Riki has worked in environmental management roles for over 20 years across both sides of the Treaty partnership.  He has held a number of senior executive management roles for iwi as well as with central and local government and the private sector.  This includes roles with Ngāi Tahu, Te Puni Kōkiri, Ministry for the Environment, Aquaculture New Zealand, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Riki is an adviser to the National Iwi Chairs Forum Pou Taiao and Freshwater Iwi Leaders Groups, was a member of the Land and Water Forum, a member of the Kāhui Wai Māori Ministerial Advisory Group, and a member of the Lakes 380 project team.  He has also been a member of both the Board and Te Puna Māori Advisory Group of Taumata Arowai, the drinking water regulator, since its establishment.

Riki has previously been a Board member on the Ngāi Tahu Development Corporation, has an LLB from University of Otago and is a fellow of the First Nations Futures Institute at Stanford University.