Te Tīma Arataki

Gus Gilmore

Tumuaki | Chief Executive

Gus was appointed as the joint Chief Executive of Unitec and MIT in August 2020. Before he was appointed to his joint role, he had been Chief Executive of MIT since September 2016. Prior to that, he was the Deputy Chief Executive of Operations at the Tertiary Education Commission where he was responsible for funding tertiary education in New Zealand and implementing education policy. Prior to this, Gus held the role of Project Director for Star Alliance and held various General Manager roles at Air New Zealand, including GM Operations for the international airline. 

Paora Ammunson

Deputy Chief Executive Tiriti Outcomes

Bringing significant experience on the governance boards of tribal, government, farming, sporting and commercial bodies, Paora has been an advocate for tertiary, vocational and work-based learning since his very first job in the former Wairarapa Community Polytechnic.

Playing a leadership role in key government initiatives over many years, such as the Rugby World Cup and APEC leaders forum. He has chaired the Wairarapa Rugby Union and been a councillor on the South Wairarapa District Council. He has also served as chair and executive director for his own iwi.

More recently Paora has been a key architect of the Tertiary Education Commission’s learner success work. He is a strong advocate for whole of organisation approaches to achieving more equitable life outcomes for learners and their fānau, and is very committed to the tertiary system working in collaboration to achieve this goal.

Of Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne o Wairārapa, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Rongomai and Ngāti Whakaue whakapapa, Paora has served his family marae in Greytown since the 1980s.

Ziena Jalil

Chief of Staff

Ziena has helped some of New Zealand’s largest businesses and education institutions build their reputation and revenue, advised Ministers, and boards. Her expertise includes communications, stakeholder engagement, leadership and governance. She is also a sought after speaker on leadership, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Recognised by Campaign Asia Pacific as part of its 2020 Women to Watch, a group of 40 outstanding women in the Asia Pacific, Ziena has received several international awards for her work promoting New Zealand trade and education in Asia. Her previous roles include Partner at SenateSHJ, Regional Director (South and Southeast Asia) for Education New Zealand, New Zealand Trade Commissioner to Singapore, and Head of North Asia Marketing and Communications for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. More recently she has been running her own consulting practice focused on strategy and stakeholder engagement. Her governance experience includes board roles for public, private and not-for-profit entities, including in the education sector.