Tower Insurance’s chief executive Paul Johnston and newly appointed chief people officer Carly Orr are in Suva this week on a visit aimed at strengthening ties with staff and stakeholders and underlining Fiji’s strategic place in the insurer’s Pacific and New Zealand operations.
The visit, the first time Mr Johnston has been to Fiji in 2026, comes as Ms Orr settles into her new role after being appointed in February. Tower said the trip is intended to reinforce the company’s continued investment in people across the region and to give senior leaders direct exposure to the culture and operations at its Suva hub, which employs more than 300 people and serves customers across New Zealand and the Pacific.
“One of the key focuses of the visit was further strengthening and celebrating Tower Fiji’s diverse and inclusive culture,” Ms Orr said, noting the leadership and passion behind employee-led groups. Mr Johnston added that seeing the impact of Tower’s investment in culture, inclusion and leadership first-hand was an important part of planning for “another incredible year ahead.”
During their time in Suva the executives met with members of several Fiji‑led staff groups, including Mera Hanua and Tower Bula. Mera Hanua promotes and supports Fijian culture within Tower, with a stated purpose to strengthen, educate and honour cultural diversity across the organisation. Tower Bula is centred on employee wellbeing and inclusion and delivers initiatives such as volunteer leave, sporting participation and wellness workshops to help staff feel valued and supported. The pair also engaged with the Rainbow Network, which promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion and awareness, and Mana Wahine Toa, which focuses on understanding and improving women’s work experiences across the business.
Tower emphasised that these employee‑led groups are embedded in the company’s broader people policies, with practical initiatives intended to translate commitment to inclusion into day‑to‑day practice. The insurer points to external recognition of that approach: in 2024 Tower was named Employer of the Year at the Prime Minister’s International Business Awards, and in 2025 it received a Top Employer Award from Insurance Business.
The visit signals a renewed emphasis on people and culture as strategic assets for Tower’s Pacific operation. Bringing the new chief people officer to Fiji early in her tenure — combined with the CEO’s in‑person review of the Suva hub — gives local staff direct access to senior decision-makers and allows leadership to assess how regional initiatives are working on the ground.
Tower’s Suva presence, with more than 300 employees, remains central to its service footprint in the Pacific. The company says the week’s meetings with staff and stakeholders will inform ongoing work on inclusion, wellbeing and leadership development across its Pacific and New Zealand business lines.