Fiji’s accounting profession will gather under the banner “Charting New Horizons for a Changing World” at the Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants (FICA) Congress 2026, organisers announced this week, revealing the event’s theme and a high-profile speaker line-up. FICA president Sharvek Naidu said the Congress will centre on three pillars — Navigating global economics and Fiji’s positioning, Transforming through digital transformation and AI, and Sustaining governance and sustainability — aimed at informing both policy and business decision-making.
“These discussions are highly relevant to Fiji’s current context and are intended to support both policy thinking and business decision-making,” Naidu said, positioning the Congress as a forum for practitioners, policymakers and business leaders to tackle geopolitical and technological shifts that affect the Pacific economy. The announcement marks the latest development in FICA’s preparations for the 2026 gathering and signals an emphasis on bridging macroeconomic strategy with practical professional change.
The invited speakers reflect that cross-section of interests. Peter Roberts OAM, Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, will bring diplomatic and economic expertise to sessions on geopolitics and regional resilience. Roberts served as Australia’s Ambassador to Timor-Leste from 2018 to 2022 — a period that included the finalisation of the Australia–Timor-Leste maritime boundary and active Australian support for Timor-Leste’s COVID-19 response — and has been a lead negotiator on Australia’s trade agreements with China, Japan and Korea. His career also includes postings in Tokyo and Samoa, work on climate resilience in the Pacific, and service as a Senior Civilian Monitor in the Bougainville Peace Monitoring Group. He has been recognised with an Order of Australia Medal and the Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste.
Leading economic analysis for the region, Dr Kishti Sen of ANZ will address the Congress as FICA’s economist speaker. Dr Sen, ANZ’s International Pacific Economist, joined the bank in 2018 after roles including Senior Australian Economist at BIS Oxford Economics and long service at the Reserve Bank of Fiji, where he rose from Economist in 1992 to Senior Economist in 2003. He holds a PhD in Economics and is billed to provide actionable insights on macroeconomic trends and Fiji’s strategic positioning in an evolving global economy.
On the technology and professional transformation front, John Munnelly, Chief Digital Officer at KPMG Australia, will explore digital ecosystems, innovation and the rollout of AI tools. With more than 25 years’ experience in technology and business leadership, Munnelly leads KPMG’s global digital strategy, focusing on platforms and data-driven solutions that aim to reshape client services and internal operations.
FICA says discussions at the Congress will tackle both strategic questions — such as geopolitical impacts on trade and investment — and operational challenges facing accountants and business leaders as AI, data platforms and sustainability reporting standards change expectations. The newly released speaker list underlines the institute’s intent to combine diplomatic, economic and technological perspectives as Fiji prepares for the next phase of growth and regulatory convergence.
Further logistical details for FICA Congress 2026, including dates and registration, have not been included in this announcement. The speaker reveal is the latest step in the build-up to the event and will inform the agenda as organisers refine sessions around the three core themes.
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