Page 52 - IB Sept-Oct 2020

People People

Dr Audrey Aumua Mohammed Ajaz Zaheer Hassan Ms Irena Nayacalevu John Ma’o Kali. Cath Cooksley-Little
MOVERS AND SHAKERS

French Polynesia’s lands minister Teraii Alpha is the new will advise OCO members in the areas of law enforcement and
vice-president, replacing finance minister Teva Rohfritsch, border security.
who has resigned to run for a French Senate seat. Social
welfare agency head, Yvonnick Raffin is the new finance and Zaheer Hassan is the new Marketing Manager at the Pacific
economics minister. Tourism Organisation (SPTO). Hassan has a strong background
in digital marketing, branding and public relations, and has
The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC) worked in telecommunications, hardware, retail, education
has appointed Aholotu Palu as its new CEO. PCRIC is the and film. His appointment will help SPTO assist the recovery
regional risk pool and provider of sovereign insurance for efforts of its members and the digitalisation of the Pacific
Pacific island countries, and offers cover against earthquakes, tourism industry post COVID-19.
tropical cyclones, and tsunamis. Palu has 25 years regional
and national experience in economic management, finance Deloitte PNG has promoted tax specialist Maygen Turliu
and development sectors across the Government of Tonga, to Director. She has been with Deloitte since 2011, and also
World Bank and most recently with the Pacific Islands Forum heads the firm’s Responsible Business team.
Secretariat and GIZ.
The Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency is now
Dr Audrey Aumua is the new Chief executive officer of headed by Howard Aru. The new CEO was amongst the staff
Fred Hollows Foundation NZ. The current Deputy Director of who established the agency in 1998, and has also worked
The Pacific Community (SPC) will begin the role in January with government for 16 years, including as Director General
next year. Dr Aumua has also served as the World Health Health and Agriculture.
Organisation Country Representative, Solomon Islands, United
Nations Office, at the University of Queensland, and Curtin Tongatapu MP Losaline Ma’asi is the first woman to act as
University, Western Australia, and was Chief Advisor for the chair of Tonga’s Whole House Committee. Ma’asi is acting for
Pacific, within the Ministry of Health of the Government of Lord Tu’i’afitu, who is currently on leave, and will chair the
New Zealand. Standing Committee on Environment and Climate Change. The
Committee of the Whole House is made up of all the members
Natalina Hong is the new CEO of the Solomon Islands of parliament and sits at the same time as the Legislative
Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Hong is an economic, Assembly.
governance and human development specialist with more
than five years of experience in aid program management and Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic
seven years of experience in public administration with the Committee(VASANOC) has appointed James Kalo Malau as its
Solomon Islands Government. She replaces Atenasi Ata. new CEO. He was previously Sports Development officer for
VASANOC and takes over from Henry Tavoa, who was in the
The new enforcement advisor for the Oceania Customs role for 18 years and is now Director, Youth and Sports with
Organisation, Mohammed Ajaz says customs officers are the government.
often seen as gatekeepers and not as important economic
contributors, even though they help in facilitating trade in an Irena Nayacalevu is Fiji’s new Director of Lands. She was
economy. The Fijian national has over 21 years of professional previously Fiji’s first female Chief Valuer, and has served the
experience with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service and ministry for 25 years.

52 Islands Business, September/October 2020