Women can excel as chief executive officers in both their homes and the corporate world, said a leadership expert from the Asia Development Bank.
Sarah Boxall recently led a four-day program in Suva aimed at senior executive women aspiring to enter the corporate sector. Organized by the Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants, the program focused on building women’s confidence, expanding their skill sets and business knowledge, and creating networks with other women in senior private-sector positions.
Boxall, an expert in women’s economic empowerment at the Asia Development Bank’s Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative, emphasized the importance of such training. Institute president Wiliki Takiveikata highlighted that the training enhanced participants’ capacity to succeed professionally. Takiveikata added that the training provided practical tools to help women advance their careers and encouraged them to draw strength from the networks and stories shared by guest speakers on topics such as career transitions and boardroom effectiveness.
The training, conducted by Gina Houng-Lee and academic Nacaniela Rika, was limited to 25 women from 15 different organizations. Boxall pointed out that Fiji lags behind neighboring island countries in female leadership roles at the corporate level, which has hindered the country’s economic potential.
“The program is designed to prepare women for senior executive roles,” Boxall said. However, she noted that challenges such as organizational policies, workplace sexual harassment, and legislative and policy barriers still prevent many women from retaining their positions.