Women can excel as chief executive officers in the corporate world, just as they do in their households, stated a leadership expert from the Asia Development Bank. Sarah Boxall led a four-day program in Suva targeting senior executive women who aspire to work in the corporate sector.
Organized by the Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants, the program aimed to help women build confidence, enhance their skills and knowledge of business operations, and establish networks with other women in senior positions in the private sector. Ms. Boxall specializes in women’s economic empowerment at the Asia Development Bank’s Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative.
The institute’s president, Wiliki Takiveikata, mentioned that the training increased participants’ capacity to thrive in their workplaces. He stated that the training provided pioneering women with practical tools to strategically advance their careers.
“We hope they draw strength from the network they establish through the program and be inspired by the stories shared by our guest speakers on career transitions, effective board operations, and other intriguing topics,” said Mr. Takiveikata.
The four-day training was conducted by Gina Houng-Lee and academic Nacaniela Rika. Participation was limited to 25 women from 15 different organizations.
Ms. Boxall pointed out that Fiji lags behind neighboring island countries in terms of female leadership roles at the corporate level. This lag hinders the country from reaching its full economic potential. “This program is designed to elevate women to senior executive roles,” she said.
Ms. Boxall also highlighted challenges such as organizational policies and workplace sexual harassment that prevent women from staying in jobs, as well as issues at the legislative and policy levels.