Women have the potential to excel as chief executive officers in the corporate world, just as they do in their households, according to a leadership expert from the Asia Development Bank. Sarah Boxall led a four-day leadership program in Suva for senior women executives who aspire to corporate sector roles.
Organized by the Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants, the program aimed to help women build confidence, expand their skill sets, understand business operations, and create networks with other senior women in the private sector. Boxall is an expert in women’s economic empowerment at the Asia Development Bank’s Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative.
Institute president Wiliki Takiveikata noted that the training enhanced the participants’ ability to thrive in their workplaces. He mentioned that the inaugural group of trainees now possesses practical tools to strategically advance their careers.
“We hope they draw strength from the networks they establish through the program and find motivation in the stories from our guest speakers about career transitions, boardroom effectiveness, and other relevant topics,” Takiveikata said.
The training sessions were conducted by Gina Houng-Lee and academic Nacaniela Rika. Participation was limited to 25 women from 15 different organizations.
Boxall highlighted that Fiji lags behind neighboring island countries in female leadership roles at the corporate level, which hampers the country’s economic potential. “This program is designed to elevate women to senior executive roles,” she stated.
She pointed out that challenges such as organizational policies, workplace sexual harassment, and legislative and policy barriers need to be addressed to help women maintain their jobs and progress in their careers.