst-case story with a cost estimate, where stakeholders are under-informed, and a short action list.
A facilitated review and conversation. It is not a formal audit or assurance.
Digital and AIWhy is this digital project stuck, and where does AI fit?
Digital projects, jargon and AI session
Plain-English translation between tech and business, a look at why a digital project has stalled, and a practical conversation about where to start with AI and how it might fit now or later.
You get: a plain-English picture of what is happening, the three or four things most worth fixing, and a sensible first step on AI.
AI for your team
Coaching for your team on specific processes: where AI can save time, how to use it well, and what to keep human. We also cover what not to put into AI tools, particularly customer, member and staff data.
You get: a short list of processes worth improving and a practical way to start.
Prototype sprint
Take one idea to something testable, using AI-assisted building where it helps. Put it in front of real people, gather feedback, then decide whether to go ahead.
You get: a testable prototype, real feedback, and a clear go or no-go decision.
Leaders and teamsHow do you build a team that is great to be part of?
Leader and team coaching
Coaching for leaders and teams to clarify accountability, make priorities visible and sustain better team practices after support ends.
You get: clearer ownership, priorities everyone can see, and working practices that last.
When work is stuckSomething matters, and you are not moving.
Fresh eyes session
A focused working session on what is really going on, with a one-page written summary and a recommended next move.
Stuck-to-moving diagnostic
A short, structured look at where the work is stuck, ending in a prioritised plan.
Interim lead or recovery support
Embedded leadership for delivery, transformation or operations when you need someone to step in.
Not sure where to start? Let's have a chat.
A conversation, no preparation needed, to see where we might be able to help your club or organisation.
Club health checkWhere are you strong, and where are the gaps?
A conversation and a short written summary of your strengths, gaps and next steps.
Plan on a page workshopCan you agree where you are heading, and what to do first?
A half-day with your board or committee, ending with a clear direction and 90-day actions.
Board and committee mentoringHow can your governance work better for your members?
Practical mentoring for chairs, presidents and committee members on roles, meeting rhythm, decisions and volunteer engagement.
Funding-ready packageHow do you make the case for support?
Shape your need, outcomes and evidence into a clear proposition for funders or councils.
Any of these can include a prioritisation session, a light risk and resilience check, or a conversation about digital tools and AI for your club.
Connections and business development
Who should we be talking to?
Good ideas, products and organisations often fail to meet the people who need them. We connect them.
Built on more than 25 years across business and community, and strong networks in sport, community and the AI and technology space, Hūnuku helps organisations find the right partners, shape their proposition, and get in front of the people it is for. We start from the customer's side, and the connection works in both directions.
If you are a club, community organisation or businessWe help you find the people, funders and products that can help.
Partnership and introductions session
Clarify what you are trying to achieve, map who could help, and agree the first three conversations to have. Where it makes sense, we make the introductions.
If you are building something for clubs and communitiesWe help you understand what they need before you build.
Sector insight session
What clubs and community organisations actually need, how they decide, and how to test your idea with real organisations before you build further.
How we work
Practical progress, built with the people affected.
We are comfortable with ambiguity and with work that sits between strategy, customers, teams and community.
1
Listen and understand
Start from the customer's view and the people affected, and get clear on what success needs to look like.
2
Connect
Bring together the people, organisations, products and decisions needed to move.
3
Prototype and learn
Test early, gather feedback and use what you learn to improve the next move.
4
Deliver and embed
Create momentum, make progress visible and leave stronger capability behind.
Founder
Chris Stone
Chris Stone is the founder of Hūnuku, based in Auckland.
Chris founded Hūnuku to bring together two sides of his working life: more than 20 years in corporate, operations and coaching, and long-standing governance and leadership in community and sport. Hūnuku brings that experience together to help people plan, deliver and perform better, and to build exceptional teams that are great to be part of while delivering things that truly matter.
Chris leads the work, with Hūnuku able to bring in additional people or specialist contractors where the work calls for it.
Chris gives volunteers and operational teams a real voice in planning and creates enough structure for good ideas to become sustainable programmes. He is trained to look at problems from the customer's point of view and starts there.
He waka eke noaWe are all in this together; we rise and fall together.
Business experienceAir New Zealand, 2004 to 2026, plus earlier technical roles.
- Air New Zealand, 2004 to 2026: Chris led 24/7 support of critical airline systems across a network of up to 50 airports, with technical teams of up to 20 and budgets up to $6 million.
- Chris led customer self-service transformation across more than 20 airports. A full rebuild of the kiosk application contributed to a 17% increase in completed kiosk transactions (previous role).
- Chris replaced 234 kiosks across 12 New Zealand locations, including the RFP and contract negotiation.
- Chris led the digital response to airport closures and restarts during Covid, including the Trans-Tasman travel bubble.
- As Business Performance Coach and Enterprise Agile Coach from 2022 to 2026, Chris coached leaders and teams across Cargo, Finance, People, Safety, Risk, Internal Audit, Resilience, Engineering and Maintenance, and Digital Platforms to plan, prioritise and sustain new practices. The Risk and Internal Audit coaching received an industry award for innovation.
- Chris led a cross-functional dangerous-goods programme to completion ahead of schedule.
- Earlier: Systems Engineer and Database Administrator, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, 1997 to 2004.
- AI and practical digital tools: Chris has worked with AI tools such as ChatGPT, coached teams to use AI to speed up processes, and built websites and small applications for use. He has strong networks in the AI space and helps inform customer needs for problem-solving solutions, particularly for sports clubs and community organisations.
Community and sport leadershipGovernance, volunteering, events, coaching and participation.
- Chair, Auckland Dragon Boat Association, 2009 to 2018: 20 committee members, 100+ volunteers, about $150,000 turnover, and events of up to 1,600 competitors and 10,000 spectators.
- Board Member, New Zealand Dragon Boat Association: 2010 to 2015 and 2020 to 2022.
- Board Member, New Zealand Canoe Federation: 2017 to 2020.
- President, Oratia Bowling Club, 2021 to present: member participation, community events and a growing community cafe.
- Coach, St Mary's College dragon boat teams: since 2009.
- Chris has contributed to international dragon boat relationships and Auckland-Guangzhou sister-city engagement.
Values we carryValues that shape how Hūnuku works with people and communities.
He waka eke noa
We are all in this together; we rise and fall together.
He huarahi e taea ai te tangata, he huarahi e taea ai te iwi.
There is a path for individuals, and there is a path for the community.
He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.
Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.
With your basket and my basket, the people will live.
Mā te kimi ka kite, mā te kite ka mōhio, mā te mōhio ka mārama.
Seek and you will discover; discover and you will know; know and you will understand.
For business
When the work is complex or stuck, we help create clarity and momentum.
We bring fresh eyes, practical planning and delivery experience, and a strong network of people and technology expertise when the next move is not obvious.
Ways to work
Open the situation that sounds closest to yours.
We can work with a leadership team, a programme or a specific problem that needs a practical next move.
Direction and prioritiesDo you have a clear vision, and where do you start?
Vision to delivery planning
Find or refresh your vision, build practical streams of work from it, and plan at the level you need: themes, quarterly or sprint.
You get: a one-page vision, themes or streams with clear owners, and a plan at your chosen level.
Prioritisation and value session
Work out where to start, what comes next and how to rank it, based on value rather than the loudest voice or latest crisis.
You get: a ranked list (start, next, later, stop), the value measures behind it, and a way to re-rank as things change.
Risk and resilienceWhat happens if something goes wrong tomorrow?
Risk and resilience review
Walk through realistic scenarios. Check which risks are documented, which may have been missed, what mitigations exist and how well informed your stakeholders are. Talk through audit readiness, and look at the worst case and what it would truly cost.
You get: your top risks and gaps, the worst-case story with a cost estimate, where stakeholders are under-informed, and a short action list.
A facilitated review and conversation. It is not a formal audit or assurance.
Digital and AIWhy is this digital project stuck, and where does AI fit?
Digital projects, jargon and AI session
Plain-English translation between tech and business, a look at why a digital project has stalled, and a practical conversation about where to start with AI and how it might fit now or later.
You get: a plain-English picture of what is happening, the three or four things most worth fixing, and a sensible first step on AI.
AI for your team
Coaching for your team on specific processes: where AI can save time, how to use it well, and what to keep human. We also cover what not to put into AI tools, particularly customer, member and staff data.
You get: a short list of processes worth improving and a practical way to start.
Prototype sprint
Take one idea to something testable, using AI-assisted building where it helps. Put it in front of real people, gather feedback, then decide whether to go ahead.
You get: a testable prototype, real feedback, and a clear go or no-go decision.
Leaders and teamsHow do you build a team that is great to be part of?
Leader and team coaching
Coaching for leaders and teams to clarify accountability, make priorities visible and sustain better team practices after support ends.
You get: clearer ownership, priorities everyone can see, and working practices that last.
When work is stuckSomething matters, and you are not moving.
Fresh eyes session
A focused working session on what is really going on, with a one-page written summary and a recommended next move.
Stuck-to-moving diagnostic
A short, structured look at where the work is stuck, ending in a prioritised plan.
Interim lead or recovery support
Embedded leadership for delivery, transformation or operations when you need someone to step in.
For clubs and community organisations
Helping your people and community thrive and prosper.
We help boards, clubs and community organisations turn good intent into clear priorities, stronger participation and achievable action.
Ways to work
Practical support for clubs, boards and community groups.
We help create enough structure for volunteers and committees to move good ideas forward without losing the community voice.
Club health checkWhere are you strong, and where are the gaps?
A conversation and a short written summary of your strengths, gaps and next steps.
Plan on a page workshopCan you agree where you are heading, and what to do first?
A half-day with your board or committee, ending with a clear direction and 90-day actions.
Board and committee mentoringHow can your governance work better for your members?
Practical mentoring for chairs, presidents and committee members on roles, meeting rhythm, decisions and volunteer engagement.
Funding-ready packageHow do you make the case for support?
Shape your need, outcomes and evidence into a clear proposition for funders or councils.
Any of these can include a prioritisation session, a light risk and resilience check, or a conversation about digital tools and AI for your club.
Connections
Finding the right people can be part of the work.
We connect clubs and community organisations with useful people, funders, products and expertise, and help providers understand what clubs actually need before they build further.
Experience
More than 25 years across business and community.
Hūnuku brings practical experience from critical operations, transformation, coaching, governance, volunteers, events and community leadership.
Business
- Air New Zealand, 2004 to 2026: Chris led 24/7 support of critical airline systems across a network of up to 50 airports, with technical teams of up to 20 and budgets up to $6 million.
- Chris led customer self-service transformation across more than 20 airports. A full rebuild of the kiosk application contributed to a 17% increase in completed kiosk transactions (previous role).
- Chris replaced 234 kiosks across 12 New Zealand locations, including the RFP and contract negotiation.
- Chris led the digital response to airport closures and restarts during Covid, including the Trans-Tasman travel bubble.
- As Business Performance Coach and Enterprise Agile Coach from 2022 to 2026, Chris coached leaders and teams across Cargo, Finance, People, Safety, Risk, Internal Audit, Resilience, Engineering and Maintenance, and Digital Platforms to plan, prioritise and sustain new practices. The Risk and Internal Audit coaching received an industry award for innovation.
- Chris led a cross-functional dangerous-goods programme to completion ahead of schedule.
- Earlier: Systems Engineer and Database Administrator, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, 1997 to 2004.
- AI and practical digital tools: Chris has worked with AI tools such as ChatGPT, coached teams to use AI to speed up processes, and built websites and small applications for use. He has strong networks in the AI space and helps inform customer needs for problem-solving solutions, particularly for sports clubs and community organisations.
Community and sport
- Chair, Auckland Dragon Boat Association, 2009 to 2018: 20 committee members, 100+ volunteers, about $150,000 turnover, and events of up to 1,600 competitors and 10,000 spectators.
- Board Member, New Zealand Dragon Boat Association: 2010 to 2015 and 2020 to 2022.
- Board Member, New Zealand Canoe Federation: 2017 to 2020.
- President, Oratia Bowling Club, 2021 to present: member participation, community events and a growing community cafe.
- Coach, St Mary's College dragon boat teams: since 2009.
- Chris has contributed to international dragon boat relationships and Auckland-Guangzhou sister-city engagement.
Contact
Tell us what you are trying to achieve.
If something is stuck, complex or simply needs fresh eyes, start with the outcome you want. Every enquiry is read and replied to personally.