27th Australia Fiji Business Forum

The Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small
and Medium Enterprises and Communications - Hon. Manoa Kamikamica is a Proud
Fijian with over 33 years of experience in the field of Finance, Aviation, Banking and
Manufacturing at a senior executive level.
A Chartered Accountant by Profession Hon. Kamikamica is the first indigenous
Fijian to become a member of the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants and
is presently a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, New
Zealand and Fiji.
Hon. Kamikamica was the CFO and General Manager for the Lyndhurst Group of
Companies and has served senior roles with ANZ in Tonga, Fiji and Papua New
Guinea. Before joining ANZ, Hon. Kamikamica worked for Fiji's National Carrier Fiji
Airways for over 13 years as General Manager Finance and General Manager
Strategic Planning.
Hon. Kamikamica holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW in
Australia.
He is married to Anne Steele and they have one daugther.

Tim Ayres is the Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing in the Albanese Labor Government.

He was elected as a Senator for New South Wales in the 2019 election. During the 46th Parliament, he was Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration and Member of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Standing Committee. He led the work of several Select Inquiries including a Senate report on the capability of the Australian Public Service.

He was appointed as Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing in June 2022, after the election of the Labor Government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Before entering Parliament, Tim spent twenty-four years in the trade union movement, representing the interests of workers across a variety of sectors including manufacturing, defence, food processing, aviation and metal industries.

Honourable Viliame ‘Bill’ Gavoka is the current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation.
Honourable Gavoka has over 30 years of experience in the tourism and travel industry. He has held several executive positions, including Thomas Cook, Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa, Fiji Mocambo, Amunuca Island Resort and Spa and Fiji Visitors Bureau (now Tourism Fiji) as Chief Executive Officer.
He has held several Chairmanship and Board positions on businesses and statutory organisations, including Fijian Holdings Limited, Fiji TV and Media Niugini Ltd, South Sea Cruises/Blue Lagoon Cruises, Fiji Rugby Union, Fiji Hotel Association, Pacific Area Travel Association, Fiji Trade and Investment Board, Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji and Air Terminal Services.
Earlier in his career, he was trained in librarianship and then went into banking with Citicorp of New York, serving in its Fiji operations.
He served for two years with the Territorial Forces of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
Honourable Gavoka is the Party Leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party of Fiji and has been a member of Parliament since 2014.

Allison Haworth West is the Executive Chair of Captain Cook Cruises Fiji Islands.  The company is a pioneer in authentic Fiji experiences offering small ship expedition cruises to remote locations currently on board MV Reef Endeavour and from November 2023 on board luxury expedition small ship MS Caledonian Sky.  In addition, the company also operates Day and Dinner experiences, charters and events with a fleet of three sailing vessels plus the company’s own Tivua Private Island.

Allison is the President of the Australia Fiji Business Council, has a degree in Business Management from the University of Technology Sydney, sits on the board of trustees of the Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation, is a graduate of the Institute of Company Directors and is an Ambassador for CMH Heliskiing in Canada. 

Vera Chute is Managing Director of the popular family-owned recycled clothing chain Value City (SP) Pte Ltd which has 15 Branches Fiji-wide and franchises in Tonga and Kiribati.

The 2014 Business Woman of the Year Award winner is a strong advocate of sustainability through her business.

Ms Chute is current President of FABC.  She is also a board member of Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF) and an active member of the Women Entrepreneurs Business Council.

Vera has special interest in philanthropic work, mentoring and assisting women in MSMEs and the informal sector to give them financial independence. 

She is also a strong advocate of literacy at ECE and primary school level, with donations of books and educational toys being made especially to schools in the rural and maritime regions of Fiji.

Agni Deo Singh a trade unionist of over 23 years, and now serves as the Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations since 2022. He rose through the ranks of the Fiji Teachers Union to become its General Secretary and was also elected to the House of Representatives in 2006.
Mr. Singh was born in rural Macuata in Vanua Levu. He started teaching in Labasa in 1973. After further education at the Corpus Christi Teachers College in 1977, he taught in Kadavu, and Viti Levu. He completed his Diploma in Education, then did a Certificate in Non-Formal Education as an external student of the University of the South Pacific. He later completed his Bachelor of Education.
In 1980, he became Branch Executive of the Fiji Teachers Union and rose through the ranks to become Assistant General Secretary in 1993. He became General Secretary in 1999.
As a trade unionist Mr. Singh attained a certificate in International Labour Standards from the International Institute in Geneva. He further attended the International Institute in Turin and attained a Diploma in Industrial Relations.
Mr. Singh held the position of Chairman, Board of Directors of the Fiji Teachers Union Cooperative Thrift and Credit Limited for some 24 years. He studied Cooperative Management in Israel as well in Malaysia.
He was elected to Parliament following the general election in May 2006 on the Fiji Labour Party ticket from Macuata East Open Constituency but following the 5 December 2006 military coup, he returned to his post in the trade union. He served as the General Secretary till October 2022.
He served on various Boards as follows: -
i. Council Member Fiji National University and University of Fiji
ii. Deputy Chair & Chair National Training & Productivity Centre
iii. Fiji Teachers Registration Authority
iv. National Executive Board – Fiji Trades Union Congress
v. Worker Representative on the Employment Relations Advisory Board, National Occupational Health & Safety Advisory Board & National Employment Centre Board
vi. Executive Board Member Education International Asia Pacific Region
He made a political comeback by contesting the 2022 Fijian general election under the National Federation Party. In the subsequent Coalition Government led by Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka, he was appointed as Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations.
He is happily married to Mrs. Singh who is a retired teacher, and they have a son, a daughter and 4 grandchildren.

With a Career spanning over two decades within the international water industry and infrastructure sector. Dr. Amit Chanan is an experienced senior executive with sound knowledge of operational and technical aspects of the water industry landscape.

Dr. Amit Chanan is the Water Authority of Fiji’s Chief Executive Officer, leading the national delivery of water-related sustainable development goals.

Prior to this role, Dr. Chanan was the Director of City projects and Property with the city of Sydney, leading the city’s centre of Excellence in Infrastructure delivery. Dr. Chanan is an Executive Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government. Having spent his early career as a policy analyst, he has great knowledge and understanding of the machinery of Government. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Engineers. With a PhD in Engineering, Dr. Chanan has strong academic interests and was the Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology Sydney. 

He has published several academic papers and book chapters on topics of water management and environmental engineering.  He is a member of the Editorial Board of the UK’s Institute of Civil Engineers’ Journal of Municipal Engineering.

Dr. Chanan is also a Member of the Advisory Board to UNofCO, under its International Hydrological Program. He is the Vice-Chairman of the International Water Association’s Specialist Group on Water Security and Safety Management and serves as a Board Member of the Pacific Water & Wastewater Association.

Dr. Chanan aims to improve the Water Authority of Fiji’s journey toward service excellence and for continuous improvement to provide water and wastewater services to all Fijians.

Andrew Martin is Assistant Secretary of DFAT’s Indo-Pacific Economic Branch, covering the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) negotiations.  He was previously a Senior Adviser to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, working closely on the UK and EU FTAs and the WTO, as well as Australia’s strategic economic relationship with the US.  Before that, Mr Martin held senior leadership roles in Australia’s FTA negotiations with the EU, Indonesia and the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru), was Chair of negotiations on the WTO Environmental Goods Agreement, and led the team negotiating Australia’s accession to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement.  He also coordinated the legal effort on the ground in Geneva in defence of Australia’s tobacco plain packaging measures.  Mr Martin has previously served overseas in Geneva, Suva and Caracas.

Anthony is an Entrepreneur and Lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience developing and managing customer contact centres in multi-site locations around the world. Passionate about driving development opportunities with a keen interest in technology as an enabler for both customer experience and business productivity.

He is a hands-on leader who enjoys building teams, involved personally with the everyday client partners, and working with stakeholders to deliver projects that drive shared value.

Anthony has played a key role in the establishment and growth of several companies and is currently actively involved in Centrecom Fiji, working with the leadership teams to build growth, strategy, nurture relationships and drive continuous improvement.

CentreCom: A premium Contact Centre and Business Process Outsourcing service, with operations in Fiji and Malta. Supporting customer service and back-office accounting services for aviation, e-commerce, government and other online business clientele.

Brian Kirsch is currently Vice President and immediate past President of the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA), the peak industry body representing tourism stakeholders in Fiji. In 2020 he was appointed as a board member of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO).

Since 2015, he has served as managing director of the Likuri Group (Likuri Island Resort and Robinson Crusoe Island Tours). In addition, for the past fifteen years he has been a company director for Raffe Hotels and Resorts (Plantation Island Resort and Fiji Gateway Hotel).

Brian was formerly on the board of Denarau Corporation Limited (DCL), the body corporate for Denarau Island, Fiji’s premier integrated resort. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, both from Stanford University.

As Assistant Secretary for the Pacific Labour Policy and Engagement Branch in the Office of the Pacific, Carli leads whole of government efforts in relation to labour mobility policies and initiatives in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, including the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.   Carli has led implementation of the Government’s significant reform agenda to expand and improve the PALM scheme so that it delivers for workers, participating countries and Australian businesses alike.

Carli is an experienced development professional with deep connections to the region, having worked for the Australian Government in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste.  She has a strong commitment to working with partners across the region to advance our shared interests in a peaceful and prosperous Pacific region. 

Chris Welberry is Newcrest Mining Limited’s General Manager Government and Industry Relations.

Chris joined Newcrest in August 2021 where he is responsible for global government relations and the company’s industry association participation.  He also represents Newcrest on the Namosi Joint Venture.

Prior to joining Newcrest, Chris worked for 20 years in the oil and gas industry in Australia and the United States. Earlier in his career, Chris worked for a number of Australian and international mining companies.

A native of Canberra Australia, he graduated from the Australian National University with a degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering.  He also holds a graduate diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia. Chris now lives in Melbourne with his wife and three children.

Ema Vueti is the President of the Pacific Islands Council of Queensland (PICQ). She has extensive experience in consulting, advocacy and research with Pacific communities and is involved in community engagement and support of PALM workers. Pacific Islands Council of Qld is a mandated  partner of the PALM Community Connections program. It is through years of advocacy  and Community Connections program that  a coordinated community support network and better outcomes for PALM workers are established .

Greg Ingram, Managing Director of FNE Communications, and is a trailblazer in the telecommunications industry.
He started his professional career at Telecom Australia (now Telstra Ltd) as a Network Trainee in Sydney, obtaining skills and an accredited education. His determination and commitment saw him rise quickly to a Construction Manager position.
His next venture was General Manager in the private sector, completing large-scale telecommunications projects for various carriers.
With a vision for progress, Greg took a leap and founded FNE Communications - Fibre Network Engineering on the Gold Coast, Queensland in 2009.
As a delivery partner to Telstra, FNE began undertaking major projects throughout Australia.
Recognizing untapped potential, Greg ventured into the international arena, setting his sights on Fiji. There, FNE’s arrival brought new technology, expertise, and elevated standards to the nation's telecommunications landscape.
Greg Ingram's passion propels us towards a future where telecommunications connect the world like never before.

Haroon Ali is the Country Head of BSP Financial Group Ltd (BSP) in Fiji and has been in the role for just over five years. Prior to this appointment, he was BSP’s Group Chief Risk Officer for five years at the Bank’s head office in PNG.

He has more than 43 years of diverse banking experience of which more than 30 years have been with the ANZ Bank in Fiji and Melbourne. He is a generalist banker with experience ranging from Corporate/Commercial/SME, Retail Banking, Credit & Operating Risks, International/Trade Finance and banking operations.

Mr Ali has a Master of Management from Southern Cross University in Sydney and Business Management Certificate from Central Queensland University. He is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia. He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Fiji Institute of Bankers.

Mr. Hasmukh Patel joined the Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) in 1976 as a Graduate Electrical Engineer.

He has a First Class Bachelor of Technology Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India and a Graduate Certificate in Management from Monash University in Australia.

Mr. Patel is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and a retired Member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, UK and Australia to name a few.

After serving in numerous positions at FEA, he was appointed as the Regional Manager Western & Northern in 1995 and thereafter was appointed General Manager Network from December 1999 to December 2005.

He was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer & Director of FEA, now EFL in August 2008, and ever since has been in this role till date.

Under his leadership, FEA was corporatized into Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) in 2018. 

Mr. Patel serves on the Board of:

- Fiji Ports Terminal Limited as its Chairperson since 2013

- Fiji Airports as the Chairperson since 2022

- Pacific Power Association (PPA) and Chairperson since 2018

Kamal Chetty has over a decade of experience and expertise in investment promotion, investment facilitation, and export promotion. 

He is the Chief Executive Officer of Investment Fiji, the country's only investment and export promotion agency dedicated to promoting Fiji's potential sectors and trade opportunities to the rest of the world, thus becoming a driving force in our country's economic prosperity.

He played an integral role in the strategic shift of the organization's focus and became a key figure in promoting this change, making sure that the process was streamlined after the transition.

Mr. Chetty who specializes in Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Diplomacy and International Trade joined Investment Fiji in 2008 as an Investment Officer, paving his way to leading the organization as the CEO in May 2022.

The CEO is also part of a number of councils which contribute towards the decision-making process at a national level. These platforms provides him with much better access to our business community's needs and desires in putting Fiji as an ideal investment and trade destination. 

Chetty’s professional as well as personal ambition is to further promote Fiji, as a potential investment location in markets in which it has a competitive advantage and, by so doing, contribute to the nation’s economic and social development.

An accomplished executive with extensive Australian and international experience in leadership, executive management, government relations, project and service delivery, Leata Alaimoana was appointed Queensland Trade Commissioner for the Pacific in March 2023.

Leata began her career within the Investment Attraction Unit with what was then Queensland Department of State Development in 2002. The last two decades has taken Leata through a variety of management and leadership roles in the Queensland, Federal and Samoa Governments, Sunshine Coast City Council, Aviation Australia and Pacific Trade Invest Australia.  

During her time with Pacific Trade Invest Australia she facilitated over $33 million in investments across the Pacific Island region, creating economic opportunities while delivering positive social outcomes for communities.

Leata is a non-executive Director on the Boards of Good Return and Exemplar International Development, and is NAATI accredited as a Samoan interpreter/translator.  

Lisa Singh is a former Australian Senator and was the first woman of South Asian heritage to be elected to the Australian Parliament. She is also a former Tasmanian Member of Parliament and Minister in the Tasmanian Government. She is currently the CEO of the Australia India Institute at the University of Melbourne, a leading research and policy thinktank advancing Australia-India relations at the government, business, diaspora and academic levels. She was also Deputy Chair of the Australian Government’s Australia-India Council and currently sits on the board of Asialink.

Lisa’s ties to the Pacific stem from her Fiji born Indo-Fijian father. She is the granddaughter of the late Ram Jati Singh OBE, who was a Member of the Fiji parliament in the 1960s/70s. Lisa was a member of the Multinational Observer Group for the 2022 Fiji elections, and the Commonwealth Observer Mission for the 2019 Solomon Islands General Elections. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Master of International Relations.

Mark Skinner has been involved in the international student sector for 33 years. He is not an academic however he has been the creator, founder and architect of a number of core developments in the international student arena that have been groundbreaking by bringing his commercial and marketing background to higher education built around strategic partnerships with different universities. He created the 120,000 reader weekly higher education industry paper Campus Review Weekly in 1989; in 1994 he formed the first public private partnership with Central Queensland University to establish a network of 6 managed campuses in Australia, NZ and Fiji. This was the first Australian university to cross a state line and today its common practise; the partnership in 2008 was educating 10,000 annually from over 100 countries in when he retired; he created the privately funded student accommodation network Unilodge in 1996 which today has over 30,000 beds across Australia and NZ. Unilodge was the catalyst for the creation of a new property class of investment; in 2001 he created the Global Assessment Certificate and its supporting software iTAP (international Targeted Academic Profiler) for delivery to international high school students. Its taught in 11 countries and accepted by 300 universities; in 2020 he launched the Global Freshman Certificate a generic first year program delivered online that provides recognised prior learning access to universities in the major English speaking countries.  The ventures and projects have won national Australian export awards and graduated over 50,000 students during his hands on period of management.

In 1997 he opened the Central Queensland University campus in Suva and had 1630 international and domestic students by 2006.

The Fiji International Campus demonstrated the attraction and opportunities for Fiji and the South Pacific to have a sustainable share of the USD200b and 6.9m international students market which is projected to grow to 9.5m students in 2030 and USD433b.

Founder & CEO of ZONAH UNITED, Naheeda is the leader and also the youngest female entrepreneur in Agriculture, Food Manufacturing & Exports in Fiji and has been instrumental in transforming ZONAH UNITED into a support powerhouse that empowers more than 50 rural marginalized women with employment pathways across Fiji.

With 10 years of experience in the industry, Naheeda has a proven track record of driving growth and innovating premium Fijian Made products for Export. Under her leadership, ZONAH UNITED has continued to expand its offerings, including launching  their brand – ZORGANIC’s new Premium Health Supplement product range, that will pave its way across the globe promoting our FIJI.

In addition to her role at ZONAH UNITED, Naheeda is a strong advocate for youth empowerment and auxiliary the underprivileged women through her efforts to promote diversity and inclusion by supporting rural women who are single mothers, victims, illiterate & youths from broken families through engendering employment pathways precisely for them in Agriculture.

Navi’s expertise is in Rural and Development Economics and Business Development, and has assisted in the establishment of a number of corporate entities in Fiji and the region. Currently serving as the Fiji Country Manager for PHAMA Plus, a project funded by Australia (DFAT) and New Zealand (MFAT), Navi's role focuses on developing market access pathways and fostering agri exports. He previously served as Fiji's Trade Commissioner to Melanesia, playing a crucial role in facilitating trade and investment relations with PNG, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, and Timor Leste. He has also held key senior positions in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism, Fiji Revenue and Customs Service and the Reserve Bank of Fiji.

Outside of his professional engagements, he and his wife, coordinates a church under the Loveworld International umbrella called Christ Embassy located in Valelevu, Nasinu. Additionally, he is a semi-commercial root crops and ginger farmer.

FIEAust CPEng NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus) Eng Exec BCivEng (Hons), MEngSc (Proj Mngt), MA (Strategy & Mngt).

Paul has held a number of training, engineering, regimental and staff appointments during his 30 year Army career.Paul has been appointed as Officer Commanding the 17th Construction Squadron, where he was responsible for delivery of a $5 million Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program construction project in Mapoon, Far North Queensland. Paul also completed a deployment as the Commanding Officer and Chief Engineer of the Force Extraction Unit during June to December 2013, responsible for successful delivery of the $8.5 million deconstruction project for remediation of Australian infrastructure within Multi National Base - Tarin Kot as part of the Australian Defence Force draw down in Afghanistan. Paul has also spent six years in Army Headquarters responsible for leading Land Force modernisation and infrastructure development. Paul is currently posted as Acting Assistant Secretary, Indo-Pacific Infrastructure Branch in the newly established Pacific Division, responsible for delivery and maintenance of security-related infrastructure for Indo-Pacific partner nations.

Rikesh is a change maker and driver of innovation. He has a background in finance, business management and technology, and has been involved in electric vehicles since 2006. In 2010 Rikesh managed and launched wireless charging for electric vehicles at the Seoul G20 summit. It was named one of the top 50 inventions by Time Magazine and recognised as a top 10 emerging technology by the World Economic Forum.

Sagufta is the Executive Director of Outsource Fiji - an industry body that is responsible for enabling, protecting, growing and marketing Fiji’s OS industry. During her tenure Ms Janif has been able to successfully launch Fiji’s Outsourcing Brand. She has participated in multiple local, regional and international forums to showcase Fiji as an outsourcing destination of choice.

Ms Janif, with support from the industry members, Fiji National University and the government of Fiji launched Fiji’s first ever Contact centre course. She has also created a 5-year strategic plan for the OS industry in close consultation with key stakeholders. Ms janif is passionate about creating opportunities for women and youth in the Outsourcing Industry and is currently the Pacific Regional Representative for the commonwealth youth council. In 2020, she was recognized as the Commonwealth Young Person of the year for the Pacific Region for her excellence in development work. She has also been recognized as one of the been recognized as one of the top 75 young leaders in the world working towards the Sustainable Development Goals by Unite 2030.

With Fiji typically recognized for its tourism, manufacturing and agriculture industry, Ms Janif’s session will help us understand the potential of Fiji’s outsourcing industry, and how our Australian Vuvale can take advantage of the many opportunities it has to offer!

Shally is the Regional Chief Executive Officer for Digicel Pacific, where she has oversight for five thriving Pacific markets: Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Nauru. Leading a dedicated team of approximately 900 professionals, Shally's primary focus is to deliver unparalleled telecommunications experiences to customers across the Pacific region. Her leadership is firmly anchored in three key pillars: customer centricity, operational simplicity, and driving digital transformation.

With a distinguished professional background, Shally is an accredited CPA, and her career has predominantly thrived within the dynamic Telecommunications industry. She has held pivotal roles such as Chief Financial Officer, Pacific Hub, and Finance Controller in the Fiji business, exhibiting her expertise and exceptional financial acumen.

Shally's remarkable achievements have not gone unnoticed. In the prestigious March 2022 edition of Capacity Magazine, she was celebrated as one of the "20 Women to Watch," a well-deserved recognition highlighting her significant contributions to the wholesale telecommunications and Tech sector. Additionally, her excellence and leadership have been recently acknowledged with Outstanding Women of the Year 2022 by Fiji’s Women in Business.  Beyond her professional prowess, Shally is deeply passionate about empowering her staff and fostering a culture of customer-centricity within the organization. Her commitment extends to making a positive impact on communities, actively contributing to their growth and prosperity.

Outside the confines of her professional duties, Shally finds joy in traveling with her son, cherishing quality moments of exploration and discovery. Her dedication to both her career and personal life exemplifies a remarkable balance, underscoring the essence of a true leader and role model.

Ms. Sharyne Fong is an entrepreneur, founder and Managing Director of her own business advisory and consultancy business, Insight Business Advisory Pte Ltd. After a 30+ career in the financial services industry, she decided in March 2019 to take the leap out and venture into leading her own business.

Sharyne provides strategic and independent insight for organisations and its relevance to the changing business environment. She also provides insight into scaling up businesses. Leadership Fiji is her current client where she’s engaged in providing executive and Chief Executive Officer functions and focussed on scaling it up to align to its strategic goal of establishing a Leadership Academy for Fiji and the Pacific. She is also a Fellow of the Leadership Fiji 2005 program, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Fiji Human Resources Institute, and is an approved Business Advisor with Business Link Pacific.

Shavindra is part of the Executive Leadership Team of the Fiji Revenue & Customs Service (FRCS). He carries out a very dynamic role deputizing the Chief Executive Officer and his tasks range from staff management, strategic planning, provision of advisory and overseeing operations. Shavindra also leads the Corporate Division which incorporates policy analysis and advice, legal services, public relations and marketing, international relations, strategic planning and monitoring, technical interpretation, objections review, and financial intelligence.
He has more than 13 years of experience in fiscal policy, international trade, and investment. His role also includes leading the national budget work as a key advisor to the government.
His academic background is in Economics with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji.

Mr Shiri Gounder has been the Permanent Secretary for Finance since 2021 and played a lead role in Fiji’s economic and financial management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to this appointment he has served in various senior positions within the Ministry of Finance, including as the Head of Fiscal Policy and Head of Treasury.
Mr Gounder has over 16 years of professional experience with the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of Fiji in areas of macroeconomic policy, national budget formulation, taxation & customs policy, public financial management, public administration and strategic management.
Shiri is currently a Board Director at the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Fiji Revenue and Customs Service and Fiji National Provident Fund. And had also served as Director on the Board of Fiji Airways, Energy Fiji Limited and Unit Trust of Fiji.
Mr Gounder has a Masters in International and Development Economics with Distinction from the Australian National University, a Post Graduate Diploma in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics & Accounting from the University of the South Pacific.
Shiri is originally from Kavanagasau, in the interior of Sigatoka and is married with a son.

Sophie has a PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Sydney and has worked in plant biosecurity policy and research in both the private and public sectors. She is the Pacific Engagement Manager for Plant Biosecurity and Director for Pacific Engagement and International Plant Health. Her team manages Australia’s multilateral engagement on plant health matters through the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Pacific Plant Protection Organisation (PPPO) and Asia Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC). The team also manages Australia’s offshore plant health surveillance program, in collaboration with Australia’s near neighbour countries. In her role as Pacific Engagement Manager, Sophie acts as a contact point for countries of the region into the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to solve biosecurity related issues and also supports capacity development programs in the region.

Stephen is a Professor of Economics at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University. He is the Director of the Development Policy Centre. Stephen edits Devpolicy.org, the blog of the Development Policy Centre. Stephen is a member of the Advisory Group appointed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility(PALM) scheme. Stephen is Chair of Femili PNG, an NGO that supports survivors of family and sexual violence in Papua New Guinea.  Prior to joining the Crawford School in 2009, Stephen was Chief Economist at the Australian Agency for International Development. He worked from 1994 to 2005 at the World Bank. In 2008, he worked on the Garnaut Review on Climate Change, where he managed the Review’s international work stream.

Stuart is an internationally experienced executive, lecturer and Chartered Accountant who has a depth of experience across a wide range of public sector and commercial areas including finance, procurement, risk management and strategy.

He has worked as an executive across funds management, financial management and financial accounting in Australia, the US and UK. Prior to co-founding ESI Stuart worked as a Chartered Accountant with leading global firms including Ernst & Young, Prudential (UK) Wilhelmsen Investments and Brookfield Asset Management.

Stuart holds a Master of Commerce from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Economics) from the University of Queensland.

Stephanie Brantz is a freelance sport and events presenter, producer and commentator with 20 years of experience across a wide range of sports.

Stephanie is Chair of DFAT’s Sports Diplomacy Advisory Council and Deputy Chair on the Board of Football NSW.

She began her media career at SBS before time at Channel 9, Fox Sports and ABC.

Stephanie is a contributor for ESPN, host of ‘Trailblazers’ on SEN 1170, host for Tennis Australia and producer for FIFA TV.

A Membership Ambassador for the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground and Committee Member for The Primary Club she is also an ambassador for both the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and The Chappell Foundation.

Tim is the newly appointed Australian Trade Commissioner for the Pacific and Timor-Leste. As of October 2023, this position will be reintroduced in Suva, which is a statement about Austrade’s focus on driving expansion in Fiji and the Pacific markets.

Tim leads a team of two Business Development Managers in Suva, with a dedicated focus on Infrastructure and Food and Beverage opportunities. The team is also responsive to broader opportunities as they emerge, and are monitoring developments in technology and energy.

Most recently Tim was the Director, Strategy and Performance within the Office of Austrade’s CEO, where he led organisation-wide projects promoting the government’s diversification agenda in South Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific. Prior to Austrade, Tim worked in professional services helping exporters plan their international growth strategies, with a focus on the education sector.

Zane is an experienced start up entrepreneur, having successfully launched companies from R&D through to commercialisation and scale across Asia, the United States, and the Pacific.

Professionally, he is currently the Founder and Executive Director of the Calmer Co. International Limited (ASX:CCO). The Calmer Co is a health and wellness company focussing on natural products to calm nerves, support mind and muscle relaxation and induce sleep. Products are sold under a house of brands which include: Fiji Kava, Taki Mai and Danodan Hempworks in markets including USA, Australia, China, New Zealand and Fiji.

Zane has completed a Bachelor of Mechanical Technology, Post Graduate Diploma in IT, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Queensland University of Technology. He is currently a Vice President of the Australia Fiji Business Council (AFBC) and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Shane Hussein is the Head of Commercial and Marketing for the Fijian Drua, responsible for all revenue generating activities for Fiji’s only professional rugby Club. He is a former award-winning TV journalist, a former media advisor for the US Embassy responsible for the Pacific, and the former head of communications, loyalty marketing and customer care for Fiji Airways, Fiji’s National Airline. He has been with the Drua since inception, and was event involved in determining the Club’s brand and identity.

During the Drua’s 18 months of existence, Shane and his team have been able to build a brand that has quickly become one of Fiji’s most recognisable. They’ve grown revenues to cover the operations of the entire Club and establish a world class Base with a state-of-art gym and facilities. Under his leadership, the Drua has also created a suite of products and experiences around its events, which generate over $7m per year of new tourism revenue for Fiji.

Shane has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Management and Public Administration, and postgraduate degrees in Journalism and International Relations from the University of the South Pacific (Fiji), as well as a postgraduate degree in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK).

As CEO of Australian Business Volunteers, Liz Mackinlay is a global expert in international disaster preparedness, contemporary community development and small business capability building. She brings 30 years of experience in over 80 countries, including as CEO of Australian Doctors International and Global Head of Strategy for World Vision. At ABV, Liz spearheads an innovative and community-led approach that fulfils social responsibility requirements for corporate partners. She's passionate about facilitating beneficial partnerships between communities and corporations, elevating, and amplifying the voices of the businesses and communities ABV serves. Her ambition is fuelled by the goal of meeting community needs in a way that is both outcome-driven and sustainable. ABV are committed to growing micro and small businesses across Papua New Guinea, supporting entrepreneurs to succeed, ensuring a thriving local and national economy for a bright future for PNG.

Managing Director of Relcorp (Fiji) Pte Limited, Bob Lowres, started his journey early in life with his first notable corporate role at the age of 19.
He joined G J Coles(Coles) in a training management programme and in just four short years, was appointed to a management position; making him the youngest person to have achieved such a win during that period.

He then moved on to British Airways where he worked in District Manager and Marketing roles with the innate fervour he possesses, leading him to win the inaugural Outstanding Employee Award for Australia. Over the years, Bob’s long-held passion for property drove him to follow his heart and he has since worked with leading agencies including Ray White Real Estate, where he was the top salesperson in his first year and became a director a year later; PRD Realty, where he was Brisbane Manager and Associate Director; City Land Real Estate, a real estate company established with a close friend and in recent years, establishing Relcorp, which has grown to be one of the largest private developers in Queensland.

Assuming he was ready to retire, Bob decided to buy and build a place of his own in Fiji. However, just six weeks in, the boredom kicked in and he was once again on the lookout for development opportunities, this time, within Fiji.

Since then, he has placed Naisoso Island under contract and produced a world-class development Fiji can truly be proud of. Between 2013 and 2016, Bob also served as the Director for Investments Fiji and currently holds a real estate licence in Fiji and previously an Auctioneers and Real Estate Licence in Australia.

The journey for Bob continues to be an exciting one with the release of the new Radisson Blu Mirage Resort, Fiji Naisoso Island as he continues to deliver investments beyond expectations.