/, as constituent areas of Ngāi Tahu, each have an elected board which then elect a representative to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. Kāi Tahu has a very corporate structure, in part due to the death of an important (paramount chief), Te Maiharanui, at the time of the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand. Under the Resource Management Act, both the trust and local should be consulted with about natural resource matters. The 18 representatives of oversee Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu as a charitable trust. As of 2016, the acting (chairman) is Lisa Tumahai, the chief executive officer is Arihia Bennett, the general counsel is Chris Ford, and the trust is based in Addington, Christchurch.