Renika Siciliano Appointed as Executive Director

The McCaw Lewis Directors are delighted to announce that Renika Siciliano has been appointed as Executive Director of the firm from 1 October 2020. Renika leads the firm's Workplace Law Team and co-leads the Māori Legal Team. She is the youngest appointed leader of the McCaw Lewis Board of Directors to date, and the first Māori woman.

The newly created role follows the dedicated leadership of the firm’s current Managing Director, Aidan Warren, and previous Board Chair, Brendan Cullen, who has recently retired as a Director.

Aidan’s nine-year tenure as Managing Director has seen the firm build on its strategic strengths, develop new relationships, and strengthen existing relationships with partners and supporters. Aidan will continue in his roles as Director and co-leader of the firm’s Māori Legal Team following Renika’s appointment. “My time as Managing Director has been very rewarding and I am proud of the firms commercial and cultural successes during this period,” says Aidan, “I am very excited to now see a wāhine toa take up the reins of the firm into the future.”

The firm anticipates Renika will leverage and build on the success and achievements of the previous leadership, while also injecting new ideas and dynamism into the firm alongside General Manager, Glenn Forster.

Renika is humbled by the appointment and excited to get started. “It’s a privilege to lead an organisation with over 100 years of history” says Renika. “McCaw Lewis’s biggest strength is its people. We have an incredible team of legal minds and support staff who deserve to work in an environment where their talents are allowed to flourish and shine.  I want to continue that and add to our current accomplishments."

Renika has extensive knowledge across a range of areas including Treaty settlement negotiations, Māori governance and iwi disputes, and employment matters. She is an active member of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa (Māori Law Society) and regularly presents at conferences and seminars, including for EMA. As a lawyer, her passion and values in working with clients aligns with the firm’s values of manaakitanga, kotahitanga and a passion for excellence. As the mother of an 8 year old son, Renika also knows first-hand the value of working in a whānau-focussed firm and with clients who appreciate the same.