Rawinia Higgins, Toihau of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, is a leading voice in the revitalisation of te reo Māori across Aotearoa. Speaking on Ihu ki te Kei – We All Have a Part to Play, Rawinia draws on her leadership in language planning, policy and public sector transformation to challenge every sector to see te reo Māori as essential to our shared future.

Ruakere Hond is a respected reo Māori revitalisation expert whose work spans media, community development and strategic language growth. In Te Reo Māori is Everyone’s Business, he explores how te reo Māori thrives when embraced beyond cultural spaces and embedded into everyday business practice, reflecting his career at the intersection of language, influence and impact.

Auckland Transport were winners of the Tohu Reo Ora | Language use award for 2025 for the amazing work they are doing integrating te reo Māori into public infrastructure and customer touchpoints to become a practical driver of change. In Creating Momentum: Turning One Initiative into a Sustainable Reo Ecosystem, Auckland Transport shares how large organisations can move beyond symbolic gestures to build lasting, system-wide commitment to te reo Māori.

Central Pulse Netball has been weaving te reo Māori into their club identity steadily over the past decade. In Te Reo Māori: The Pulse of the Game, they share their experiences and reflections on how te reo Māori has become a natural and normal part of their club, strengthening identity and connection for athletes and fans alike.

Pic’s Peanut Butter is a proud New Zealand brand known for their simple ingredients, strong values and distinctive voice. With Nuts about Te Reo: Spreading Te Reo Māori Through Our Brand and What We Learnt, company founder Pic Picot shares their journey of weaving te reo Māori into its brand storytelling and customer engagement.

ACC believes customer experience and accessibility sit at the core of service delivery. In Te Reo Māori as a Catalyst for Better Customer Experience, they explore how embedding te reo Māori enhances trust, inclusion and outcomes, proving that language is not an add-on, but a driver of better business practice.

The Warehouse Group brings extensive experience in brand leadership, sustainability and kaupapa Māori integration within large-scale retail. In Te Reo Māori as a Driver of Innovation in Product, Service and Design, they demonstrate how language and identity can shape product development, design thinking and authentic engagement with Aotearoa consumers.

Google, the global technology leader needs no introduction, and they are playing their part in shaping how language lives online. In Designing for Inclusion: Making Indigenous Languages Visible Online, they share how digital platforms can elevate and normalise te reo Māori, aligning global innovation with local language revitalisation.

Dr Vini Olsen-Reeder is a leading reo Māori revitalisation expert whose work spans research, policy and national language strategy. Speaking on the topic Whakamanahia te reo Māori: Empower the Language, Unite the Future, he explores how empowering te reo Māori across communities, organisations and systems strengthens collective identity and builds a more connected future for Aotearoa, and the role institutions and leaders can play in normalising and sustaining te reo Māori.

Te Taka Keegan is a leader in computer science and reo Māori revitalisation, specialising in the intersection of language and emerging technology. In AI: atua or aituā - How can businesses use AI with te reo Māori safely and authentically? he explores the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence, ensuring innovation strengthens rather than compromises the integrity of te reo Māori.

Hākinakina Rangatahi | NZ Sports Collective was established to champion youth development through sport. In Surfing the Rising Tide: How te reo Māori in sport uplifts NZ youth, he speaks to the power of sporting platforms to embed language, pride and belonging in the next generation.

Rangiata Sky, affectionately known as Your Home of Sport, has been bringing storytelling and broadcasting sport into homes across Aotearoa for decades. In From Sideline to Sofa: Carrying Te Reo Māori into Every Home with Sport, they discuss how media and commentary can normalise te reo Māori nationally, amplifying its reach and everyday use.

Speaker topic, coming soon!

Māori Tourism believes culture, storytelling and visitor experience are inseparable. In Te Reo Māori: The Heart of the Tourism Experience, they share how te reo Māori enhances authenticity, deepens connection for manuhiri and strengthens the economic and cultural value of tourism in Aotearoa.

Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr, Tumu Whakahaere of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori is a long-standing advocate for strategic language growth across sectors. In A High Tide Raises All Ships, Ngahiwi speaks to collective responsibility and how coordinated effort across business, government and community ensures te reo Māori flourishes for generations to come.