Tawera Nikau is one of New Zealand rugby league’s most respected figures, known for a brand of leadership and resilience shaped both on and off the field.

After a professional career that spanned England and Australia, including a premiership win with the Melbourne Storm, Tawera remains a cornerstone of the game’s leadership. He currently serves as president of New Zealand Rugby League, chairman of the Aotearoa Māori Rugby League Board and a Kiwis selector.

As managing director of Team One International, he translates the high-pressure lessons of elite sport into practical insights on leadership and organisational culture.

Following the loss of his right leg after a motorcycle accident in 2004, Tawera became an ambassador for the Achilles Foundation, completing the New York Marathon three times and the gruelling 100km Oxfam Taupo Trail Walker twice. His story has become a powerful example of resilience, perspective and refusing to quit when life gets hard.

In recognition of his impact both on and off the field, Tawera was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby league and the community, and named an Emerging Leader by the Sir Peter Blake Trust.