Page 40 - IB October 2021

People People

Doris Flores Brooks Irimaia Rokosawa Meresiami Robert Thompson Vasiti Soko Theonila Roka Matbob
Vosawale-Katuba
MOVERS AND SHAKERS

The inaugural Women’s and NatureFiji-MareqetiViti. Robin McKenzie OAM is the Pacific Islands Forum,
International Network for The Lifetime Achievement Australia’s next High Com- and has held senior roles fo-
Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN for Excellence in Pacific missioner to Tuvalu. He is a cused on climate change, en-
DRR) Leadership ‘Excellence’ Environmental Leadership career officer with the De- vironment, and international
Award has been granted Award was presented to partment of Foreign Affairs security, as well as a Geneva
to Fiji’s Vasiti Soko, Direc- Dr Dick Watling from Fiji, and Trade and was most posting. Nicola Simmonds is
tor of the National Disaster Tusanilefaia’ao Iosefatu Reti recently a Director in DFAT’s the new High Commissioner
Management Office. “Coming from Samoa and Jean Kape COVID-19 Coordination Unit. to Vanuatu, and has previ-
into a field that has been from French Polynesia. He has previously served in ously been posted to the
historically male-dominated, Tokyo and Tarawa. Solomon Islands, and held
I try to be ten steps ahead of Kiribati Vice President and the Wellington-based role of
them because I want to set Finance Minister Dr Teuea Fiji’s Sakiusa Tuisolia has High Commissioner to Nauru,
the tone for other women to Toatu has been selected as been appointed Papua New as well as held senior roles in
get involved and to take up the alternate Board Mem- Guinea Country Rep/Head MFAT’s Pacific and Develop-
leadership roles in disaster ber of Green Climate Fund for the Global Green Growth ment Group.
risk reduction and disaster (GCF), representing Small Institute. He is currently
management,” she said while Island Developing States. The GGGI’s Head of Strategy and The Papua New Guinea
accepting the award. GCF Board is charged with Results Management at the Hunters rugby league team
the governance and oversight GGGI’s Korean headquarters. has reappointed Matt Church
Colonel Fabrice Spinetta of the Fund’s management as coach for the 2022 Intrust
is the new head of New Cale- and Dr Toatu assumes the Twinza Oil CEO Ian Munro Super Cup season. The
donia’s police force, replac- role in January 2022 for a has left the company after Hunters squad was based in
ing Colonel Eric Steiger who three year stint. 18 months in the role. Twinza Queensland this year and
spent just one month in the remains locked in negotia- finished 10th in the 14-team
role before his involvement Bougainville MP, Theon- tions with the PNG govern- Intrust Super Cup competi-
in a domestic violence case ila Roka Matbob, has won ment over its Pasca offshore tion.
made his position unten- the Gwynne Skinner Hu- development. The hunt for a
able. Colonel Spinetta had man Rights Award for her new CEO is underway while The Women’s Fund Fiji has
been the interim head of the campaign against Rio Tinto Stephen Quantrill has been officially registered as a local
force since Colonel Steiger’s mining company and the en- appointed as chairman of the entity under Fiji’s Charitable
departure. vironmental damage caused board. Trust Act and appointed
by the Panguna Mine. This three trustees: Gina Houng
The winners of the Pacific year Rio Tinto finally agreed Samoa’s Tapunu’u Kaino Lee (Chair), William Parkin-
Islands Environment Lead- to fund an independent hu- Thomsen Fuataga has been son and Ana Laqeretabua.
ership Awards include For man rights and environmen- elected to the sport’s World “Garnering resources for
Excellence in National Lead- tal impact assessment of the Taekwondo Oceania Coun- women’s groups in Fiji will
ership in Environmental Sus- damage caused. cil. Tapunu’u is the owner go a long way to supporting
tainability and Conservation, and head instructor of KLAS women’s human rights and
Dr Patrick Pikacha from Irimaia Rokosawa has Taekwondo in Apia. empowering women,” Houng
Solomon Islands, Hubert been appointed as the Acting Lee said on her appointment
Geraux from New Caledonia, Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand has ap- and registration of the fund
and Nunia Thomas-Moko Fiji’s Land Transport Author- pointed two new High Com- as a local entity.
from Fiji. For Excellence ity. Rokosawa joined the LTA missioners to the Pacific.
in Community Leadership in in 2017 as General Manager Charlotte Darlow is High Thomas Edward Coward is
Sustainability and Conserva- Finance and Administration. Commissioner to Fiji. She the new British High Com-
tion, Timmy Sowang from He was promoted to the role is currently New Zealand’s missioner for the Solomon
Papua New Guinea, Henry of Chief Financial Officer in Senior official for Pacific Islands and Nauru. He suc-
Kaniki from Solomon Islands, 2020. regional processes, including ceeds Dr Brian Jones. Prior

40 Islands Business, October 2021