Polis. The original ancient Greek City-State, where the most critical strategy and policy decisions were made. Many of the foundations for how government and business works today were formed here in the polis. Today we support our clients to do the same.
We stand for insight, strategy and impact. We are Polis.
It is often at the intersection of private and public spheres that insight, strategy and solutions emerge for impact and advantage.
We believe that rigorous, evidence-based strategy and policy will help New Zealand thrive and adapt. We test scenarios. We support complex decisions. We deliver and track results.
We are passionate about helping our clients make a positive difference; to do well and to do good. We partner for impact. We support clients to build success.
Global research partnerships and intellectual collaboration helps Polis Consulting Group provide world class, theory-informed and evidence-based advice. We are do-ers, thinkers and contributors. We deliver results, and insight.
“Polis has come along in Aotearoa New Zealand at the right time. We are committed to bringing the best strategy and policy talent with global experience and intellectual leadership that can tackle the biggest challenges of our time and chart bold missions together. We want to help carve a leadership position internationally as an inclusive, knowledge intensive, low-carbon economy where communities thrive and we have a society that is the envy of the world.”
KIERAN BROWN, CO-FOUNDER AND PARTNER ASSOCIATE
THE POLIS STORYPolis Consulting Group brings world class strategy and public policy experts together to focus on the most complex challenges of our time. The hard issues, the problems that don’t have one clear answer, the ones that matter.
We thank the ancient Greeks for their work suggesting that enlightenment led to scientific method. We use logic and evidence (data) to untangle hard problems for both private and public sector clients.
A group of leaders, strategists, entrepreneurs, former ministers, scholars, curious learners, mentors and trusted advisors. Knowing fortune favours the bold, our blade is acutely sharp, cutting a precise and confident path. We exist to empower impactful action, addressing some of the largest and most confronting of complexities our species has ever seen.
Somewhere through the middle of all of that complexity, all of that ambiguity, all of that greatness, you have to do something. It’s with rigorous, evidence-based analysis that Polis clears the way through ambiguity. Courageous to the core, we know that the status quo won’t do.
Architects of change for good, we’re encouraging the visionaries and innovators engaged in challenging and creating the future. Navigating waves of change that are disrupting technology, business, climate, and geopolitics - we are thinking, challenging and influencing critical outcomes, and delivering impact for organisations and stakeholders across society.
We stand for insight, strategy and impact. We are Polis.
RECOGNITION
Most of what we do never reaches the public domain, however from time to time its great to see our clients are recognised for their outstanding hard work. Polis takes great satisfaction in helping to make that happen.
Ōpotiki District Council (in partnership with Whakatohea) won the EXCELLENCE Award for Economic Well-being and the overall award for the Ōpotiki Harbour Transformation Project.
“David’s connection to Ōpōtiki has spanned a number of different engagements. Each time he has brought technical excellence through robust analysis along with skilled stakeholder management, strategic insight and connections.”
Aileen Lawrie, CEO, Opotiki District Council
Recently we completed work with the Toi EDA team, an exciting project to review the next generation of Eastern Bay’s Development Strategy.
David Cunliffe (back) is pictured with the Mayors and CEO’s of the Eastern BOP Councils gathered at Opotiki (July, 2025).