The founder of a Christchurch recruitment firm has been named Best Maori Businesswoman just three years after she started her own business. Rani Rangimoekau also won a prize for the best regional company at the Maori Business awards.

The 32 year old set up DKW Personnel in 2002 after spending a year researching the market and a decade working in the industry in England, Ireland and in Australia. “It was set up from nothing, no funding, no money, just a passion to come back into the New Zealand economy,” she said.

The businesswoman said she believed she came into the New Zealand market at an opportune moment - before the current skills shortage started to squeeze- and she was able to put her overseas experience to good use.

Rani said she had worked in other economics that had gone into boom times and so recognised the New Zealand economy was on the cusp of doing so when she set up shop.

"I could just see it and feel it happening," she said.

The company has grown from a one-woman band to have 13 employees who help place up to 50 people in jobs each week in the industrial and commercial sectors.

Rangimoekau said it was becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable candidates to fill vacancies as the labour pool dwindled.

"However, a lot of our business is repeat and a lot of people learn about us through word of mouth."

The awards, which were open to men for the first time, were held earlier this week.

Candidates were judged on their sales and profit results for the 12 months preceding the awards, but other factors included management policies and processes and the quality of contribution to the Maori community and New Zealand economy.

Award Winner: Rani, the director of DKW Personnel, has been named Best Maori Businesswoman of the Year, also Best regional business of employment creation.