Tenby Powell has held senior management positions in Fletcher Challenge and Skellerup Group, prior to forming Hunter Powell Investment Partners Ltd (HPIP) in 1999. To date, HPIP portfolio companies have included: PC Direct, Hirepool & NZ Rental Group, EuroPacifc Foods, Nationwide Equipment Ltd, Power Plant Supplies Ltd and Envoy360 FZ LLC.

He is Chairman of Waikato Link Ltd (the commercialization and technology transfer company of the University of Waikato), Chairman of Envoy 360 FZ, (a New Zealand owned maritime security and risk management company);  Director & Trustee of Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust (a charitable trust that owns and operates the Auckland based Westpac Rescue Helicopters), Director of Angel Link (a national angel investment network to back New Zealand high growth technology ventures, with an emphasis on life sciences, engineering and ICT) and member of the NZ Police Development Board.

Tenby served in the Regular and Reserve Forces of the New Zealand Army from 1983 – 2011, retiring in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. From 2001 – 2002 he was Deputy Chief of a UN unit operating in the Middle East and, from 2005 – 2007, was the Commanding Officer of the Auckland Battalion.