Mele-Ane Havea

Mele-Ane is a first-generation Tongan Dutch Australian who lives and works on the land of the Kulin Nations. A passionate and experienced impact leader, her work explores the intersection of Indigenous wisdom, purpose-led business, and the “next economy”.

Professionally, Mele-Ane’s background spans the areas of corporate law, human rights and community law, leadership development, strategy, operations, investment management and media. She has worked in Australia (predominantly based in Melbourne and the Kimberley) and overseas (the Netherlands, the UK and the UAE).

Prior to taking time to care for her young children, Mele-Ane was the founding CEO of Small Giants Academy a leadership institute dedicated to empowering next economy leaders for 2 years during its establishment period. Prior to that, Mele-Ane held various positions across the Small Giants impact investment family office including as co-CEO, strategy and portfolio manager and general manager of Dumbo Feather. Mele-Ane began her career in law, working at Clayton Utz in Australia in corporate law, including governance advisory work and then for international French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel, supporting their expansion into the United Arab Emirates.

Mele-Ane is currently the co-chair of B Lab Aotearoa Australia & New Zealand and founding Board member of Regen Melbourne.

Previous board roles include as Director of the Impact Investment Group (impact fund manager), Tolu - Te Pae ki te Rangi, an investment fund using Maori values and principles to invest in communities, where she also served as interim Chair and sat on the Investment Committee, Small Giants Family Office and The School of Life, a board she also chaired, finally she was also Company Secretary of the UN Principles for Social Investment.

Mele-Ane has a Bachelor of Arts (Indigenous Studies) and a Bachelor of Laws, in addition to a Masters of Business Administration from Said Business School, Oxford University where she was a Skoll Associate Fellow.