2022 Joint Forum: Vuvale - The New Paradigm

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is the Fijian Attorney-General and the Minister for Economy.

Since joining the Bainimarama Government, Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum has initiated a comprehensive program to modernise Fiji’s laws in such areas as domestic violence, corporate governance and criminal code.

To give teeth to the Bainimarama Government’s campaign against corruption, the Attorney-General oversaw the formation of Fiji’s Independent Commission Against Corruption, the first of its kind in the country and in the region.
The Attorney-General led the preparations for Fiji’s return to parliamentary democracy by implementing a new system of electronic voter registration (EVR), formulating Fiji’s new political party and electoral laws.

He oversaw the work to finalise the 2013 Fijian Constitution that provides the legal foundation for a common and equal citizenry while protecting indigenous land ownership and rights. As Minister for Economy, he most recently led the formulation of the 2022-2023 National Budget which allocated more funding for scholarships, study loans, and education-related grants than any year in history –– funding a total of 9,200 scholarships and study loans in addition to 200 grants for micro qualifications.

Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum attended Marist Brothers High School He holds a Masters in Law from the University of Hong Kong, a Bachelor of Arts in political science and development studies from the Australian National University, and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of New South Wales (Sydney), Australia. He is admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Courts of Australia and Fiji.

Ministry of Commerce Trade Tourism & Transport

A barrister and solicitor by profession and a practicing lawyer since 1999.

A true Fijian at heart, born and raised in the western region of Fiji, Hon. Koya is passionate and committed to the call of developing Fiji to a modern nation state, recognising the talents of our young people and encouraging the development of our multi-racial and multi-cultural communities.

With his drive and determination, he leads the above crucial ministries in delivering the agenda of the Fijian government.

Senator Tim Ayres grew up on a beef cattle farm in Northern New South Wales.

Before his election to the Australian Senate, Senator Ayres was a trade union leader who played a prominent role in Australia’s manufacturing, food and agriculture sectors.

In 2019, he was elected as a Senator for New South Wales representing the Australian Labor Party, and served as a leading member of the Australian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade, and Finance committees.

In 2022, Senator Ayres was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing.

Tim is married, with two teenage children and lives in Sydney.

Mr Ariff Ali was appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji on 11 September 2017. Mr Ali joined the Reserve Bank in 1992 in the Research Department. He has worked in the Economics, Financial Markets and the Financial Institutions Groups and was Team Leader for the FIJICLEAR project. He rose to head the Financial Markets Group in 2009 and was the Chief Manager of the Economics Group from 2013. Prior to his appointment as Governor, he was the Deputy Governor since May 2014.

As Governor, Mr Ali is the Chairperson of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Monetary Policy Committee, Macroeconomic Committee, Capital Markets Development Taskforce, National Financial Inclusion Taskforce and Secured Transactions Taskforce. He is also a member of the Council of the Fiji Institute of Bankers and the National Anti-Money Laundering Council. Mr Ali is the Chairperson of the Government Tender Board, the Accident Compensation Commission Fiji and the Fiji Roads Authority.

Mr Ariff Ali obtained his Bachelor of Economics (Honours) degree from the International Islamic University, Malaysia and a Master of Business Administration from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji.

Mr. Williams is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with extensive experience in South-East Asia and the Pacific. Mr Williams is a former Australian Ambassador to Laos and has served most recently in Canberra as Assistant Secretary of the Fiji and Vanuatu Branch. He has also previously served as Assistant Secretary of the Pacific Regional Engagement and Outreach Branch. Mr Williams has a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland.

Permanent Secretary for Fiji’s Ministries of Fisheries and Forestry

Pene has worked for the Fijian Government for more than 32 years across the Administration and Economic Services sectors and has held strategic and leadership positions, including:

As a Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, 2002-2006
Principal Information Officer and then Director of Information, Ministry of Information, 2008-2010
Director of Corporate Services and then Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources, April 2010-June 2012
Official Secretary to the President Brigadier-General (Ret’d) Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, June 2012- November 2015 and to President Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konusi Konrote, November 2015- November 2018
Permanent Secretary for Forestry, November 2018-to date
Dual appointment as Permanent Secretary for Fisheries, May 2020-todate

Pene oversees the coordination of Fiji’s landscape restoration and tree-growing revolution - growing 30 Million Trees in 15 Years as part of Fiji’s efforts to manage its forests for economic and environmental sustainability, enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services, and heighten our global leadership role in addressing climate change through nature-based solutions. A record 15 million trees and mangroves have been planted since January 2019, and the forestry sector achieved its highest exports revenue in 2021 valued at F$118.5 Million. A major focus of the Ministry is to facilitate the equitable distribution of wealth from the forestry sector to benefit resource-owners, industries, and the national economy – a win-win, no zero sums outcome.

With the Fisheries Ministry, the aim is to harness greater synergy between the green and blue economies with emphasis on sustainability. This includes strengthening scientific research to inform the work of the Ministry and the sector in addition to complementing Fiji’s food security and economic recovery post-COVID-19. Major achievements during his term include providing economic incentives to the fishing industry for new energy-efficient environmentally friendly vessels, extending offshore fishing license tenure from 3 to 20 years, strengthening partnerships to help with monitoring and surveillance to reduce Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing, while pursuing the protection of 30% of Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone through Marine Protected Areas. 
Pene is a Board Director for the Fiji Hardwood Corporation Limited, an appointment he took up in August 2020. From May 2021 to April 2022, he Chaired the 118th Forum Fisheries Officials Committee comprising Heads of Fisheries from the 17 member countries of the Forum Fisheries Agency. He is a recipient of Fiji’s 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal.

Pene has several qualifications from the University of the South Pacific including a Master of Business Administration degree. He holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in Karate and is a former national Karate representative, coach and manager of the Fiji Karate teams to several South Pacific Games, Oceania and Asia-Pacific Championships. He is also a former President of the Fiji Karate Federation which he helped establish in 1993, and a former Vice-President of the Oceania Karate Federation. He has travelled extensively to 47 countries and territories as a Civil Servant staffing for the Prime Minister and President, attending international meetings, seminars and study tours, and as a Karate representative in various capacities.

Email: pene.baleinabuli@govnet.gov.fj and pnbaleinabuli@gmail.com Mobile: (679) 9904263

Saud Minam is the CEO of the Fiji Development Bank.

A highly accomplished professional with 30 years’ experience within the financial sector, I am a thoughtful leader and passionate knowledge sharer within the banking sector. I have grown with changes and technical advancements and am recognised for my ability to negotiate contracts and manage banking agreements with integrity and discretion. I have extensive experience working with stakeholders to exceed client needs, assessing commercial needs and acting as the conduit between operational practicalities and technical abilities. I enjoy working collaboratively, leading and mentoring staff to ensure team effectiveness.

CURRENT MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
Chairman YES (Young Entrepreneur Scheme) Govt of Fiji
Vice Chairman ADFIAP (Association of Development
Financing Institution Asia Pacific)
Deputy Chair Housing Authority and Public Rental Board
Employment Relations Advisory Board Member
Vice President Fiji Australia Business Council
Executive member, Ethics Committee Fiji Muslim League
Executive Member International Human Resource
Development Program Govt of Fiji
MSME Fiji National Export Strategy Member
Advisory committee member at Fiji National University,
School of Mechanical Engineering
Director Fiji Investment Corporation Limited

Shally is the Regional Chief Executive Officer for Digicel Pacific and in her portfolio has management oversight of 5 Pacific markets - Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Nauru. She leads a team of approximately 900 staff focused on providing the best telecommunications experience to all customers in the Pacific. Her key pillars are customer centricity, simplicity in everything Digicel does and digital transformation.
An accredited CPA by profession, Shally has spent the better part of her career in the Telecommunications industry in Finance in roles as a Chief Financial Officer, Pacific Hub and Finance Controller in the Fiji business.
Recognized by Capacity Magazine in its March 2022 edition in its 20 Women to Watch segment, celebrating notable women across the wholesale telecoms & tech sector and recently Shally has been awarded “Asia’s Women Leader” by CMO Asia & World Women Leadership Congress.
Shally is passionate about staff empowerment, customer centricity and is deeply committed to helping communities thrive. When not marshaling the team at work, Shally enjoys traveling with her son.

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 numerous boards and councils which contribute towards the decision-making process at a national level. Being a part of these organizations provides him with much better access to our business community's needs and desires in putting Investment 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 doing so, contribute to the nation’s economic and social development.

Karen is President of IFOAM Organics International, the global umbrella organization for the organic agriculture movement, which represents close to 800 affiliates in 117 countries and works for sustainability in agriculture. Karen is also the Director of the Land Resources Division(LRD) of the Pacific Community based in Fiji. The Land Resources Division provides technical and scientific support to 22 Pacific countries and territories on all aspects of agriculture and forestry from genetic resources to markets. Karen is leading the development of the Pacific Community’s integrated programme to strengthen Pacific food systems for improved health, nutrition and resilience outcomes and has been actively involved in project development to support the economic empowerment of women through agricultural value chains.

She has experience in NGO capacity building and management, has worked in rural development in the Pacific Region for close to 20 years with a focus on organic agriculture as a path to social and economic development. She was the first coordinator of Pacific Organic & Ethical Trade Community (POETCom) where she served for 5 years. During this time she was extensively involved in implementing the Pacific Organic Standard and Guarantee Scheme, building tools to support organic policy development and establishing alternative forms of certification that empower farmers.
Karen has previously served on the Board of Directors of Fairtrade Australia New Zealand. She is a national of Samoa and Australia.

Education
Bachelor of Arts (History/Politics & Education), Diploma of Education (Librarianship & History)
Macquarie University
Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management
UNITEC
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Viliame is currently the CEO of the Fiji National Provident Fund, and has the honor to serve as Chairman/Director on the Board of Directors of the following prestigious companies in Fiji:
Chairman of Board of Directors
• Housing Authority of Fiji
• Denarau Corporation Ltd (DCL)
• Public Rental Board Director
• Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd (ATH)
• Airports Fiji Ltd (AFL)
• HFC Bank (HFC)
• Fiji Hotel & Tourism Association (FHTA)
• Farleigh Ltd
• Barton Ltd (Sheraton)
• Dubbo Ltd (Westin)
• Rylestone Ltd (Denarau Golf Course)
• Vodafone Fiji Ltd (VFL)

Key Skills:

• Transformational Leadership
• Coaching, training and staff development.
• Persuasive Communication
• Analytical & Forward Thinker
• Results Orientation, Decisiveness & Flexibility
• Financial Analysis & Investment Appraisal
• Project Management
• Auditing - Financial, Project & Compliance
• Crisis Management
• Change Management & Restructuring
• Economic Efficiency & Effectiveness Auditing
• Managing Calculated Risks

As the Trade Director in the EY Oceania Strategy and Transactions team, Kylie uses her extensive trade and investment experience in federal and state government and her expertise in the art of making commercial sense of government policy to orchestrate highly valuable business partnerships in the Indo-pacific region.

Kylie has been Trade Commissioner, Pacific and Timor Leste, and also a senior government representative in Australia’s first ever renewable resource foreign direct investment partnership creating a 1.7MW capacity solar plant. She has created opportunities worth more than $10billion in investment deals, orchestrated over 30 major multi-national and multi-sector outcomes and influencing policy to be useful between government and business, such as infrastructure, water, tourism, trade and resource sectors - to name but a few.

Well-regarded as an opportunity maker, influencer who can make powerful introductions, and policy translator between government and the private sector, much of Kylie’s work leaves a meaningful impact on the world, navigated using a strong compass of ingenuity, determination, authenticity and excellence.

A proud Norfolk Islander with strong links across the Pacific, Kylie is an explorer of opportunities, a business owner and entrepreneur, a mother of two and competitive sports woman. Kylie’s leadership and business style is dynamically pragmatic, with a flair for creative solutions to encourage growth.

Clinton Pobke is Director of the Economic Analysis Unit in the Office of the Pacific and covers economic developments in Fiji. Clinton has worked on the Pacific for 10 years and has traveled extensively throughout the region. He was the Program Director for the Governance for Growth program in Vanuatu for four years and supported the Vanuatu Government to implement a range of reforms including: Vanuatu’s first budget stimulus package, reform of its Commerce and Public broadcaster as well implementation of the Electronic Single Window project and other financial inclusion innovations. Prior to joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Clinton worked with the Australian Productivity Commission on a range of high-profile inquiries.

Katerina Syngellakis has been managing and delivering sustainable energy, climate change and green growth programmes and projects for 20 years, including 15 years in the Pacific Islands. Presently, she is the Director and Head of Programs for the Pacific at the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) based in Suva, Fiji and leads GGGI’s support to its Pacific member and partner countries to transition towards a model of economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive Katerina oversees Pacific operations and engages with various international, regional and national partners to drive green growth and mobilize finance for climate action and sustainable development in the region. Katerina has Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Energy management and Sustainable Development and is interested in the cross-disciplinary application of clean energy technologies, for greener cities, low carbon transport, community development and improved livelihoods, food and water security and building resilience to climate change. She was the co-lead for the development of the Fiji Low Emission Development Strategy in 2018 and the Tonga Low Emission Development Strategy in 2021.

Gaurav Johri is a Senior Trade and Investment Adviser at Austrade, the Australian government’s trade and investment agency. He is based in Sydney and focuses on digital technologies and financial services. Prior to Austrade, he held varied roles in the fintech and corporate banking sectors in Australia and the UK.

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. Ms Janif 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.

Senior Economist, Westpac Group

A senior Economist with a broad focus on labour markets, prices, commodities & foreign exchange. If you focus too much on the now you will forget there are historical longer run forces also guiding outcomes.

Justin has 23 years’ experience in Financial Markets. He joined Westpac in 1999 following his early training at the Reserve Bank of Australia. He has spent time in Westpac’s London office and has had a secondment as Chief Economist at St George Bank. Justin’s areas of interest are the international economy, commodity markets and the resources sector. He also analyses the Australia labour market and prices.

Justin also provides the analysis for Papua New Guinea’s annual business confidence survey, the PNG 100 CEO Survey, produced by Business Advantage International in partnership with Westpac.

Justin has 17 years’ experience in Financial Markets. He joined Westpac in 1999 following his early training at the Reserve Bank of Australia. He has spent time in Westpac’s London office and has had a secondment as Chief Economist at St George Bank. Justin’s areas of interest are the international economy, commodity markets and the resources sector. He also analyses the Australia labour market and prices.

Atma Maharaj GAICD, FIML, CPA (Aust), MACS Snr, CA (Fiji)

Profile
Atma Maharaj is the Programme Lead for Oceania National Olympic Committees’ (ONOC’s) Brisbane 2032 “Creating A Home Games Advantage” initiative. With strong entrepreneurial acumen, Atma is a business, ICT and sports professional with over 30 years of Fiji, Pacific and Australian experience across public, private and third sectors.
Corporate Leadership
A Chartered Accountant by qualification, Atma has held successful Senior Executive positions, including CEO of Fiji Investment Corporation Limited (FICL), General Manager of Toyota Tsusho (South Seas) Company and CEO of a Darwin-based Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) organisation.
ICT Industry
Atma has a wealth of experience and knowledge in the ICT Industry having led the implementation of enterprise-wide systems in four of the largest commercial organisations across Fiji and the Pacific.
Atma played a pivotal role in the creation and growth of the ICT Industry in Fiji for over 25 years. Atma has been Fiji’s foremost thought leader for the industry, presenting substantive papers on the vision to transform Fiji into a significant BPO and Shared Services destination and create investment opportunities in the industry.
Sports Leadership
Atma has had a very influential role in Sports in Fiji, the Pacific and the International Arena, having served as the Secretary-General and Senior Vice-President of Fiji National Olympic Committee, Chef De Mission for Team Fiji, President of Weightlifting Fiji, Secretary-General for Athletics Fiji and Board Member of Oceania Athletics Association and the World Athletics Regional Development Centre.

Atma has managed and coached athletes to 9 Olympic, 4 Commonwealth and 8 Pacific Games and several World Championships. With strengths in strategic partnerships and maximising opportunities, Atma has been responsible for attracting and organising several best-in-class major Regional and International sports events.
Board Appointments and Community Leadership
Atma has served as a Board Member of private and public organisations, including Investment Fiji, Fiji Hardwood Corporation, Toyota Tsusho South Seas Limited, Fiji Investment Corporation’s Associate Companies, Advisory Board for the ATH Technology Park and was a founding Board Member of Leadership Fiji and Australian-based Sport Matters.

Inoke is the Acting Executive Director and Chief Communications Officer for the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) based in Suva, having joined them in July 2019. The Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) is one of five Continental Olympic bodies that look after the interests of 17 member nations and 6 associate members from the Pacific Region including Australia and New Zealand. Prior to this role Inoke was Commercial and Communications Manager for Oceania Rugby from 2016 to 2019.

He was a freelance consultant from 2013 to 2015 offering (a) Professional Master of Ceremony services (b) Professional Conference Forum Moderator services (c) Television Presenter and Host, Documentary Producer & Line Trainer (d) Communications & Brand Strategy including Public Relations, Advocacy Campaigns, Marketing, and Media Training and (e) Event Management – from Concept to Delivery.

Before branching out as consultant Inoke was Head of Marketing for both ANZ Fiji and ANZ Pacific.

Before joining ANZ, Inoke worked in the United Nations system for 7 years as a Communications Associate; and was also Public Relations Officer for the 2003 South Pacific Games in Fiji. As of recent, Inoke worked on communication projects for the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) (since 2012) conducting training and media coaching for national teams’ pre- tour. He assisted FRU’s Media Marketing team on a part-time basis, with marketing operations and activations and the Commercial and Media Management component of the Flying Fijians Team to the Rugby World Cup in England 2015 and as a contractor to Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019. Inoke was also the Event Delivery Manager for the SANZAR Super Rugby Matches hosted in Fiji from 2016 to 2019. Trained at the Christchurch School of Broadcasting in New Zealand in Journalism and Television Production, Inoke spent 15 years at Fiji Television as a Producer/Director as well as a Programme Presenter and News Anchor.

Inoke is also involved in the community, including the CWM Hospital Board of Visitors, The Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation, the Methodist Church of Fiji’s Communications Committee. He is also a Board Member of the Fiji Cancer Society and was recently appointed to the Board of the Fiji National Sports Commission.

Brian Thorburn is currently Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Fijian Drua, the new Fijian provincial rugby franchise which entered the Super Rugby Pacific competition in February 2022. Brian has been the driving force behind establishment of the Drua and in 2021 successfully negotiated funding and licensing arrangements for the Druas’ entry to the competition.

From May 2017 until August 2021, Brian was the General Manager Commercial for the Fiji Rugby Union responsible for all commercial elements of Fiji Rugby’s operations and national teams, including Sponsorship, Broadcasting, Licensing, Event management & delivery. Upon appointment in coming months of a permanent CEO of the Drua, Brian will return to the FRU as GM Commercial.

Brian has been involved in Sport since 1996, when he was appointed to the role of GM Commercial Operations at the Australian Rugby Union. Serving in that role for 11 years, Brian oversaw the commercial operations of rugby in Australia during a golden period for the code. Amongst many highlights during his tenure, he drove the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour of 2001, and was instrumental in the successful delivery of the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2003. He was responsible for the delivery of over 75 domestic test matches across all major Australian venues, including achievement of a world record crowd at ANZ Stadium of 109,000 in 2000.

Nilesh A. Chand is the Chief Plant Protection Officer (CPPO - BAF); based at Biosecurity Authority of Fiji – Suva HQ. He has over 25 years of experience with the last 4 years as CPPO for BAF. His qualifications include a Double Masters in Plant Sciences from Australia; The University of Adelaide, South Australia (Plant Health & Biosecurity) and Macquarie University, Sydney (BioMolecular Sciences) with a Bachelor of Agriculture Science from USP, Fiji. During his work experience with BAF he has worked in trade aspects of biosecurity for plants and its products. These include inspections, sampling, verifications, certifications, mitigations, treatments, surveillance, monitoring, capacity building, reporting, research and auditing.

Nilesh is the current South West Pacific representation for the Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC) for FAO International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and also an Executive Committee member for Fiji Institute of
Agriculture Sciences (FIAS).