Faiz Khan’s Hard Work Wins Excellence in Leadership Award
Who said transforming an organisation to international standards was easy?
It certainly wasn’t for Fiji Airports acting chief executive officer Faiz Khan.
Mr Khan walked away with the Excellence in Business Leadership Award, sponsored by Telecom Fiji Limited during the Prime Minister’s International Business Award 2019 at the Sheraton Fiji Resort on Saturday night. Investment Fiji was the main organiser of the awards which was officiated by the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
He said the transformation of Fiji Airports was brought about by the Fiji Airports team, around 550 of them.
Fiji Airports also won the Supreme Award sponsored by FIJI Water during the awards night. In a previous interview, Mr Khan had highlighted that the biggest transformation came about in their people.
He noted that a few years back Fiji Airports was an organisation where each department was acting in silos.
“Today we are one team. “Our motto is “team work and delivery through effective communication and understanding of roles”.
“We work in a team to drive progress.We do so by understanding our challenges, tasks and opportunities and then effectively communicating with each other. “Our team aims for excellence and today we are receiving international recognitions for the team’s service delivery, hard work and strategic direction.
“One of the key features of our success is that despite carrying out complicated infrastructure projects we have achieved value for money investments and managed to keep our operational cost structures highly efficient.” Mr Khan not only looked after Fiji Airports but led the transformation of Fiji Pine Group. The Lautoka lawyer has a strong background in commercial law and finance.
A man with an early background in his family’s business and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting and Finance as well as a Law degree from Bond University in Australia.
Excellence in Business Leadership Award
The Excellence in Business Leadership Award, recognised an individual who has shaped the business world in Fiji through steadfast leadership, vision, tenacity and dedication, who is a true leader and role model for other companies.
Mr Khan deserved the award because it recognised how dynamic, inspiring and visionary of a man he is to develop products and services that create jobs and help the economy grow.
He said in an interview on Saturday night: “I didn’t apply for the award
“I think my team put in my name and they didn’t ask for my permission but I am really thankful and grateful for that recognition and it means a lot.
“I feel a bit emotional about it but I am just thankful to my team
“I don’t think its an award personally for me that award again it is for the entire team each and everyone’s name deserves to be on it.”
Supreme Award
As an organisation Mr Khan said they are really humbled by winning the Supreme Award.
“We didn’t expect to win, so I am really happy for the team who put in a lot of effort and hard work for the little things we have targeted for but also looking at our bigger strategies and long term goals. “At work we have a philosophy that each one of us, individually and all of us combined are not bigger than the purpose we serve. “The purpose we serve indeed one that affects the lives of each and every Fijian.
“We help make the lives of Fijians better by bringing people all over the world to Fiji but at the same time apart from bringing international people to Fiji we connect many Fijians living in remote areas in Fiji to one another. “So you have people living in Rotuma, where we just did the runway which is quite a distance infact its closer to Tuvalu than it is to Fiji. By doing the runway we are connecting them in an easier way to Fiji and the rest of families through to Fiji
“That also applies to places in Lau where we have airports in Kadavu, Labasa Savusavu, many of these airports people don’t realise only have flights once a week. “So to look after them comes at a huge cost and we do that because of the bigger purpose we serve.
“This award I will dedicate it first to my work colleagues 550 of us for their hardwork at the same time to the bigger purpose we serve.” Feedback: maraia.vula@fijisun.com.fj